Do you need a paper filter with a permanent filter? (2024)

I routinely brew coffee using a metal permanent filter. Should I use paper filter with permanent filter? Is it healthier or safer? Or, can I simply use permanent filter without paper filter?

Owly Choice reader Eric

Eric reached out with a fantastic question of whether we should or need to use a paper filter with permanent filters. Filters can be very important to some coffee drinkers. Filters separate coffee grounds from the coffee liquid. While they typically are not essential, they may be extremely helpful.

There are significant differences between a paper filter and a metal filter.

Though you typically do not need to use a paper filter along with a permanent filter, you may need to use a paper filter with a permanent filter (or replace permanent filter with a paper filter) in the following situations:

• You would like to better separate coffee grounds from your cup of coffee.
• You have increased cholesterol levels (specifically LDL cholesterol) and should drink filtered vs unfiltered coffee.

As an important note, we would like to emphasize that in some situations you may use a paper filter with a permanent filter while brewing coffee. However, in other situations you should replace a permanent filter with a paper filter.

For instance, you should not use a paper filter with a permanent filter in most electric coffee makers. It is because the coffee maker can become clogged and will flood your countertop. You can use just one type of filter.

If you are involved in more manual brewing, like brewing coffee in a percolator, you may follow our guide on how to use a paper filter with a percolator.

When to use paper filter with a permanent metal filter?

Here are the most common reasons why you may need to use paper filter with permanent filter (or replace permanent filter with paper filter):

• Increased LDL cholesterol levels: paper filters are better able to separate coffee components such as cafestol and kahweol. Individuals with increased levels of LDL cholesterol should avoid those components. They should drink filtered coffee (vs unfiltered coffee), which comes from the use of paper filters.
• Better separate coffee grounds from a cup of coffee: if you enjoy coffee from a percolator or a French press, you know that many coffee grounds can find their way in your cup of coffee. It’s then unpleasant to spit out coffee ground particles while enjoying your cup. Therefore, you may want to add on an extra layer of filtering with the paper filter.
• Desire for less intense coffee: paper filters separate out stronger coffee components. This results in more flavorful but less intense beverage. Therefore, you may need to use paper filters with permanent filters if you would like less intense coffee.

How to use a paper filter with permanent filter?

There are two ways how you can use a paper filter with permanent filter:

• Use paper filter with permanent filter: in some coffee brewing methods, you may use both a paper filter and a permanent metal filter. For instance, if you love your coffee from pour overs, you are welcome to use both a paper filter and metal filter simultaneously. In fact, we find using paper filter with permanent filter to be very convenient. Paper filters tend to fold, and permanent filters give them a more stable structure.
• Use paper filter after you brew coffee with a permanent filter: in other coffee brewing methods, you may need to filter your coffee through a paper filter after brewing coffee. For instance, if you are brewing coffee in a percolator, we encourage you to filter coffee through a paper filter after percolating. Similarly, espresso lovers may want to filter their espresso shots through a paper filter after an espresso machine yields those shots.
• Replace permanent filter with paper filter: regular drip or single cup coffee makers require the use of either a paper filter or a permanent filter, but not both at the same time. In those situations, we simply encourage you to replace permanent filter with paper filter.

If you need paper filters, should you buy a coffee maker with a permanent filter?

Many electric coffee makers come with their own permanent filters. If that is the case with your coffee machine, manufacturers usually advise that we should remove a permanent filter before inserting a paper one.

Using both filters means that means that coffee is filtered twice, and that can create a cup of much weaker coffee. Furthermore, using both can possibly damage your coffee maker. At best, the coffee maker will leak. At worst, the coffee maker will be permanently damaged.

But, investing in a good coffee machine is what is important, so even if that machine comes with a permanent filter and we want to use paper filters, that is fine as long as the permanent filter can be removed. Besides, you never know when you receive guests who like their coffee unfiltered.

Who should buy a permanent filter?

Metal filters come as an additional perk with man coffee machines, so we do not need to pay for them separately. There are certain people who may wish to buy a permanent filter (instead of a paper filter):

• Save money. Permanent filters are less expensive than paper filters
• Care for the Earth. While paper filters are recycle and decomposable, they create unnecessary waste.
• Stronger coffee. Unfiltered coffee (brewed with permanent filtered) is stronger and richer.

We do not recommend permanent filters to people with high cholesterol levels. The metal mesh that most such filters are made of is not able to catch all the oils and all the coffee components that can raise the bad cholesterol levels in the body.

What do you think?

Have you used paper filter along with a permanent filter in brewing your coffee? Which filter do you prefer?

Let us know in the comments!