Some say that your coffee is only as good as the filter you use- we are not so sure that’s the case, but it certainly can make a big difference in many aspects. Taste, aroma, body: all these and more are affected by what kind of filter you use when brewing your coffee. With that in mind, we’d like to take some time to consider several different cone coffee filters. We’ll go over what each of them has going for them and what we don’t like about them- in the end, we should be able to have a clear image of which type of filter is better for us.
Best cone coffee filters
Technivorm Moccamaster #4 White Paper Filters, 100-count per box
The Technivorm is a machine that is best described by “the automatic pour-over.” It makes a great cup of coffee similar to that you can make in a regular pour-over, only it makes it.
Because there’s no human eye supervising what’s going on when brewing, these filters are pretty resistant and durable compared to others of the same type, they are made to hold the maximum possible amount of coffee and water at the same time.
Aroma
Quite surprisingly, these filters don’t seem to affect aroma at all. If used for something other than the Technivorm, you might notice a slight plasticky odor, although that goes away after pouring the hot water. It’s strange, and we have no idea where it comes from. Probably the packaging.
Taste
Flavor feels played down with these filters. We don’t recommend these if you’re going for an exotic or premium coffee, and otherwise, it’s not something to worry about.
Firmness
It feels like they’ve put a lot of effort into making these as resistant as possible. We thoroughly recommend them for heavy-duty brewing or simply those who like knowing their filters will never break.
Hario V60 Paper Coffee Filters, Size 02, White, Tabbed (300 Sheets) (3 Items)
Good ol’ Hario V60 filters. You can’t help but love them.
Despite what you may think at first, these are not necessarily the best ones on the market. Instead, we believe Hario filters are around medium to medium-high quality for pour-over paper filters.
Aroma
Although not noticeable when brewing, a specific papery aroma seeps into the actual brewed coffee. If you pay close attention, it’s easy to notice it after you’ve brewed and taken the filter away.
Taste
Hario filters are great because they aren’t either here or there: the flavor isn’t played down too much, nor is it let complete freedom. There is real merit in the balance that these filters help achieve, whether you’re using them along with the Hario or not.
Firmness
They’re not super fragile, but you’ll start to notice they break down easily and start to become soggy if you’re using water that’s hotter than usual. Long brew times also do a number on these.
Hario 02 100-Count Coffee Natural Paper Filters, 2-Pack Value Set (Total of 200 Sheets)
Same as the ones before, only brown. They are pretty similar, even though they’re technically a different material.
Aroma
Much like the ones before, only a more noticeable smell. Slightly acidic, for some reason.
Taste
The taste for these is milder than most brown paper filters, suggesting they might have been partially bleached; we found no information about it, but we can’t be sure. As far as brown paper filters go, these are the less intrusive ones we’ve ever used.
Firmness
Hario coffee natural paper filters hold together quite nicely. Though not recommended, they can easily be used twice- they’re that resistant.
Melitta #4 Cone Coffee Filters, Natural Brown, 100 Count (Pack of 6)
Melitta has been in the market for a long time in which they have had time to perfect their paper filters. These filters, thick and absorbent, are tailor-made for American tastes. In short, that means these are very good for balancing out a coffee’s flavor.
Though this particular choice here is of their brown, unbleached filters, most of their other products hold the same.
Aroma
Nothing out of the ordinary. The smell of paper intrudes and attacks the nose during brewing, but it mostly goes away later when you’re drinking the coffee. Double rinsing helps a lot.
Taste
Very, played down. Somewhat impressively, it plays down everything equally. Acidity, bitterness, and other flavors are masterfully balanced when passing through this filter. They won’t be felt to their full extent, but boy, do we love a cup of balanced coffee!
Firmness
Yes, you guessed it: quite sturdy. One of the best in this respect.
#4 Cone Coffee Filters Paper Disposable for Pour Over and Drip Coffee Maker 100 Count, Better Filtration No Blowouts Made from Unbleached Imported Japanese Filter Paper Natural Brown
These relatively unknown filters come from Japan and are of excellent quality. Japanese people are famously aficionados of coffee and pour-over in particular- Hario, after all, is a Japanese brand and has been so for almost a century.
Aroma
Very refined, a mild paper odor that goes away entirely in a matter of seconds. You only really feel it during the bloom, and then it simply vanishes. Rinsing is rarely necessary.
Taste
Not bad at all for their price, and you can only feel it with light roasts or 100% arabica coffee. With more robust coffees, the taste of paper is almost nonexistent.
Firmness
Not that firm. Instead, they are on the fragile side but are very much worth it as they have very little odor or taste.
If You Care Unbleached Coffee Filters, #4 – Pack of 100 – Cone-Shaped, All Natural, Biodegradable, Compostable, Chlorine Free
Though the brand name can either be funny or downright a little in-your-face, the thing with these filters is that they are pretty green. And seeing as brewing coffee in almost all of its ways is somewhat wasteful, we should have alternatives like this one at hand whenever we can. The more we can do, the better! After all, no earth= no coffee, and I can’t have that.
Aroma
There is some smell here that feels strong at first, but it is relatively mild after a couple of minutes. You may still feel it during the first couple of sips, but as we mentioned, it isn’t so strong that it would make you uncomfortable.
Taste
The papery taste is quite present here. We recommend using these for solid coffee so that the flavor compliments and adds to it- don’t use these for decaf or weak coffee as the taste will be rather noticeable and even unpleasant.
Firmness
Very strong! Despite all their biodegradables, we were happy to find that these can take quite a beating before they show any signs of ripping or breaking down.
Read more: Best Coffee Thermoses
Rockline Industries #4 Cone Coffee Filters – Oxygen Cleansed- 400 Count, White, CECOMINOD065352
We are all for oxygen bleached paper filters because they are much safer for us to ingest. Not saying that bleached paper is unsafe, but it’s bleach, and we would much instead not consume anything that has touched bleach, if possible.
Aroma
No interference whatsoever if rinsed. If not, there is a papery smell that lingers even after brewing—strongly recommended to rinse before using.
Taste
There is a papery taste that will be noticeable mainly in black coffee. Once some sweetener is added, the flavor won’t be as prominent, so it isn’t much of a problem.
Firmness
Not every firm, but still entirely usable.
Bolio Organic Hemp Cone Pour Over Coffee Filters – Durable, EcoFriendly, Reusable (3, No.2)
These reusable filters are an absolute marvel. They are washable and reusable, and they are pretty porous, so there’s rarely any problem with extraction. If anything, they work just like regular paper filters- only with the condition that you keep them in good condition.
Unlike regular cloth filters, these are very durable and are not as absorbent for flavor and aroma. If you diligently wash them and put them out to dry after every use, you will be rewarded with one of the best ways to filter your coffee there is.
What’s more, you can’t get any greener than this- hemp cloth and reusable up to hundreds of times each.
Aroma & Taste
At first, they do have a particular smell that’s a little hard to get rid of. The same thing goes for the taste: there’s this prevalent smell and flavor that reminds you of a linen store, and it is not pleasant at all.
We strongly recommend that you do a series of hot water baths. Get the water to about 180 or 170 degrees Fahrenheit and submerge the filters for ten minutes each. Then repeat the process two more times.
With this, they should be ready to brew without any significant flavor or odor. Get brewing!
Firmness
Possibly the firmest filters you’ll ever have. After all, Hemp fiber is some of the best and most durable in the world. Just watch out when washing these- don’t use metallic sponges, and don’t let them hang out near the cutlery.
