Fellow Aiden Review: A Potential Game Changer!

I can’t fully express how excited I am about this Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker review. That’s because this new pour-over drip coffee maker is a pretty revolutionary piece of kit.

After writing an initial review of the Fellow Aiden, the manufacturer has finally released the thing. I bought the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker from Amazon and I’ve spent the last few days testing it out.

I’ll tell you all about my experiences using this special new coffee machine throughout my Fellow Aiden review. Let’s get into it!

Overview: Fellow Aiden Coffee Maker Review

Regular Coffeeness readers will already know how much I love Fellow products. But for those of you not familiar with the brand, go ahead and check out my reviews of the Fellow Gen 2 Ode Grinder and the Fellow Stagg EKG Kettle.

Anyway, I’ve always been blown away by the California-based manufacturers dedication to producing high-performance coffee gear that also looks superb.

With that in mind, I’m a little confused by the design choices Fellow has made with the Aiden Precision Coffee Maker. I mean, some folks might see it differently, but to me the thing looks rather unattractive. Sure, the Aiden looks like a Fellow product, but its ultra-boxy shape is a far cry from the classy, streamlined vibe happening with the brand’s other offerings.

Looks aside, there’s a lot to be excited about. For starters, the Fellow Aiden gives you a crazy level of control over every aspect of your brew. That includes precise temperature control, bloom time and water flow rate to name a few. I’ll go into more detail about all that later in this Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker review.

What’s more, Fellow has promised an incredibly sophisticated app that allows the user to geek out to the max. And while I’m not usually a fan of using my phone to operate a coffee maker, I must say the Fellow app looks like it’ll be incredible.

Ultimately, the Fellow Aiden is intended as the last word in automatic pour-over coffee makers. Having reviewed machines like the Ratio Six and Breville Precision Brewer, I can’t wait to see how the Aiden measures up. And to see whether it’s worth spending $365.00

Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker Features

Let’s continue this Fellow Aiden Precision Brewer review by taking a closer look at all the exciting features involved.

Size and Design

As I mentioned earlier, I’m not particularly impressed by the Fellow Aiden’s boxy design. To be honest, I feel like the manufacturer could have done more in that regard. Still, the Fellow Aiden is far from offensive to behold, and I actually like the way it looks in the Coffeeness kitchen.

In terms of size, the Aiden isn’t exactly compact. Still, it’s not the biggest coffee maker I’ve seen.

One particularly thoughtful feature is the removable side-mounted water reservoir, which makes it easy to add water without moving the machine. However, there’s a pretty sizable brew chamber lid which I could see being an issue with overhead cabinets.

That said, Fellow has included a rubber gasket on the lid to prevent steam escaping during brewing. This not only protects the underside of overhead cabinets but helps maintain consistent temperature during brewing. Now that’s a nice touch!

User Interface

The Aiden coffee maker’s user interface is very Fellow. In fact, it reminds me of the controls on the Fellow Tally Pro Scale. Comprising a chunky button/dial and a small color screen, the user interface appears to be very simple. However, there’s a crazy amount of adjustable parameters:

These can all be adjusted using the dial, and the information is displayed on the screen. Alternatively, you’re able to use the manufacturer’s presets for dark, medium or light coffee roast profiles. And for those just wanting a fuss-free brewing experience, you can simply select Bypass Brew Mode to skip the technical stuff.

Incidentally, I shouldn’t forget to mention that the screen keeps you abreast of what’s happening during the brewing process and even has a timer. How cool is that!

WiFi Connectivity

From what I can gather, the Fellow app is a potentially marvelous thing. For starters, it’ll give you even more control over how you can program brewing parameters. What’s more, you can create sharable brew profiles and schedule the Aiden to start brewing at any time.

Of course, I always frown upon using an auto-start feature seeing as your coffee grounds are going to be sitting around losing flavor. Still, I get how convenient it could be.

During my review, the Fellow app was currently available. However, all the celebrated features weren’t yet up-and-running. On the Fellow website they’re saying the app will be fully functional soon. For now, though, I’d give it a miss.

