Chemex vs Aeropress – Key Differences

In this guide, we will explore key differences between Chemex vs Aeropress. Once you know the differences, you can choose yourself a favorite one.
By
Samanta Fryer
Samanta Fryer
Writer
Samanta Fryer is our senior editor and content writer, at CoffeeVibe. Apart from writing and reading, she’s fond of the coffee brewing process and enjoys tasting new coffe read more
reviewed
Reviewed By
Ryan Hendricks
Ryan Hendricks
Expert
Ryan Hendricks is our tester, who puts products through their paces. He used to be a barista and is now a full-time coffee enthusiast. He’s always testing out new gadgets, read more
Last updated: August 21, 2023
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For coffee lovers, the choice of your brew determines the type of coffee you get. Those that prefer their coffee rich and highly flavorful will want the Aeropress, and those that desire a clean and crisp flavor will want the Chemex.

Nonetheless, flavors are not the only thing that differentiates the two equally great but slightly different coffee brewers. In this Chemex vs. Aeropress review, we will discuss all you need to know about both brewers to help you choose the best for your needs.

Chemex Coffee Brewing

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

The Chemex has an elegant body shape that makes it stand out any day. The hourglass-shaped coffee brewer built with glass and adorned with a leather belt-like hold in the middle is a show stopper. But this product is not only known for its looks, but it’s also famous for the quality clean coffee it produces. According to trusted users’ reviews online, the Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker is the top choice among users due to its ability to make coffee without bitterness.

Although the Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker may not be as straightforward as the Aeropress coffee brewer, it is classy and can help you determine with accuracy the details of the kind of coffee you want to make. You get to choose the flavor, the thickness, and even the taste. The flexibility of this control is one of the reasons why Chemex remains the preferred choice of some coffee lovers.

How to

The  Chemex Trusted Source Chemex Coffeemaker - Wikipedia In 1958, designers at the Illinois Institute of Technology said that the Chemex Coffeemaker is “one of the best-designed products of modern times” and it is included in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York Cit en.m.wikipedia.org uses a pour-over technique that allows all the coffee flavors to be immersed in the final content. This method is also referred to as the infusion method.

Needed tools

The tools you need for your Chemex brewed coffee are:

  • Chemex
  • Chemex Classic Coffee Filters Squares
  • A kettle to pour your hot water
  • The coffee beans
  • The coffee grinder to grind the beans into the needed texture
  • Water
  • Timer
  • And of course, yourself to put all the process into place and enjoy the coffee.

Needed Technique

Step 1: Find your right grind. To have a perfect Chemex coffee, you need to be able to get the right coffee grind. The right coffee grind is in between the medium and coarse. A finer grind could clog the filter.

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

Step 2: Fold your filter paper to look like a triangle. The typical filter paper comes in a circle shape. To achieve your triangle shape, fold the circle into half to get a semi-circle shape, and then refold again to get a triangle with the base as a layered curve.

Find the second layer of the curve and separate it with your finger to achieve a cone shape. Place the cone-shaped filter in your Chemex and allow the thicker three-layered side to lay by the spout of the Chemex. This will help for the extraction.

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

Step 3 Pour hot water on the filter to rinse it and eliminate any paper flavor that you might want to infuse into your coffee. It also helps the filter to stay in the right position. Drain out the water.

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

Step 4: Pour your coffee in the Chemex. It is vital that you get the correct measurement. The right measurement is relative, though, as you are in charge of your coffee. However, you can always use a two tablespoon of coffee grind to a cup of water.

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

The water will drain through the filter and give you a resoundingly clean and crisp coffee. You can then dispose of the coffee grind and filter and enjoy your coffee.

Brew size

If you are pouring as much as a liter of coffee, you can use the 55grams of coffee to 1 liter of water ratio. This will give you a 6 cup of coffee or at least satisfy two coffee-thirsty adults.

Taste

The result of the whole process is a really clean and smooth taste in the mouth. This rich, clean, crisp taste directly results from the careful and slow extraction process with the thick folded filter paper.

Aeropress Coffee Brewing

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

Aeropress Coffee brewer is in a class of its own. It comfortably wears the double crown of portability and durability when it comes to coffee brewing and comes with a tote bag. The AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker with Tote Bag can quickly make delicious coffee without bitterness. With its sleek and tubular injection-shaped body, it is almost indestructible! No wonder it is usually the first choice of travelers or mums. You would likely love the versatility of this brewer too. It can make you an espresso as well as a drip coffee.

How To

To make your  Aeropress Trusted Source AeroPress - Wikipedia The AeroPress is a manual coffeemaker invented by Alan Adler, founder of AeroPress, Inc. It consists of a cylindrical chamber, and a plunger with an airtight silicone seal, similar to a syringe. Ground coffee beans and water are steeped inside, then forced through a filter by pressing the plunger through the chamber. It is capable of brewing highly concentrated coffee, which the manufacturer describes as “espresso style”, but can also be used to brew filter strength coffee, or cold brew coffee. en.m.wikipedia.org  coffee, all you need to do is to pour your coffee into the Aeropress, pour water, and press the plunger till all the coffee is extracted into your cup, and there you have your full, rich coffee, thanks to the pressure you added to extract the coffee. Check the needed technique section for full details on how to extract the coffee the Aeropress way.

