A reusable coffee filter that won't leave coffee grounds in my cup?
February 26, 2010 12:50 PM Subscribe
Is there a reusable coffee filter that won't leave coffee grounds in my cup?
My coffee maker (it's a programmable Cuisinart like this one) came with a wire mesh coffee filter, but it always leaves grounds in the last cup. I switched to paper filters (unbleached of course), but they seem like a waste. I even tried this hemp one, but it got gross fast enough that it still seems like a waste.
Can anyone recommend a reusable filter that won't turn icky and/or let grounds through? Personal experience only, please -- I'll be sad if I get another one that looks like it should work, but doesn't (how do those grounds get through those tiny holes?!)
I need #4 cone size. Thanks!
My coffee maker (it's a programmable Cuisinart like this one) came with a wire mesh coffee filter, but it always leaves grounds in the last cup. I switched to paper filters (unbleached of course), but they seem like a waste. I even tried this hemp one, but it got gross fast enough that it still seems like a waste.
Can anyone recommend a reusable filter that won't turn icky and/or let grounds through? Personal experience only, please -- I'll be sad if I get another one that looks like it should work, but doesn't (how do those grounds get through those tiny holes?!)
I need #4 cone size. Thanks!
Best answer: Did you try grinding your coffee a little less finely?
posted by Perplexity at 12:59 PM on February 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Perplexity at 12:59 PM on February 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I've got a blade grinder (like this one), so it's hard to adjust the grain size -- some of them always end up tiny.
posted by vorfeed at 1:53 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by vorfeed at 1:53 PM on February 26, 2010
What Perplexity said. I never have grounds with my wire mesh filter.
posted by Obscure Reference at 1:53 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by Obscure Reference at 1:53 PM on February 26, 2010
It's all in the grind. Typically coffee for coffee makers should look like a handful of croissant flakes.
posted by bam at 2:02 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by bam at 2:02 PM on February 26, 2010
Response by poster: hmm, so I should be just grinding it for a second or two?
posted by vorfeed at 2:05 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by vorfeed at 2:05 PM on February 26, 2010
Next time you're buying beans, have them grind a half-pound on the coffee shop's grinder. Use that as a model for your home grinding.
posted by mendel at 2:08 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by mendel at 2:08 PM on February 26, 2010
I came here to recommend the same gold filter that is listed as coming with your coffee maker, so put me firmly in the larger grounds camp. Good luck!
posted by cestmoi15 at 2:22 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by cestmoi15 at 2:22 PM on February 26, 2010
Be aware that unfiltered coffee puts you a greater risk for heart disease. The paper filters remove something from the coffee that might otherwise increase your cholesterol.
posted by malp at 2:26 PM on February 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by malp at 2:26 PM on February 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: http://jmahne.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/20080106_coffee_grounds.jpg
posted by bam at 2:44 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by bam at 2:44 PM on February 26, 2010
Response by poster: Whoa, that picture bam posted looks way less fine than I've been grinding it! Looks like this is the problem, after all. I'll try to get it to come out looking more like that, and see how things go. Thanks, everyone!
posted by vorfeed at 2:52 PM on February 26, 2010
posted by vorfeed at 2:52 PM on February 26, 2010
Coarser grind, for sure.
You'll find a burr grinder way more consistent than the blade. Blades are certainly cheaper, but they tend to produce an unpredictable mix of fine and coarse grounds.
It has to be said: malp's claim is questionable at best, citing an undated article containing findings from 2001. Any possible risk has been drastically overstated, and verges on sensationalism. (This topic has been raised in AskMeFi before.)
Enjoy your coffee.
posted by xndr at 4:10 PM on February 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
You'll find a burr grinder way more consistent than the blade. Blades are certainly cheaper, but they tend to produce an unpredictable mix of fine and coarse grounds.
It has to be said: malp's claim is questionable at best, citing an undated article containing findings from 2001. Any possible risk has been drastically overstated, and verges on sensationalism. (This topic has been raised in AskMeFi before.)
Enjoy your coffee.
posted by xndr at 4:10 PM on February 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
If your grinder has blender-like knives at the bottom, you're doing it wrong it's not actually a coffee grinder. It would actually be better off having it ground at a respectable coffee shop (where you're hopefully buying your coffee).
For making coffee, in order of importance:
Good coffee; a good, clean grinder*; clean brewing equipment; proper dosing and extraction/steeping time**
*not terribly expensive if you're not making espresso.
**a good set of scales (0.1g is handy) and a stopwatch.
Making coffee is more akin to baking than making food. You need everything right from the get-go.
posted by flippant at 1:24 AM on February 27, 2010
For making coffee, in order of importance:
Good coffee; a good, clean grinder*; clean brewing equipment; proper dosing and extraction/steeping time**
*not terribly expensive if you're not making espresso.
**a good set of scales (0.1g is handy) and a stopwatch.
Making coffee is more akin to baking than making food. You need everything right from the get-go.
posted by flippant at 1:24 AM on February 27, 2010
A quick search of NIH.gov yielded several recent publications linking unfiltered coffee and heart attacks.
2003 Study - CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of boiled coffee appears to increase the incidence of first nonfatal myocardial infarction. This increased incidence is consistent with randomized trials showing an adverse impact of boiled coffee on blood lipids.
2009 Study - CONCLUSION: Consumption of filtered coffee was positively associated with the risk of a first MI in men. A similar tendency was observed for boiled coffee in women, but the result was not statistically significant in multivariate analysis. Further investigation in a larger study is warranted.
2007 Study - SUMMARY: Diterpenes present in unfiltered coffee and caffeine each appear to increase risk of coronary heart disease. A lower risk of coronary heart disease among moderate coffee drinkers might be due to antioxidants found in coffee.
You can decide for yourself whether these studies are credible or verge on sensationalism and whether the health effects are significant.
posted by malp at 9:12 AM on March 1, 2010
2003 Study - CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of boiled coffee appears to increase the incidence of first nonfatal myocardial infarction. This increased incidence is consistent with randomized trials showing an adverse impact of boiled coffee on blood lipids.
2009 Study - CONCLUSION: Consumption of filtered coffee was positively associated with the risk of a first MI in men. A similar tendency was observed for boiled coffee in women, but the result was not statistically significant in multivariate analysis. Further investigation in a larger study is warranted.
2007 Study - SUMMARY: Diterpenes present in unfiltered coffee and caffeine each appear to increase risk of coronary heart disease. A lower risk of coronary heart disease among moderate coffee drinkers might be due to antioxidants found in coffee.
You can decide for yourself whether these studies are credible or verge on sensationalism and whether the health effects are significant.
posted by malp at 9:12 AM on March 1, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by vorfeed at 12:52 PM on February 26, 2010