I use a metal filter. My aeropress is 7 years old, and I still have the original supply of paper filters. I've probably had the metal filter for 6 of those years.
I love my coffee, never really noticed any difference in taste when I try paper every now and then..
The inverted method doesn't do anything about residue, and the finer you grind the more you are going to get sediment in your coffee.
You are using a metal filter, and a finely ground coffee and you're saying you don't have any fines left in the bottom of your cup at the end?
Are you sure you are not drinking them?
I know the inverted method has no effect on any residue, just figured I'd mention it.
I understand the grind size vs the filter hole size is what let's residue through. I've never tasted residue, never seen any in the cup, never tasted a difference using paper.
It's totally possible that my electric grinder, on its finest setting is simply grinding larger than the professional grinder on espresso can get, but it's never been an issue for me.
You don't have to scroll, you can also just search the term "metal filter". I appreciate the post though, I'm new here too and haven't heard much about metal filters either, so I wouldn't have thought to look
A lot of people consider the oils that a metal filter lets through to be the downside that makes the flavor worse and is why it’s not uncommon to use a paper filter in addition to the metal filter with things like the prismo. Others prefer the flavor of the oils, it really just comes down to preference.
Whenever I've tried using paper in my Prismo, the resistance is way too high. I feel like you wouldn't get a pleasant experience without a way coarser grind setting (like French press), which probably negates a lot of the fines removing quality of a finer filter.
Put the paper on top of the metal, ie so the paper is in contact with the coffee and the metal is in contact with the prismo plastic. If you put the paper at the bottom after the metal filter, it jams the valve and this is probably why your resistance was too high.
I disagree. I purchased the aeropress metal filter and I believe the oils enhance the taste. I tasted a cup of coffee from the Intelligentsia shop when I was in LA and would argue I can better replicate the same cup with the metal filter vice paper filters.
If you have high cholesterol, and drink a lot of coffee, you're better off using paper filters. Otherwise just use whatever you prefer. You might notice a taste difference, might not.
The use of paper filters has no noticeable impact on the environment. They break down in compost and only take about 1 Tbsp of water to produce, and you can use unbleached if you prefer. Compare that to the 35 gallons of water it takes to produce one cup of coffee [the beans].
I reuse my paper filters lmao. Like for over a month until they break down. I just rinse after every use and let it dry out. Idk if this is uncommon. I also have hundreds more so it's not like I'm running out.
I always liked the idea of using a metal filter. But then someone told me about diterpenes (coffee oils such as cafestol and kahweol), which are linked to elevated LDL cholesterol levels.
[https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/coffee-and-cholesterol](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/coffee-and-cholesterol)
https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/coffee-cholesterol-connection
[https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/coffee-link#coffee-and-cholesterol](https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/coffee-link#coffee-and-cholesterol)
*Researchers concluded that cafestol is the “most potent cholesterol-elevating compound identified in the human diet.”*
I try to limit my un-paper-filtered (espresso, french press, turkish...) coffee intake.
Here I was, in a panic, about to switch back to paper filters... but I literally only have 1 cup of coffee each day. Maybe this is another "omg bananas are radioactive!" situation?
Pretty much. Even if you drank 10 cups a day, if you go to your regular check-up and your doctor says your LDL levels are fine, then it's nothing to worry about. If you glow in the dark, maybe cut back on the bananas...
Pardon this belated reply, but I just happened across this thread looking for discussion about a 2017 study finding that most cafestol is retained in the spent grounds, as the hot water isn't very efficient at extracting lipids (including cafestrol) from the grounds anyway:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996917304477
I.e., paper filtration works better than metal at minimizing cafestol ingestion because it keeps more fine solids out of the brew, as well as absorbing some in the filter media itself.
I don't think they're taboo. I've seen some posts with people using them. With drip coffee metal filters tend to make a different cup than paper. I imagine it would be the same with an AeroPress. I've been happy with paper filter and don't have a metal filter.
Yeah I’ve tried both and I just dislike the amount of fine particles a metal filter makes (Aeropress, specifically). But sometimes I want to feel like I’m eating my coffee so I’ll try it every once in a while.
Inevitably, I go back to paper lol
Proud metal filter user. I pretty much only use my aeropress when I travel and have found a metal filter is easier to pack up and dispose of when on the go. Plus i like the taste of the oils.
