6 CUP Traditional Stove Top Espresso Coffee Maker

Bene Casa's 6-cup "cafetera," as they call these units in Spain, is an excellent substitute for the WAY over-priced Bialetti. Clearly some folks like the "charm" of being able to say that their "cafetera" was manufacture in Italy instead of China (wher Bene Casa's unit is made), but if the quality of the unit is equivalent, is it worth paying $20 extra for the name? I do not. This is all aluminum, just like Bialetti's, and all three disassembling parts join flawlessly. The espresso made is the same as that by Bialetti's and other "cafeteras." So, unless you have money to burn, buy the Bene Casa brand and you'll enjoy a quality unit that produces the same excellent espresso. Now, if I can only find a 12-cup unit by Bene Casa...

ONE STAR IS TOO HIGH.

We purchased the 3 and the 6 cup models for XMAS Gifts.

The 6 CUP leaks without ever even heating it. Just along the bottom edge at one of the corners, the casting is too thin!

The 3 cup does not leak until you heat the water. It then sprays out steam along the main "seal" between the pots and all AROUND the pressure valve (not through it).

I do so wish they had included in the product information that these are junk manufactured by the cheapest company in China. With this poor level of workmanship, who knows how many heavy metals are in it.

Don't risk your health, buy a product from somewhere that has health and quality standards.

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Got this in hopes to make my daily coffee (versus getting a typical coffeemaker).

At first opening, everything seemed ok.

Made my initial first pot and didn't know how high or low the gas stove was supposed to be to get the percolating action going.

After figuring out the right temperature, it seemed fine enough... every now and then it would seem that I would have some water leftover in the bottom reservoir not sure if that's normal or not.

And as others have reported, recently I had this unit over the gas flame a little off center while washing the dishes and smelled burning plastic. Thank God I was in the kitchen and was able to prevent a fire!

The handle melted somewhat but remained intact and I can still use the unit (now that I place the unit more off-centered so the handle is far away from the gas flames as possible). Instead of grabbing it by the handle I just have to use an over mitt and grip the unit from the top. Not ideal but still functional...

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If you can afford a better product, go for it. This is very cheaply made. I wish just about every day that I got the Bialetti I wanted instead of this.

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As you can see, I rated this item with one star in #2 above. If I could have rated this item with a minus (-) sign indicating a rating lower than one star I would have. This item isn't worth the box it was shipped in. When I took it from the box and examined it, I realized something that most people say all the time; "You get what you pay for". First thing, the top lid was hinged in such a way that when it was opened the metal actually cracked at the hinge point due to poor molding. Second, when I added water to the pot, it immediately started to leak from the bottom side. After examining it I noticed pin holes where the water was leaking from, there again, poor molding. I no have a question; doesn't this product go through Quality Control, or is it because of the very low selling price the manufacture feels it is not cost effective due to man hours which reduce their overall profit?

I realize this item is inexpensive, but customers should at least be able to produce the product it was designed for.

I am very dissapointed in Amazon for selling this product, and I also realize that the order was placed through Amazon and shipped from the supplier. My overall comment is; I have purchased other items through Amazon with great results, but after purchasing this item I was "VERY DISSATISFIED". I will be cautious if and when I should make on-line purchases in the future.

Kaffeologie S Filter - an Ultra Fine Stainless Steel Coffee Filter for AeroPress Coffee Makers

I have been loving my Aeropress for over a year now and have one for work and one for home. Compared to the French press, the Aeropress definitely improves the quality and efficiency of the brewing experience. However, even so, the paper filters are the weakness in my opinion. I've seen the other steel filter out for awhile for the Aeropress but didn't try it because reviews I had read stated it was too porous and let too much grit thru. However, when I saw this on Kickstarter and read the pre-review from Marco Arment (), it sounded like this problem had been solved because the mesh was fine enough to keep most of the grit out. I've had my S Filter for a week now and have pressed at least 20 times thru it. I think Nate & John have nailed it. The back pressure is about right when pressing and I feel that I can taste a difference with my routine press recipe (below). I feel like there is definitely more flavor in the cup and while a super fine residue remains if you leave your cup dry after finishing it, I don't feel it or taste it in the last sip. It cleans up well and makes one less piece to have to stock up on over time. I just ordered my second filter for work so I don't have to transport it back and forth. Thanks guys!

