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The Aeropress is a feat of easy brewing technology, but it’s not the only model you can try. There’s an entire world of portable brewers that could be your next favorite brewing method!
The appeal of Aeropress lies in a few key areas. It’s not only easy to transport, but the coffee also comes out delicious and rather unique. However, many find the model unappealing either because of the plastic material or their preference for a different coffee style.
We’ve found several of the best Aeropress alternatives with quality materials, eco-friendly designs, or useful features. If you want to cut straight to our recommendations, these are our top picks:
at a glance: Best Aeropress Alternatives
Why Choose an Aeropress Alternative?
The Aeropress is the iconic portable coffee maker. Its small size and tube-like design make it easy to slide into your backpack or coat pocket.
Still, some drinkers still don’t like Aeropress because of its materials or the coffee it makes. Since brewing is a personal experience, alternatives open up new ways to explore your unique tastes.
Why Is Aeropress So Popular?
The Aeropress is practically synonymous with easy, breezy coffee. Many people love it for its approachability to brewing and portable size. This brand is especially popular among camping and hiking enthusiasts.
Is Aeropress Stronger Than Espresso?
While Aeropress coffee uses a finer grind than the French Press, it’s still not espresso-level. Many drinkers enjoy this brew for its medium body and bold flavor.
To compare, the pour-over tends to have a light to medium body and vivid flavors. The French Press tends to have a full body and more mellow notes.
What Should I Look For in an Aeropress Alternative?
The features here tick off all of what makes the Aeropress such a popular choice. While not every alternative will have all of these options, keep an eye out for as many as possible!
Heat Retention
Do you sometimes forget to drink your coffee in time and end up with a lukewarm cup? Look for heat retention features in your Aeropress alternative.
Manufacturers achieve heat retention by using materials like copper or stainless steel. Double-walled designs also work well to keep temperatures consistent.
Portability
Coffee drinkers love Aeropress for how easy it is to take with them. Your Aeropress alternative should be small enough to fit in your bag, backpack, or suitcase.
Size isn’t the only contributor to portability. Consider features like a carry-on strap or a thick handle for ease of use.
Coffee Brewing Style
Aeropress coffee hovers between the soft, creamy French Press and the smooth, bright pour-over. Consider which coffee brewing style suits you best since most alternatives lean toward one type or the other.
Durability
Do you worry about accidentally dropping your coffee maker? Double-check the materials so you don’t have to worry about making a mess.
Most Aeropress alternatives are made out of durable stainless steel or copper. On the other hand, ceramic and glass need to be handled very carefully.
Supplemental Brewing Features
Since alternatives to Aeropress usually tick off boxes of convenience, quality-of-life features will make individual products stand out. These supplemental features can enhance your coffee flavor or make your brewing easier.
Look for features such as:
- Built-in grinder
- Reusable mesh filter
- Cool grip handle
Style
The Aeropress is sleek and simple, but that may not be your thing. Coffee is a form of self-expression, so consider factoring in visual style into your purchase.
Most Aeropress alternatives have a few colors, textures, or patterns to choose from.
Quick Overview: Our Top Picks for Best Aeropress Alternatives
The Best Aeropress Alternatives by Category
Aeropress alternatives are generally small, lightweight, and easy to use. We’ll sort our top picks by their standout features, but trust us – these alternatives have a lot of unique details going for them!
1. Best All-Around Alternative: French Press Travel Mug
The Aeropress brings the best of the French Press and pour-over into one place. Our first option leans toward the French Press end of the equation, but this time with extra portability.
If you know how to use the Aeropress, you already know how to use the French Press Travel Mug. Clocking in at 15 ounces, brewing coffee or tea is as simple as steeping, pouring, and plunging.
Since all the tools are located in one place, you can just unscrew and drink straight from the mug. The coffee comes out in classic French Press fashion with a heavy body, creamy mouthfeel, and lean toward mellow flavors.
What’s especially impressive are all the quality-of-life features built into this deceptively simple mug. Its design comes with double walls to ensure your drink stays hot for hours. You also don’t have to worry about leaks with its screw cap design. If you want more visual variety, you have an impressive range of colors and neutrals.
Lastly, this travel mug is well-suited for both hot coffee and loose-leaf tea. The filter is thick enough – and the plunger fitted enough – you won’t have to worry about loose bits floating in your brew.
This alternative still isn’t for everyone. If you want larger helpings or prefer another style of coffee, skip this one and keep reading!
We Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- French Press fans who want a more portable option
- Drinkers who can’t stand their brew growing cold
- People who regularly drink coffee and tea
- Anyone who wants a little color variation in their brewing supplies
We Don’t Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- People who want an Aeropress alternative with a pour-over-like result
- Anyone who doesn’t like the color options
2. Best Heat Retention: Betterbrew Travel French Press Coffee Maker
If you want a portable French Press with serious heat retention, you can’t go wrong with Betterbrew. This 15-ounce, travel-friendly French Press is a reliable addition to your outdoor excursions or business trips.
Similar to our first option, all the working parts are in one handy place. Even when you’re done brewing your coffee, you can just unscrew the cap and drink straight from the coffee maker.
The eco-friendly stainless steel design works hard to keep your coffee nice and hot but doesn’t burn your hands. The handy rubber carry handle also gives you another way of holding your coffee maker.
Expect classic full-bodied and mellow coffee from this model. Just be careful to use the appropriate grind size. Coffee that’s too fine may still slip past its filter and leave bits in your brew.
This isn’t the most stylish option on the list, so consider skipping it if you want more color and texture options.
We Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- French Press fans who want a more portable option
- Drinkers who want to maintain the hottest temperature possible
- Anyone who prefers sustainable materials like stainless steel
We Don’t Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Want an Aeropress alternative with a pour-over-like result
- Buyers who want more visual variety in their coffee brewers
3. Best Quality Control: Fellow Clara Coffee Press Coffee Maker
Are you the kind of coffee drinker who focuses on the finer details of brewing? The Fellow Clara Coffee Press is a portable option that embraces your brewing habits.
To start off, many of the portable coffee brewing staples are present here. You have an insulated design that keeps coffee hot for a solid five hours. You also have a non-stick interior that makes clean-up a breeze. The larger 24-ounce size will be a welcome addition for people who want extra coffee or feel like brewing for their friends.
The standout feature is how the Fellow Clara helps you agitate the coffee. The built-in agitation stick ensures you’re achieving the most even extraction possible. Alongside choosing the proper grind size, a better extraction results in richer and more aromatic coffee.
If you’d rather have a smaller size or longer heat retention, keep reading for more suggestions!
We Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Coffee brewers who want the best extraction possible
- Fans of French Press-style coffee
- Drinkers who want a shorter clean-up time
We Don’t Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Brewers who want to keep their coffee hotter for longer
- Fans of pour-over-style coffee
- People who want more visual variety in their brewing supplies
4. Best Social Drinking: Alocs French Press Coffee Maker
Do you regularly make coffee for two? While many alternatives to Aeropress sport an all-in-one design, the Alocs French Press Coffee Maker goes for the ‘picnic at the park’ approach.
This portable French Press comes with two cups and a handy tote bag to store your supplies. The insulated stainless steel pot is able to hold up to two pots of coffee at a time. This is the kind of purchase that makes sharing a moment as convenient and tidy as possible.
The quality of life features is also impressive. The spout is designed to make spilling nearly impossible, while the handle stays cool no matter how hot your brew gets.
If you don’t care to bring extra supplies or prefer to brew for yourself, this probably isn’t the alternative for you.
We Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Fans of French Press-style coffee
- Drinkers who regularly brew for two
- Anyone who likes to bring extra coffee supplies
We Don’t Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Brewers who want to keep their coffee hotter for longer
- Drinkers who prefer to brew for themselves
5. Best Quality Over Quantity: MIRA Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker
Our last French Press entry comes from the MIRA line-up. This portable French Press appears pretty similar to the classic model but is easy to take with you.
This French Press is even smaller than the first two options at 12 ounces. The tiny size makes it easy to slip into your hiking bag or keep in your travel bag for hotel trips. Your coffee will be classic French Press style, but of a smaller size if you prefer quality over quantity.
The stainless steel design works to both insulate your coffee and prevent rusting. Unlike a ceramic design, you also don’t have to worry about possible cracks or dents if you drop it. You can also get this coffee maker in a baby blue or classic stainless steel.
The small size will be frustrating for drinkers who prefer larger helpings or like to brew for others. While there are a few colors to choose from, it’s also pretty limited visually.
We Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Drinkers who prefer smaller amounts of coffee
- Fans of classic French Press-style coffee
- People who want eco-friendly materials
We Don’t Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Drinkers who want a larger size
- People who want more visual variety in their brewing supplies
6. Best All-In-One Features: Cafflano All-in-One Portable Pour Over Coffee Maker
If you want to create more pour-over-style coffee, you’re in the right place. The Cafflano All-In-One Portable Pour Over will give you your favorite pour-over brew no matter where you are.
Appearing like a simple thermos, this portable coffee maker packs a technical punch. The built-in ceramic burr grinder means you have even less to carry when you’re out and about.
