Review: Aerobie AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker

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Some people just can’t get up and going without coffee in the morning. I can understand. I love a good cup while I’m getting ready, especially when I’m on vacation. I’ve gotten to the point that when I travel, I bring my own ground coffee, simply because we’ve stayed in so many places where they either don’t provide enough for our stay or provide crummy coffee or instant crystals. Now, I don’t think I’m all that picky about coffee, but if you’re going to go through the trouble of putting a coffee maker in my room, then giving me instant coffee seems senseless. Generally, this only happens in the UK, but it also has happened in South America, so I assume it has happened to more than just me.

Going to the coffee shop can get spendy and even if you bring your own coffee, some of those in-room coffee makers just aren’t any good. I know how angry that can make some people. If you are a frequent traveler and like a consistent cup of coffee, what’s a person to do besides spend $4+ on an espresso or latte from a nearby Starbucks? Well, I’ve got a new solution for you, brought to you by Aerobie.

You know that I’m not into packing unnecessary items in my travel bag, but I’m all for saving money and bringing something from home that’s going to make my trip more comfortable. Luckily, the AeroPress Coffee & Espresso Maker is fairly small and packable and I won’t need to bring along the accessories that come along with it if I don’t want to (stirrer, spoon, funnel and filter holder).

When I read that people claimed that the AeroPress made the best coffee they ever had, I was intrigued and was interested to try it. Once you figure out how the filter cap fits onto the chamber, the AeroPress is super easy to use. If you can measure grounds and push down on a plunger, you could have a fast cup of coffee, too! The steps are easy:

·         Put a filter in the filter cap

·         Screw filter cap onto the chamber

·         Place chamber onto a coffee cup

·         Add two spoonfuls of grounds to the chamber

·         Add 1 cup of hot water to the chamber and stir with grounds

·         Insert plunger and press down firmly

·         Enjoy your coffee!

Now, at home I have and use a Keurig coffeemaker regularly and I found that the AeroPress made a similar quality cup of my favorite coffee. The air pressure brewing extracts all the best flavor from your grounds without having to wait for the water to drip through them like a regular coffeemaker. Even other travel coffeemakers take more time to make one cup of coffee. With the AeroPress, you can make coffee for everyone in your travel party quickly. Like, everyone could drink coffee together, instead of being practically done with their cup by the time the next one is ready. The other awesome thing about the AeroPress is that it doesn’t need to be plugged in, so you can use it anywhere, even if you go camping. Even if you don’t have a microwave to heat up water, you can just run the tap until it’s as hot as it gets and use that to make your coffee. I tried both ways and my coffee was just as good both times. The coffee was rich and not bitter at all, which can sometimes be a problem with dark roast. What it can’t do is make mediocre coffee better tasting. I did try with some flavored coffee, but it still came out weak and unappealing.

While I probably wouldn’t replace my current coffeemaker at home as other peoplesay they did, I would add this to my travel bag and know that I will be able to get a great cup of coffee wherever I am. My dad is an all-day coffee drinker and being so, I anticipate I may buy him this little gadget for his trips, because it makes good coffee, fast. You can even buy a metal filter for it to save on purchasing new paper filters and also create less waste. Unlike some of the other things I’ve reviewed and suggested for your travel bags, Aerobie makes the AeroPress available worldwide.

More information

Where to buy: on Amazon and many on and offline retailers in the U.S. | International

How much is it?: $25.95

Other Specs: 4.8″ tall

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Disclosure: I was provided with the AeroPress Coffee & Espresso Maker for the purpose of this review, but all opinions are my own.

Have you tried the AeroPress Coffee & Espresso Maker? If not, would you consider trying it out?

How to Stay Healthy from Plane to Sightseeing Part 2

In Part 1 of healthy travels, I talked about the first 7 things I do or take with me to prevent myself from getting sick and also being healthy enough to jump off the plane and sightsee to my heart’s content. Don’t let jet lag or a cold bug keep you from having a good time. You spent your hard-earned money to take this trip and allowing yourself to have to be “house”-bound for a day or more is really lowering the value of your vacation. Here are 7 more ways to stay healthy and energetic on your trips.