My favorite recipe lately is a slightly heaping scoop (15-17 g) of Starbuck's Dark Sumatra roast purchased in beans and ground finely (espresso). I do an inverted press with the plunger on the 4 and then fill with water to about the 1. I let it steep for maybe a minute after stirring. Then I press all the way thru, including the air. I really think that the oils are in the last foamy part of the press. Then I dilute that to bring the amount pressed into the mug to about 1.5 cm from the top.

I ordered one of these filters in November, and within a couple weeks of daily use and careful hand-washing it started to come apart.

Needless to say I was pretty disappointed. However, the filter was still functional, as it's more or less held together when the aeropress parts are assembled. So, honestly, at that point it was primarily a cosmetic irritation. I was annoyed, but I still wasn't sure that I was free of blame. Had I misused it? Had I thrown it in the dishwasher? Would the dishwasher be enough to ruin the filter? I didn't know, so I wasn't quick to write the seller and complain.

Eventually I did send them a note, and they were absolutely great to deal with. They replaced my filter hassle-free.

By this time I'd figured out what the issue was; the mesh of the filter is adhered to a metal ring. In the amazon picture you can see what I consider to be the bottom of the filter. You can see it appears to be 'stitched' to a ring. My advice to anyone considering this filter but is put off by breakage -just make sure you use the filter with the ring side up. This way, the twisting motion of assembling the aeropress does not put unnecessary force on the 'stitching'. Combined with gentle hand-rinsing, there's no reason the filter shouldn't last you a good, long time.

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I've been an AeroPress fan and user for years, but I've always found the paper filters frustrating, they're really not all that reusable, they tend to clog very quickly with the fine grinds I prefer. I just bought an S filter, and after a week, I'm very impressed definitely more convenient and easier to use, and the big benefit I was not expecting was a big improvement in taste (which wasn't at all bad to begin with, AeroPress already made the best coffee I've ever had) I was thinking it was a new bag of mail-order fair trade beans that were just delivered, but I tried an old bag of regular store bought Eight O'Clock beans, to much the same effect. Aeropress already made the best coffee I've ever had, so to get such a dramatic further improvement in flavor is really quite remarkable.

So really, I just wanted to say Thanks! Great product! :-)

In fact, I just ordered another one for the office.

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I previously gave this a 1. Customer service immediately contacted me, gave me a refund, and offered tips for how to address the problem I was having. After trying several methods, I believe this filter it is best used with the "inverted method" when making the coffee, which is a bit more of a pain (I had to watch 2 videos), but in the end, it worked. I don't notice a difference in the taste, so that's why only a 3. It eliminates the need for paper. Yeah! Of course I still have to worry about the fact I am putting very hot weater in plastic and then drinking it, but that's MY problem, not theirs. I would buy again, but I don't need to! BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!

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When looking at steel filters for the Aeropress, primary factors for me are letting coffee oils through, and yet still providing a minimal of coffee fines through. Aeropress' S filter fulfills those requirements and does so with a sturdy build.

In addition they even provide instructions which makes a better press then the original instructions.

Update: I've been using this filter for some time now and after about a month of use, I noticed (as some others have) that the stitch welds were coming off. I contacted Kaffeologie and they offered to replace it immediately, and also suggested that I was screwing the filter on too tight. Well, I opted not to return the filter, but since I've stopped over-tightening the filter, I have seen no further deterioration of the filter, nor has the filter performed at any less quality.

Primula Replacement Silicone Gaskets for 9 cup Size Aluminum Pots, Set of 3

Very Good product. Fits great. Different material then original, but much better material. ( I need to add seven more words to this review.)

The product is adequate. The silicone rings apppear to be less sturdy than the rings which came with the unit. Furthermore I could use smaller rings but have been unable to find these.