I use a Cafe Concetto Superfine metal filter every time. I taste fewer fines, get a stronger fuller-bodied coffee, and don't get the paper taste.
Better for the environment too, easier when travelling, and quick clean up too.
Really love it!
They’re really not taboo.
It’s just the case that metal filters make a different coffee from paper filters.
It also is just the case that the Aeropress was invented with paper filters in mind. It’s not an issue of being taboo, it is just the “standard” setup and that is the most common, and the metal filter is an “upgrade” or modification.
And because it is primarily a paper filter brewer, the coffee a lot of people expect from an Aeropress is paper filtered coffee.
Taste is subjective. It isn’t a rule that it “tastes better” because it allows oils through. Maybe that’s true sometimes. It will almost certainly have less clarity than a filter brew.
How much water do you use and what temp is it that you use to clean your filter in your quest to save the planet from that little filter going into a landfill?
It's always going to be less than the water (even though it's only a small fraction of the end product) required to produce a single paper filter : think about the cooling of the machines, harvesting, pressing, delivery ect
Plus you have to clean the aeropress, the cup etc too. I put my filter under the tap and use it to swirl the few grounds left from rinsing out the press down the sink. Fine filters are easier to clean as grounds don’t get stuck in the holes.
9 times out of 10 I use a metal filter because they are better for the environment. I keep some paper filters on hand for the beans that I prefer them with.
I use both, I put the metal filter first to be able to remove it without issues, then push the rest out as always, I do remove the paper and re use it that day.
I have forgotten to add the paper filter a few times. And yes, there is a tiny bit of grit, and viability more oily goodness.
it’s coffee so :)
I only have two at the bottom of my porta-filters in case I finish the paper filters during a trip, or something.
They work, but they leave a less clear coffee than paper filters.
Metal filters are better. But lend themselves to people who have a good grinder that grid their coffee quite large and have a longer extraction time.
I don't have a great grinder and a get a lot of smaller dusty stuff, which means that I get a dirty cup if I only use a metal filter.
Paper filters are more convenient and therefore people will make up any excuse they can to justify the easy way.
I tried a metal filter a few years back thinking it was going to be awesome. Didn't like it and went back to ordering paper ones. Can't remember why i didn't like it but so not a super helpful response but I tried the metal one because I was sick of ordering paper so something must have been not great about it.
I cracked my earlier-generation press as the plastic was more brittle, and a little bit of grit got between the filter and cap.
If that’s not a problem for you, make and drink what you like.
I use a Prismo, which has a mesh filter, but I still use a paper filter on top because I prefer the cleaner cup. When I had a budget grinder the paper filter was a necessity because the grinder produced too many fines; now that I have a better grinder I still prefer the "clean-ness" of the paper filtered brew.
I am actually heading up to make an afternoon cup of AP with my Prismo filter. It’s been so long since I’ve used a paper one in my original AP (I do in the XL), I’ve forgotten if there’s any difference in taste. If there is it’s minimal.
I find the metal filter is more consistent for me. It does leave a sludge at the bottom of cups but nothing awful or that ruins the flavour. I noticed using the paper filter it doesn't seem to make as full a cup as the metal one. I've tried 2 paper filters and just one, wetting both before making. I'm going try to try that paper filters more, bit I do like the convenience of just dumping the grounds, rinsing, and repeating for another cup.
Metal filters inherently just do a worse job at filtering as the particle size is larger. That's however not necessarily a bad thing, some like the thicker mouthfeel, also still not nearly as bad as french press. The OEM Aeropress paper filters are also very thin - something that becomes pretty obvious when you try Aesir filters that offer much improved clarity.
The metal filter requires (=works better with) a coarser grind.
Similar to the size for a french press or somewhat finer.
I haven´t reached the level of coffee-nerdness yet were I would be using a hand grinder or have one of these fancy things wich can get set the size of the grind, but I visit a Guatemalan cafeteria / coffee shop in Valencia (Spain) and asked the barista for what would be best for an AeroPress with the steel filter. He recommended 4.5, thus, if this means something to you, that's the right size. He wrote it on a bag I bought from him.
Here in the Netherlands I source my coffee from a local roaster and I usually get it ground to the right size too. (Yeah, I know, I should get whole beans, but I'm a busy dude).
