Aerobie's AeroPress

Unbeknownst to me, Aerobie, Inc.—maker of those ring-shape discs that fly about a mile—also dabbles in espresso. Indeed, the AeroPress is a new coffee/espresso maker portable enough to take backpacking, and its design is, well, kind of cool.

I’ve been testing it out for the past several mornings, employing fine fresh grounds, some hot water, and the easy-to-use AeroPress plunger to pressure brew some good-tasting joe with very little effort. Just put in a paper filter; add the grounds; fill the container with hot water; and pressure the plunger down to brew.

The result is rich and strong espresso, and it doesn’t just taste like coffee from a French press. Aerobie is onto something with its pressure-plunger system. It’s brewed with air pressure that forces drips through a filter. The espresso is really quite good.

Clean up is quick and easy, too. Just take out the filter and the grounds, which compact into a puck of sorts, and then run the parts under some water for 10 seconds or so. That’s it.

The unit is made of polycarbonate, making it sturdy enough for camping and backpacking trips.

Price: $30
Available: Now
www.aerobie.com