Paper filter

What it is

Paper coffee filters are single-use paper cones or sheets that hold the grounds in a pour-over or drip brewer, sold white (bleached) or brown (unbleached). The bleaching process and the pulp are what the label should tell you, and a quick rinse matters more to taste than the color does.

Why it matters in your kitchen

Picture a first sip of pour-over that tastes faintly of cardboard. Hario says to wet the paper filter first to remove the paper taste, and Chemex says a rinse washes away loose fibers and warms the carafe.

Color is mostly preference. One large filter maker says its white and brown filters are both chlorine free and brew coffee that tastes the same.

Good at

• No washing. Use it once and it's done.
• Compost. One maker's cone filters are certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute.
• White or brown, your call. At least one large maker sells both kinds chlorine free.

Watch for

• Paper taste. Rinse the filter with hot water in the dripper, then pour that water out before brewing.
• Bleaching words vary. "Oxygen-whitened" and "elemental chlorine free" describe a process. Ask which one, if it matters to you.
• Brown isn't automatically better. One maker says its white and brown filters brew the same-tasting coffee. Rinse either kind.
• Fit. Filter size numbers differ by brewer. Match the maker's size.

Who it suits

Good for you if you want grounds out of the cup with no cleanup. Skip it if you'd rather not buy filters at all, and look at a metal or cloth filter instead.

In short. Paper filters are single use, white or brown, and the bleaching process is the label fact; rinse either kind before brewing.

For what research has and hasn't shown about kitchen materials, see our guide.

Where it is used

• Pour-over cone filters
• Drip machine baskets
• Siphon brewer papers

How to care for it

• Single use.
• Rinse with hot water before brewing, then pour the rinse water out.
• Compost it if the maker says it's compostable.