Metal Coffee Filters: The Benefits of Using Woven Wire Mesh

Woven wire mesh is a series of individual metal wires that are interwoven to form a metallic cloth outfitted with rigid, precise pore openings. A centuries-old weaving technique is used to fabricate these wires into specific weave patterns that deliver their unique performance advantages.

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When compared to similar materials, woven wire mesh's ability to be fully customized makes it stand out. It allows manufacturers to control the alloy, mesh count, wire diameter, opening size, etc., prior to being woven.

This ensures you achieve desirable filtration performance.

You can also apply several value-added services after your mesh has been woven. Techniques such as heat treatment, welding, forming, and plastic injection molding can be applied to enhance the performance of your wire mesh coffee filters.

Metal vs Paper Coffee Filter: What’s the Difference?

Possibly the most notable difference between wire mesh coffee filters and paper filters is the sustainability of the products. As woven wire mesh coffee filters are typically fabricated from a 300-series stainless steel alloy, they can be cleaned after brewing and reused.

Paper coffee filters, on the other hand, can only be used once before being discarded.

Another key difference between wire mesh coffee filters and paper filters is the flavor it produces. Paper coffee filters tend to be finer than wire mesh filers, catching more oils and solids.

As a result, coffee brewed using paper coffee filters will taste smooth and crisp. Coffee brewed using wire mesh coffee filters will taste bold and rich.

Switching gears to compatibility, a key benefit to woven wire mesh coffee filters is that they can be formed and fused with various polymers to create proprietary parts. This helps eliminate doubts associated with finding a filter that fits, creating a seamless brewing experience for users.

Now, addressing the elephant in the room, paper coffee filters are known to have a cheaper price tag than wire mesh coffee filters. But you typically only need one wire mesh coffee filter over the lifecycle of a coffee maker, whereas you'll go through hundreds of paper filters.

In other words, the daunting upfront cost of a wire mesh coffee filter will prove to be cheaper than the hundreds of paper filters you purchase once it's time to replace your coffee machine.

How Much Does Woven Wire Mesh Cost?

When fabricating metal coffee filters out of woven wire mesh, it is important that wire mesh can be purchased in three forms: cut-to-size pieces, rolls, and fabricated filters. Each form has a set of factors that will control how much you pay for your mesh.

Cut-to-size pieces and rolls are typically purchased by those looking to handle wire mesh fabrication in-house and are affected by the same pricing factors. These factors include:

• Length of the roll
• Width of the roll
• Mesh specification of the role
• Required complacency (i.e., DFARS)
• Post-weaving service requirements
• Order Quantity

Fabricated filters, on the other hand, are generally purchased by those that don't have the time or capacity to fabricate wire mesh coffee filters themselves. The factors that will influence the cost of fabricator wire mesh coffee filters go as follows:

• The profile of the filter
• Order Quantity
• The mesh specifications used
• The components of the filter
• Post-weaving service requirements
• Required complacency (i.e., DFARS)
• Labor

It should be known that the weave pattern will have a notable impact on the cost of your wire mesh coffee filters. Standard square weave patterns are generally less expensive than filter cloth weave patterns.

This is primarily because the more complex filter cloth weave patterns tend to take more time, material, and attention to detail to weave when compared to square weave patterns. While they are more expensive, filter cloth weave patterns offer a superior balance of filtration and throughput performance.

To that end, square mesh patterns are the predominantly used speciation when fabricating wire mesh coffee filters.

Keep Coffee Grounds Out of Your Freshly Brewed Coffee With Calculated Mesh Specifications

Coffee is one of the products that a lot of people depend on to get a jumpstart on the day. To ensure you brew what you believe is the perfect cup, your coffee maker must be paired with a coffee filter compatible with keeping unpleasant coffee grounds out of the brew.

Fortunately, modern technology allows wire mesh manufacturers to generate virtual calculations of how a given mesh specification will perform. This, in turn, allows them to avoid the frustrations of trying to fine-tune a solution that best accommodates their needs and make sure their operation is up and running promptly.

For 150 years, W.S. Tyler has been making strides to help customers weave wire mesh into their process, helping their products stand out in the market.

