Minimum Viable Arduino Project: Aeropress Timer
10 comments
·December 2, 2025sponno
rahimnathwani
Regarding the last point, you can do better than sleep (lower power state). You can have the microcontroller cut its own power once it's done its work:
https://randomnerdtutorials.com/latching-power-switch-circui...
stephenhandley
This is the first I'm hearing an aeropress 30 second plunge time, what's that about?
esperent
The idea is that the more pressure you use, the more unwanted materials like fines and oils will get though the paper. So if you press slowly and stop when you hear a hiss, you should have a better brew.
It does make sense, if imagine pressing through in 5 seconds vs 30 seconds, that the paper filtration would work better in the slower press. But I'm not sure if anyone has scientifically measured this.
Actually wait, it's coffee. Someone has definitely scientifically measured it and probably published a two hour YouTube video with their results.
fabian2k
There are many different ways to use the Aeropress. I'd assume that the recipe the author is following simply asks for a 30 second steep time.
I personally found that the time actually doesn't matter that much, you control extraction by grind size, water temperature and agitation. It might be that if you grind too fine you can still reduce extraction by cutting the time short, but that seems rather inconvenient for this method.
I usually let it steep for 5 minutes, but the exact time doesn't change much. Shorter times aren't that desirable for me anyway as the coffee is still too hot then as I start with boiling water.
jaffa2
Its just how long you are meant to let the coffee brew. Try if you make tea you need to let bag steep for a minute or 2. But actually timing it???? Useful if you are a goldfish may be but otherwise i dont understand who can’t remember to do something in 30 seconds.
Fwiw i oftrn let me aeropress brew for a few minutes. 30 secs is hella short.
pekka22
That’s indeed quite short for a brew time. 30s is your typical plunging time
jacknews
555
djaowjxj
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djaowjxj
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From James Hoffmann he recommends 2 minutes. If I recall correctly waiting longer did slightly improve the results but after 2 minutes you get a good brew. https://aeroprecipe.com/recipes/james-hoffmann-aeropress-rec...
I like the button idea. 1. I'd love to see it battery powered. 2. I found a vape thing yesterday - I would love to see a battery from a Vape re-used if possible. 3. Lastly - based on a project I'm trying to do now. Can you somehow sleep the microcontroller so it uses no power while in standby and then starts the timer, so you have close to indefinite battery life?