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I bought these for my Bialetti 9-cup stovetop aluminum pot, but wasn't sure if they would work. They work great. Definitely get the silicon instead of the old rubber gaskets. There is no break-in time, unlike the rubber ones that sometimes took weeks, and they clean up a lot easier.

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I bought these gaskets for my 9-cup Primula expresso maker. They fit perfectly and work exactly as expected. I highly recommend them.

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La Pavoni EPBB-8 Europiccola 8-Cup Lever Style Espresso Machine, Black Base

PHOOEY to those who say this is only for the purists! Stuff and nonsense! The possibility for a more delightful relationship with a machine than a man can have with his La Pavoni espresso machine surely doesn't exist outside an Arthur C. Clarke novel. I really can think of no other mod con which is truly indispensible in the way that Ralph, our little Europiccola, is.

Difficult to use? Pshaw! Is a bicycle difficult to use? At first maybe, but all of a sudden you wonder what the fuss was about. With a little practice and practice is half the fun of it you will have the most beautiful espresso thick crema and all merrily widdling out the little spout everytime.

Ralph is delightfully simple to use, as a matter of fact: water in, turn on, coffee in, lever up, lever down, and you're done. How hard can that be?

Getting your espresso right comes down to a lot of other variables, which are the same for any espresso machine the sort of coffee you use, the correct grind, the correct grinder (if you grind yourself, the grinder is really critical) the correct pressure, even the type of water you put in the machine. If you're having trouble grinding your own then head down to the grocers, pick up a tin of Illy coffee, and BINGO you may as well be in a Palazzo San Giovanni with a pair of smart sunnies and a scooter shouting, "prego" at passers by, that's how Italian you'll feel. And the coffee is divine.

Honestly, the very sight of that cute little chappie sitting, glinting on our bench every morning, ready to gladden the very experience of waking up and getting ready for work is enough to make my heart sing. I love my little La Pavoni. You'll love yours, too. Depend on it. I know I do.

I have owned this machine for over ten years and everyday when I make my morning cappuccino I love it more. You can spend more for a machine that measures the coffee, tamps it, pulls the water through and steams the milk for you, but you can tip the kids behind the counter at Starbucks and they'll do the same thing. Making espresso should be a little art and a little science and this machine an impeccable balance of the two. If you aren't the kind of person who takes joy in mixing the perfect martini, making a risotto that whispers with flavor, or whipping a meringue to impossibly tall peaks, this probably isn't the machine for you.

The La Pavoni is for the person who will find tremendous joy in going to the lengths required to make a perfect cappuccino by hand everyday.

PS It always makes my day to know that people find these reviews helpful. So, please vote (the "Was this review helpful to you: Yes or No" buttons) and leave a comment if you'd like, even if it's just to say, "Hi!" I respond to all comments so feel free to ask a question about the product. Also, when you leave a comment, I will go to your reviews and pay you the same courtesy.

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We bought the 16-cup version on our honeymoon in Italy. We've had it for five years. It makes great cappuccino. I bought some extra filters from Thomas Cara in San Francisco, and I can crank out 4 cappuccinos in a row. When we have guests over, they rave about the coffee, and swear it's the best they've ever had.

The machine isn't hard to use true, you need to learn how it works, it's not like Mr. Coffee, but that doesn't make it hard. It has good instructions, and you can mostly figure it out by looking at it water goes here, coffee goes there, lift and lower the handle for coffee, steam a little milk and cappuccino heaven! Ok, it's a little more work than Pop-Tarts, and you can infinitely play with the grind and techniques to create the perfect espresso... so what? You're going to make coffee with this machine for the next twenty years.

The machine is fussy about the grind, however too coarse, and the water just gushes out. Too fine, and the water won't come through at all! Of course, once you get your grinder set "just so", you never need to adjust it.

I never succeeded at steaming milk with the "wand." My Pavoni included a plastic "cappuccino automatic attachment," which consists of a tube which you put into the milk, and a black plastic aerator. This attachment makes fantastic, foamy milk.

The quality of the milk foaming depends on its freshness. Milk doesn't foam as well after 3 or 4 days (Funny milk tastes the same after 3 days, but it doesn't foam the same). Like most home machines, La Pavoni won't get the milk as hot as commercial machines will. By pre-heating the cup with steam or hot water before putting in the milk or espresso, you can overcome this.