Just pour in your whole beans, grind away, then switch to steeping. Many coffee fans favor ceramic burrs for their even grind size, which results in better-tasting coffee.
The coffee comes out just like your home pour-over – bright, flavorful, and silky smooth. Depending on whether you’re brewing or drinking, you can swap out the lid to turn your coffee maker into a kettle or a tumbler. All in all, this accessible brewer can fit into almost any outdoor or traveling situation.
If you prefer a separate grinder to experiment with grind sizes, the built-in model won’t be as appealing.
We Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Dedicated fans of pour-over coffee
- Coffee drinkers who want to carry fewer brewing tools
- People who prefer ceramic burr grinders
We Don’t Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Fans of French Press-style coffee
- Drinkers who use separate grinders
7. Best Ease Of Use: Portable Pour Over Coffee Travel Mug with Reusable Filter
The thermos is an indispensable part of drinking coffee on the go. With the Portable Pour Over Coffee Travel Mug, you can carry fewer supplies with you on your next trip.
This pour-over works with a reusable metal filter to save you some mess. It folds out for you to pour in your grounds and water, then folds back inside when not in use.
Whether you like hot or cold coffee, the thermal insulation will retain its temperature for one to four hours. The stainless steel design prevents rusting, retains heat, and creates the most durable mug you can imagine.
The straightforward design may not be appealing to fans of bright colors or playful patterns. The coffee also doesn’t stay as hot as other models on this list.
We Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Drinkers who want the simplest coffee brewing experience
- Anyone who misses the classic thermos design
- Fans of pour-over-style coffee
We Don’t Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Fans of French Press-style coffee
- Drinkers who want to keep their coffee hotter for longer
- People who want more visual variety in their coffee brewing supplies
8. Best Classic Model: Coffee Gator Pour Over Coffee Maker
Less is more with the Coffee Gator Pour Over. This elegantly simple Aeropress alternative lets you bring the pour over on the go without any of the waste.
If the previous models on this list had you nostalgic for the classic pour-over design, you’re in luck. You can watch the coffee brew through the glass carafe as you get ready for the day.
You also get to skip the paper filters in favor of its reusable mesh filter. The cool touch handle also ensures you won’t burn yourself as you pour out a mug.
You can brew up to three mugs at a time with the Coffee Gator. Its size makes it easy to enjoy peaceful mornings with friends or family.
The simplicity may be a downside for some drinkers. There are few supplemental features and the glass carafe might be too fragile for active lifestyles.
We Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Coffee drinkers nostalgic for the classic pour-over experience
- People who want a more eco-friendly design
- Drinkers who like to brew for multiple people
We Don’t Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Active lifestyles that increase the risk of cracks
- People who need heat insulation features
9. Best Form And Function: Asobu Black Insulated Pour Over Coffee Maker
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to blend form with function. The Asobu Black Insulated Pour Over is both easy to use and seriously stylish.
You’ll never have to drink lukewarm coffee again with this little beauty. If you’re prone to multi-tasking, its double-walled copper lining retains heat for up to twelve hours.
For the days you want to take coffee with you, this pour-over is also portable. Just pop off the filter and put on the screw cap. This model comes with a stainless steel filter that can be reused for a long time.
If you’re eager to match your pour-over with the rest of your ensemble, you’ll love the selection on display. The Asobu line-up comes in basic colors like pink, red, and blue. You also get shiny, marble, or wood variations.
Fans of French Press-style coffee or drinkers with very active lifestyles will need to look elsewhere.
We Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Coffee drinkers who love to show off their style
- Fans of pour-over-style coffee
- People who often multitask while making coffee
We Don’t Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Fans of French Press-style coffee
- Very active drinkers who may need handles or slimmer designs
10. Best Portable Espresso: nCamp Café Portable Coffee Maker Portable Espresso Machine
This last entry veers away from the usual French Press or pour-over styles. If you want portability and durability, but crave an espresso result, try the nCamp.
This coffee maker takes the portability of the French Press but functions more like a Moka pot. Pour in a medium-sized grind, and a cup full of water, and place the coffee maker on a stovetop. Wait for the signature bubbling and you have an Italian-style espresso waiting for you!
The manufacturers state their coffee maker to be no bigger than a water bottle, perfect for packing with your sleeping bag and wool socks. The stainless steel design also means you don’t have to worry about rusting or losing heat.
If you don’t want to fuss with a stovetop or don’t like espresso, try our other options on the list.
We Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Fans of Moka pot espresso coffee
- Passionate hikers, campers, and outdoor travelers
We Don’t Recommend This Aeropress Alternative For
- Fans of French Press or pour-over coffee
- Drinkers who don’t want to use a stovetop or open flame
