AeroPress Original
The ubiquitous original AeroPress - a polypropylene brew chamber and plunger that hot water sits in for the whole brew. We document it, but the glass Premium and steel Steel are the plastic-free versions of the same design.
The verdict: Mostly plastic
The brewing chamber and plunger are polypropylene, and the filter cap is plastic too, so the vessel that holds your hot water for the entire 30-60 second brew is plastic - and the coffee then presses out through a plastic cap. Only the plunger seal is food-grade silicone. AeroPress is upfront that it is BPA- and phthalate-free polypropylene (one of the more heat-stable food plastics) and contact time is short, but it is still a plastic hot-water vessel, so it fails the plastic-free bar. The glass Premium and the stainless Steel are the same brewer with the plastic designed out.
Verification: Manufacturer confirmed · Last reviewed
What it's made of
| Part | Material | Food contact |
|---|---|---|
| brewing chamber BPA- and phthalate-free polypropylene; hot water sits in it for the whole brew | Polypropylene PP, #5 | Yes primary 🔥 |
| plunger | Polypropylene PP, #5 | Yes primary 🔥 |
| plunger seal food-grade silicone | Silicone | Yes seal 🔥 |
| filter cap coffee presses out through the plastic cap | Polypropylene PP, #5 | Yes primary 🔥 |
The original AeroPress: a polypropylene tube and plunger that brew coffee by immersion plus light pressure in under a minute. You steep grounds in the chamber, seat the filter cap, and press the plunger down to force the coffee through into your cup. It is durable, cheap, packable, and beloved, and the glass Premium and stainless Steel are drop-in versions of the same brewing method.
Pros
- Cheap, near-indestructible, and extremely packable
- BPA- and phthalate-free polypropylene, disclosed by the maker
- Fast, low-acidity, forgiving brew that many people love
Cons
- Polypropylene chamber and cap hold hot water for the entire brew - plastic in the water path
- Relies on consumable paper filters unless you add a metal one
Notes
- Material history: early polycarbonate, then BPA-free copolyester (2009), then polypropylene (2014, current Original). The separate 2023 AeroPress Clear uses Tritan copolyester
Categories: AeroPress
Sources
Every material claim above is backed by these. This is the scattered info we centralized.
- manufacturer https://help.aeropress.com/en-US/what-material-are-aeropress-coffee-makers-made-out-of-124520 AeroPress states the Original chamber and plunger are polypropylene except for the food-grade silicone plunger seal
- manufacturer https://aeropress.com/products/aeropress-coffee-maker official Original product page
- review https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AeroPress material history (polycarbonate -> copolyester -> polypropylene; Tritan on the Clear) and brew-time context
Spot a mistake or something out of date? Let us know — corrections are how this stays accurate.