- January 31, 2022
- 11:03 am
If you are a coffee lover and cannot start your day without a cup of coffee, you might have definitely heard of the debate between bleached and unbleached coffee filters. There are basically two types of coffee filters: bleached and unbleached filters. A lot of people believe unbleached coffee filter is a lot better than bleached coffee filter, while there are some who feel the difference between the two is not much. So, in this article we will clear the air for you by discussing in detail the various types of coffee filters and help you to choose the right coffee filter for yourself.
One of the main difference between bleached and unbleached coffee filters is that bleached filters are whitened, which is done by adding a little amount of chlorine or oxygen-bleach in it.
Bleached Coffee Filter
In the late 80s there was a widespread concern among coffee lovers that bleached coffee filters were not healthy but over the course of time that fear has died down. Today it is popularly used as a safe option for brewing coffee. And the good part is that the bleach in it won’t leave any bad taste in your mouth when you sip your coffee.
Bleached filters are basically papers that goes through a process of applying bleach on them that makes them look white in colour. There are two chemicals used in the process of bleaching: chlorine and oxygen bleach. The chlorine used here is the same one that is used in cleaning pools. However, it is not considered of as high a quality as coffee filters that used oxygen bleach in them. If you are looking for bleached coffee filters then we recommend you to look for coffee filters that use oxygen bleach in them.
Bleach is not eco-friendly overall and it has its negative environment effects. There is an additional step of manufacturing them as well that adds to the pollution level, when they are discarded. Though the amount of bleach used in it is quite less but nevertheless it has its adverse effect. Oxygen bleach is slightly better than chlorine in this matter.
Unbleached Coffee Filter
Unlike bleached coffee filters which appear bright white, unbleached coffee filters look more natural and they are also eco friendly. Alike the colour of paper, these bleached filters also appear brown. Bleached coffee filters are harmful for the environment as they also undergo the process of manufacturing but so is not the case of unbleached coffee filters.
How To Remove The Papery Taste Of Bleached Filter In Your Coffee?
Here’s something you need to know about unbleached coffee filters: whenever you pour the coffee through it, it leaves a slight taste of paper in the coffee. Everytime that happens try to prevent it by following these five steps. These three steps will ensure that the taste of the paper does not pass on to your coffee from the next time.
Firstly, put the filter in the brewing machine.
In the second step, pour hot water over it to make the filter wet before use.
Thirdly, throw away the water that you used
You can rinse the coffee maker once again if you want.
Now you can brew the coffee.
Use Good Quality Coffee Filter
As we have already mentioned before, the difference between bleached and unbleached coffee filters is not much and the effect of it is also not much on the taste of the coffee. However, one thing that you need to keep in your mind is that when you go out to purchase coffee filters, ensure that they are of good quality. The better the quality of the coffee filter the lesser will be the effect of its taste on your coffee.
Two things that you need to keep in mind is ensuring that you buy coffee filters of the size that you need for your brewing machine. Secondly, make sure that they thickness of the coffee filters is good enough that the paper does not bloat up. If the paper is thin it could affect the process of brewing in a negative way.
Which Of The Two Is Better: Bleached Or Unbleached?
There is not much of a difference in taste you get from unbleached or bleached coffee filters, until and unless you are using low-quality papers. Bleached filters undergo a process of manufacturing which is not the case with unbleached coffee filters, and neither of them will leave any bad taste in your mouth if used properly and in the right size. So it is entirely up to you whichever you choose to use for your coffee brewing process, and feel comfortable in using. However, unbleached coffee filters are more environmentally friendly as compared to bleached coffee filters, in case you are the kind who always opt for eco-friendly products.
The choice is entirely yours but make sure that you choose the filters of your required size and thickness level should also be intact to not allow the paper bloat much in use.
Paper VS Metal Coffee Filters
Another debate that is widely popular among coffee lovers is about which one being better – paper filters or metal filters. However, this is entirely subjective as it depends on the drinker whether they enjoy coffee made in the paper filter or in metal filter. However, to make the task easier for you to decide which of the two is better for you – we will discuss the details in features of both for you to determine which one is best for you.
1. Cost
Metal filter costs more than paper coffee filters and it should not be a surprise for you. If you buy paper filters in pack it will be a cost saver for you. However, you have to refill them over and over again depending on your consumption. In this concern, the metal filter is a better option as you do not have to take the pain of refilling and will be one-time purchase for you.
2. Environmental Friendly
It is always advisable to buy eco-friendly products from the market, more so in case of kitchen items. In this case, metal filters are of course better than paper filters as you do not have to throw paper or use items that have bleach such as chlorine in them as it has it adverse effect on the environment. If you are affected by the pollution level around you and want to not add on to it – definitely go for metal coffee filters.
3. Easy For Cleanup
This is again entirely subjective but cleaning paper filters are easier as compared to metal coffee filters. In case of paper filters, you just have to lift it up and discard it. But in case of metal filters, you have to scrub it and clean up well on the inside as well as outside to make sure there is no residue in it.
So Which One Is Better For You: Paper Filter Or Metal Filter?
Coffee is addictive and there are millions of people on earth who cannot even start their day without a cup of coffee. However, coffee contains some things that are not healthy for you such as cafestol that is known to increase your cholesterol level. When you use paper filter to brew your coffee, it apparently removes the cafestol from the coffee. This makes a lot of people, especially health experts believe that paper filters are better than metal coffee filters.
However, bleached coffee filters are not quite preferred by a lot of people because they have chlorine added to it. Moreover the process of bleaching them also makes them add another substance called dioxin which is harmful for one’s health. So in this case, using a metal filter is a better option for you since you do not have to worry about those bleach substance entering your body. However, having said that, unbleached filters do not contain any bleaching agent and can be used for those who are concerned about their health.
These debates between paper and metal filters as well as between unbleached and bleached coffee filters have been there for a long time now and will continue to be there. There are some stark differences between them but at the end what matters is whether it can brew coffee of good taste for you or not. Both the filters have their unique way of brewing coffee and whichever you choose depends on your usage and taste entirely.