10 Best Coffee Filter Papers

The Filtropa brand is well known and loved for their papers, and not only are they great quality, but they are also great value.

They may be bleached, but they are taste and odour free and use an oxygen-based process to get to their white colour. They’re then bonded without chemicals or glue, so you don’t have to worry about your coffee touching them.Low 

Robust, they won’t disintegrate which is great news as seeing they have to get wet. Size 4, one paper will make 6-8 cups of coffee in a suitable maker, and they are biodegradable at the end of the process.

These are great if you own the Clever Dripper, as they are the perfect fit. But they are designed to fit a whole host of machines and makers universally.

Melitta has put a lot of design thoughts into these filters. First of all, they aren’t your average papers – three patented Aromazones with specially arranged Aromapores ensure that your filter coffee develops its flavour perfectly, and the use of plastic means they are stronger than paper but still work in the same way.

The top zone prevents bitterness and guarantees a balanced aroma. The middle zone supports even, consistent brewing while refining aroma. The lower zone unfolds the first aromas in your coffee.

The multi-tiered micro-perforation concept allows just the right amount of water to drip through as well, and with no nasties. Plus, as they come ready-made as a bag, they are super easy to just pop into your filter and get ready.

The bags are 100% compostable despite the plastic and maintain sturdiness with their tear-resistant configuration and double-seam. Being non-bleached and natural, they’re Chlorine-Free and FSC Certified. You can buy a bleached alternative, however, which has used oxygen for the white colour.

If your paper ripping or becoming too damp is a concern for you, you’ll be pleased to hear that these filters have a super-strong, double-secure, two-sided patented wave seam that will not burst or split.

They’re designed primarily for aerolatte’s No. 4 Size Ceramic Coffee Filter or similar V60 cone-style dripper, but will fit any glass or ceramic dripper of similar size and are also universally compatible with both traditional and modern ‘drip’ coffee makers (manual and automatic).

They use non-recycled wood and chlorine-free virgin pulp that is supplied from forests in Switzerland that are certified as responsible and sustainable, and the paper is also free from any environmental pollutants.

Once you’re done, the papers are fully disposable and biodegradable, and they also come in a handy compact box which makes it easier to store them safely and prevent any damp from getting in.

An Aeropress requires smaller, particular sized discs as opposed to filter baskets or cones. So, buying them from actual Aeropress themselves makes a lot of sense.

First of all, you get 350 of them, so even if your Aeropress is actually your regular coffee maker, you’re set for months. Brilliant for the price. The micro-filter has been designed to remove grit for a smooth cup of coffee, and you can immerse the coffee in the water without worrying about it passing through over time if you like a stronger cup.

So, pop your Aeropress into your dedicated zippered Nylon tote bag and then add a few paper discs, and you’re good to go.

For a basket filter, you need a paper with a flat base as opposed to one with a point like a party hat. While they aren’t as popular, there are still some great picks out there.

These rank highly, especially for anyone who wants chlorine-free, simple and biodegradable filters. As suggested in the name of the brand, they are also good for the planet compared to some other paper filters, being compostable and made with no artificial fibres.

They’re certified for communal composting as well as the backyard pile, so great if this is where you usually try to put all your waste. 

They are 60mm deep and the base is 80mm, so check the dimensions of your reusable filter basket to see if they will fit, but they are designed to be pretty universal.

These filters are the authentic, real deal if you own a Hario V60 drip coffee maker. The correct thickness and size, allowing for the proper flow rate with no nasty bits coming into the coffee.

There are a few comments from people who had bought copycat filters from brands such as Rombouts, but the difference in the end taste and quality is high, so choosing any other filter works out as a false economy.

The various sizes available will fit any size of V60, and they are also available in bleached white if you prefer. They’re also made from natural fibres so will eventually break down when disposed of.

Pre-folded into a conical shape which means an easier job for you, these papers are from Chemex and great if you own one of their drippers.

They will fit any Chemex except the CM-1, pint-size model (but those are available too). Each filter uses special fibres which make the paper stronger and absorb more of the oils vs. some other brands, resulting in a smoother result using the Chemex.

It will also fit most other conical filter makers, too.

These papers will fit into any Bravilor quick filter coffee pour and serve range of coffee machines, and models such as Novo, ISO, Mondo and TH.

You get 1,000 filters, which is great if you are a regular coffee drinker or if you own one of the Bravilor filter coffee machines in a professional setting. They’re wrapped in packs of 50 which is great for keeping the other ones safe until they are ready to be used.

The price is good too, working out as roughly 0.02p per paper, so it is actually economical to buy this many at once. And if you were to use two per day, it would still last you over one year!

It can be hard to find size #1 filters, just as it is hard to find small single cup drippers. But these ones are great and are suitable for domestic machines with a U shaped cone.

They feature a double secure adhesive-free seam, so won’t rip open when you’re pre-soaking them or placing them into the basket. It is good news for those concerned about the planet, too; they use cellulose paper, manufactured in Switzerland, which is free from all environmental pollutants. All pulp is supplied from certified, sustainable forestry operations.

Once you’re done, they are biodegradable. The width at the base is 48mm, so do ensure they won’t be too big before you buy – a smaller size is actually available, too. Most people say they fit ceramic brewers but can struggle with other forms.

Designed primarily with the Kalita Wave dripper 185 in mind, these large paper filters provide the perfect size and base for a uniform extraction.

You get 100 in a pack, but can buy in bulk if you want to stock up and have found your perfect filter. They are oxygen bleached, for environmental sustainability, and are made from premium thick paper which keeps the extraction slow for anybody who likes a full-bodied taste.

This also means that they won’t rip or break when wet, which is good news for anybody not after a coffee full of sediment and bits of paper. 

They will also fit any pour-over makers the same size as the Kalita Wave dripper in either glass, ceramic or stainless steel.