First aid: filter coffee & hand brewing — solve problems yourself

AeroPress has its own instructions in German. The process is the same for all models.

1. Heat the water: AeroPress recommends 85 °C; without temperature control, boiling water works.
2. Pull the plunger all the way out, put a paper filter in the filter cap and twist the cap onto the chamber. Place the chamber on a sturdy mug.
3. Add 16–18 g of medium-fine ground coffee, level it by shaking and fill with water up to the 4. It is normal for some to drip through.
4. Stir briefly and insert the plunger about 13 mm; this stops the dripping. With a medium-fine grind, wait about 30 seconds; with a medium grind, about 60 seconds.
5. Press all the way down with light, constant pressure. Then, over the bin, remove the filter cap and push out the puck. On the Premium, the cap is hot.

Important: Place the mug on a level, non-slip surface, hold the mug and chamber with one hand and press vertically, never with too much force. Never press with a loose plunger seal, or hot water may spray out. AeroPress advises against the upside-down method (“Inverted”). The Premium is neither dishwasher-safe nor microwave-safe; if it shows scratches, cracks or chips, stop using it.

Manufacturer’s manual: AeroPress Clear and Original instructions (German, PDF) · Go Plus instructions (German, PDF) · Premium instructions (German, PDF)

Manufacturer videos on YouTube. They only load when you tap them.

1. Chemex: always place the triple-layer side of the filter towards the spout, grind size "medium coarse".
2. V60: pre-rinse the filter, then bloom — with double the amount of water relative to your coffee dose (by weight), and wait 30 seconds. Then pour up to your target weight in 3 spiral pours of roughly four times the amount of coffee each. Hario gives under 3 minutes as a guideline; in the end, for us, taste decides, not the clock.
3. With the V60, you also control the taste through pouring: poured faster tastes milder, poured slower stronger (Hario). If it runs through far too fast or too slowly, the grind size is usually to blame: grind finer if it's too fast, coarser if it's too slow (Chemex).
4. Grind fresh and evenly; avoid channelling in the coffee bed.

Sources: Chemex — FAQ · Hario — V60 Guide

Manufacturer videos on YouTube. They only load when you tap them.

Stop line: If it's still just as wrong despite adjusting your technique, it's usually the grinder — don't dismantle electric grinders yourself while under warranty.

Understand the technique: Filter Coffee Simulator · Gear: Hario · Chemex

1. Grind coarser — before pressing, around 2–3% should already drip through on its own, and gentle pressing then takes 20–40 seconds. According to AeroPress, a blunt or basic grinder that produces a lot of fines is often behind it.
2. Press gently and in stages: a good 1 cm at a time, hold the plunger and wait around 5 seconds, then continue. Pressing hard compacts the coffee bed.
3. If the AeroPress has gone unused for a few days and jams: wash out the chamber with vinegar. Dried-on coffee oils slow the plunger down — according to AeroPress, fresh ones actually help with pressing.
4. Oil the seal with a very thin layer, using a tiny amount of olive, vegetable or mineral oil around the edge (official AeroPress recommendation).
5. The seal wears over time. If the plunger no longer seals and water runs past the edge, the seal is compressed: replace it and don't keep pressing with a loose seal. The seal lasts longer if you eject the coffee right after brewing and store the AeroPress with the plunger pushed all the way through.

Sources: AeroPress Help Center — "hard to press" · AeroPress Help Center — seal wear · AeroPress — Clear and Original instructions (PDF, German)

Stop line: Never press with force or on a wobbly cup, and never with a loose seal. Rinsing is enough for cleaning; in the dishwasher, top rack only — the AeroPress Premium by hand only.

Gear: AeroPress seals & filters

1. French Press: grind coarse and steep for around 4 minutes — in our experience a good starting point. Then taste, adjust and press slowly.
2. Hario Mizudashi (Cold Brew): around 80 g of coffee, medium-fine ground according to Hario, to around 1150 ml of water; steep in the fridge for around 8 hours per Hario's guideline — adjust to taste.
3. Remove the filter/sieve after steeping/brewing — if you leave it in, Hario says it turns bitter.
4. Store cold and drink within 2–3 days.
5. Take the filter apart and clean it regularly.

Sources: Hario — Mizudashi Manual (PDF)

Manufacturer videos on YouTube. They only load when you tap them.

Stop line: Don't keep using a cracked glass carafe; never put glass directly on the stovetop.

Gear: French Press · Cold Brew equipment

1. Low flame: Bialetti specifies the flame at minimum, and the hob should not be larger than the base of the pot.
2. Grind coarser than for espresso, don't press or tamp.
3. According to Bialetti, the typical gurgling shows that the coffee is ready — then take the pot off the heat.
4. Replace the seal at least once a year; plan for one throwaway brew afterwards.
5. Screw it together firmly but not over-tight; avoid hard water (→ Brita/Apax, see Water & Descaling).

Sources: Bialetti — How the Moka Works · Bialetti — What is the Purpose of a Moka Gasket · Bialetti — Troubleshooting FAQs

Manufacturer videos on YouTube. They only load when you tap them.

Stop line: Never dismantle the safety valve. If it often releases steam: let the pot cool down, check the riser tube and funnel, and move the small piston in the valve (Bialetti). If that doesn't help, or if the valve or thread is damaged, it's a pressure vessel — stop using it and replace it.

Gear: Moka pot accessories

1. Grind fine: for the Nanopresso roughly like table salt, if anything a little finer, and dose around 8 g (one measuring scoop). According to Wacaco, the Picopresso needs an even finer grind and 18 g.
2. Preheat the water to 90–96 °C.
3. Screw the head on firmly, measure the dose exactly.
4. About 1 pump per second, evenly.
5. Rinse after every use and let the parts dry separately. Nanopresso, according to the manual: clean the portafilter and nozzle thoroughly about every 20 shots, the filter mesh every 6 months (around 300 shots).

Sources: Wacaco — Nanopresso instruction manual (PDF) · Wacaco blog — Common Nanopresso brewing mistakes · Wacaco — Picopresso

Manufacturer videos on YouTube. They only load when you tap them.

Stop line: Don't take it apart any further than described in the manual; never open the hot device under pressure.

Gear: Wacaco · Outdoor equipment