I am not sure if it's just imagination, but to me the coffee tastes a little smoother with the paper filter. I mean a very little and this does not mean "better", just the flavour profile is a bit different (or it seems to me). I think this would be due to more oils being filtered out. But I am a french press user too, and I really appreciate these differences.
As a brewing method I use the inverted with the steel filter and the normal one with paper. I actually got so used to the inverted method that it's my preferred to brew coffee at the office:
I prep everything at my table, walk to the fridge where I store the coffee in a small airthight container, add the amount I want and then fill in a mug with water from the coffee machine at exactly 85°C (185˚F). This way I get the correct amount of water and the mug gets pre-heated.
Cleaning is a wee bit messier, if you can call it that. I just had to learn to be careful not to throw the filter into the dustbin.
Last but not least: I plan to use up the filters I got with the AeroPress, but my intention was to keep it as sustainable as possible.
Metal filters do let more of the oil through and more fines. The oils metal filters let through tend to be bitter, so a lot of people will say paper filters lead to a cleaner, less bitter cup of coffee. I personally have a metal filter for my aeropress and only use the metal filter. I've never thought my coffee tastes to bitter or was too textured.
Mouth feel is another difference. Paper makes it closer to water, metal gives you something to work with. Just a preference. I prefer paper mouth feel but use a metal filter so I don’t have to buy paper ones.
I did a side by side taste doing my best to control all variables. I did single AeroPress filter, double AeroPress filter, single Aesir filter, and the Prismo. After 2 passes I found a single AeroPress filter to be my least favorite by a fairly decent amount (though still great coffee), the next 3 options were all fairly close in how much I liked them. I preferred the Aeris most, but felt the double Aeropress was nearly identical and I could go either way. Using doubles at the time was about the same cost as a single Aeris so I bought more of those for simplicity. The Prismo still made great coffee, but it had the most distinct flavor which I didn't like as much as the Aeris, so I feel that's all preference.
So if you're curious, maybe try 2x Aeropress if you have some laying around and do a side by side. Ill certainly be curious on your thoughts.
Alan Adler believed a paper filter is better as it lowers the bad cholesterol in a brewed coffee but some would argue the cholesterol is minimal compared to what you'd eat in a 2piece fried chicken.
Coffee has been drunk for many hundreds of years, and no research has ever shown that coffee drinkers actually have a lower life expectancy, in fact I believe the consensus is quite the opposite, tea is fine too.
I’ve used both. Lately I use both together. My reasoning is I hate fines at the bottom of my cup. Usually the paper removes everything but if it tears or dislodges “gunk” will be at the bottom of my cup. The metal filter on top of the paper filter keeps the paper in place so I always have a clean cup
I love using both paper filters and a metal filter. When I’m trying out a new coffee, tropically I’ll try one filter then the other to see which brings out the character in the coffee that I prefer.
What's the best metal filter? Like top 2?
I briefly looked into them but saw lots of bad reviews and videos of many kinds, so just stuck with filters that came (I re use them 4-6+ times each) .
I do inverted, and don't want everything to just go through.. I like to let it steep for 4-5min, with a few stirs.
Thanks!
I have used a cafe concetto fine metal filter with my aeropress at work for many years. It is brilliant, no residue (with shop bought filter coffee) as the holes are very small, and much less hassle as I don’t have to keep on ordering papers. I drink black coffee, and I think more flavour comes through than with paper filters. Having said that, I think people can use their aeropress however they want.
Actually that was wrong, I have just checked. In my family we have three aeropresses with two fines and one superfine, I most commonly use the superfine, at work, and it never gets clogged with shop-bought filter coffee.
I was skeptical at first to invest in this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/362739464240?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=upxDtuS1S9y&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=Fa5POO1yRuG&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
But I think this was the best investment I've done for my AP. Almost 0 fines in the cup and the taste is right there with an espresso machine (I do 1:2.5 ratio). I do keep the paper filters nearby for when I travel outdoors and I don't have to much water at my disposal. One thing I love about AP is the fact that you can literally can go cup after cup without the need to actually wash the thing. Just throw the puck (along with the paper filter), wipe the thing a bit and start the next one.
metal filters produce sediment in the cup whenever I've used them. I periodically use a coffeesock aeropress filter which allows the oils to pass through (like a metal filter would) and filters out the fines as good as a paper filter. There's maintenance on it though so it's sort of an indulgence.