To learn more about designing your wire mesh coffee filters virtually, read the following article:

A coffee filter is a filter used for various coffee brewing methods including but not limited to drip coffee filtering. Filters made of paper (disposable), cloth (reusable), or plastic, metal or porcelain (permanent) are used.[nb 1] Paper and cloth filters require the use of some kind of filter holder, whereas filters made out of other materials may present an integral part of the holder or not, depending on construction. The filter allows the liquid coffee to flow through, but traps the coffee grounds.

Overview

Paper filters remove oily components called diterpenes (like cafestol and kahweol).[1] Metal, nylon or porcelain mesh filters do not remove these components.[2][nb 1] These organic compounds, present in unfiltered coffee, have anti-inflammatory properties.[3][nb 2] Several studies also indicate that the mild consumption of paper-filtered coffee may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to reducing these compounds.[4][5]

Coffee filters of paper are made from about 100 g/m2 filter paper. The raw materials (pulp) for the filter paper are coarse long fiber, often from fast-growing trees, e.g. Melitta uses up to 60% of bambus in their filters since .[6] Both bleached and unbleached filters are made.[7]

Typically, coffee filters are made up of filaments approximately 20 micrometres wide, which allow particles through that are less than approximately 10 to 15 micrometres.[8][9]

Some baristas claim that paper filters exhibit a "paperish" taste[10] and recommend to wash out the filter with a flush of hot water before filling the ground coffee into the filter.

Since paper filters filter out some components the resulting coffee is said to taste somewhat fruitier compared to permanent filters.

For a filter to be compatible with a filter holder (in the case of drip coffee preparation also called a dripper) or coffee maker, the filter needs to be a specific shape and size.

Disposable paper filters

History of paper filters

In , Johann Georg Krünitz described a then-new method to extract coffee utilizing blotting paper in a (tinned) metal filter cone shape like.[11][12][13]: 139–140 [14]

In Germany and the Netherlands, filter paper inserts were used in narrow conical metal filter holders called "Hamburger Spitztrichter" (Hamburg filter) to extract drip coffee.[15]: 977 [12]: 77ff. [13]: 139  In , a silver filter was manufactured by Johann Christopher Hellmers, suggesting that porcelain versions existed even earlier.[16]: 63–64  Hamburg filters made out of (enameled) metal or porcelain were still very common in the early s in Germany.[16]: 162–163 

In , Elard Römershausen [d] (aka Elard Romershausen and Elard [von] Rommershausen) experimented with paper filters while constructing an early "air press coffee machine".[13]: 137, 139 

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In , Heinrich Böhnke-Reich (aka Boehnke-Reich) warned of using old wall paper as coffee filters,[nb 1] but favorably described sheets of thick wool-style greyish paper which could be cut into shape for use as quick filters in a conical filter holder.[17]: 107–120 [16]: 162 

In , the Wilda'sche coffee filter device by Eugen Wilda used single-use cloth filter bags, which, in the corresponding patent, were considered to be superior to paper filter bags presumably already in use at the time.[16]: 163 [13]: 139 

On 8 July , the first commercial paper coffee filter was a 94 mm round filter disk devised by the German entrepreneur Melitta Bentz.[13]: 140– [18] She wanted to remove the bitter taste caused by overbrewing.[18][19] She patented her invention and formed a company, Melitta, to sell the coffee filters (in a format and size later named "1"[nb 3]), hiring her husband and two sons to assist her as the first employees.[13][20]

Filter shapes and sizes

Cone-, fan- or boat-shaped filters

Melitta filter systems and derivatives

Since [21]/, there was a conical paper coffee filter named "Blitz-Filter" (English: flash filter) featuring rims manufactured by the Berlin-based[18]: 33–34, 36  Blitz-Filter GmbH,[22] a filter paper manufacturer, holding a D.R.G.M. utility patent[22] on their filter.[21] In , Paul Ciupka proposed conical paper coffee filters,[23]: 214 [13]: 141  which reportedly led to the construction of another coffee filter named "Brasil Kaffeefilter" at the Göttinger Aluminiumwerke [de] (now Alcan) in .[16]: 166 [13]: 141 [21] It was recommended by the press.[24] Melitta bought the rights to the Göttingen D.R.G.M. filter patent[16]: 166 [13]: 141 [21] and, still in ,[25] introduced their Schnell-Filter (English: quick filter),[13]: 141 [18]: 33–34, 36 [21] a cone-shaped filter holder looking almost identical to the Brasil filter[22] with a circular bottom with 8 (later 4) holes suitable for use with squarish sheets of filter paper, which still had to be pressed into shape through a metal cone (a so called Eindrücker (presser), a type of filter shaping tool also known as "negotiator" today).[13]: 141–142 [26] These quick filter holders were manufactured of porcelain or metal, available in sizes named "100", "101", "102", and "103". This system was available up to .[27]

