Paper Filters vs. Metal Filters: Which Ones Should You Pick?

Find out which are the main differences between them.

In your everyday life, it may seem like it doesn’t matter which kind of filters you use when brewing coffee. All you truly want is to brew your coffee in the mornings so you can wake up and hopefully have a productive day. However, believe it or not, filters do make a difference worth noticing. Your daily coffee routine can change by simply asking yourself which kinds of filters you prefer. Of course, any of the options will only make sense if it has the right shape and size of your coffee maker.

Coffee beans are very susceptible to changes in the environment, so your coffee will react to whatever they’re put in contact with, including filters. But don’t worry! We’re here to guide you through. By the end of today’s article, you’ll learn the key differences that will help you understand whether it’s a better idea to use reusable or disposable filters.

Taste and body

The one thing that truly matters is whether a change in filters would alter coffee’s consistency and taste. It would, probably. Reusable metal filters, for example, are not as dense as paper filters. This means that they won’t catch as many substances as their counterparts. If you use metal filters, much of coffee's oils will also be poured into the final brew. These oils are full of flavor, but they also oxidize differently and easier, having a potential to make your coffee taste bolder and richer. With metal filters, beverages’ appearance will also be darker and more cloudy.

Which one is healthier?

As paper filters are better at filtering tiny particles, scientists believe they’re healthier. Paper filters can reduce cafestol's final amount on a coffee cup, which is a substance that can increase cholesterol's levels in your blood. Be careful with bleached paper filters though. Chemicals are used to bleach them can also be transported into your cup.

Having said this, we can conclude paper filters trap these substances better, which will make your regular cup has a brighter taste, both in appearance and flavor. Coffee brewed through a paper filter can often be described as sweeter and fruity, and it's generally more translucent than metal-filtered coffee. It will also have a lighter body, and your cup's fines will be considerably reduced.

What about clean-up?

Well, it’s fairly obvious that paper filters are easier to clean. All you have to do is throw them away, and that’s the end of it. Or you can rinse them and use them again, as some people do. With metal filters, however, you first have to remove them from the brewer, dump coffee's ground into the bin, and remove as many rubbish as you can from them, so it doesn't go down the drain.

But you’ll definitely be helping the environment if you use metal filters… as well as your wallet. Metal filters can cost between $5 and $60 but last up to seven years. On the other hand, paper filters cost between $0.01 and $0.10, which means that they can cost you up to $36,50 a year, depending on how much coffee you brew every day. Do the math, and you’ll realize that paper filters can end up being more expensive than metal ones. So if you want to save money and reduce your carbon footprint, metal filters are the way to go!

Will you be changing your coffee filters now? How do you typically enjoy your daily cup of joe? Tell us in the comments, and be sure to follow us on our social media to stay updated with all of That Coffee Roasters’ new content!

Do you know which one you prefer?

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