# Airscape - Bean Storage



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Today I was informed about a product I didn't realise was on the market, the Airscape.* I will be getting a sample to test*, but I am pretty sure it's going to work...because I have been storing my beans the same way after removing them from the bag for almost 2 years now. In a way I wish I had bothered patenting the idea as I first thought of doing it around 4 years ago.

https://planetarydesign.com/shop/airscape-kitchen-canisters/

When I first started experimenting with storage, I tried vacuum sealing bags which worked well, although I soon learned you definitely didn't want negative pressure (e.g. a brick), but just most of the air out. The problem was the bags didn't last very long and the sealer was a bit of a faff to maintain, batteries etc.. Almost 2 years ago I moved on to my simpler method, using a bag and lid to eliminate as much head space as I could. I am also pretty sure I have made a few posts on the forum over the years about eliminating head space in storage jars.









So finally it looks like a manufacturer has done it properly. I look forward to trying it out.


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

.... Dave where have you been(old bean) for the past few years!!!.

I purchased & still use 2 Airscapes since the 'Coffeetime' days.

I bought them from the US of A at that time.

They have continued to work well for me over the years although maybe the rubber seals could bo with a 'renew'


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

ronsil said:


> .... Dave where have you been(old bean) for the past few years!!!.
> 
> I purchased & still use 2 Airscapes since the 'Coffeetime' days.
> 
> ...


I just never knew they existed, but they are exactly what I have been looking for....I just hope they let me keep the samples, unfortunately they only have clear ones (they will of course get non clear ones when they order up a whole load of stuff), so I will do a bit of Blue Peter work on them if they let me keep them. BB becoming distributors for the whole range including coffee cup brew things etc.. then at least no more importing needed.


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## zeezaw (Nov 12, 2017)

Clever design. What's wrong with using bags with one way valves? Is it an aesthetics thing?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

zeezaw said:


> Clever design. What's wrong with using bags with one way valves? Is it an aesthetics thing?


The one way valves are not very 1 way and it's difficult to keep air out. I don't even pack coffee I roast in in valve bags any more. I use food grade poly bags (heat sealed), but because I can slightly smell the coffee through them, I have actually moved mostly to a valveless bag that I can laser print on and heat seal (foil lined). I smell nothing from the this type of bag...which is the way I like it.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Airscape are brilliant, I think. I bought two from Ethical Addictions and one of my pals brought a smaller size back from the States when he was over on of his frequent trips there.


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## Inspector (Feb 23, 2017)

I got two of these a while back (64oz) from tchibo £17 each. Beans definitely stay fresh longer than keep them in the one way valve bags. I am quite happy with my purchase.


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## cambosheff (Jan 1, 2016)

Yeah they're excellent. I've used them for the last couple of years and the seals are still as good as the day I got them.


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## cambosheff (Jan 1, 2016)

Duplicate post thanks Tapatalk


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## Ensoluna SA (Jun 20, 2018)

last few years, I have been using Osaka Vacuum sealed canister for my home roasted beans.

it works great and so far, I am very happy with it.


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

DavecUK said:


> In a way I wish I had bothered patenting the idea as I first thought of doing it around 4 years ago.


Eyeing youtube reviews, they've been around for at least 8 years, so it might not have helped you


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Aidy said:


> Eyeing youtube reviews, they've been around for at least 8 years, so it might not have helped you


Ah well, that makes me feel better!


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## iulianato (May 5, 2015)

In Osaka type containers or Airscape containers will still remain some air.

An Airscape with the Osaka vacuum pump, would do a proper job.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

The main thing I don't want is negative pressure.


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## khampal (Feb 6, 2017)

I'm curious, I don't know too much about bean storage, but what's the effect of negative pressure on the bean?


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?16621&p=174578#post174578


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

khampal said:


> I'm curious, I don't know too much about bean storage, but what's the effect of negative pressure on the bean?


bean contains oils n stuff....I don't want anything that might encourage stuff from inside the bean to migrate to the outside where it can stale faster. So something that removes headspace I like. e.g. 1 500ml cannister with a plunger that goes down inside keeping level with the coffee (airscape), rather than a half full 500ml cannister with the bejesus vacuumed out of it to remove the air (which would be mostly head space. With the vacuum seal bags I removed all the air and they could collapse, but I didn't suck them dry to the point of becoming a brick.

Now I could be wrong and perhaps a vacuum (or severe negative pressure doesn't make oils migrate to the surface....who knows. Perhaps the bean is porous enough that no pressure difference exists to do this...but why take the chance.


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## jj-x-ray (Dec 31, 2017)

I would imagine it causes the beans to outgas at an accelerated rate



khampal said:


> I'm curious, I don't know too much about bean storage, but what's the effect of negative pressure on the bean?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

The airscape arrived today. I was told all they had as a sample was the clear one, so I expected an acrylic jar with a slidy insert and a sprung valve, that would allow air to flow if you pushed/pulled hard enough. Being clear wasn't a problem for me, because my coffee is in a cupboard anyway.

