Aeropress VS French Press

Aeropress and French Press are two of the most popular coffee brewing methods out there. If you're just getting into coffee and don't know the difference, don't worry. Here's a handy comparison table for you to quickly wrap your head around the two methods!

Comparison	Aeropress	French Press
What is it?	A plastic piston-style coffee brewer ​	A tall glass carafe with a metal mesh filter attached to a long stem
How to use?	Place coffee grounds in the piston and add water. Attach the plunger and push down, forcing the coffee through the filter and out into the cup directly.	Steep the coffee grounds in water before pressing down the metal mesh filter to the bottom of the carafe.
Need filter paper?	Yes. Most people use the Aeropress paper filter, though some may opt for a reusable filter.	No
Ease of use	Slightly more difficult than the french press. Brewing recipes can range from the straightforward to having more complicated brewing steps.	Relatively easy
Grind Size	Consistency similar to table salt	​Coarse, the grounds will look a little chunky.
Cost	S$60-70 for an Aeropress, starting from S$7.90 for a pack of paper filters	S$30-80
Brew Characteristics	Cleaner and lighter body than the french press as paper filter can achieve a higher level of filtration than metal filter.	Heavier body and richer. Slightly 'muddled' taste due to small amounts of coffee oils present in the brew as the metal mesh filter does not remove that completely.

Have you had experience using both brewing methods? Share with us how you liked each one in the comments below. Or, you could also connect with us via our Facebook page or IG @smittencoffeeroasters.