Aeropress showing cracks on inside

[ewyoung]

Hi all,

My Aeropress, which is 16 months old, has cracks on the inside surface of the main tube, and the surface is now rough. It seems to have taken some material off the plunger as some air is getting by the end of the plunger. I sent and email to aerobie@arobie.com 2 weeks ago but haven't received a reply. There is a photo attached here, so please take a look. Has anyone else had problems like this?

Thanks,
Ernie Young

[arjaybee]

Do you wash it in the dishwasher? I just rinse mine off immediately after use and let it drip dry. Maybe once a week I use warm soapy water. But mine isn't as old as yours so maybe in another 6 months or so it will look like that too. I hope not

[byron]

If you haven't gotten an email response yet, try giving them a call. They are normally pretty responsive. (650) 493-3050

[ewyoung]

Hi,

I don't wash it in a dishwasher but just wash it with water and let it air dry. I sent a 2nd email but no response. The people at the company don't seem to be very responsive, but maybe I will give a call, so thanks for the number! I have been using a piece of 3mil plastic sheeting on top of the main tube before plunging, which adds a little bit of thickness to the plunger. I love the Aeropress, but the company is on my list of bad companies. Why don't they use good quality materials? I would gladly pay more for one that will last.

Thanks,
Ernie Young

[EricBNC]

That doesn't look good, and your being upset is understandable - I have one of the original ones - bought it 2nd hand for $15. The guys from Aeropress were pressured into changing materials in order to keep certain vendors happy - I don't want cancer, and you don't either, but the "scare" was enough to drive the change, not proof.

I can remember when eggs were good/bad/good/bad/good for you - that is what we learned about a very common item - the materials in the original Aeropress didn't stand a chance in that world...

[JavaJunkie]

I think we pay quite enough for the Aeropress as it is Ernie. After all it's plastic and rubber.
I also think at this price point we shouldn't have to worry about it going bad and the company needs to be very responsive.
Perhaps they aren't answering e-mails so you won't have anything "on paper"? I find companies can say anything on the phone because you have no proof they said it.
I would hate to think that this is one of those situations, I love my Aeropress and would have no idea what to use if it disappeared!

[ewyoung]

I love my Aeropress too! Using the plastic sheeting to increase the size of the plunger diameter is working fine, and I even sanded the inside of the tube with fine sandpaper. The outside tube is fine, so I am guessing they are using two different tubes, with one being inside the other and made of the material that is BPA-free, and that inner tube material is cracking.

They still haven't responded to my emails.

Thanks,
Ernie

[MikeW]

Your post made me check my 2-month-old Aeropress, and it has vertical scratches, which look like the faint vertical lines in your picture -- but not the cracks.

I called up Aerobie to ask about it, and Charlene offered to replace it. I actually visited their office in Palo Alto, and met Charlene and Alex. Alex commented that the lines I have might be scratches from abrasives in the coffee, and although he said he'd give me another one, it might have the same problem. He also made it clear if I have any problem in the future I can still replace it then.

So I'll see what happens to my unit. If my scratches are caused by abrasives then everyone should have them. You can feel them with your fingernails on the inside of the tube, and you can see them if you hold the tube up to a light.

I would call them up. They seem like the kind of company that is reasonable and isn't trying to save pennies.

-Mike

[ewyoung]

Hi Mike,

I called the (650) 493-3050 number that Byron provided (Thanks Byron!) and talked to Charlene, who said she would send a replacement, and she apologized for the lack of response to my emails. I used her email address which is charlene@aerobie.com. Hopefully the problem won't reoccur. It is such a great coffee making tool!

Thanks,
Ernie

[JavaJunkie]

Excellent!