Our Pavoni isn't just an appliance. It's beautiful to look at, and it's built with heirloom quality. It needed repairs once, but... refitted its worn gaskets, polished its chrome finish, and got it working like new.

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Finally there is a Espresso machine that makes a GREAT cup of coffee. Takes only 4 or 5 minutes to warm up, a "no brainer" process to pull a great espresso. Compared to stove top or other electric espresso makers, this company has spent the time and energy to develop a machine that gives GREAT coffee morning after morning. If you can remember to refill the water tank, clean out the basket, wipe off the steamer rod -you will have good coffee day after day.

My only regret is that I didn't buy the 16 cup maker. But life cannot always come up roses.

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For the hard core purist only. Using this machines is a skill. And, if you master it, you will be a barista in the truest sense of the word. Every variable, grind, tamp, pressure, length of pull, is crucial and requires close attention to detail. The most critical factor is the grind. If you can not obtain the proper grind, this machine will never produce good espresso. Be prepared to spend [more money] for a grinder capable of providing it. Zassenhaus hand grinders are the cheapest option.

The machine itself is gorgeous. The heavy chrome shines up beautifully after each use and all the levers and spigots and knobs sticking out in every direction baffle and intrigue all who see it. The only thing more fun than looking at it is driving it. Amaze your friends, dazzle your guests. Then, serve them REAL espresso.

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Keurig V500 Vue Brewer

There is no shortage of Keurig reviews online so I will use this one to address a lack of information on the V500.

First, the Vue V500 is functionally the same as the top of the line Vue V700. I recently went to Bed, Bath and Beyond to purchase a Keurig coffee maker as a surprise for my wife while she was out of town. She had expressed an interest in getting one and was dropping hints more and more frequently.

After a little research and armed with a 20% off coupon, I hit the store with the intention of purchasing the Vue V700. When I got to the end cap where the Vue was set up, I saw a Vue I wasn't familiar with and that was the V500. It isn't even listed on the Keurig website yet. We aren't huge coffee people so I thought maybe this would be a better fit at a cheaper price than the V700. Cell phone reception was weak and it was taking forever to look up information so I resorted to asking a BBB employee what the difference was and he was actually very knowledgeable.

Functionally they work exactly the same. The differences are: The size of the water reservoir, the V700 holds 74 ounces while the V500 holds 60 ounces. The touch screen on the V700 is color while the V500's is black and white. The V500 offers all the same cup sizes as the V700 except one, it doesn't do the 18 ounce travel mug size. The V700 has storage for the power cord, the V500 does not. Aesthetically, the V700 has more silver accents on it while the V500 is mainly black. Last, the V700 comes with a free 10 Vue cup variety pack and the V500 comes with an 8 pack.

My wife doesn't care about any of those things so I decided to save $30 and get the V500. She absolutely loves it so far. As I said, we are not coffee people but so far so good. This thing makes a fantastic cup of coffee. If you don't need anything listed in the differences, save yourself some money and a little space on your counter top and get the V500.

Have a Keurig K-cup machine in the office and wanted one for my home. Could not decide on k-cup or v-cup machine. Love strong coffee and even though always buy the dark blends the coffee never seemed as strong as I would like it. After a lot of research I saw that Keurig was releasiing a new smaller Vue machine the V500. Bought it March 17 (at BB&B with 20% off coupon). Have used the machine for three days and simply love the machine. Coffee was stronger (used the strong setting) and hotter (197 degree setting). First cup takes a little time but subsequent cups ready almost immediately. Noise? No more so than any other brewer. Will keep updating as I use it.