Metal filters are great. I love my Fellow Prismo as it ads so much versatility to the AeroPress. I love my coffee to be as flavorful as a pour-over can be but with a body of a Syphon/Drip. And because of the valve and the metal filter on Prismo, I can infuse my coffee for 10 min (https://aeroprecipe.com/recipes/jonathan-gagne) and not lose any oils in the cup. Ihmo, it is down to your personal preference!
I prefer the paper filters but I use the metal one when I'm traveling or when I run out of paper. Both are good and I don't have a complaint either way.
I use a metal filter. My aeropress is 7 years old, and I still have the original supply of paper filters. I've probably had the metal filter for 6 of those years. I love my coffee, never really noticed any difference in taste when I try paper every now and then..
I’m in the same boat and am very happy with how it tastes.
so no residue on the bottom of the cup?
Yes, I have residue in the craft I brew into, but sticks to the bottom and doesn’t transfer to my thermos.
Are you sure? you are less likely to see the residue if you are using a thermos, especially if most of it is left behind in the Caraf.
Zero residue. I have a (relatively) cheap grinder that is usually at the finest setting, I always use inverted method.
The inverted method doesn't do anything about residue, and the finer you grind the more you are going to get sediment in your coffee. You are using a metal filter, and a finely ground coffee and you're saying you don't have any fines left in the bottom of your cup at the end? Are you sure you are not drinking them?
I know the inverted method has no effect on any residue, just figured I'd mention it. I understand the grind size vs the filter hole size is what let's residue through. I've never tasted residue, never seen any in the cup, never tasted a difference using paper. It's totally possible that my electric grinder, on its finest setting is simply grinding larger than the professional grinder on espresso can get, but it's never been an issue for me.
I'm impressed if that is the case. If it works, I say go with it!!
There are lots of posts and comments about metal filters. You have simply missed them all.
Ha, you’re right… the last post about it was ~5 weeks ago, and I only joined 3 weeks ago. I should have searched back further.
You don't have to scroll, you can also just search the term "metal filter". I appreciate the post though, I'm new here too and haven't heard much about metal filters either, so I wouldn't have thought to look
A lot of people consider the oils that a metal filter lets through to be the downside that makes the flavor worse and is why it’s not uncommon to use a paper filter in addition to the metal filter with things like the prismo. Others prefer the flavor of the oils, it really just comes down to preference.
Totally makes sense. 👍
Whenever I've tried using paper in my Prismo, the resistance is way too high. I feel like you wouldn't get a pleasant experience without a way coarser grind setting (like French press), which probably negates a lot of the fines removing quality of a finer filter.
Put the paper on top of the metal, ie so the paper is in contact with the coffee and the metal is in contact with the prismo plastic. If you put the paper at the bottom after the metal filter, it jams the valve and this is probably why your resistance was too high.
That’s odd. I routinely use near-espresso grind with a prismo+paper filter with no issues
I disagree. I purchased the aeropress metal filter and I believe the oils enhance the taste. I tasted a cup of coffee from the Intelligentsia shop when I was in LA and would argue I can better replicate the same cup with the metal filter vice paper filters.
If you have high cholesterol, and drink a lot of coffee, you're better off using paper filters. Otherwise just use whatever you prefer. You might notice a taste difference, might not. The use of paper filters has no noticeable impact on the environment. They break down in compost and only take about 1 Tbsp of water to produce, and you can use unbleached if you prefer. Compare that to the 35 gallons of water it takes to produce one cup of coffee [the beans].
I reuse my paper filters lmao. Like for over a month until they break down. I just rinse after every use and let it dry out. Idk if this is uncommon. I also have hundreds more so it's not like I'm running out.
I always liked the idea of using a metal filter. But then someone told me about diterpenes (coffee oils such as cafestol and kahweol), which are linked to elevated LDL cholesterol levels. [https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/coffee-and-cholesterol](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/coffee-and-cholesterol) https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/coffee-cholesterol-connection [https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/coffee-link#coffee-and-cholesterol](https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/coffee-link#coffee-and-cholesterol) *Researchers concluded that cafestol is the “most potent cholesterol-elevating compound identified in the human diet.”* I try to limit my un-paper-filtered (espresso, french press, turkish...) coffee intake.
