Updated May 2025
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The AeroPress has never been about aesthetics. First launched in 2005 by Alan Adler (yes, the same Alan who gave the world the Aerobie), it became a cult classic for one simple reason: it never disappointed. Affordable, indestructible, and travel-sized, the plastic coffee press was bulletproof — literally and reputationally.
But now we’re looking at something that feels...different. The AeroPress Premium is a sleek reimagining made of borosilicate glass and stainless steel, retailing for £150/$199. For a brand that built its reputation on no-fuss brewing, it’s a big move.
So: is it still an AeroPress if you’re afraid to drop it?
Why Upgrade?
AeroPress says the Premium was designed for “aesthetics and performance.” And yes, the hand-blown glass is beautiful. The laser-etched branding, the sculptural cap, the hexagonal packaging, all of it feels intentional. It’s heavier in the hand, quieter on the counter, and styled to sit confidently next to your Fellow grinder and Aarke carbonator.
But not everyone’s convinced.
In his video review, coffee expert James Hoffmann summed it up like this: “In chasing a better version, have they accidentally made a worse one?”
It’s a fair point. The glass and metal construction strip away the rugged, take-it-anywhere appeal of the classic. For many, the AeroPress was charming because it wasn’t precious. Now? It feels like something you tiptoe around, not toss in your weekender bag.
Brewing With It: What Changes?
Despite its fragile exterior, the AeroPress Premium delivers a clean, balanced cup. We tested it with the 2024 World AeroPress Championship-winning recipe, a detailed, multi-stage method developed by Romania’s George Stanica using Ethiopian heirloom beans and a precise grind size.
While the cup it produced was beautiful, the difference wasn’t dramatic. Hoffmann’s own blind tasting of brews from the Premium, Classic, and XL versions concluded the same:
“You’d get a slightly higher extraction from the Premium... but better coffee will always beat a better brewer.”
One interesting technical note: the Premium’s dual-wall glass retains heat longer after preheating. That makes it ideal for long steep methods like the “Gagnepress” — if that’s your thing. But if you’re brewing fast and furious in the morning? You probably won’t notice.
Microplastics, Reddit, and the Unintended Consequences
Reddit’s r/JamesHoffmann crowd had Opinions. Some welcomed the glass upgrade as a move away from plastic, citing concerns over microplastics. Others lamented the price point, nostalgia-bombing the days when the AeroPress was a £25 stocking stuffer.
Even Hoffmann was reluctant to wade into the plastic panic:
“If I wanted to reduce the amount of microplastics I consume, this would be a long way down on my list.”
But the irony wasn’t lost on him — a brand built on plastic now has to respond to a conversation it never asked to be in. As Hoffmann put it:
“The biggest downside of the AeroPress Premium may be that everyone’s talking about microplastics a little more.”
Final Verdict
TheThe AeroPress Premium is beautiful. It’s well made. And it brews an excellent cup. But so does the original, for a fraction of the price, and without the stress of smashing it on your kitchen counter.
Yes, it’s more expensive. It’s heavier. And when you pack it for a weekend away, you wrap it in jumpers like it’s a Champagne flute. But here’s the thing: the original AeroPress hasn’t seen the light of day since. It’s now stored quietly in the pantry, a backup, should the Premium ever fall.
If you’re the kind of person who values objects as much as outcomes, you’ll love it. It’s designed to stay home, look good, and quietly impress anyone who knows their Comandante from their Kinu. But for the rest of us?
The Classic remains undefeated.
2024 World AeroPress Championship-Winning Recipe
By George Stanica, Romania
- Position: Inverted
- Coffee: 18g, Heirloom Ethiopian (by Olisipo Coffee)
- Grind: Comandante C40 Mk4 + Red Clix, 58 clicks (870 µm)
- Filter: 1x Aesir, rinsed
- Water: 96°C, diluted Aquacode to ~90ppm
- Bloom: 50g (6 sec via Melodrip), rest 30 sec
- Pour: Add another 50g, stir NSEW for 10 sec
- Cap: At 1:20
- Press: Begin pressing at 1:35, yield 76–79g
- Dilute: To 130–135g with warm + 20–30g cold 0ppm water
“This method was tailored for this coffee,” Stanica says. “Adapt based on your palate.”
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