This is our review of the best pour-over filters in 2023.
Brewing pour-over coffee is a simple way to make delicious coffee, and even though it’s relatively easy to make, it is hard to master.
A good coffee filter for this type of brew is crucial, apart from the roast and grind, of course. Since you don’t want to get any sludges or bad flavors in your coffee, you also don’t want filters to break.
I’ve used all of the filters below for my pour-over coffee in the past so you don’t have to go through the hassle.
Let’s get started.
Contents
Our Best Filters For Pour-Over Coffee
- LHS Slow Drip Reusable Stainless Steel Best slow drip stainless steel filter.
- HARIO V60 #2 Natural Paper Filters Best #2 cone-shaped paper filters.
- TGP Organic HEMP Reusable #4 Cone Cloth Filters Best cone cloth filter.
- Melitta Cone #4 Paper Filters Best #4 cone-shaped paper filter.
- MISETTO Stainless Steel Coffee Filter Best regular stainless steel filter.
- Kalita Flat Bottom Wave Papers Best flat bottom paper filter.
6 Best Filters For Pour-Over Coffee Reviewed
1. LHS Slow Drip Reusable Stainless Steel
Features:
- Made out of stainless steel
- Extra fine wire mesh at the bottom
- Serving size 1 – 4 cups
- Fits on most mugs and beverage containers
- Easy to clean and comes with a cleaning brush
First on our list is the LHS Slow Drip Stainless Steel filter. This filter is reusable, portable, and easy to clean. Besides this filter is great for the environment, it gets the job done well.
What makes this coffee filter unique is the extra fine wire mesh at the bottom of the cone. Not only does this ensure that no coffee grounds or sludges get into the cup, but it also slowly drips the coffee to give it the best taste. The only downside is that your pour-over coffee will take a bit longer to make than usual.
Cleaning this filter is honestly the best part, you can brew multiple cups and then rinse it with hot water and let it dry, which it does FAST! If you’re not up for that, then don’t worry because it’s also dishwasher safe.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
| ✅ Reusable Stainless Steel ✅ Extra fine wire mesh ✅ Dishwasher safe ✅ Slow Drip for better taste | ❌ Coffee takes longer to brew |
2. HARIO V60 #2 Natural Paper Filters
Features:
- Fits all #2 cone-shaped drippers
- Brew 1 – 4 cups
- Natural
If you’re more of a paper person (ha ha), then HARIO have you covered as in my personal opinion, they have the best paper filters.
Even though these paper filters are specifically designed for the HARIO V60 Coffee Dripper, they work on any #2 cone-shaped coffee dripper and can brew up to 4 cups per use.
These quality paper filters don’t adjust the taste, acidity, or bitterness of your coffee and are completely natural (unbleached), which is better for your health as well.
You can’t honestly go wrong with the HARIO V60 paper filters as they are sturdy, reliable, easy to use, and perfect for your pour-over coffee.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
| ✅ Natural paper filters ✅ Fits all #2 cone-shaped drippers ✅ Doesn’t mess with the taste ✅ Sturdy and reliable | ❌ A bit expensive |
3. TGP Organic HEMP Reusable #4 Cone Cloth Filters
Features:
- Very environment friendly
- Hemp is anti-bacterial and mold friendly
- 100% Natural
- Hemp holds back bitter sediment
- Travel size
Who would’ve thought that you can get organic Hemp cloth filters, and good ones too!
These Hemp cloth filters are 100% organic and reusable thus there is zero-waste material.
I love everything about these filters, they work great and are easy to clean by rinsing some hot water over them. But it’s important to note that hemp holds up bitter sediments (oils), so your coffee is going to taste smoother than usual, but not in a bad way.
Since hemp is anti-bacterial and mold friendly, it will naturally resist insects and fungus. It really doesn’t get any more environmentally friendly than this, that’s for sure.
As they are super easy to fold, you can take them with you when you’re traveling or out in the open, so the only thing you need is hot water, a dripper, and ground coffee!
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
| ✅ Zero-waste material ✅ Anti-bacterial and mold friendly ✅ Reusable and reliable ✅ Easy to clean ✅ Travel size | ❌ Holds back bitter sediment |
4. Melitta Cone #4 Paper Filters
Features:
- Enhances flavor
- Compostable
- Natural
- Thicker paper
Melitta is a brand you’ve surely heard of as they are the king of pour-over drippers and paper filters.
These cone #4 paper filters have flavor-enhancing abilities through to microfine perforations in the paper which allow for a rich and flavorful coffee.
Another great thing about these paper filters is that they are natural (unbleached) and bio-degradable! Which is super helpful if you have a compost bin or pile.