What arrived was a nice thick glass jar, of exactly the right type of dimensions (not too big, not too small). The inner plunger was clever than I thought with a valve that's open when you pull on the inner handle, but when you lie the handle flat the valve is closed. The lid just pops on the top. It's really great. I will do a small vid of it in action, although in truth it's s simple concept, very well executed. Just what I wanted, amazed I never heard about them before, but I am hugely advertising resistant as people who know me will attest.


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

Thanks Dave for reviewing them!

If valve opens upon pulling a handle, would it also release positive pressure from degassing on its own?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Hasi said:


> Thanks Dave for reviewing them!
> 
> If valve opens upon pulling a handle, would it also release positive pressure from degassing on its own?


No I would think the inner lid thing would gradually rise up as the space beneath it filled with CO2...but that's not a problem as no extra O2 would be introduced. I think I should do a little explanatory video about it and how it works..."as I see it" of course.


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

DavecUK said:


> No I would think the inner lid thing would gradually rise up as the space beneath it filled with CO2...but that's not a problem as no extra O2 would be introduced. I think I should do a little explanatory video about it and how it works..."as I see it" of course.


I really doubt that it'd overcome the force of friction, unless your one slides much much more easily than any of mine?

If the beans have just been roasted, I'll normally leave the inner handle up, so that gas can escape through the valve, but not allow too much air to circulate around.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Aidy said:


> I really doubt that it'd overcome the force of friction, unless your one slides much much more easily than any of mine?
> 
> If the beans have just been roasted, I'll normally leave the inner handle up, so that gas can escape through the valve, but not allow too much air to circulate around.


I am sure you are right, the pressure won't be very high. I pack into bags first, then decant later over the month...so I wouldn't have the same issue of just roasted...but even if I did, I think I would leave the handle down to be honest and not allow the gas out.


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## christos_geo (Feb 9, 2016)

So, got tempted by your posts and decided to get one! If any of you want, eacoffee.co.uk stock them at the best price I've seen. They have all the colours on their website as they got new stock on Monday. Shipping only took a couple of days. Build quality is excellent.


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Has anyone compared these to tightvac containers?

Would happily upgrade if anyone has had experience of both


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I couldn't help it....did a short review and vid.

https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com/2018/07/18/airscape/


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

DavecUK said:


> I couldn't help it....did a short review and vid.
> 
> https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com/2018/07/18/airscape/


That link renders a blank page Dave


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## jj-x-ray (Dec 31, 2017)

They are a neat little solution. I currently just roll the coffee bag tight as it empties and clip it....not perfect admittedly, but suffices for the mo.

May get one of these as it's basically doing the same thing with a pukka seal.


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## christos_geo (Feb 9, 2016)

kennyboy993 said:


> That link renders a blank page Dave


https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com/2018/07/18/airscape/


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## Snakehips (Jun 2, 2015)

@DavecUK Do you have any indication when BB might be putting these into stock ?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Snakehips said:


> @DavecUK Do you have any indication when BB might be putting these into stock ?


Dunno never asked...this thing just turned up with no real explanation. I thought...hmm this looks interesting. When I asked they said they were becoming and I understand now are, official distributors. In fact I am being sent another 2 things...can't remember what they are, to have a look at. Soe sort of...I'll just look one of them up. Yeah I think it's something called a double shot 3.0. I figured that out because they said something about stopping brewing and coffee stored in the base and a travel cafeetierre with canister or something.

https://planetarydesign.com/shop/double-shot-with-bru-stop/

I must admit to being intrigued, because I NEVER have a coffee when out on a long journey, because Motorway Services coffee is so horrible. So it will be interesting to see how this works out. May also take a trip to MarkBs if he will have me, to see what he thinks. If the Airscape container is anything to go by, these people may be making some interesting products.

So although they are official UK distributors, Bella Barista do have a habit of not listing stuff (for products they have never had before) until it's in stock...I am not sure why this is, but I suspect it's part of the service quality thing. They like to be confident about what they are selling and able to give advice while they look at it, measure it etc... Imagine the question...how many grams of x can it hold etc..

It's a pity, because they should put the containers (like I have), on pre-order....That said, I expect it will be fairly soon...I don't speak to them too often, but might fire a mail across. I need to keep quiet for a bit, because they are waiting for my Bianca Userguide (well the extra stuff that's not in the review or in Lelits own userguide) and I have not finished it yet!


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## Stevebee (Jul 21, 2015)

Used these for a few years now - work really well - a simple design.

The only problem I had with the larger ones is SWMBO 'borrowed' them to use for biscuits.

They work just as well for that as well!


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## Nod (Sep 7, 2013)

Thanks for the great review and video Dave... a basic question but if you re-use the bag with a seal the beans came in e.g. hasbean bags- and you remove the air before pushing the seal back together is that not effective? I guess not and will be buying some of these for work...


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## Nod (Sep 7, 2013)

Airscape lite - 3.5 inch £14.50 currently out of stock...


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## Nod (Sep 7, 2013)




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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Whilst I can see the benefit if you have several beans on the go at once, and all open, I can see no use for them at all, smaller sizes anyway, if you open a 250/350 gm bag and drink it!


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## martinierius (Sep 28, 2014)

Do these still seal when frozen?


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