New Hoffman video dropped. Not sure if we have any 3rd wave coffee lovers in this community. I’ve been an avid AeroPress user for about two years now and it will be interesting to see where the company goes, though it will likely not affect me as this thing feels nigh indestructible and I can likely use it for ten years with no issues.
I use Wacaco products, but I’ve been eyeing the AeroPress Clear since that video dropped.
It personally would not matter to me if the product is clear, frosted, opaque, or something in-between. I think clear seems to be more practical, though.
I think the clear AeroPress is definitely the most practical. Part of my AeroPress recipe relies on agitation and waiting for the coffee to sink to the bottom to form a “puck”, which is easier to see in the clear AeroPress for sure. But then also, I’ve been getting great coffee out of mine for the last couple years. I’ve just gotten used to the idiosyncrasies of the semi-opaque press that I have.
Also, I’m curious what your experience has been with Wacaco. To me the Pico/Nanopresso have seemed interesting from a travel perspective, but for home brewing don’t look too useful. Curious what your primary use case is.
I’ve got the Cuppamoka (fancy pour-over device) and the Pipamoka, but I’d really love to get a Pico/Mini/Nanopresso.
Both the Cuppamoka and Pipamoka make nice coffee, but I prefer the Cuppamoka’s results better. Technique is important, and I was getting nearly the same results before as I do now with a better hand grinder and more appropriate grind settings.
I do use these both at home, but I’m a bit of a freak with making coffee using less common methods, even thought I’ve got pretty decent espresso and Nespresso machines. LOL
I don’t know what it is about using them, but I appreciate the all-in-one nature of them both, and the fact that I don’t need a machine to make coffee.
The Pico/Mini/Nanopresso would likely be less used at home, but I’d still enjoy using one :) If I can find a way to make coffee while out on long bike rides, without needing to boil water on the go, I’d totally get one.
Now, Hoffman did have another video comparing a bunch of portable espresso makers, and he was using boiled/hot water out of an insulated thermos, which sounds like it could work. I might just try it out with the Pipamoka!
I really like the flair for home brewing espresso. I have the pro 2 and it’s pretty awesome to be able to make quality espresso that’s just as good or better than what I can get in local cafes while still being able to pack it away when I’m not using it.
How much of a commitment has it been for you to learn to make high quality espresso? I’m really into the idea of getting a Flair, but between the learning curve and all the extra tools people get for their machines (bottomless portafilters, WDT tools, various types of tempers etc.) it almost seems like too much effort vs. the expected reward.
With the flair I don’t really worry too much about all that stuff. I just mostly use the stock parts that it comes with. Although I have thought about getting an WDT tool, but right now I’ve been making do with just stirring with a toothpick and leveling it out.
Don’t get me wrong though it’s still a lot more work and a lot trickier than making filter coffee. It’s also a bit less predictable than a regular espresso machine since it’s manual
But I’ve gotten the hang of it after some trial and error and it’s a good bit of fun when I’m in the mood