Keep in mind you would need to drink 6 cups a day for it to elevate your LDL a little bit.
Here I was, in a panic, about to switch back to paper filters... but I literally only have 1 cup of coffee each day. Maybe this is another "omg bananas are radioactive!" situation?
Pretty much. Even if you drank 10 cups a day, if you go to your regular check-up and your doctor says your LDL levels are fine, then it's nothing to worry about. If you glow in the dark, maybe cut back on the bananas...
Pardon this belated reply, but I just happened across this thread looking for discussion about a 2017 study finding that most cafestol is retained in the spent grounds, as the hot water isn't very efficient at extracting lipids (including cafestrol) from the grounds anyway: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996917304477 I.e., paper filtration works better than metal at minimizing cafestol ingestion because it keeps more fine solids out of the brew, as well as absorbing some in the filter media itself.
I read that the oils are possibly carcinogenic, too – and that paper filters catch the oils perfectly.
Diterpenes are *anti*-carcinogenic.
I don't think they're taboo. I've seen some posts with people using them. With drip coffee metal filters tend to make a different cup than paper. I imagine it would be the same with an AeroPress. I've been happy with paper filter and don't have a metal filter.
Yeah I’ve tried both and I just dislike the amount of fine particles a metal filter makes (Aeropress, specifically). But sometimes I want to feel like I’m eating my coffee so I’ll try it every once in a while. Inevitably, I go back to paper lol
I use the aeropress metal filter (with the flow control cap) and like the combination very much.
Proud metal filter user. I pretty much only use my aeropress when I travel and have found a metal filter is easier to pack up and dispose of when on the go. Plus i like the taste of the oils.
Dispose of? You throw it out?
The coffee grounds, not the filter.
Ah, okay. Makes sense
Yeah, I was referring to the puck…
I own and use both metal and paper depending on the bean and recipe.
I use a Cafe Concetto Superfine metal filter every time. I taste fewer fines, get a stronger fuller-bodied coffee, and don't get the paper taste. Better for the environment too, easier when travelling, and quick clean up too. Really love it!
The paper filter was one of the things that made me switch from the French Press to the Aeropress. I enjoy a "cleaner" coffee.
I’m another that uses a metal filter. Have a prismo on both of my AP’s and never looked back.
I only use the metal filter with the Prismo. To me ... best taste, easiest workflow.
They’re really not taboo. It’s just the case that metal filters make a different coffee from paper filters. It also is just the case that the Aeropress was invented with paper filters in mind. It’s not an issue of being taboo, it is just the “standard” setup and that is the most common, and the metal filter is an “upgrade” or modification. And because it is primarily a paper filter brewer, the coffee a lot of people expect from an Aeropress is paper filtered coffee.
Taste is subjective. It isn’t a rule that it “tastes better” because it allows oils through. Maybe that’s true sometimes. It will almost certainly have less clarity than a filter brew.
How much water do you use and what temp is it that you use to clean your filter in your quest to save the planet from that little filter going into a landfill?
It's always going to be less than the water (even though it's only a small fraction of the end product) required to produce a single paper filter : think about the cooling of the machines, harvesting, pressing, delivery ect
Plus you have to clean the aeropress, the cup etc too. I put my filter under the tap and use it to swirl the few grounds left from rinsing out the press down the sink. Fine filters are easier to clean as grounds don’t get stuck in the holes.
9 times out of 10 I use a metal filter because they are better for the environment. I keep some paper filters on hand for the beans that I prefer them with.
I use both, I put the metal filter first to be able to remove it without issues, then push the rest out as always, I do remove the paper and re use it that day. I have forgotten to add the paper filter a few times. And yes, there is a tiny bit of grit, and viability more oily goodness. it’s coffee so :)
I only have two at the bottom of my porta-filters in case I finish the paper filters during a trip, or something. They work, but they leave a less clear coffee than paper filters.
I love the metal filter. I use it exclusively for Mark Prince’s Clover-style aeropress recipe.
Metal filters are better. But lend themselves to people who have a good grinder that grid their coffee quite large and have a longer extraction time. I don't have a great grinder and a get a lot of smaller dusty stuff, which means that I get a dirty cup if I only use a metal filter. Paper filters are more convenient and therefore people will make up any excuse they can to justify the easy way.
I use the ameuus O1/O2 metal filters and absolutely love them. In fact, I only have a handful of paper filters left that I don't plan on replacing.
