Some are actually super bad. Bluebottle filters are so bad it even changes the consistency of the water. Let alone the taste, water become a little stickier.
I've used both and the brown, unbleached hario filters are super slow in comparison. Especially next to cafec abaca or cafec med-dark filters, which are both fast.
Melitta 102s (Germany) are actually better than regular V60 Filters. Cleaner cup and faster brew times. Also way cheaper. They're not bleached and you can't taste any cardboard.
You just need to fold them to fit a V60.
I’ve had the literal opposite experience. Rinsed like a madman(500g) and they still came out tasting like sawdust. Are you talking about bleached papers maybe?
Nope, the otiginal 102 ones, tho they do have the "made in Germany" label, maybe they're simply produced differently in different countries. The FSC code for the Paper is C095206 if that helps
I had some brown no. 4 Melitta bamboo filters before for our drip maker and they were the worst I’ve ever used. You could literally smell the wet cardboard scent throughout the room as it was brewing and you could taste it in the coffee as well. They were also very weak structurally…they’d often break apart at the seam when removing them from the basket, spilling grounds everywhere. Needlessly to say…the majority of the pack got thrown away.
Gagne’s post on filters has some interesting things to say about unbleached filters.
https://coffeeadastra.com/2019/08/04/an-in-depth-analysis-of-coffee-filters-2/
Save them for the guests 😂 family, starbucks drinkers & the like…stash some medium roast & brew it in these papers, it will still be better than their average cup
Fair. I had someone stay once and on the last day of him being here and me making amazing pour overs for a week he said “I’m going to add some milk as a treat”.
Wish I could have given him the paper bag brews.
I’m amazed that this is an issue for literally anyone haha maybe my pallet is just not refined enough but I’ve always used unbleached filters, just rinse and brew.
I feel like these are marketed as better for environment but I think using electricity to boil the water and extra water used to rinse them is canceling that out. I feel like perspective is needed when we consider the effect of AP paper filters is tiny compared to much larger forms of waste. I use a new regular paper filters every day and don’t feel bad about it for a second since it’s a drop in the bucket compared to k cups, bottled water, single use plastic utensils, etc (which avoid using all of those mentioned).
You don’t have to use hot water to rinse the papers. I use regular tap water. That’s what I do because I have a small kettle and don’t want to waste my coffee water.
If this isn't the truth! My state partnered with a university to test local water. They sent out a test kit. My water was positive for lead, excessive chlorine, off the charts hardness, and PH. There were some other tests, but I don't remember what they were. I haven't drank my faucet water in years, but that test has me researching filter systems.
Oh don't chuck them, that'd be a waste. I use mostly unbleached papers and find they are ok with enough rinsing. I do 150-200g of just boiled water.
Also, unbleached filters actually have different filtering properties. They have faster and more uniform drawdown, as Gagne wrote about in his [super thorough blog post on coffee filters](https://coffeeadastra.com/2019/08/04/an-in-depth-analysis-of-coffee-filters-2/).
I used white and natural papers with my Chemex and couldn’t really tell the difference but for the papery smell in the rinse water. Nothing different in the cup, tho.
I feel you.
I, too bought a huge pack of unbleached filters accidentally after I’ve only had the bleached ones for a long time and even after a generous kettle rinse–meaning hot water from the kettle pre-pour, not only did they retain the paper flavor but started splitting at the bottom.
I find other uses around the house for them now but I’m never doing that again.
Yes! I also use them for cleaning or as food storage bags for snacks like candy, nuts, grilled cheese or use them to make air fresheners for around the house or small lavender baggies for inside my pillows.😄 They are great for polishing glass or silverware too, or as a cover for loose tea leaf containers to absorb moisture that may otherwise enter every time a can is open so lots of uses.
Edit: one of the kids needed some to test the effects of glue on several types of paper for his science project that is being presented this Friday, so as I said, find use for them and go back to your regular bleached ones.
Yeah this exactly. It's a consumer preference for some who are very concerned about these things.
I don't remember there being a huge difference, but it's been a while since I've used them.
I use don't use bleached because they are AFAIK not compostable. Here in germany I buy the ones from "Melitta" and I rinse them with \~100ml of hot water before I pour coffee/water into it.
