Coffee Appreciation

i've just been doing the brutal double espresso topped up with hot water method described in the instructions.

i guess using less coffee and more water in the actuall press makes for a more cafteriere like drink then? i've only had it a couple of days so not experimented yet

The faux-espresso method you describe is what I do at work. You need an espresso grind, and the extraction will be a little longer due to lack of pressure.

On the other extreme, you could try something more like a filter or cafetiere grind and steep for minutes.

The main difference between the aeropress flavour and the cafetiere is that it's much less rough, I find, and less likely to taste stewed.

I still prefer my Gaggia at home for most coffee though, even if they are still Americanos.