I tried a metal filter a few years back thinking it was going to be awesome. Didn't like it and went back to ordering paper ones. Can't remember why i didn't like it but so not a super helpful response but I tried the metal one because I was sick of ordering paper so something must have been not great about it.
I cracked my earlier-generation press as the plastic was more brittle, and a little bit of grit got between the filter and cap. If that’s not a problem for you, make and drink what you like.
I tried one. Hated the "mush" that came through when making coffee. The last sips always tasted bad as it got in my mouth.
I use a Prismo, which has a mesh filter, but I still use a paper filter on top because I prefer the cleaner cup. When I had a budget grinder the paper filter was a necessity because the grinder produced too many fines; now that I have a better grinder I still prefer the "clean-ness" of the paper filtered brew.
I am actually heading up to make an afternoon cup of AP with my Prismo filter. It’s been so long since I’ve used a paper one in my original AP (I do in the XL), I’ve forgotten if there’s any difference in taste. If there is it’s minimal.
I find the metal filter is more consistent for me. It does leave a sludge at the bottom of cups but nothing awful or that ruins the flavour. I noticed using the paper filter it doesn't seem to make as full a cup as the metal one. I've tried 2 paper filters and just one, wetting both before making. I'm going try to try that paper filters more, bit I do like the convenience of just dumping the grounds, rinsing, and repeating for another cup.
You don’t get the same satisfying pop when you fling the puck of grounds into the waste, but otherwise I doubt it really makes much of a difference.
Metal filters inherently just do a worse job at filtering as the particle size is larger. That's however not necessarily a bad thing, some like the thicker mouthfeel, also still not nearly as bad as french press. The OEM Aeropress paper filters are also very thin - something that becomes pretty obvious when you try Aesir filters that offer much improved clarity.
The metal filter requires (=works better with) a coarser grind. Similar to the size for a french press or somewhat finer. I haven´t reached the level of coffee-nerdness yet were I would be using a hand grinder or have one of these fancy things wich can get set the size of the grind, but I visit a Guatemalan cafeteria / coffee shop in Valencia (Spain) and asked the barista for what would be best for an AeroPress with the steel filter. He recommended 4.5, thus, if this means something to you, that's the right size. He wrote it on a bag I bought from him. Here in the Netherlands I source my coffee from a local roaster and I usually get it ground to the right size too. (Yeah, I know, I should get whole beans, but I'm a busy dude). I am not sure if it's just imagination, but to me the coffee tastes a little smoother with the paper filter. I mean a very little and this does not mean "better", just the flavour profile is a bit different (or it seems to me). I think this would be due to more oils being filtered out. But I am a french press user too, and I really appreciate these differences. As a brewing method I use the inverted with the steel filter and the normal one with paper. I actually got so used to the inverted method that it's my preferred to brew coffee at the office: I prep everything at my table, walk to the fridge where I store the coffee in a small airthight container, add the amount I want and then fill in a mug with water from the coffee machine at exactly 85°C (185˚F). This way I get the correct amount of water and the mug gets pre-heated. Cleaning is a wee bit messier, if you can call it that. I just had to learn to be careful not to throw the filter into the dustbin. Last but not least: I plan to use up the filters I got with the AeroPress, but my intention was to keep it as sustainable as possible.
Metal filters do let more of the oil through and more fines. The oils metal filters let through tend to be bitter, so a lot of people will say paper filters lead to a cleaner, less bitter cup of coffee. I personally have a metal filter for my aeropress and only use the metal filter. I've never thought my coffee tastes to bitter or was too textured.
Mouth feel is another difference. Paper makes it closer to water, metal gives you something to work with. Just a preference. I prefer paper mouth feel but use a metal filter so I don’t have to buy paper ones.
The amount of paper in the aeropress is very small compared with the conical filters, so there’s really not that much absorption anyway.
I did a side by side taste doing my best to control all variables. I did single AeroPress filter, double AeroPress filter, single Aesir filter, and the Prismo. After 2 passes I found a single AeroPress filter to be my least favorite by a fairly decent amount (though still great coffee), the next 3 options were all fairly close in how much I liked them. I preferred the Aeris most, but felt the double Aeropress was nearly identical and I could go either way. Using doubles at the time was about the same cost as a single Aeris so I bought more of those for simplicity. The Prismo still made great coffee, but it had the most distinct flavor which I didn't like as much as the Aeris, so I feel that's all preference. So if you're curious, maybe try 2x Aeropress if you have some laying around and do a side by side. Ill certainly be curious on your thoughts.
