The Invention of the AeroPress ⇥ priceonomics.com

Great profile of AeroPress and Aerobie frisbee inventor Alan Adler by Zachary Crockett (via Shawn Blanc):

After a few weeks in his garage, he’d already created a prototype: a plastic tube that used plunger-like action to compress the flavors quickly out of the grounds. He brewed his first cup with the invention, and knew he’d made something special. Immediately, he called his business manager Alex Tennant.

Tennant tasted the brew, and stepped back. “Alan,” he said, “I can sell a ton of these.”

For all its brilliance, it’s really quite a simple product. It has no mechanically moving parts, and the only things which will likely require replacement are the filters, and the rubber plunger end (after a long time). It’s an inexpensive little thing which allows virtually anyone to brew a fantastic cup of coffee. It’s how I start my day, every day.