Best Coffee Filters for Your Favorite Roasts

We tested seven #4 paper coffee filters to determine which produced the cleanest brew without a pronounced papery flavor (to understand just what “papery” means, imagine licking a piece of construction paper. The drying texture and tacky flavor is what we mean by “papery”). Several of the filters we tried did impart this unpleasant sensation. That said, if you just purchased a case of our least favorite filters, rest assured that rinsing the filters with hot water before brewing will eliminate most of the papery taste and feel.

If you want to get neurotic about your coffee—and no judgment here, from a former coffee professional with neuroses that apply to coffee and many other subjects—consider starting with your grinder. And P.S. When you get a new coffee maker, be sure to check what kind of filters it takes.