AeroPress Go Review: How does it compare with the original?
The new Aeropress Go is very similar to the original Aerobie Aeropress, but significantly more compact. It is designed specifically as a travel brewer. It fits together well, is easy to carry, makes great coffee and, unlike the original, comes with its own cup that doubles as a carrying case. At £31.50 the price is marginally lower than the original.
The original Aeropress provides a brew method of innovative simplicity and convenience. It was first introduced in 2005 and has now become a staple in many households for its practicality and the clean brew it creates. It offers the ability to make a variety of coffees and at a very low price. From making espressos to filter coffees, there is an endless combination of recipes (like the upright vs inverted method), and this versatility has given rise to global events like the Aeropress championships.
The original Aeropress is not without fault, however. For us, the main downside is that it can’t be used for brewing a batch of coffee, as it’s more of a single cup brewer. It is also quite bulky in design and includes accessories like a funnel for grounds that seems relatively unnecessary.
Aeropress Go Design
The AeroPress Go is a smaller and more compact version of the original table-top coffee maker. The Go is an inch shorter and slightly narrower than the original, which does make it good for travelling, but also means that it brews slightly less coffee. It brews 237ml instead of 296ml, which isn’t really a significant difference. But we are surprised that in designing a new Aeropress, Aerobie hasn’t taken the opportunity to address the small volume brew shortcoming of the original.
Putting that aside, the nicest feature of the Go is that it has all of its parts tucked neatly inside the robust grey plastic mug, with a red silicone lid. Inside, the mug has a small spoon, a useful foldable stir-stick, and a flat case to hold the necessary filters. When sealed, the Go is very compact and durable. As such, it’s easy to assume this latest model is a better travel companion. This video from Aerobie showcases the Go’s features well.
We conducted a taste test using the Go and its predecessor. As with the original, there are two main ways of brewing with the Aeropress Go. The classic method involves weighing out the beans, grinding them, pouring them into the large brewing chamber, adding hot water, giving it a stir, and plunging. As soon as the water hits the filter, the coffee starts dripping into the mug.
The second method, the “inverted” method, involves pushing the plunger a centimetre into the brewing chamber, turning the entire thing upside down, pouring the water and grounds on top, and stirring. Then, you replace the cap, flip it, and plunge again. We prefer the inverted method, as it gives more control over the steeping time.
We steeped our Signature Blend coffee for 30 seconds in both the original Aeropress and the Go. Both coffees tasted great and we noticed very little difference. However, we did note that the cup of coffee from the Go tasted very slightly more acidic. Regardless, the coffee from the Go was just as smooth and clean as you’d expect from AeroPress.
The Verdict
The Aerobie Aeropress Go builds on the success of the original, whilst offering something new. The Aeropress is probably still the most versatile brew method invented, being able to brew a variety of coffee types and quantities of coffee conveniently. The original was designed to be an easy-to-use mobile friendly brew method. The Aeropress Go improves upon this by being smaller in size, with compact accessories, making it a great choice for the regular traveller. And, if storage space is limited at home, the Aeropress Go makes a good alternative to the original.
We won’t be replacing our original Aeropress with the Go, but for those of you keen to have a more compact version for hiking, camping and other adventure activities, this is a great option.
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