As an Amazon Associate, Barista Life earns from qualifying purchases.
The AeroPress Original lists at $39.95 and the AeroPress Original XL at $79.95 on aeropress.com. The short version: the Original brews a 10 oz cup and up to three espresso-style shots, the XL doubles the chamber to a 20 oz carafe and brews 2 to 4 cups in about two minutes. Same 3-in-1 press method, same paper micro-filter cleanliness, twice the batch and twice the price. If you brew for one, the Original is the whole answer. If you are pressing for two people every morning, or for guests, the XL exists so you stop brewing twice.
The only real question is batch size
Both makers work the exact same way. You add grounds and water to the chamber, stir, seat a paper micro-filter in the cap, and press the plunger down through the puck. The paper filter is what keeps AeroPress coffee free of the sediment and oils a French press leaves behind, and both models use it. Neither needs power, both are BPA free, both wash on the top rack of a dishwasher, and both carry a 1 year warranty. So the choice is not about cup quality or method. It is about how much you brew at once.
The AeroPress Original is a single-serve tool. Its chamber holds enough to press one 10 oz serving, or up to three espresso-style shots you can dilute into an Americano or build a milk drink on. The whole kit (chamber, plunger, filter cap, scoop, stirrer, and paper micro-filters) weighs 7.75 ounces, and the travel parts alone weigh 6.5 ounces, which is why it lives in so many backpacks and hotel bags. It stands 5.25 inches tall. It presses directly onto most mugs.
The AeroPress Original XL is the same idea scaled up. The chamber is larger and it ships with a 20 oz Tritan carafe instead of pressing onto a single mug, so it brews 2 to 4 cups in one press in about two minutes. It comes with the carafe, an XL stirrer, a scoop, and XL paper micro-filters. That last detail matters: the XL uses its own filter size, so your stash of standard AeroPress filters will not fit it, and vice versa. The XL stands 7.6 inches tall and is manufactured in the USA. It is a countertop brewer more than a travel one.
Spec comparison
| Spec | AeroPress Original | AeroPress Original XL |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $39.95 | $79.95 |
| Brew capacity | 10 oz, 1 to 2 cups or up to 3 espresso-style shots | 20 oz carafe, 2 to 4 cups |
| Brew time | About 2 minutes | About 2 minutes |
| What's included | Chamber, plunger, filter cap, scoop, stirrer, paper micro-filters | 20 oz Tritan carafe, XL stirrer, scoop, XL paper micro-filters |
| Filter type | Standard AeroPress paper micro-filters | XL paper micro-filters (unique size) |
| Height | 5.25 in | 7.6 in |
| Weight | 7.75 oz full kit, 6.5 oz travel parts | Not stated on product page |
| Method | 3-in-1 press with paper filter | 3-in-1 press with paper filter |
| Dishwasher | Top rack only | Top rack only |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
Sources: AeroPress Original product page and AeroPress Original XL product page, checked July 2026.
Which one to buy
Buy the Original if you brew for yourself, if you want something that travels, or if espresso-style shots for a single latte are your main use. It is cheaper, lighter, and its recipes are the ones every AeroPress guide online is written for. Buy the XL if you regularly brew for two, if you are tired of running two presses back to back, or if you want a carafe on the counter instead of pressing onto one mug at a time. The XL is not better coffee. It is the same coffee in a bigger batch, which is worth exactly $40 to you or it is not.
One practical note before you decide: the XL takes its own filter size, so factor XL filter refills into the cost, and do not expect to share filters between the two if you own both. You can check current pricing on AeroPress Original listings on Amazon and AeroPress XL listings on Amazon, since both show up in bundles with extra filters.
Barista Life runs on coffee people. Browse the Barista Life shop to support the site.
More gear comparisons
If you like the AeroPress because it pulls espresso-style shots without a machine, our guide to making espresso without a machine covers the other ways to get there. For a bigger jump into automated brewing, the Fellow Aiden vs Moccamaster matchup weighs two premium drip machines. And for the full lineup of brewers and grinders we have tested, start at the coffee gear guides hub.
FAQ
Does the AeroPress XL make better coffee than the Original? No. Both use the same 3-in-1 press method and the same paper micro-filter, so the cup is the same quality. The XL just brews a larger batch, up to a 20 oz carafe versus the Original's 10 oz single serving.
Can I use standard AeroPress filters in the XL? No. The XL uses its own XL paper micro-filters, which are a unique size developed only for the XL chamber. Standard AeroPress filters are too small for it, so keep the two filter types separate.
Which AeroPress is better for travel? The Original. Its travel parts weigh 6.5 ounces and it stands 5.25 inches tall, so it packs into a bag easily. The XL is taller at 7.6 inches and ships with a 20 oz carafe, which makes it a countertop brewer rather than a travel one.