Patented in ,[18] Melitta introduced the Filtertüte (English: filter bag) in various sizes in or [13]: 141 [18][6] In Germany, Melitta holds a trademark on the term "Filtertüte" (English: filter bag) for the conical fan- or boat-shaped paper filter introduced in ,[28] that is why other manufacturers use terms like coffee filter, paper filter, etc.

In ,[22] Melitta also took over the manufacturer of the "Blitz-Filter".[18]: 33–34, 36  The cone-shaped filter holders were refined in to get a slot-shaped bottom (originally with 4 holes) more suitable for the filter bags, now looking more fan- or boat-shaped.[18] Over the years the system was expanded to eventually consist of filter bag sizes "100" (for 1–2 cups à 1⁄6[29]–1⁄8 litre[clarification needed][30][31][29]), "101" (for 2–3[30] or 2–4 cups[31][29][32]), "102" (for 3–6,[30] 4–6[33] or 4–8 cups[31][29]), "103" (for 6–15,[30] 8–15 cups[31][29][34] or 10–15[35]), "104" (for 15–25[31][29] or 15–30 cups[30]), "105" (for 25–50[31][29][36] or 30–60 cups[30]), "106" (for 50–80[31][29] or 60–100 cups[37]), "112" (for 2 cups, with pot mount[38][39][40][41][42][43]) and "123"[44] (for 6–10 cups[45]). The system also included special types like tea filters "401" (1–6 cups,[46] compatible with "101"[44][29]) and "402" (for 3–9 cups,[47] compatible with "102"[48]) and the miniature filter "801" (for 1–2 or 1–3[49] small cups for children, or 1 normal cup[49]). Brigitta once marketed a fan- or boat-shaped filter size "502".[50][51] A disadvantage of the system was that one had to pour water continuously or several times while the proper amount of necessary water could only be guessed.

Therefore, in [18] or [6] Melitta developed a new fan- or boat-shaped filter system with corresponding "1×" nomenclature: In this system the filters are sized big enough so that the whole amount of water (except for the water needed for blooming) can be poured in one go. Consequently, the filter sizes "1×2", "1×4", "1×6" and "1×10"[52] result in 2, 4,[53] 6, and 10 cups of coffee when filling the filter once. Since these filters only differ in height and have otherwise the exact same geometry, bottom width (about 49 mm) and angle (about 54°), the filter bags are interchangeable between filter holders of different sizes.

Both systems are still in use today in principle, but the sizes "103", "104", "105", "106", "112", "123", "401", "402", ("502",) "801" and "1×10" are no longer manufactured.

Common in the US are fan- or boat-shaped filters "#0" (similar to "100"), "#1" (similar to "101"),[nb 3] "#2" (similar to "102"),[nb 4] "#4" (similar to "1×4"),[nb 5] and "#6" (similar to "1×6"),[nb 6][nb 7] with "#2", "#4" and "#6" being particularly popular, as well as basket-shaped filters in an 8–12 cup home size and larger restaurant sizes.

Hario filter system

The Hario [ja] "vector 60" V60 is a cone-shaped brewer (with 60° angle), with ribs along the wall (to prevent the paper sticking and allowing air through) and a single large hole (to allow water to pass through unrestricted).[54] Hario began designing brewers in ; the V60 design was released in .[54][55] The brewer received the Japanese Good Design Award in [56] and is used by many of the winners in the World Brewers Cup. In partnership with World Barista Champion Pete Licata it was further developed into the Hario W60, a brewer with a flat-bottomed mesh filter, to "address the concern baristas have with 'flat bed' brewing".[57] The Hario Switch combines steeping with drip filtering.

Hario has cone-shaped paper filter bag sizes "01" (for 1 cup), "02" (for 1–4 cups) and "03" (for 1–6 cups).[58][55]

Other filter shapes

Saint Anthony Industries (SAI) introduced a conical filter called "C70" () and a flat-bottom filter "F70" () with a steep 70° angle.