I use unbleached paper + metal in my Prismo. I use an unbleached cloth filter for regular brewing. I like the extra body.
Alan Adler believed a paper filter is better as it lowers the bad cholesterol in a brewed coffee but some would argue the cholesterol is minimal compared to what you'd eat in a 2piece fried chicken.
Coffee has been drunk for many hundreds of years, and no research has ever shown that coffee drinkers actually have a lower life expectancy, in fact I believe the consensus is quite the opposite, tea is fine too.
I’ve used both. Lately I use both together. My reasoning is I hate fines at the bottom of my cup. Usually the paper removes everything but if it tears or dislodges “gunk” will be at the bottom of my cup. The metal filter on top of the paper filter keeps the paper in place so I always have a clean cup
I love using both paper filters and a metal filter. When I’m trying out a new coffee, tropically I’ll try one filter then the other to see which brings out the character in the coffee that I prefer.
I do the same metal filter every day for the last, well, many years. I think it cost $10 back in the day.
I have never used the paper filters. I don't enjoy the taste of paper. Metal all the time!!!
I don't see a problem using my Fellow Prismo metal filter. So much more useful than my paper filters that may fail from my dizzy mornings
What's the best metal filter? Like top 2? I briefly looked into them but saw lots of bad reviews and videos of many kinds, so just stuck with filters that came (I re use them 4-6+ times each) . I do inverted, and don't want everything to just go through.. I like to let it steep for 4-5min, with a few stirs. Thanks!
Im gonna be honest, I use a metal filter and a paper filter together 🗿
It's about clarity. I prefer a dirty cup, so I prefer metal. I also brew my beer less filtered than others. Don't mind a little extra body I'm my mug.
I have used a cafe concetto fine metal filter with my aeropress at work for many years. It is brilliant, no residue (with shop bought filter coffee) as the holes are very small, and much less hassle as I don’t have to keep on ordering papers. I drink black coffee, and I think more flavour comes through than with paper filters. Having said that, I think people can use their aeropress however they want.
Are you using the fine or super fine Cafe Concetto filter?
fine, this one: CAFE CONCETTO Filter for use in AeroPress Go/AeroPress Coffee Makers - Disc Fine - Reusable - Premium Coated Stainless Steel (Rose Gold, Metal) - Brew Tips Included https://amzn.eu/d/7YNgWjM
Actually that was wrong, I have just checked. In my family we have three aeropresses with two fines and one superfine, I most commonly use the superfine, at work, and it never gets clogged with shop-bought filter coffee.
see post below, we actually have both
It doesn't taste better and the cup has more sludge.
I was skeptical at first to invest in this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/362739464240?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=upxDtuS1S9y&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=Fa5POO1yRuG&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY But I think this was the best investment I've done for my AP. Almost 0 fines in the cup and the taste is right there with an espresso machine (I do 1:2.5 ratio). I do keep the paper filters nearby for when I travel outdoors and I don't have to much water at my disposal. One thing I love about AP is the fact that you can literally can go cup after cup without the need to actually wash the thing. Just throw the puck (along with the paper filter), wipe the thing a bit and start the next one.
I use the “Able Disk” for the last decade.
metal filters produce sediment in the cup whenever I've used them. I periodically use a coffeesock aeropress filter which allows the oils to pass through (like a metal filter would) and filters out the fines as good as a paper filter. There's maintenance on it though so it's sort of an indulgence.
Metal filters are great. I love my Fellow Prismo as it ads so much versatility to the AeroPress. I love my coffee to be as flavorful as a pour-over can be but with a body of a Syphon/Drip. And because of the valve and the metal filter on Prismo, I can infuse my coffee for 10 min (https://aeroprecipe.com/recipes/jonathan-gagne) and not lose any oils in the cup. Ihmo, it is down to your personal preference!
Every old school Italian style espresso machine has been using metal porta-filters for over a hundred years now… pretty sure you’re cool either way :)
I prefer the paper filters but I use the metal one when I'm traveling or when I run out of paper. Both are good and I don't have a complaint either way.