Sometimes, if we're lucky, a product will come along every few years that is actually better than the toaster. Enter the AeroPress Go.
Often the true test between coffee hobbyists and enthusiasts is simply asking them if they they own an AeroPress (let's be real). Not only is it one of the best travel coffee maker, it is one of the best things for brewing coffee at home, period.
In our opinion, the AeroPress Go is even better than the AeroPress because it is so much easier and more compact to store in a kitchen cupboard or a suitcase than the original product. More importantly, it produces the same amount of caffeine. (Important!)
The AeroPress Go retails for the same price as the original AeroPress these days at $39.95, making no difference as to which one to go for.
(Originally when it was first released in 2021, the AeroPress Go retailed for $31.95, while the original retailed for $29.95. Oh, inflation! Given that we're are in 2024, though, the durability seems on point.)
Even if you're already an AeroPress owner, it's a worthy upgrade over purchasing a bunch of stupid accessories that will cost almost as much.
(The original manufacturer "travel" tote is cumbersome. In fact, we gifted our original AeroPress afterwards after being graced in the presence of an AeroPress Go.)
The main design differences between the original AeroPress and the AeroPress Go
The first thing that anyone will notice straight out of the box with our original versions is that the labeling on the brewers are different colors: The AeroPress uses a distinct yellow color, while the AeroPress Go uses red.
But we think these are superficial differences, and if you care about that, you're weird.
The main difference between the AeroPress and AeroPress Go is that the funnel (historically useless, just be less accident-prone!) is pretty much gone, and the otherwise bulky filter cap has been compressed to a flat disc.
There's also an additional storable mug/casing that houses the entire AeroPress Go, for the most compact solution.
In terms of brewing capacity, the AeroPress Go brews 20% less than the original AeroPress, so if you're keen on drinking lots of liquid, it may require adjusting to a more espresso-like concentrate, or simply brewing another batch.
(The same amount of caffeine is delivered if the same amount of grounds and brewing conditions are used. If you like sipping filtered water until kingdom come, itmay require extra brewing time. The coffee will be less diluted.)
Like with the original AeroPress, it does require a person to boil water for the AeroPress chamber. Tea kettles are great for getting the water temperature up to par; swiping hot water from a Starbucks will also do the trick. Just don't forget to pack that ground coffee!
It's interesting to note that the mug is almost double the brewing capacity for the AeroPress Go (two batches would be 474 mL, and the mug capacity falls under that at 444 mL, or 15 ounces).
If you're gonna go for gold and make two cups, one of the batches should fall slightly under full brewing capacity.
The AeroPress has never been great at making batch coffee for chugging-look to a French press for that. But it always has delivered higher-quality, single-batch cups.
The accessories-the stirrer and scoop/spoon-have also been redesigned to fit inside the AeroPress plunger when it's not being used for easy storage. The stirrer folds out, while the scoop has been elongated while allowing for the same amount of beans.
In our case, we swapped the paper filters for reusable, off-market metal filters since these are more sustainable and cost-efficient. The taste is more or less the same; as any one can tell you the most important variable are the grinds themselves 😂
The original AeroPress was a bit big and bulky with the included accessories, and was only great with third-party accessories. Personally, on our end, we often just ditched the stirrer and filter stand on the read, since these did nothing but add heft to the device.
Here are some photos for a visual comparison:
Notably, the same AeroPress filters are the same as the AeroPress Go filters, so there's no need to change that up if there's already some lying around the house.
The actual AeroPress Go device, roughly 4.6 inches x 3.6 inches x 3.6 inches (12 cm x 9 cm x 9 cm), is a bit smaller than the AeroPress, though the full thing in superhero mug costume is roughly the same size as the AeroPress device.
Caffeine intake? That's about the same. ☕
Summary for those that are over-caffeinated*
| AeroPress Go | AeroPress | |
|---|---|---|
| Brewing Capacity | 8 oz (237 mL) | 10 oz (296 mL) |
| Length | 4.6 inches (12 cm) | 5.4 inches (14 cm) |
| Height | 3.6 inches (9 cm) | 4.2 inches (11 cm) |
| Width | 3.6 inches (9 cm) | 3.8 inches (10 cm) |
| Mug Capacity | 15 oz (444 mL) | n/a |
| Weight | 11.5 ounces (326 g) | 8 ounces (226 g) 100g less |
| Scoop Capacity | 14 g | 14 g |
| Filter Capacity | 20 filters | 350 filters |
Dimensions are for the actual AeroPress. Full product dimensions are available in the sidebar.