Temperature Control

The heart and soul of the Aiden Precision Coffee Brewer is its unique heating system. Seriously, I’ve never seen anything quite like it, and it’s very exciting. Essentially, there’s a thick-film heated coil inside the machine that’s controlled by special algorithms.

What’s more, the heating coil is capable of almost instantaneous temperature changes.

Best of all, you’re able to adjust the temperature between pulses of water, which is incredible! Ultimately, the Fellow Aiden frees you up to geek out to the max, especially seeing as you can adjust temperatures to a single degree between 200 and 210 degrees Fahrenheit (93.3 and 99 degrees Celsius).

Cold Brew Function

I’m always a little suspicious of any coffee maker claiming to have a cold brew function. That’s not to say I haven’t had excellent approximations of cold brew from machines like the Jura Z10 and the Spinn Coffee Maker. But like I said, those were just approximations.

However, the Fellow Aiden’s cold brew function works differently. The machine starts off with a hot bloom cycle, before settling into a low temperature cycle of pulses. Plus, this is no instant cold brew. Instead, the machine works away for up to three hours.

You guys know that I’m a cold brew fiend and I’m always looking for a new source! So I’m happy to report that the Fellow Aiden is capable of making superb cold brew coffee. I experimented with a couple of different coffees, and I found that the machine did a great job every time. Sure, it isn’t quite as satisfying as actual cold brewed coffee. But it’s pretty darn close.

Filter Baskets

I wasn’t surprised to learn that the manufacturer includes a choice of two filter baskets with the Fellow Aiden. After all, it seems like these guys have thought of everything.

In keeping with the idea of this being a machine to produce pour-over coffee, there’s a cone-shaped filter basket for single-serve brewing. And when it’s time to whip up a bigger batch of coffee, there’s the option to use a larger flat bottom filter basket.

What’s especially cool is that the machine will let you know if you’re using the wrong basket, depending on how much coffee you’re trying to brew. Lemme tell ya, thoughtful little touches like that make my heart flutter!

Shower Head

Here’s another super exciting feature of the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker. The manufacturer has designed a cutting edge dual shower head that you can adjust according to which filter basket you’re using.

That means you’ll get an even saturation of the coffee bed every time. And add in the fact that you can adjust the way water flows and pulses and you know you’re dealing with something special.

Thermal Carafe

The Fellow Aiden comes with a stainless steel thermal carafe that’s powder coated on the outside. Personally, I feel like the carafe looks like a bigger, wider version of the Fellow Clara French press, which is no bad thing.

Inside, the carafe is completely free of grooves, and the wide mouth means this thing won’t drip when you’re pouring. I honestly didn’t believe that particular manufacturer claim. But having tested it out I can attest to the fact that this carafe really is mess-free.

Finally, the thermal carafe includes a press lid that seals with a rubber gasket. Again, I’ll reserve judgment until I’ve put the Fellow Aiden through its paces.

How to Use the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker

As I’ve already mentioned, there’s a lot you can do with this precision coffee maker. In saying that, I’m talking about the ability to tweak an almost intimidating number of brewing parameters. During my testing, I geeked out to the max – fiddling with bloom durations, number of pulses, temperature and everything else. I’ll discuss my experiences a little later.

However, for now, I’ll just give you the lowdown on what to expect.

Essentially, you can treat the Aide as a simple batch brewer or a sophisticated pour-over machine. Whichever scenario appeals to you, I’d go with the Guided Brew option to get familiar with the machine.

Simply fill the removable reservoir with filtered water, then pop a filter in the appropriate basket. Next, use the dial to select the Guided Brew mode and the machine will walk you through all the necessary steps. Of course, you’ll want to have a coffee scale on hand, as well as a decent burr coffee grinder. I mean, you wouldn’t dream of using anything other than high-quality whole coffee beans, right?!

Once the Aiden is all set, simply press the dial to start the brewing process. You’ll see a timer counting down the seconds until your precious brew is ready. You’ll know it’s time when the Aiden chimes. And yes, of course you can adjust the chime volume – didn’t you get the memo about Fellow having thought of everything?