Needed Tools

The tools you’ll need include the following:

Needed Technique

The technique for extracting the Aeropress coffee is as follows:

Step 1: Prepare your hot water. The water could be anything between 185-200 degrees F. This temperature makes your ideal Aeropress coffee

Step 2: Get your grinder out and grind your coffee beans to a fine size. For a cup of Aeropress coffee, you can use the five tablespoon measurement.

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

Step 3: Set your filter paper in place. Don’t forget to rinse to remove any paper filter. The paper filter must be safely and firmly secured to the drain cap to avoid unnecessary mess.

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

Step 4: Attach your coffee mug to the Aeropress. Be sure the cup is strong enough to withstand the pressure.

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

Step 5: Add your finely grounded coffee brans in the Aeropress chamber and add your hot water to it.

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

Step 6: Properly mix your coffee beans grind with the hot water; this will dispel the carbon dioxide from the mixture as well as incorporate the flavor well.

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

Step 7: Use your plunger to plunge the coffee out gently. It is crucial at this stage that you carefully and slowly apply pressure to the plunger. This will make sure that you express out all the flavors.

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

Brew Size

The brew size for Aeropress is usually just a cup of coffee at a time. This is unlike Chemex that can make up to 6 cups at a go.

Taste

The taste derived from the Aeropress is a clean, rich, and flavorful coffee. The flavor is rich because the pressure applied in pressing the coffee beans ensures that all the sweet richness of the coffee gets into the cup. However, you can be versatile with the taste. You can add some water if you want it less intense, or you can enjoy the fullness straight up.

Aeropress vs French Press vs Chemex

Chemex vs Aeropress - Key Differences

Pros and Cons

The Aeropress and the Chemex are close cousins, but they are also vastly different. Each has its unique features as well as individual pros and cons. These pros and cons will be examined according to the following parameters.

  • Sturdiness

In an Aeropress vs. French Press vs. Chemex comparison, the Aeropress is the sturdiest of the three coffee brewers. This is because it’s made of plastic, so it can’t break and shatter upon falling.

The French Press is sturdier than the Chemex but less sturdy than the Aeropress. The Chemex is the least sturdy of the three since its body is made of glass. The Chemex is particularly fragile. So, sturdiness is a pro for Aeropress and a con for both the French Press and Chemex,

  • Volume of Brew

The Aeropress can only brew a cup of coffee at a time. The French press, on the other hand, can make more cups depending on your preference. Just add more coffee and water and brew a larger quantity. The Chemex can also make more volume of coffee at a go. It can make at least up to 5cups of coffee with a liter of water. Volume is a pro for both the French press and the Chemex but a con for the Aeropress.

  • Clean Flavor 

If you are looking for a clean, smooth drink, Chemex is your best bet. It produces the purest coffee because of its strong filter. The Aeropress will also give you a clean coffee, but with more flavors. This is because of the pressure applied to extract the coffee.

For the French press, you get a rich, full-bodied effect of the coffee. You can literarily feel the oil and even the grind in each sip. The only downside is the French press coffee brewer is not as clean as its other colleagues.

Tips & Advice

  • Use Quality Tools: To get the best out of your coffee, it is important that you stick with only quality brewers.
  • Strict Temperature Adherence: Your coffee comes out the best when it’s produced in the correct temperature conditions. Somewhere between 185° to 205° F is suitable for a great coffee.

FAQ

Although we have tried to cover all areas of this subject, some of our readers may still have questions after reading this article. Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Chemex and Aerospace coffee brewers.

What quantity of coffee will be enough for 6 cups of coffee?

To make a cup of coffee, you will need a tablespoon of fresh coffee beans (grounded). This means that for six cups, you will use six tablespoons.

How do you clean your brewer?

Cleaning up after each use is necessary if you want your brewer to last long. You can thoroughly clean and unclog the brewer by using white vinegar and salt solution.

Just pour the solution into the brewer and run it. You will then repeat the process with cold water to rinse the brewer.

How do I increase the caffeine in my coffee?

You can increase the caffeine in your coffee by simply increasing the ratio of coffee grind to water. If you need a tablespoon of coffee to water to make a regular cup of coffee, you will need two tablespoons of coffee to water to make a stronger caffeinated coffee. Just double this coffee to increase your caffeine.

Final Thoughts

In this Chemex vs. Aeropress review, we have highlighted all you need to know to make the decision process when purchasing any of the two easier. Both Chemex and Aeropress are excellent coffee brewers. If you’re looking for a clean, well-filtered coffee, you should go for Chemex. However, if you want more flavor and easy carriage, then Aeropress is your best bet.

References

1.
Chemex Coffeemaker - Wikipedia
In 1958, designers at the Illinois Institute of Technology said that the Chemex Coffeemaker is “one of the best-designed products of modern times" and it is included in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York Cit
2.
AeroPress - Wikipedia
The AeroPress is a manual coffeemaker invented by Alan Adler, founder of AeroPress, Inc. It consists of a cylindrical chamber, and a plunger with an airtight silicone seal, similar to a syringe. Ground coffee beans and water are steeped inside, then forced through a filter by pressing the plunger through the chamber. It is capable of brewing highly concentrated coffee, which the manufacturer describes as “espresso style", but can also be used to brew filter strength coffee, or cold brew coffee.

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