Are you enjoying the strong, clean, tasty coffee that your Aeropress makes? If you want to make sure your Aeropress lasts for a long time and continues to make an excellent brew each morning to wake you up, it’s essential you know how to store your Aeropress.
The better care you give to your Aeropress during storage, the longer it will last without you having to replace any of the parts. In this article, you will learn how to store an Aeropress.
Eject the Coffee and Clean the Press
Before putting the Aeropress away for storage, eject the coffee and make sure the press is clean. Otherwise, dirt and gunk can get stuck to the press, making it harder to clean later.
Clean the rubber seal at least once a month or every week or two if you use the press a lot. Wash it with gentle soap, or use a baking soda solution to clean it. If you clog the seal with coffee sediment, another thing you can do is to soak it in a pot with a solution of boiling water and gentle soap. Soak it for five minutes at a time until you can get it clean.
Push the Seal Through the Chamber
Always push the silicone seal straight through the chamber before putting the press away. That way, you will reduce wear and tear on the seal, and it will last longer. If you don’t do that, the seal will compress, and the pressure will wear it out. The seal/plunger must be entirely through the chamber; halfway is not enough.
Don’t Leave It Wet or Moist
Before putting your Aeropress away in a cabinet, bag, box, or any other closed space, make sure it is thoroughly dried. Otherwise, the moisture can lead to mold growing on the Aeropress. Water can ruin the silicone seal.
You can wash your Aeropress in the dishwasher. However, it should be your last resort. Use a dishwasher if boiling or manually cleaning it doesn’t work or if you have no time. However, please keep it on the top shelf of the dishwasher. Also, after the cycle finishes, take it out of the dishwasher so as not to leave it soaking wet too long.
Handle It Carefully
The silicone plunger is the central part to worry about in terms of wetness. The plastic parts are strong and durable and can stay wet longer. However, the plastic parts can crack if you drop the press, so be careful when handling it.
Store Your Aeropress in a Safe Place
If you use your Aeropress often, the best place to store it is in a safe cabinet, where it won’t get knocked around. You can keep it in a drawer as well, but it is likely to move a bit when you open the drawer, and it may even crack. A cabinet is the best place to store the different parts.
However, if you don’t have enough space in your cabinet, there are plenty of excellent alternatives, too.
Store It on a Drying Rack
If you use the Aeropress several times a day, you can store it on the drying rack as it dries in between uses. However, keep the drying rack against a wall, so it does not fall, and make sure all the parts get enough air so they can dry out. You can put the pieces into the cabinet overnight.
Store It in a Plastic Tub
Plastic tubs are great, simple options for storing an Aeropress. Using a tub will ensure the parts stay together and don’t get lost.
Get the Aeropress Tote Bag
If you like the Aeropress because it allows you to brew coffee anywhere, without electricity and without needing to carry around a giant coffee machine, consider getting the Aeropress tote bag. The tote bag is available from Aeropress itself (view it here).
The tote bag is pretty small but has just enough space for the Aeropress. The bag is nylon, and you can open or close it with a zipper. The bag makes it easy to fit the Aeropress in your backpack, gym bag, or your car’s glove compartment.
Get an Aeropress Holder or Caddy
If you are looking for a safe and secure way to store your Aeropress at home, consider getting a caddy or coffee brew holder explicitly designed for Aeropress brews. For example, the Aeropress Companion by Proper not only stores your Aeropress but allows you to display it proudly. It has a specific compartment for each Aeropress part and uses a corkscrew to ensure the parts do not slip.
Store It on the Wall
You can get a wall mount to store your Aeropress. This wall mount organizer has high-quality, polished bamboo for Aeropress users. Make sure to follow directions when installing the wall mount so your Aeropress is safe.
Store It in the Original Box
If you don’t have the tote bag or don’t have time to wait until it arrives, but you still want to transport the Aeropress to another location, consider putting it back in the original box, exactly how it came. Make sure it is clean and dry first.
The box will protect the Aeropress. If it protects it during shipping to you, it can protect it when transporting it in your glove compartment.
Use the Filter Holder
Make sure to store the filters (or the reusable filter, if you have one) in the filter holder that comes with the Aeropress kit. That will keep them safe so you can create a fresh, delicious cup of coffee at any time.
Save Space by Stacking the Parts Into the Funnel
Remember, the filter holder is hexagonal. That means you can drop the filter holder into the funnel to save space while storing the Aeropress. By stacking the parts into the funnel, you will end up with one long tower instead of many pieces you need to keep next to each other.
If you store the Aeropress in a drawer, stacking is the best way to ensure the parts stay together and don’t get lost (lay it down horizontally in the drawer and open it with care).
And there you have it! You now have everything you need to know about how to store an Aeropress. Simple, isn’t it?
Happy Caffeinating!