Fun fact: Did you know that coffee grounds are an excellent fertilizer for your garden?
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
| ✅ Flavor enhancing ✅ Bio-degradable ✅ Thick and sturdy ✅ Natural | ❌ None |
5. MISETTO Stainless Steel Coffee Filter
Features:
- Super fine mesh
- Silicone handle & anti-slip design
- Honeycomb design
You may ask yourself, what makes this stainless steel coffee filter different from the first one mentioned in this article?
Well, not much. This metal coffee filter isn’t a slow drip, which means it will brew faster. It also comes with a silicone handle that prevents heat from touching it, so you won’t burn your fingers.
Besides that, it’s also easy to clean and is dishwasher safe. I’d personally go for this one if you want a faster brew.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
| ✅ Reusable stainless steel ✅ Silicone handle ✅ Faster brew ✅ Easy to clean and dishwasher safe | ❌ Feels cheap and fragile |
6. Kalita Flat Bottom Wave Papers
Features:
- Wave design for better extraction
- Flat bottom
- Premium thick paper and oxygen bleached
We can’t end a list of coffee filters without mentioning Kalita. They are without a doubt one of the biggest brands on the list, and for good reason.
Kalita wave papers are used in specialty cafes as their wavey design gives a much better extraction than other paper filters and is still very sturdy. I’ve never had one break apart which is crazy to say now that I think about it.
The flat bottom brings out very sweet and fruity flavors, and again with the combination of the wave design, it brings out rich, sweet, and flavorful coffee.
Even though these paper filters are specifically made for Kalita drippers, they do fit on other brands but do make sure that you get the right size and that your dripper is made for cone flat bottom filters, of course.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
| ✅ Wave design for a unique extraction ✅ Flat bottom ✅ Thick oxygen bleached | ❌ None |
FAQ
How To Choose A Coffee Filter?
Picking a coffee filter can be a huge challenge as there are so many different ones and each uses different materials. So what’s best for you?
Paper Filters
Paper filters are the most commonly used filter. They produce a clean and vibrant coffee and they extract quite well.
But think about what your filter is made of. This can go from mineral fiber pulp and fiber crops to softwood and hardwood.
The fiber length also plays a role as this determines the porosity of your filter paper, and this has an impact on the compounds and oils that make it into your cup.
So, overall I recommend trying out different paper filters, keeping an eye out on what materials are used, and playing around with them. You may never know what filter has the taste you’ve been missing.
Metal Filters
These filters are reusable and thus great for the environment. Metal filters are usually also very easy to clean by either rinsing them straight after use or putting them in the dishwasher.
Some of these filters may feel cheap, while others make a complete mess when you’re trying to run to the (compost) bin after using them.
Cloth Filters
Cloth filters are the least common, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get the job done.
These filters are usually made out of hemp or cotton and are weaved finely so that they hold down all the coffee grounds incredibly well, even the very finely ground ones.
A problem with these filters is that they absorb oils and thus your coffee is going to taste lighter and/or sweeter. So, if you’re trying to avoid that then I recommend paper or metal filters.
Does Filter Size Matter?
Conical coffee filter sizes are just as important as the materials they’re made of. Each size is numbered – #1, #2, #4, #6 – and each number indicates what brewers you can use the filter with. Let’s see how it works:
- #1: This is designed for both electric and non-electric single-serve coffee makers.
- #2: Designed for 2 to 6-cup electric coffee makers and 1 to 2-cup non-electric coffee makers.
- #4: Designed for 8 to 10-cup non-electric coffee makers and 8 to 12-cup electric coffee makers.
- #6: This is designed for 10-cup or larger pour-over coffee makers or other non-electric brewers.
The most common conical filter sizes you’ll come across are #2 and #4. But keep in mind that pour-over coffee is a non-electric coffee maker.
Cone VS Flat
Conical and flat bottom filters come in different flavors, believe it or not.
The basket shape impacts how the water flows through the ground coffee and thus how the coffee is extracted.
Conical
The cone-shaped filters such as the HARIO V60 #2 Paper Filters tend to give a smokey, umami, dried fruit flavor.
Flat Bottom
Surprisingly enough, if we look at flat bottom baskets such as the Kalita Wave Paper then the flavors change into something more sweet, honey, and floral.
These are crucial things to keep in mind when you’re trying to look for the right filter for you.
The Bottom Line
Coffee filters come in all shapes and sizes, but the one that you pick for your pour-over coffee is very important as this can have a significant impact on your final flavors.
I hope you’ve learned something and that you may think twice about picking your pour-over coffee filter next time.
Happy caffeinating!
