Aeropress makes a bloody good cup if cofee if you do it right!

How many of you have spent a lot of money on an expensive coffee machine, maybe over $1000? Then you have to get it serviced quite regularly or it just doesn't do the right stuff. Maybe you brought one of those cheap ones from a discount store an sure---its makes good coffee for a while, but then gives up the ghost after a year or so. Perhaps you just get sick of cleaning it all the time and keeping it in good order. I have an Italian model and I no longer use it. I am going to sell it on Trade Me for a very small reserve. WHY?---that's easy ---I brought a Aeropress for about $70.There is nothing inherently wrong with my flash machine, it's just that the cheep AP one does the job just as well, with of course the addition of a frothing machine for those lovely 'Flat Whites' or Cappuccinos. Wanna know more abut an Aeropress?---just Google it. You can buy them at Cafes or get one off the net. You can also check out how to use one by watching the sites on the Net, but I have been taught by a friendly barista, how to get the best out of the machine. Firstly---the AP only has a few moving parts and it is all plastic, apart from the paper filters or the permanent mesh ones, if you choose that. It is simple and easy to use. People say they cannot get a 'crema' using it. Well that is wrong. I can! Not having a crema does not affect the flavour anyway! Here's how to get the best coffee. Heat water to just under boiling point. Place your espresso ground coffee (note--it is not a plunger that uses a coarser grade--it must be fine!) in the 'Press' not the actual container that has the filter. Drip the hot water in and slowly add the rest of the water--to the strength you want the coffee--single or double and only make one cup at a time---better result. Let it sit for a couple of minutes, while the milk is frothing in the machine of you want the milk. Then--pout the coffee into the container and push slowly down with the plunger-pod. This replicates the action of an espresso machine. You will see a think crema coming out at the end. Sure it dissipates quite quickly, but a crema it is! Add the milk and the result is as good as and often better than many coffees from cafes and it is a lot cheaper. If you like a 'long Black,' just add more water. I bet this post pisses off some of the manufacturers of the flash coffee machines. That's OK, they don't live in NZ! I love my little Aeropress machine. Easy cleaning, easy storage and bloody good coffee. Make sure you use good beans though. I get mine form Eden Coffee and Tranz Café in Onehunga. www.authorneilcoleman.com