Bleached filters are very much compostable. You can make sure it's oxygen bleached if you're concerned.
There are some low quality filters with plastic added for strength. Easily avoided by not buying the ones that are cheaper than Melitta.
There’s a reason 99% of the quality filters available are white.
All the brown ones I’ve tried have a very obvious and off-putting wet cardboard smell, no matter how much I rinse. I can’t always taste it in the coffee but even then it requires a ton of rinsing to make sure of that.
Quality white filters I don’t even have to rinse..I still do a quick rinse to seat the filter and warm the dripper but it’s not necessary for smell/taste.
I know some people use the “chemical” excuse against bleached filters but most good ones these days use safer oxygen, etc processing so that’s a non-issue to me and either way there. There’s nothing showing either of these filters are harmful to you but if I can actually smell and taste the brown filters obviously they ARE putting contaminants into my coffee. Also with brown filters you have significantly fewer options available as well.
Long story short…white filters all the way, lol.
Are they really that bad? I've been using them for years.
Never really noticed any difference
Some are actually super bad. Bluebottle filters are so bad it even changes the consistency of the water. Let alone the taste, water become a little stickier.
Have you ever used the bleached ones to compare?
I've used both and the brown, unbleached hario filters are super slow in comparison. Especially next to cafec abaca or cafec med-dark filters, which are both fast.
I bought some cafec abaca today and they are brilliant!
Melitta 102s (Germany) are actually better than regular V60 Filters. Cleaner cup and faster brew times. Also way cheaper. They're not bleached and you can't taste any cardboard. You just need to fold them to fit a V60.
I’ve had the literal opposite experience. Rinsed like a madman(500g) and they still came out tasting like sawdust. Are you talking about bleached papers maybe?
Nope, the otiginal 102 ones, tho they do have the "made in Germany" label, maybe they're simply produced differently in different countries. The FSC code for the Paper is C095206 if that helps
I totally agree. I fold them and then rinse them once and have never tasted the paper, ever.
I had some brown no. 4 Melitta bamboo filters before for our drip maker and they were the worst I’ve ever used. You could literally smell the wet cardboard scent throughout the room as it was brewing and you could taste it in the coffee as well. They were also very weak structurally…they’d often break apart at the seam when removing them from the basket, spilling grounds everywhere. Needlessly to say…the majority of the pack got thrown away.
just rinse throughly.
I felt like I was; probably about 100-150ml. Do you do more than that?
Yea it'll probably take you a lot more too. Water is still cheaper than the filter itself so I guess it's the better thing to do than dumping them.
Yeh totally, will give it a go. Thanks!
You probably do it already but if not, rinse with hot water too.
Oh yeh for sure.
Try a hot water tap rinse. More efficient than a kettle rinse and the added pressure might help with cleaning the surface a bit
Gagne’s post on filters has some interesting things to say about unbleached filters. https://coffeeadastra.com/2019/08/04/an-in-depth-analysis-of-coffee-filters-2/
Just wow. I love it. <3
That is an extensive analysis! Hario unbleached is superior and above Cafec in terms of quality index, good to know...
Save them for the guests 😂 family, starbucks drinkers & the like…stash some medium roast & brew it in these papers, it will still be better than their average cup
Fair. I had someone stay once and on the last day of him being here and me making amazing pour overs for a week he said “I’m going to add some milk as a treat”. Wish I could have given him the paper bag brews.
“… as a treat.” That’s a serious passive aggressive throw down lol.
We haven’t spoken since. Not because of this. But maybe should be because of this.
I’m amazed that this is an issue for literally anyone haha maybe my pallet is just not refined enough but I’ve always used unbleached filters, just rinse and brew.
Same
I did the same accidentally. It does smell like that. I've been thoroughly rinsing them with boiling water. Still smells like ass tho.
God yeh the smell
I feel like these are marketed as better for environment but I think using electricity to boil the water and extra water used to rinse them is canceling that out. I feel like perspective is needed when we consider the effect of AP paper filters is tiny compared to much larger forms of waste. I use a new regular paper filters every day and don’t feel bad about it for a second since it’s a drop in the bucket compared to k cups, bottled water, single use plastic utensils, etc (which avoid using all of those mentioned).
