What are the differences in filtered coffee prepared through a cloth, metal or paper coffee filter?

Coffee filter. What are your options?

Do you use a paper filter when making drip coffee? I bet you do. It's also the most common way to filter the coffee in your drip coffee maker. Anyway, it's not just paper that can drip coffee.

Inaddition to a paper filter for coffee, you can brew coffee through a cloth or metal filter. And if you stick with paper, you can experiment with different types of paper filters with different permeability for your Hario V60 dripper .

Basic or paper coffee filter

Paper coffee filters are the most common, whether you have a manual or automatic dripper. As far as theEspro Bloom dripper is concerned, there is only one option for paper coffee filters. But with the beloved Chemex or the unbeatable Hario V60 dripper, you can already choose which type of paper coffee filter you want.

Paper filters for your Hario dripper

When ordering new filters for your Hario V60 dripper, your decision will be primarily based onthe size of your dripper. That is, whether you have a small "one" Hario dripper or whether you need filters in size 2 or 3. But with Hario, the filter selection doesn't end with the different sizes.

For the most common Hario V60-02, you still have the choice between aclassic Hario paper filter and one whose product code ends with the letter "H". The Hario filters marked VCF-02-100W-H are made in Holland and, apart from the different country of origin (the originals are, like the whole Hario company, from Japan), they differ in paper transmittance.

In real life, this can make that even with the same coarseness of grind, pour over and in short the whole preparation, the filtration time - coffee dripping - can beextended by half a minutewith these filters . What does this mean for you? Yet another way to influence the extraction of your coffee. So if you stick to your tried and tested recipe, be sure to check if you are buying the right type of "your" filters. Anyway, at least try the thicker filters from Holland!

How to choose paper filters for Chemex?

Chemex owners also have more options when choosing their paper filter. Of course the first difference is the size of the filter or Chemex. Subsequently, for both a large Chemex (6 - 10 cups) and a small Chemex (1 - 3 cups) you can opt forbleached or natural paper.

And what effect will this choice have on the coffee preparation? Well... almost none. It depends more on personal preference. However, it is generally recommended for unbleached filters to rinse really thoroughly with hot water before brewing, as the paper taste tends to be more pronounced.

With a large Chemex you still have to decide between asquare and round filter. The functionality is the same. It's just that some coffee drinkers prefer the aligned look of round filters and others prefer the protruding corners of the filter for a better grip when removing.

Thinking about sustainability? Try permanent coffee filters

While paper filters are the first choice, they're certainly not the only choice. Able Kone stainless steel filtersfit perfectly into your Chemex . They're made for everyday use and your coffee preparation is then zero waste.

Metal filters are also manufacturedby Able for the AeroPress. You can even choose between two filter sizes for this multi-functional coffee brewing method. That is, between different filter finenesses - standard or fine. Owners of the innovative Twist Press can also enjoy coffee filtered through paper or through ametal filter.

Have your filtered coffee prepared through a cloth filter

You can extend your coffee experience in the Chemex not only with a metal filter, but also with a cloth filter. EBB producesorganic cotton filters for both sizes of Chemex. So you have another way to prepare your Chemex and also to avoid disposable filters.

A coffee filter for the Moccamaster?

Owners of automatic drip machines can also prepare their coffee without the paper waste of disposable filters. You can make a premium decoction with a gold filter. This can be used for the Moccamaster KB741AO, Select and KBT741.

Paper vs. cloth vs. metal filter

I've introduced the materials through which you can filter your coffee. Now let's see what to expect from each filter and if you can expect any specific differences in the taste of that cup of coffee.

Paper coffee filters	Metal coffee filters	Fabric coffee filters
do not leak coffee oils	does not leak coffee oils	partially leaks oils
traps fine coffee particles	permeates fine coffee particles	permeates coffee dust
clean and clear coffee	coffee with texture, full body	rich body without haze
easy cleaning - coffee paper goes straight into the bin	more laborious cleaning - coffee in the compost and thorough washing	difficult to clean - care must be taken to wash well between uses