If you make nut milk at home in a blender, get a French press to filter it out!
I should preface this by saying that I'm new to the DIY nut milk scene, despite being vegan for over two decades.
Not wanting to spend $300+ on a "nut milk maker", I figured I would try to use my high-powered blender first.
In addition to be being frugal, I also hate wasting time preparing/cleaning, so if a blender were to work, it needed to be quick and easy.
First I used a strainer, which did an OK job filtering almond and oat pulp, but the drinks weren't smooth, and you can feel some grit in the back of your throat.
Then I tried a cotton t-shirt (recommended by the Minimalist Baker) and a nut bag. Better results, but these are a bit of a PITA to keep clean.
Then I came across a video of a guy using a French press to filter his nut milk. Since I had a small one, I decided to try it. The experiment went so well that I decided to buy a 1L version of the bestseller on Amazon - fantastic quality.
The results are nothing short of incredible. Smooth milk, easy to gather pulp, easy to clean and sterilize, and it's a BIFL item that I can use for filtering nut milks or making coffee!
I think I just saved myself a few hundred dollars and some extra countertop space đ
Second try. I tried to strain the pulp out first, and then tried again. I was able to press it out, but the amount of force I had to put onto it gave me a new appreciation for the quality of IKEA glasses.
Because the filter is on the bottom, all the sediments will quickly clog it as they settle. In a French Press, the sediments drop to the bottom, so only liquid is left at the top, and you won't get enough sediment to clog the filter.
I meant I use an aeropress for coffee. Maybe if I find some sort of mesh filter like a French press it would work. But with a paper filter it would clog up. Oats are too creamy.
I've seen reusable metal aeropress filters on amazon with reviews complaining they let through too much grit, so perhaps one of them would work better than the paper filters.