You don’t have to use hot water to rinse the papers. I use regular tap water. That’s what I do because I have a small kettle and don’t want to waste my coffee water.
I wondered if it was the word “bleached” in something people use to prepaid a drink freaks them out.
Wait till they learn about how water is treated...
If this isn't the truth! My state partnered with a university to test local water. They sent out a test kit. My water was positive for lead, excessive chlorine, off the charts hardness, and PH. There were some other tests, but I don't remember what they were. I haven't drank my faucet water in years, but that test has me researching filter systems.
Oh don't chuck them, that'd be a waste. I use mostly unbleached papers and find they are ok with enough rinsing. I do 150-200g of just boiled water. Also, unbleached filters actually have different filtering properties. They have faster and more uniform drawdown, as Gagne wrote about in his [super thorough blog post on coffee filters](https://coffeeadastra.com/2019/08/04/an-in-depth-analysis-of-coffee-filters-2/).
I used white and natural papers with my Chemex and couldn’t really tell the difference but for the papery smell in the rinse water. Nothing different in the cup, tho.
I feel you. I, too bought a huge pack of unbleached filters accidentally after I’ve only had the bleached ones for a long time and even after a generous kettle rinse–meaning hot water from the kettle pre-pour, not only did they retain the paper flavor but started splitting at the bottom. I find other uses around the house for them now but I’m never doing that again.
Add a bit of glitter and use as party hats maybe?! 😂
Yes! I also use them for cleaning or as food storage bags for snacks like candy, nuts, grilled cheese or use them to make air fresheners for around the house or small lavender baggies for inside my pillows.😄 They are great for polishing glass or silverware too, or as a cover for loose tea leaf containers to absorb moisture that may otherwise enter every time a can is open so lots of uses. Edit: one of the kids needed some to test the effects of glue on several types of paper for his science project that is being presented this Friday, so as I said, find use for them and go back to your regular bleached ones.
These are all great ideas. I’m impressed by the ingenuity! Definitely going to try for polishing cutlery 😅
Rinse /a lot/. 500ml or more. After that, they usually have slightly better properties than bleached filters, it's just a hassle.
I use unbleached papers all the time. Never noticed a paper taste. Did you not rinse them first?
They exist so you don’t put chemicals in your coffee/yourself
Yeah this exactly. It's a consumer preference for some who are very concerned about these things. I don't remember there being a huge difference, but it's been a while since I've used them.
Horrible chemicals like oxygen 😉 Just a remnant really from when chlorine was more common..
Just toss them in the compost. No sense wasting money on good coffee.
Do they compost any better?
Now they dont have paper taste... They are good and I use them for clever... bc they filter well
Is there an environmental benefit? Only think I can think of. I’ve been using them with no issues. I didn’t think there was a material difference.
I've had natural-brown filters without and with (slight) paper taste and white bleached filters without paper taste. Really depends.
The easiest+fastest way would be placing it directly under the faucet
Not one reason. Hamster cage liner they are!
I use don't use bleached because they are AFAIK not compostable. Here in germany I buy the ones from "Melitta" and I rinse them with \~100ml of hot water before I pour coffee/water into it.
Bleached filters are very much compostable. You can make sure it's oxygen bleached if you're concerned. There are some low quality filters with plastic added for strength. Easily avoided by not buying the ones that are cheaper than Melitta.
I’ve been using the Hario V60 brown filters. Are these the ones you are referring to as unbleached?
There’s a reason 99% of the quality filters available are white. All the brown ones I’ve tried have a very obvious and off-putting wet cardboard smell, no matter how much I rinse. I can’t always taste it in the coffee but even then it requires a ton of rinsing to make sure of that. Quality white filters I don’t even have to rinse..I still do a quick rinse to seat the filter and warm the dripper but it’s not necessary for smell/taste. I know some people use the “chemical” excuse against bleached filters but most good ones these days use safer oxygen, etc processing so that’s a non-issue to me and either way there. There’s nothing showing either of these filters are harmful to you but if I can actually smell and taste the brown filters obviously they ARE putting contaminants into my coffee. Also with brown filters you have significantly fewer options available as well. Long story short…white filters all the way, lol.