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I first found out about the Vue on houseparty.com and applied hoping I would get selected to receive a free one but unfortunately I didn't:( but since I have wanted a new Keurig for a while I decided to buy the Vue v500 anyways. I'm glad I got the machine. It is slightly different from the V700 but the major difference is the black and white screen instead of the color screen and having a max brew size of 16oz instead of 18oz. Not having a color screen isn't that big of a deal to me and the black and white touch screen works fast and is still easy to read. I've used a original K-cup before and I noticed that this one does take slightly longer to brew but it also brews a better cup of coffee! I like having the option to customize what drink I'm making (ex. coffee, iced drinks, and cafe drinks); select which temperature(I prefer to make it colder when I'm going to drink it right away and hotter if I'm taking my drink on the go); whether or not I want my coffee stronger; as well as being able to use the normal sized pods or travel size. These features set it apart from the original k-cup brewer. One downside is that the pods are slightly more expensive, currently there is less variety, and its not as widely available for purchase. There is a reusable vcup on the market made by solofill but as of yet keurig has not put their own out. I've tried out the "Solofill Cup V1" and I like it. I've read some reviews on the Solofill where people say it leaves grounds in the cup and this is not true. The solofill reusable cup does leave some sediment that will rest on the very bottom of your cup similar to if your coffee had been made in a french press and to me it tastes almost exactly like french press coffee (if ground right and using the right amount of coffee). I also noticed other reviews where people said the brewer is noisy, this is true but it's not so noisy it will wake everyone up in the morning, rather it's just that you can hear the pump as opposed to complete silence. The only major complaint I have is that the machine is NOT high enough for taller sized To Go mugs or even most averaged sized travel mugs. I think keurig should have included an additional base to put under the machine to prop it up higher or at least make an optional base for purchase to raise the machine up more otherwise you'll have to find something to put under it if you want to use taller travel mugs.

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I've used Regular Coffee, Decaf Coffee & My Refillable Decaf Coffee several times and I have been disappointed with every brewed cup of coffee!

The Solofill Gold Filter leaves excessive coffee mud in the bottom of the cup.

There is a limited variety of Regular & Decaf coffee Vue cups available.

I like my coffee to taste like coffee or if flavored to taste like the flavor.

Too bad a costly adventure!

Sorry!!

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I have read just about every review out there and really was not sure about actually buying it because of some of them. But I am so glad I did. I love it! I bought the smaller size.

Here are the complaints I saw pretty regularly.

Too loud. No it really is not and I can not figure out where that idea came from. It sounds just like your average coffee pot as it just gets done with its brewing. It is a little louder I did notice when I used the frother. I wonder if that is because it is working a little harder to froth the milk mixture? Either way that is not even that loud.

Heat. Personally I used to be a gas station coffee and Scooter's coffee junkie. The Vue brews just as hot as they do. I did not expect it to be that hot and burned the hell out of my mouth on my first cup. It is set at 195 degrees and I know you can change that if you so choose.

Strength of the coffee. This one humors me because I have to wonder if these people actually tried the strong coffee blends before saying that. Personally I like coffee average strength and the Vue borderlines on a little too strong for me. But its okay I can handle that.

Height. Yes this is an issue that was npoorly designed. I found an old cookbook I do not use much and sat the vue on top of that and just remove the drip tray when I use it. My 16oz coffee cup fits perfectly now. I have to wonder if their idea behind that was most people do not typically order 16oz plus cafe drinks so they decided to make it shorter? Just my thought on that.

I saw someone review the Vanilla Latte horribly saying it was disgusting. I love it and it turns out so much better than coffee shop lattes in my opinion. However it does seem to have a slightly caramel after taste to me. I would love to know if they will come out with a special cup that lets us use our own milk though, that would be perfect!

I love the fact you can choose how many ounces you want to brew. That is an awesome feature. The only sad part is you can only brew an 8 oz latte, thats kind of a bummer but again I think its because your average person does not usually order more than that at a coffee shop.

The touch screen is a bit small and sometimes kind of hard to touch the right buttons at times but its managable. Someone was talking on their review about smiling every time it is done brewing and says "enjoy!", I had to laugh when I caught myself doing it too.

One major draw back is the only place I can seem to find the vue cups is target abd here. But I think it took awhile for the K cups to become so widespread so maybe it will just take some time.

It took me nearly a month to decide to buy this thing and now I am wondering what took me so long to do it! Do not keep considering just go get one :)

Replacement Filters for Aeropress (350 pk)

The disclaimer: I do not work for Aerobie. I have no commercial connection with Aerobie. I do confess, however, to owning two (2) Aerobie Aeropresses.