My Observations

After having used the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker for a few days, I’m dubious about how many people will be dedicated enough to get the most out of this thing. Seriously, there are just so many adjustable variables on offer that only the nerdiest of pour-over freaks will have the time to dial in the Aiden to their liking.

Honestly, I was more interested in seeing how the machine would perform in Guided Brew Mode. After all, most folks are looking for an automated way to produce excellent pour-over coffee.

I experienced the best results when preparing smaller amounts of coffee using the cone-shaped filter basket. And whipping up a couple of cups was as easy as pie. I simply followed the instructions provided by the Aiden, dutifully measuring out the suggested dose of coffee and grinding it appropriately. Then it was simply a case of pressing a button and waiting for around four minutes.

I particularly loved the fact that the Aiden’s screen kept me abreast of everything that was happening, including pulse, bloom and temperature. Plus, it was nice to be able to keep an eye on the timer. Oh, and this coffee maker is quiet! Seriously, I almost wondered whether it was actually doing anything at first!

As for cup quality, the Fellow Aiden delivered in spades. The recommended water to coffee ratio was ideal, and the machine teased out all the right notes from the light-roast natural process Ethiopia Sidama I was using. Incidentally, the machine will ask you about your roast profile before brewing, adjusting the brew temperature accordingly.

Ultimately, I was able to get better coffee when I took over and made slight adjustments here and there. But for those who want to keep things simple, the Fellow Aiden is a marvel.

Fellow Aiden Cleaning

Fortunately, cleaning the Fellow Aiden isn’t going to take up much of your time. I’d recommend wiping off the shower head from time to time, as well as rinsing the thermal carafe after each use.

Oh, and I’d be careful about using dish soap in there – in my experience, you could end up with a carafe that always imparts a soapy taste into your coffee.

As far as descaling goes, the manufacturer recommends doing so every couple of months. I won’t bore you with the details here – I’ll leave that to the user manual!

Fellow Aiden Technical Specifications

Fellow Aiden vs Other Coffee Makers

OK, so we’ve established that the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker is a pretty special piece of kit. Still, how will it measure up in comparison with a couple of other highly rated drip machines? Let’s take a quick look.

Fellow Aiden vs Technivorm Moccamaster

It’s no secret that the Technivorm Moccamaster is my favorite drip maker of all time.

Sure, I’ve reviewed plenty of incredible machines, many of which outperform the Moccamaster in terms of adjustability and functionality. However, there’s just something that keeps me coming back to my old friend.

I guess it’s the fact that the Moccamaster is simple, effective and beautiful to behold. It never lets me down in the flavor department and I don’t have to worry about this setting or that parameter. What’s more, the Technivorm Moccamaster will last a lifetime with the correct care. Seriously, this baby is built like a tank.

You will pay a hefty $353.43 for the privilege, but I consider that a steal, given what you’re getting.

See Also: Technivorm Moccamaster Review

Fellow Aiden vs xBloom Coffee Machine

I still haven’t had a chance to test out the xBloom Coffee Machine, but I plan on doing so as soon as possible.

What’s truly special about this revolutionary coffee maker is the fact that it’s a specialty single-serve machine that uses compostable pods containing whole bean coffee. Not only that, the manufacturer has teamed up with highly respected roasters from all over the country, each of which provides a special recipe for its beans.

The xBloom is completely unique in the way it works, and you’re able to control a zillion parameters via the company’s app.

Of course, this thing ain’t cheap. You’ll have to shell out around $700 for the xBloom. Still, that hasn’t stopped this machine from becoming one of the most popular specialty brewers out there.

See Also: xBloom Coffee Machine Review

Fellow Aiden vs Others Comparison Chart

Verdict: Fellow Aiden Review

Having reached the end of this Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker review, I’m convinced that this thing will sell like hot cakes. Fellow has hit a home run once again, and the Aiden will appeal to a wide audience for sure.

I have to say that I think the app will be a real bonus once it’s been properly released. After all, navigating all the adjustable settings using a dial and a small screen can get rather frustrating.

That said, if you want a slick, high-end coffee maker that’s about as consistent as it gets, the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker should be on your radar.