Other Melitta filter sizes include the pyramid filters "202s", "203", "206(G)", "220(G)", "240(G)" and "270(G)", round filter disks "1" (94 mm), "1a" (60 mm), "2" (120 mm) and "2b", and "50",[6][59] circle filter rings (for percolators) "3 1⁄2 in." (89 mm),[60] "164mm", "190mm", "203mm", "235mm", "240mm", "244mm", "256mm", "260mm", "290mm", "330mm", "400mm" and "440mm", prepleated flat-bottom basket filters "(A)250/90" (250 mm/90 mm, also known as "90/250") and "(A)250/110" (250 mm/110 mm), roll filters "" as well as wrap filters (for percolators, 232 × 241 mm).[61][62] While some of them are still available today, most of them have fallen out of use for long.

A squarish pyramid filter Filtra "602" was available as well.[63]

Other basket filter sizes include "101/317", "152/350", "152/457", "203/533" and "280/635".

Other round filter disks include 160 mm, 220 mm, 195 mm, 230 mm.

The Aeropress and Ceado Hoop use round paper filter disks with a diameter of c. 63 mm.

The German Tricolate coffee dripper uses round paper filter disks with a diameter of 88 mm.

The Kanas-based NextLevel drippers use proprietary round disk paper filters as well (95 mm for the LVL-10 and 77 mm for the Pulsar).[64]

The Hario cold brew dripper Slow Brew "Shizuku" (WDC-6) and Water Dripper Clear (WDW-6) take 58 mm round filter disks.

Chemex filter system

The six conical filter holder sizes for the Chemex coffee maker (originally introduced in ) and the Funnex utilize two different sizes of paper filters. A half-moon shaped filter paper (bleached: FP-2, unbleached: FP-2N) is used for the 3-cup holders (CM-1, CM-1C, CM-1GH) and the Funnex (CM-FNX), which must be folded before use. The larger holders for 5 (CM-2), 6 (CM-6A, CM-6GH), 8 (CM-3, CM-8A, CM-8GH), 10 (CM-10A, CM-10GH) and 13 cups (CM-4) can alternatively use prefolded square sheets (bleached: FS-100, unbleached: FSU-100), prefolded circle filters (bleached: FC-100) or unfolded circle filters (bleached: FP-1). The paper is 20–30% thicker than regular paper filters.

Other filter parameters and properties

Other important coffee filter paper parameters are strength, compatibility, efficiency and capacity.

If a coffee filter is not strong enough, it will tear or rupture, allowing coffee grains through to the coffee pot. Compatibility describes a filter medium's resistance to degradation by heat and chemical attack; a filter that is not compatible with the liquid passing through it is likely to break down, losing strength (structural failure). Efficiency is the retention of particles in a target (size) category. The efficiency is dictated by the particles or substances to be removed. A large-mesh filter may be efficient at retaining large particles but inefficient at retaining small particles. Capacity is the ability to "hold" previously removed particles while allowing further flow. A very efficient filter may show poor capacity, causing increased resistance to flow or other problems as it plugging up prematurely and increasing resistance or flow problems. A balance between particle capture and flow requirements must be met while ensuring integrity.

Reusable cloth filters

Reusable cloth (such as cotton,[17][16]: 62, 162  hemp,[65][17][66]: 47 [16]: 162  linen,[11][65][66]: 47 [16]: 64  silk,[65][66]: 47 [16]: 64  wool,[65][66]: 47 [16]: 64  hair cloth,[11][16]: 64  horse hair,[65][66]: 47 [16]: 64  fustian, muslin[16]: 62  or flannel[16]: 62 ) has been used to filter coffee for a very long time.[11][67][68] Like paper, it strains out the coffee grounds, but the cloth filter allows more of the oil to come through than paper filters.[69] An example of a cloth filter is the bolsita in Costa Rican chorreador coffee makers.

Permanent filters

Permanent filters can be divided into two groups:

The first type integrates the filter sieve with the holding mechanism into one part.

The second type of permanent filters are inserts to be used with a separate filter holder. For this, they are resembling the shape of disposable paper or reusable cloth filters otherwise used with those filter holders. Like them they can exhibit some amount of water bypass.