Okay, now for the part you've been waiting for, the review:

I'll make this really simple: throw away all your other coffee makers and use the Aeropress. Well, you can keep your $350 espresso maker and your electric drip coffee maker, your French press, and your ibrik. You won't USE them anymore, but you can sure keep 'em if you want to.

How serious am I about a good cup of coffee? I roast my own beans. In 1968 when America was brewing coffee in percolators, I saw Michael Caine grind coffee beans in the opening scene of "The Ipcress File" and went right out and searched for coffee beans and a grinder. People thought I was very strange because, after all, "I don't see the difference between vacuum packed and coffee beans." But I could tell the difference. I used a plastic cone and paper filters back then, a system which has basic flaws overcome by the Aeropress. Whatever kind of coffee you've been drinking, it'll be better if you make it with the Aeropress.

A word about the filters. I can taste the paper in coffee made in those drip makers of various kinds. I cannot taste the paper in coffee made in the Aeropress.

If you grind your own coffee, you don't have to get an expensive grinder because the Aeropress is not very particular about the fineness or coarseness of the grind. Fine is better. Coarse will work. You could probably pound the beans with a meat tenderizer and come up with a grind that would work okay in the Aeropress. Whatever grind you use, none of the grit will wind up on your teeth because the economical paper filters keep them out of your cup. There are people who do like the tactile sensation of coffee grounds on their teeth such as coffee brewed in a French press or made in an ibrik. I'm not all that fond of it myself.

The coffee that comes out of the south end of the Aeropress is, certainly from a tactile and visual point of view, free from grounds. So? Well, for one thing, there are no grounds still brewing in the coffee you've got waiting for you in your stylish thermal carafe or in the cup you're savoring right at the moment, and that means that the coffee doesn't get bitter. Think about that for a moment. You get distracted, the coffee in your cup cools off. You nuke it for a few seconds. It's now hot enough to drink, but it just doesn't taste right. Or after a few hours in the carafe, the coffee, while it may still be hot enough, has become bitter. This just does not happen with coffee brewed in an Aeropress. Nuke that neglected cold cup of coffee sitting in front of you, and it's all but indistinguishable from a freshly brewed cup. Pour a hot cup from the carafe a couple of hours after you brewed it, and it's just like a freshly brewed cup. And when you drain the last drop of coffee from your cup, there are no grounds forming a reverse alluvial fan left behind. This can be a disadvantage to people who tell fortunes by reading coffee grounds. Anybody do that? Even more remarkable is that coffee stored for a day or more in the refrigerator can be reheated without an objectionable loss in quality. It's perhaps enough to notice, but if that coffee was made in an Aeropress, don't bet a large amount of money on a taste test, unless you're a professional taster, that you could tell reheated refrigerated coffee a few days old from a brand-new cup.

The measure that comes with the Aeropress holds three tablespoons which the Aeropress website recommends for a five-ounce cup of coffee. Say what?! Okay, the coffee does not, as in a French press, brew for four minutes; it brews for less than a minute, counting stirring and plunging time. That short time makes for a cup of coffee that's low in caffeine but with a robust coffee flavor. You can even make coffee with half the amount of water into an espresso cup, and, trust me on this, it is delicious. All the intensity of espresso's fullness of flavor, but without the bitterness. Now, I have a very good espresso machine, and one day, after having used the Aeropress for several months, I wanted to experience another cup of espresso.

I'm tempted to heave a huge sigh right along in here. Espresso is finicky. My machine (did I mention it's a good one?) is a semiautomatic. That means that it makes coffee with the same amount of pressure and at the correct temperature every time, but I have to put in the right amount of grounds and those grounds better be ground exactly right. Too fine, and the pump can't force the water through in 23 seconds, and the coffee will be extremely strong and without crema, that thick foam that's the hallmark of a correctly brewed espresso. Too coarse, and the pump forces the water through too fast, and you get a weak cup of coffee. And you don't get crema that time either. So I had to experiment with the grind and the amount to the tune of three tossed shots of espresso before I got one right. Did I mention espresso is finicky? It was quite good, but I discovered that not only is espresso finicky, so am I. I had grown to prefer the simplicity of the forgiving Aeropress. Once you get past getting water to the right temperature, I can't think of a way you can make a bad cup of coffee with the Aeropress.

