I am currently feeling like Jeff Fahey’s character in the final scene of Lawnmower Man – my molecules are about to vibrate into non-existence. … but let’s step back two hours …

As blogged, I now make my espresso beverages using the AeroPress. This means "hot water" needs to come from somewhere. I’ve been boiling water on the stove. The 15,000 BTU burner (yes, that is as much as the gas fireplace) does a nice job but is not necessarily the most efficient option. So, I did a little Googling and the consensus was an electric kettle was the most efficient solution – both time and energy use.

I ended up with the Russell Hobbs Electric Kettle. There were four motivators – good reviews, decent appearance, a "cordless" operation, and "set it and forget it" switch.

The reviews said it was fast and it is. I typically fill it about 3/4 full and it takes about 90 seconds to boil. The base plugs into the wall and has a quick connect nub in the middle. The pot sets on this nub so all you do is pick up the pot and it is "cordless" when you are pouring. The smartest bit is that there is one switch – "on". It’s a bit like a toaster – you press it on and when it is hot, it automatically shuts off.

While it is "yet another appliance" and I’m not in favor of that, it does serve a few purposes since it is good for making tea; will work for the French-press when I make coffee for guests; and most important it is quick for my espressos!

… oh. about that molecular dispersion problem … I was testing out the kettle yesterday so I made a double espresso and decided I should not drink it. I make it into a chilled mocha. That lasted about 2 minutes this AM when taking Zen out for her break. I then made my usual morning mocha – double whammy!

“My name is Glen and I am an Espresso-holic.” There, I said it.

I recently added an AeroPress to my coffee making paraphernalia. The primary reason was so I could have my morning fix while traveling. At the same time, if it worked as well as advertised, I might use it on a regular basis. My opinion is that “it’s good, but not quite perfect” !

The filmstrip for this post contains a number of images. To simplify my review, I will reference the frame numbers.

The instructions (frame 101) seem overly detailed but it turns out they are clear an every step is needed – with one exception which I’ll get to.

The AeroPress works with the typical coffee mug but I would not try it with a real coffee cup. Nor does it work with my wide mouth coffee mug (frame 102), a demitasse, nor would I get it near my Bodum glasses.

The process is strait forward – screw on the bottom with a clean filter disk in it (frame 103); add two scoops of espresso (frame 105); add boiled water up to the instructed marker (frame 106); let it steep (frame 107); insert and press down on the plunger (frame 108); and then do any post brewing prep – which in my case was to add a shot of chocolate syrup (frame 109). That’s it. But …

When you add the water, the espresso will clump up and the bottom grind will be dry so you must stir it a bit (frame 106). However, if you look closely at frames 106 and 107 you will notice the liquid level has dropped.  The filter allows the hot water to drip through so if you let the whole mix steep for 60 seconds, about 1/3rd actually steeped for only 10 seconds and another 1/3rd Espresso grind probably gets about 30 seconds. [See 'update' at the end of this post for a simple solution.]

Note I said “60 seconds – the instructions only steep for the 10 seconds of stir time and then start a slow press. This made for a mellow “espresso” – and I quoted that because I did not find it to be bold and heady enough for me to call real espresso.  However, with a longer steep time, it compensated for the filter dripping. I suspect the actual steep time should be about 30 seconds if it were not for that first 1/3rd getting short changed.

The instructions call for wetting the plunger before pressing but as you can see in frame 107 the inside of the AeroPress steams up a bit so wetting the plunger really is not necessary.

One thing the AeroPress does that baffles most other espresso making options is handle inconsistent grinds. I tried it with a grind a fine as Turkish, my regular espresso grind, and something pretty close to drip coffee. With the drip coffee I had to use more coffee to get a good result but it worked. This will come in handy when traveling because I could use the in-room coffee packets in a pinch- I’d just need to use both of them.

Conclusion: I’ve used the AeroPress for a week now and it is quick and easy. It also cleans up as easy as advertised. Am I happy with the purchase ? Yes. It will definitely travel with me on road trips. Will it be my “daily driver” for mochas? Maybe, if I can find a solution to the premature dripping. Yes !

I’ll still use the la Pavoni for pure Espressos – there is nothing that can touch it when it comes to bringing me back to that Rome cafe’ in 2003

Update: Alan from AeroPress posted a comment explaining how to steep for a longer time with zero drip-through by “brewing upside down. It works great ! (Thanks Alan). The instructions are in the comments section and here is a filmstrip I created of the upside down method. It was very easy and the results were more to my personal taste. It shows how versatile the AeroPress can be (once you learn a few tricks).

I recently ordered and received a pair of Bordum Pavina double-wall thermo glasses. They sound “special” and they were described as “special”. I was so underwhelmed by them, I felt compelled to write to the store with my comments. Since I feel strongly these glasses underperform so extraordinarily, here is what I wrote …

I purchased a set of the Bodum Pavina glasses (12 oz) with the expectation they would keep my morning latte hot long enough for me to drink it. First, one arrived broken and is being replaced. Second, the glass only was able to keep my beverage warm, not hot, for 45 minutes.

If you read the description carefully, it first says; "the glass is held together tighter, resulting in a stronger glass" however it goes on to tell you all the ways to "be gentle with the glass". Given one arrived broken, I question this claim. Next, it says; "These glasses will help to keep hot drinks warmer and cool drinks cooler", but then goes on to say, "for best results retaining heat, pre-heat the glass before use." I only tried a hot beverage and it do not do significantly better than a traditional glass.

The glass is attractive but if you are looking for everyday durability, do not get the Bodum double-wall glass. If you are looking for something that will keep you beverage warm longer that a traditional glass, do not get the Bodum double-wall glass.

As always, YMMV.