Papaya Enzyme. Sometimes you eat too much, or you eat something that your tummy really isn’t sure is the best food of the day. Digestive problems can happen on the road, but papaya can really help. It’s found all over and is a natural supplement made from actual papaya that settles the stomach and minimizes bloating. It can also stave off mild heartburn. They are fruity tasting and chewable, so they are an easy take along in your day bag. Just take 2 or 3 when you start to feel ick and they help to work the problem out. Even my dog likes these, which is great when I see her go out to eat grass when she isn’t feeling well.

Allergy pills & other meds. Do you have allergies? You never know how they will react in a different climate, so make sure you bring extra pills along with you while you’re out and about. The same goes for medications. Keep them in your carry-on when you fly and make sure you have enough for your whole trip. If you don’t, call your doctor or pharmacy to get more before you travel. If you are dependent on medication each day, it will suck to be without them for a day or more. Being prepared will always pay off.

Antibacterial wipes, spray or gel. When you travel, I can guarantee you that germs are everywhere! From the escalator handrail to the airplane tray table. You can’t always get to a place to wash your hands, or you may want to wipe something down, so bringing any of these is a good idea. I opt for wipes, because you can use them on anything and they can just go in your carry-on instead of your 3-1-1 bag.

Wash your hands. When you ARE within the vicinity of a sink with running water, make sure you wash your hands. Often. Beat those germs at their own game and also keep from transferring them to your face and making yourself sick.

Plan for downtime. A combination of downtime and getting enough sleep will surely keep you on top of your game when traveling. You’ll feel better and you’ll have more energy. I know it’s exciting to do as much as possible. I pack my days full of fun things to do, but I also make sure we have time to relax. Traveling in the fall and winter forces you to slow down, because the hours for shops and attractions are shorter. If everything closes at 6pm, you really only have a choice of late-night bars or dinner and laundry before bed. I always opt for going back to my hotel/apartment and chilling for a bit, then changing clothes, going to eat and coming back to do email, read a book or play a game. You will notice how much more rested you feel and when you get up the next morning – NOT at the crack of dawn, because things don’t open until 9 or 10am – you’ll be more ready to start your day.

Bring healthy snacks. Snacks are important. You’re burning more energy than usual (or I hope you are), so you need to keep it up with nutritious snacks in between meals. I keep granola bars and nuts in my bag that are protein-packed and won’t slow me down. Fruit is also a good travel companion, but they don’t all survive rolling around in your day bag or carry-on, so choose wisely. Oranges, bananas and apples do pretty well and are somewhat easy to eat on-the-go, as are celery and carrot sticks.

Don't forget to eat. Sometimes you’re having such a great time you just plain forget to eat. Not me. I’m hungry all the time on vacation. But if you’re not like me – like my husband – you will be so engrossed in what you are seeing/doing, you totally don’t eat until you are so hungry you could eat your own foot. Plan meals into your schedule and go even if you don’t feel like eating. A regular schedule is important and even if you don’t eat much, it’s better than skipping a meal altogether. It also helps if you don’t overeat, which I am wont to do on vacation. If I know I’m not starving, then I get Eric to split something with me, because we can always grab a nibble later if we get hungry again.

Hopefully, after the last two posts, you'll never get sick again on vacation. Do you have other tricks for staying healthy?

Review: GoLite Cayambe Reversible Travel Dress

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Trying to fit clothing for a week or more in a carry-on can sometimes be a big challenge, especially if you have a lot of activities planned that are all over the map: hiking, sightseeing, dining out, boating, plays. How can you possibly pack for all those things and still go light? One word: Reversible. While there aren’t a lot of products to choose from that do double-duty, the smart people at GoLite created the Cayambe dress for those of us that are active, but still want to look good.

