**Introduction**

I'd been eyeing up and comparing various coffee machines for the past couple of months with the intention of buying one in the January sales when I discovered that one of the prizes I was to receive from dooyoo after winning a place in their recent '10 days of Christmas' competition was going to be a coffee maker. Could it be a Tassimo? I thought to myself, or would it be a simple glass cafetiere? I waited in anticipation for my prize bundle to arrive and as it turned out the coffee maker I received was this, the Aerobie Aeropress which, as it was going to prove would end up being a pretty decent piece of kit that makes a perfect cup of coffee.

**Out of the box and in use**

Packaged in a hexagonal cylinder box the various components that make up the Aeropress are daunting when removed, thankfully there is a comprehensive and easy to read instruction pamphlet which explains how to arrange the parts together. Included in the kit is:

The Aeropress itself which comprises a plunger, ground coffee bean holder and screw-on filter cap
Stirrer
Scoop
A large supply of Filters and a cannister to hold them in
Funnel

All the components are made from toughened plastic which feel well made, all corners and edges are smooth to the touch and whilst are not heavy they certainly feel robust. Referring to the instructions for its first use revealed that to make a cup of coffee all I would need to do is place a couple of scoops of ground coffee into the holder, screw the filter cap containing one of the paper filters in place on the underside, position this over my mug ready to receive the brewed coffee itself and finally use the plunger to press the coffee and water mixture through the filter and into my mug. Although that may sound complicated in actual fact the process is easy and takes literally seconds to produce a 'real' cup of coffee which tastes just as good as what you can expect to get in the likes of Costa Coffee or Starbucks.

**Good Points and Bad**

There are many positive aspects to owning a Aerobie Aeropress as far as I can see, it isnt a kitchen appliance in the traditional sense in that unlike other coffee making machines this doesn't need electricity to run it and takes up no space on a kitchen worktop when in use. It can easily be stored away in a cupboard when not needed and is remarkably easy to clean only needed a quick wipe over and drying with a tea towel. Unlike cafetiere's which can usually make one or two cups of coffee at a time and tend to let coffee bits through to bottom of your cup or mug the filter on the AeroPress completely catches all of the ground coffee beans and produces a bit-free cup of coffee. You can make up to 4 decent sized cups of coffee using the Aerobie system depending on how strong you like to take it which is ideal for me as there are only 2 of us at home and I am the one who drinks more coffee than my wife anyway and at under £20.00 for the system this is an inexpensive alternative to the big brand named coffee makers that are available to buy.

Of course there are negative aspects to this system, nothing is perfect after all. The main concern I would have with this is would be for anyone with dexterity problems, the plunger which presses the water and coffee through the filter is incredibly tight and requires just the right amount of effort to successfully press the mixture through the filter. This does take a few attempts to master I have to admit and if you are spectacularly clumsy then you will also run the risk of dislodging the system from the mug it is placed on and potentially run the risk of spilling boiling water all over you and your surrounding areas. Care is needed to use the Aerobie and whilst I personally have had no problems using it I really wouldnt recommend its purchase for anyone with poor coordination or limited use of their hands.

**Summing Up**

For anyone who enjoys coffee though this is a remarkably clever little system which according to the promotional blurb that advertises it is "an entirely new way to make coffee" and that much is undeniably true. The results have always been great, a smooth, flavour-packed drink which I always enjoy without the hassle of having to clean up after myself. The Aerobie bridges the gap between the expensive filter coffee making machines and the messy cafetiere's and for me has been a remarkable item which gets plenty of use. If you like a variation if the types of coffee you drink this can accommodate your requirements, 'espresso-style' shots, latte's and Cappuccino's can be made with this system so long as you have the beans to make them with and a frother to agitate the milk. You completely control how much water you add and the amount of ground coffee beans you use so what you make is up to you, I simply use mine for filter coffee and have yet to make a bad drink with this system.

**Price, Conclusion and My Rating**

The Aerobie Aeropress is available to buy from amazon.co.uk from a third party seller for £19.55 at the time of writing this review and I consider this to be a great price for what it actually offers. Mine was free thanks to dooyoo sending me this as part of my prize bundle and had it not been for them I would never have discovered this for myself and would have ended up paying £80.00 for an electric coffee maker. Whilst this system is perhaps not the most stylish addition to anyone's kitchen and many people may be put off by its plastic construction if you are simply looking for something to make filter coffee with and have only a limited budget then I would have no hesitations in recommending this to them.

I can't award a perfect star rating due to the minor concerns raised in this review, however 4 stars still represents an excellent score so that's what the Aerobie Aeropress gets from me. Thanks for reading my review.

To see this in use check out the Aerobie website for more information and instructional video demonstration:

http://aerobie.com/products/aeropress.htm