And, by the way, I discovered that the correct amount of coffee grounds to use for a cup of espresso in my machine turned out to be the same as one Aeropress coffee measuring scoop.

Making a pot of coffee? Since brewing coffee in the Aeropress takes less than a minute, once you've got your water at the right temperature, you can brew up a whole lot of coffee really fast. A note on making coffee with really fresh coffee grounds such as those from beans you've just roasted: It foams up like a freshly poured beer. So you'll not be able to fill the receptacle up to the "4" mark. The solution? Do I have to think of everything?! Fill it to the "3" mark. Do this twice and you've made a quart of coffee in perhaps three minutes.

One really endearing feature of the Aeropress is that it's a snap to clean. You remove the little black filter basket at the bottom of the press, push the grounds into the kitchen wastebasket, rinse off the rubber plunger (look at the photos to see what I mean by "plunger"), rinse the basket. You're done. Sometimes I swipe the remaining grounds off the plunger with the stirring paddle before I rinse it. The whole operation takes maybe 15 seconds. I have another Aeropress in my office where I work (as a highly paid professional, of course), and my little windowless cubicle -I mean my spacious corner office with panoramic view has no running water. I found that I'm able to clean it almost as well using a damp paper towel. I save the rinse for later.

Now, the word "plastic" has the connotation of "cheap" or "flimsy" for some people. Bear in mind that telephones and bowling balls are plastic, and nobody thinks of those two items as flimsy. The Aeropress is made of what appears to me to be very high quality plastic. There are no rough edges. It's thick and strong. And it's made in the United States, something that's apparently a value for the company. So for all of you who want to buy American, here's your chance: invented in America by an American and made in America.

The Aeropress requires that the user have the ability and the patience to bring water to the right temperature, 175 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don't have a thermometer, you'll have to buy one. I have the kind you can stick into a slab of meat or dunk into an Aeropress. It works just fine, and it's not very expensive. Under five dollars as I recall at my local hardware store.

How bothersome is it to bring water to the correct temperature? It's not. I experimented for a few minutes and discovered that in my microwave, water poured to the "3" level on the plunger thingy was brought to the right temperature in one minute on high. How hard is that? Or if you're not up to measuring the water, just stick your thermometer into the whistle on your teakettle and soon after you hear the water making that noise like it's about to boil (somewhere around 165 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit), it'll be at 180 degrees. I like this temperature because when you pour it into the Aeropress plunger, it cools off to just the right temperature of 175. Your mileage may vary.

There might be easier ways to make coffee, but I know of none better.

A note about Amazon. Buy it here. Free shipping? Arrives right at your doorstep? Under $? Best coffee you ever made in your life? What are you waiting for?

This makes a great cup of coffee. One of my favorite discoveries was when I read the instructions and they mentioned rinsing off these filters and reusing them. I had never thought of that, but considering how coffee filters DON'T decompose well in the compost, I love this idea and the amount that comes with the Aeropress will last a long time this way without ordering the extra pack. Just rinse and re-use.

Buy Replacement Filters for Aeropress (350 pk) Now

It's good to have extras.... How else can I review coffee filters?

The color, angelic white.

The thickness, a few million atoms.

The shape, surprisingly circular.

The price, recession-friendly.

The outcome: not bad at all.

Read Best Reviews of Replacement Filters for Aeropress (350 pk) Here

I use these with my Hamilton single cup coffee brewer. They make the coffee less bitter word word word word

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These filters are a part of a system for making coffee/espresso that I love. But when I bought the contraption that makes the coffee, I didn't realize it came with so many filters.

Save your money and just use those that come with the thing. They will probably last me a year or more--and I drink a lot of coffee--plus, they say you can rinse the filters and use them more than once if you want to be more green and conservative in your filter use.

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