Aeropress XL Review – Is It Worth The Higher Price?

The Aeropress XL, one of the most eagerly anticipated coffee gear releases of the year, has finally made its way to the market. As lovers of all things coffee, we couldn’t resist getting our hands on one to put it through its paces and see how it stacks up against the regular Aeropress.

With its enhanced size, the question many coffee drinkers are asking is: Is the Aeropress XL worth adding to your already impressive collection of brewers? Whether you’re considering your first Aeropress purchase or pondering an upgrade, we’ve done the testing and brewing for you. Read on to find out our firsthand experiences, insights, and whether this new extra large Aeropress lives up to the hype.

Unboxing the Aeropress XL

The first thing we noticed when unboxing the Aeropress XL is the size. It is significantly larger than the original Aeropress.

In terms of components, the Aeropress XL box came with a larger cap, a small pack of filters, a coffee scoop and a carafe, as well as a more sizeable stirring paddle.

One notable omission from the box was the dosing funnel included with earlier models. Given the higher price point of $69.95, this did feel quite stingy. Likewise the number of filters included was cut by 75%, from 100 per box down to 25.

Aeropress XL Size and Capacity

The main difference in the Aeropress XL is the size. The original model had a capacity of 10oz or 296ml. The Aeropress XL has a 20oz capacity or 592ml – twice the size of the regular version. Now instead of a single cup, it makes two.

Even though it’s twice the size, it is still very portable. You could easily put this into a suitcase or backpack for travel, without taking up a lot of space in your bag.

Brewing With The XL – Our Recipe

After unboxing and cleaning the XL, we prepared to make our first brews. We chose a light roasted Ethiopian coffee.

We went with our standard Aeropress ratio of 1 to 15, opting for 36 grams of coffee (ground using our Fellow Opus coffee grinder) and 540 grams of water. We used our Fellow Stag gooseneck kettle to heat the water up to 196F or 92 degrees Celsius. The grind size is coarser than what we’d use for espresso, but not as coarse as we’d use for drip or filter coffee.

Before brewing, rinse the filter and zero out the Aeropress. Preheat the entire vessel with hot water, as thermal loss can occur if this step is skipped.

We opted to use the inverted Aeropress method. So flip the press upside down, then add the coffee and it’s time for the blooming phase. Zero out your coffee scale and add about 70 grams of water to the coffee grounds, ensuring full saturation. Stir gently and wait approximately 30-45 seconds before moving on to the next step.

Following the blooming process we want to add the rest of the water in two separate portions of 235g each, stirring after the first one. The total volume should reach 540 grams.

With the AeroPress filled and ready, wait until around the two-minute, 45-second mark to flip the device and begin pressing down on the plunger, extracting the coffee. We found the plunge was relatively easy: not too resistant, but not too loose either.

When brewing a larger size, like 36 grams of coffee to 540 grams of water, aeration and swirling might be limited due to space constraints. However, adapting grind size and temperature can help tweak the outcome to personal preference.

Taste Test

The coffee used in our test was a very bright and fruity single-origin coffee from Ethiopia. It had very clear tasting notes of blueberries and tropical fruits.

We made a regular sized brew using our Aeropress Clear and an XL side by side using an identical recipe – same grind size, coffee o water ratio and brew time.

Our results were quite surprising.

We found there was a noticeable difference in the cups. The regular Aeropress had the normal flavor. Very clear brew with a lot of body, clear tasting notes and just juicy and bursting with flavor.

We didn’t get this with the Aeropress XL. Our brew was not as bright and the tasting notes were not as clear. The whole cup felt more medium-bodied with a lower level of clarity.

We did play around with higher temperatures and finer grind sizes; however, all of our tests had a similar result. The larger press did not exactly mimic the taste profile of the cup made by the original Aeropress. That’s not to say the coffee tasted bad. On the contrary, it was still a good cup, just maybe not quite as good as what we’d get using the single cup brewer.

Cleaning and Maintenance

As with the original, cleaning the Aeropress XL was a breeze. Simply put the filter and ground coffee into a compost or garbage bin, then rinse the parts under running water, and it’s clean in less than a minute.

Controversy Surrouding The Aeropress XL

For years, Aeropress customers have been calling for a larger version of the Aeropress to be released. However, it’s inventor Alan Adler repeatedly ignored these calls. He is known to prefer the existing size of the AeroPress, emphasizing that it creates the optimal balance of extraction and flavor. Adler believed that the original design encouraged the best practices for brewing coffee.

He did build some prototypes of a larger Aeropress. However, he is a perfectionist and was never 100% satisfied with the results. He stated that enlarging the device might compromise some of the elements that make the AeroPress special.

So what changed? The answer is simple – the arrival of investors and venture capital. In 2021, Adler sold a controlling stake in his business to Tiny Capital.

Since then, the company has sought a quick return on investment via product development and new releases, even when such products fly in the face of the founder’s ethos. In all his years with the company, the travel sized Aeropress Go was the only other product Adler launched.

Since taking over, Tiny Capital have released a number of new products and accessories. The XL is the latest in a line of products that includes a flow control filter cap, the Aeropress Clear and a separate carafe. Next up will be the Aeropress premium that will see the Aeropress move from all plastic to a construction that contains stainless steel, aluminum and glass.

Is The Aeropress XL Worth It?

Whether the Aeropress Clear is worth it comes down to personal needs. The coffee it makes is maybe not quite as high-bodied nor bright as the original model.

However, if you want the convenience of an Aeropress that brews for 2, then you will love the XL. It is essentially just a big Aeropress that makes double the coffee, albeit, a slightly different tasting cup.

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