I’ve been eyeing this dress for some time, as it looks pretty simple, has two layers of fabric (read: no fancy underthings like a slip is needed), is moisture-wicking, quick-drying, lightweight and moves with you. Or so it claims. I had previously gotten the Stelvio 1/3 Zip Travel Sweater when it was on clearance on Amazon and loved it so much I ordered a second color that was NOT on sale. They are super warm, lightweight and comfy. Then I decided I must try a tank for my warm-weather trips and picked up the Vista Ridge Sleeveless Top. Another homerun! So of course I said yes when offered the chance to try out the Cayambe dress.

I immediately tore open the package when it arrived and tried it on. The fabric felt great on my skin, which is always a plus in any garment, and the colors were pretty. I received the black/fern. The fern is a soft green and seems like it would be fairly complimentary to most skin tones. But don’t worry, if it’s not for you, there are other colors to choose from.

I wondered about the versatility of the dress, so I tried it out with some different accessories and shoes and ran around my yard with the dog and did some hoola hooping in it. (That’s about the extent of my exercising most days.) Surprisingly, it allowed me to be mobile without feeling constricted, I didn’t feel too girly in it to keep me from being active and the fabric kept me cool throughout activities and running around the house in search of things to pair it with – yes, I am also not that organized. Thanks to the DriMove Lite technology, you can get really active in this dress and never feel sweaty and gross, because it pulls moisture from your body to the outer fabric and it evaporates.  

Considering the dress is flattering, though not really fancy, I threw on a necklace, cardigan, belt and some nicer shoes and it turned into a thing I could go out on the town in. You could probably do this by just adding a nice looking wrap and strappy sandals, too, since you probably won’t have all these accessories with you on vacation. The black can easily be your new LBD for travel (and even to keep in mind at home in the warmer months that make you hope you don’t have to dress up for anything outside). The chest has a nice ruching to flatter your bust and give some extra support for those heavier on top, and the straps are nice and wide to hide your bra straps (a big gripe of mine for many warm-weather dresses and tops).

The bottom has a raw edge, so it gives it a bit of ruffle. When turned around, you get a double hem, as some of the black peeks out at the bottom. Cute, right? The longer length gives you extra coverage for whatever you have on your itinerary, whether it’s sipping wine at a café or playing touch football on the beach. The slight A-line gives you freedom of movement, but falls in an attractive way that is flattering on most body types. The dress is a bit clingy from the waist up, so if you aren’t into that, you may want to go up a size. You know what else is awesome? You can save your sunscreen and just use it on your exposed skin, because this dress has built-in UPF of 50+. You won’t get a nasty burn underneath like you can with other thin fabric.

This dress is seriously lightweight and for two items to take up less space in your bag than a t-shirt, that’s pretty cool. Going away for the weekend? Throw this baby in your carry-on with a change of underthings, some accessories and a pair of shoes and you are good to go anywhere. This is definitely a must-buy for those trips to tropical climates or long trips to Europe, but also perfect for trips to Disney, romantic getaways and your cousin’s wedding weekend. And if you go to GoLite.com, you can get it for less than $45! That’s two dresses in one that can be worn for almost any occasion for a little over $40. Want more versatility? Pick up the Cayambe Reversible Travel Skirt for $28 and in discontinued colors for $19! You can’t beat prices like that for awesome travel pieces that have a lifetime guarantee*. (GoLite also sells amazing travel clothing for men and travel bags that have gotten rave reviews from everyone I’ve talked to that owns one.)

My size: I am wearing the Cayambe Travel Dress in XS. I’m 5′1″ and weigh ~115 lbs.

More information

Where you can buy it: GoLite online

Other colors it comes in: Burnt Orange/Espresso & Canal Blue/Gunbarrel Blue

How much it costs: Regular price is $85, but you can purchase this year’s inventory for more than half off.

Fabric: Polyester with built-in UPF 50+, weight 6.7 oz

*GoLite will replace any gear with a manufacturing defect, free, for the life of the product.

Follow GoLite: Facebook | Twitter

Disclaimer: I was provided with the GoLite Cayambe Dress for the purpose of this review, but all options are my own.