JoePresso: Does It Help Make Real Espresso?
The AeroPress is one of the most versatile brewing methods today.
Over the last five years, we’ve used AeroPress almost every day. Out of all the AeroPress accessories, this espresso attachment comes the closest to making a true espresso. We can confidently tell that this machine gives a nice espresso crema, which is almost hard to believe. But how to use JoePresso?
Read on to learn about all the aspects of JoePresso and see if it produces a tasty, espresso-style coffee.
Summary: The JoePresso
- Strong, small, espresso-style coffee
- Affordable accessory for AeroPress
- Easy to use
Many Kickstarter projects end up behind schedule or sub-par, but not this one. Best AeroPress accessory I’ve backed (or bought) to date.
– A.J
JoePresso Review
JoePresso was a Kickstarter campaign that set out to create the ultimate espresso attachment for AeroPress. There is an interesting story behind this product. Roman (a software engineer) and Meli (an executive chef in high-end resorts) discovered the attachment for AeroPress during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they named it JoePresso (“call me Joe”). They released this espresso attachment in 2020 (1).
Read our JoePresso review to better understand how close it comes to espresso and if it’s the right fit for you.
JoePresso Review
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Type
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Coffee Style
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Coffee Flavor
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Price
Type – 4/5
We must acknowledge the elephant in the room here: JoePresso isn’t its own brewer. It’s an attachment to AeroPress. You must have an AeroPress brewer to get any value out of JoePresso. That might be a turn-off to some folks, and that’s understandable.
JoePresso is one of the many accessories and attachments for your AeroPress. Compared to the regular AeroPress filter and basket, JoePresso creates more pressure while brewing. Based on our observations, this machine features a true espresso-style coffee.
Let’s not mince words here: JoePresso does what it’s intended to do.
There are three pieces to the JoePresso in the most recent version:
- Adapter
- Dispersion screen
- Basket
The basket is pressurized, meaning it requires some pressure to release coffee.
JoePresso’s flaw is that it takes more effort to set up than AeroPress or Fellow Prismo. It requires you to use a lot of force when plunging your coffee.
Coffee Style – 4/5
JoePresso does not produce real espresso, but it does make a great espresso with a nice crema. That’s because espresso requires nine bars of pressure to create the classic espresso coffee (2). The AeroPress, regardless of attachment or how hard you plunge, will never reach nine bars of pressure.
JoePresso gets you much closer than using the standard AeroPress basket and filter. It works well because it creates an actual coffee puck. If we think about using the AeroPress, we know that it’s an immersion brewing device similar to a French Press. In contrast, when we use an espresso machine, the coffee grounds are tamped into a basket and water runs through them, which is not immersion brewing.
JoePresso helps separate the puck from the water until you’re ready to release your coffee. And the pressurized basket gets you closer to the nine bars of pressure needed to extract espresso fully (3).
It does give a concentrated extraction, also a thicker foam than anticipated.
One of the cons is that the dispersion screen is quite small for the filter basket. Grinds could flow above the dispersion screen when you pour water in.
Coffee Flavor – 4.5/5
AeroPress makes delicious coffee; just look at the AeroPress World Championships (4). And making Americano-style coffees is arguably among the best uses for AeroPress brews, from the Fellow Prismo to the JoePresso(5).
JoePresso is just another option for brewing with the single most versatile home brewer on the market.
I tested the JoePresso using a medium-dark espresso roast and ground the beans a hair finer than normal. How did the flavor change compared to the standard AeroPress brew? Thanks to the metal filter and higher pressure extraction, the coffee had a fuller body and heavier mouthfeel, quite similar to a traditional espresso. There was even a hint of crema on the surface. Yet it managed to maintain the smooth sweetness that AeroPress fans know and love.
Price – 4/5
Does the quality of the coffee justify the price? If you want a more espresso-style coffee, JoePresso is the single most affordable option. The price of JoePresso itself won’t break the bank. The price has certainly come down from the initial version and is more reasonable with the second iteration.
Suppose you prefer drinking black coffee and like the versatility of AeroPress without trying to get close to espresso. JoePresso would definitely be a luxury or something to slap on your Christmas wishlist.
In short, JoePresso is affordable. It won’t set you back the way an espresso machine would.
JoePresso Vs Prismo
How does the JoePresso compare to the other espresso attachment for AeroPress, the Prismo? Well, for one thing, JoePresso creates a coffee that’s closer to a true espresso. You’ll find the JoePresso has a longer-lasting and richer crema and a fuller body. That said, the Prismo is simpler in its design and much easier to clean up.
The reality is that both attachments will get you closer to a true espresso. The JoePresso will get you the closest but will cost a little bit more. The Prismo is simpler but more similar to a standard AeroPress.
Things We Liked:
- Produces a strong coffee
- Produces a great amount of crema
- Easy to use
- Durable
Things We Didn’t Like:
- Limited use
- Doesn’t produce full espresso
- Dispersion screen is small
Do Not Buy JoePresso If…
- You don’t already have AeroPress: The JoePresso is an attachment, not its own brewer. You’ll need to get your hands on an AeroPress before you think about getting JoePresso. Check out Home Grounds’ full review of the AeroPress.
- You want true espresso: JoePresso isn’t the way to go for true espresso. You can’t create enough pressure. What JoePresso can do, however, is create tasty, strong, small coffees that are great for making Americano-like coffees or small sippable shots.
- You want control of every variable: JoePresso is pretty specific. You can’t grind too fine because of the metal filter and how hard it becomes to plunge. You can’t grind too coarse because it gets under-extracted easily.
The Verdict
In the end, JoePresso is a great little accessory for AeroPress. While it doesn’t quite get you all the way to a true espresso, it’s the closest you can possibly get without using an actual espresso machine.
JoePresso is actually the best accessory for making strong, espresso-like coffee with AeroPress. It creates a surprising amount of crema.
The pressurized basket and dispersion screen make for a true coffee puck. And the pressure JoePresso does create means you get a tasty, concentrated, and delicious coffee.
And trust us; it makes a mean Americano.
References
- Roman. (n.d.). Our story. JOEPRESSO. Retrieved April 19, 2023, from https://www.joepresso.com/our-story
- BLOG // Joni Helminen // 21.11.2019, //, B., Helminen, J., Author Joni Helminen, Blog // Sampo Latvakangas, Blog // Jori Korhonen, Blog // Oksana Shaposhnikova, & //, B. (n.d.). Espresso machine – how does it work? Paulig – Barista Institute. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.baristainstitute.com/blog/november-2019/espresso-machine-how-does-it-work
- R/aeropress – comment by U/thehungrydrinker on “just upgraded to the Joepresso attachment”. reddit. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.reddit.com/r/AeroPress/comments/sooy6h/comment/hwa9lft/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
- About Us. World AeroPress Championship. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://worldaeropresschampionship.com/pages/about-us
- Baristamagazine. (2022, September 12). 5 ways to brew with your aeropress. Barista Magazine Online. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.baristamagazine.com/five-ways-to-brew-with-your-aeropress/