Permanent metal filters are also used to prepare filtered coffee, including Vietnamese iced coffee and Indian filter coffee. The "French press" (also referred to as cafetière) uses a metal filter. Other types of permanent filters are made of plastic, porous ceramics, or porcelain (like the double-layered cross-slitted strainer made from through-glazed porcelain of Karlsbad-style coffee makers or the special porcelain filter sieves of Büttner system coffee makers).[nb 1]

Filter holders

Filter holders are made out of plastic (including Makrolon/Exolon, Tritan, Ecozen), metal (stainless steel, copper, aluminium, emaille), ceramics, porcelain or glass, or, rarely, wood.[nb 1] Most of them are designed to be used with disposable paper and reusable cloth filter inserts, but there is also an after-market of permanent filter inserts made out of plastic, metal or ceramics which can be used in filter holders originally designed for paper or cloth filters.[nb 1] Another type of permanent filters combines the actual filter sieve with its holding mechanism into one integral part.

Filter holders for cone-, fan- or boat- as well as for flat-bottom shaped (paper) filters can be distinguished by features of their mechanical construction, some of which also have a significant influence on taste, brewing time, utility and how (easy) to clean the filter holder:

• filter geometry (Melitta-, Hario-, SAI- or Orea-style filter shape and angle, etc.)
• filter size (depending on filter geometry and system for a different number of cups and/or different pouring styles)
• rib structure (straight (Melitta, Hario), interrupted (Seltmann Weiden [de] or Beem), or origami design), direction (straight down (Melitta), spiral (Hario, Seltmann Weiden, Beem)), spacing (narrow, sparse) and location (whole inner surface of filter cone, only at lower half of filter cone) to influence bypass and clogging
• bottom structure (with or without ridges, conical, apex or flat) to influence channeling and clogging
• number of draining holes (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 or 12) and diameter (one large hole as for Hario-, one or more equally-sized small holes as for Melitta-style filters, combination of a large center hole with small surrounding holes as for the Torch Mountain dripper, or an adjustable count of holes as with the December dripper)
• material (porcelain, ceramics, stainless steel, copper, aluminium, glass, plastic)[nb 1] and color
• mount (standard plate mount for pots or cups, affixable pot mount (like Melitta 112), ring mount for a coffee stand or tripod, long cylinder outlet to fit Thermos bottles (like Fröfilt K, Alfi Aroma Plus, or Gefu Sandro / Cilio #4 filters, or the Friesland filter adapter), single-cup filter mount, or integrated with coffee pot (like with Melitta Diabolo[26]))
• type of handle (none, style of handle, number of grips)
• special features like stopper valves (as for Melitta 401/402 tea filter holders, the Clever Dripper, the Bonavita Immersion Dripper, the Goat Story GINA, the December Dripper, the Hario Switch, the Melitta Amano, the NextLevel Pulsar, or the Sworksdesign Bottomless Dripper) for steep & release brewing, cup-viewing windows (as for Zero Japan Bee House filters,[70] Melitta filter holders since , or the Le Crueset dripper), anti-dribbling "tripod" plate design, design for simultaneous pouring into one or two cups (as for Melitta filter holders since ), double-walled design for better thermal insulation (as for Melitta Oslo Form 23 "102 M" filters,[71] KPM Café Berlin LAB filters #2/#4,[72][73] the Seltmann Weiden No Limits Barista filter #2,[74][75] the Melitta 111th Anniversary Set filter 102,[76][77] the Fellow Stagg X/XF drippers, the Chemex Funnex, the notNeutral Gino dripper, the Villeroy & Boch Coffee Passion V60 filter,[78] the Brewista Tornado Duo filters, or the Etkin 8-cup and 2-cup drippers), radial water feeding (like with the Ceado Hoop), or a collapsible design for easier storage
• accessories like a water spreader or cover lid or top-plate to help water distribution and reduce the temperature decline during pouring, a saucer to catch coffee droplets after use, a mounting stand, or coffee chilling stones.

Metal and porcelain filter holders store more heat than glass or plastic filters and therefore should be pre-heated to avoid too large temperature drops during pouring.

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See also

• Drip brew
• Coffee pod (coffee bag)
• Single-serve coffee container
• Ground coffee filter ring
• Tea bag or tea ball
• Used coffee grounds
• Health effects of coffee
• Neapolitan flip coffee pot

Notes

References

Further reading