Reusable Coffee Filter

I love rich and flavourful coffee but espresso was too strong for me in the morning, and I also want it to be refreshing. Having said that, I found that paper filter coffee was a bit lighter than I preferred.

I wanted something in between. Then I found the metal coffee filter.

The metal filter keeps the coffee’s natural oils. This makes it taste richer and smoother.

Paper filters absorb those oils, which makes the coffee cleaner and lighter, though I lean towards richer flavours.

Zero Waste Kitchen

It’s lightweight and easy to clean, lasting long in good condition.

Also, metal retains heat, keeping coffee warm.

It’s eternally reusable, so it hugely reduces paper waste, saves time and money on buying new paper filters, and is non-plastic.

I’ve been using this for two years every single morning (and some afternoons). That means I’ve saved over 720 paper filters just for myself alone so far.

Zero waste and also keeps my kitchen bin small.

How to Brew Coffee with a Metal Dripper

1: Grind coffee beans.

The recommended grind size is somewhere between coarse sugar and espresso. If it’s too fine, it’s likely to clog.

If you buy ground ones from the shop, pick medium ground, not espresso.

2: Run hot water through the mesh.

I often hear that metal drippers can get clogged easily. Do this every time before you brew your coffee. This protects from clogging whilst brewing.

3: Pour ground beans into the filter.

Make a little well in the middle to create a wall around it, and pour hot water in the centre.

This helps maintain the coffee’s flavour by ensuring the hot water passes properly through the grounds.

4: Start by pouring a small amount of hot water in the centre.

Hold for 10 seconds to wait for the coffee to absorb.

5: Then slowly continue to pour

Keep the water flow in the centre, making small circles. Avoid going to the edge of the filter.

Wait for the coffee to go down. Meanwhile, you can do something else.

If you see the coffee wall inside the filter, it’s a good sign.

I recommend not shaking the filter until this stage.

If it still gets clogged

Only at the very last stage, if it still gets clogged, you can use the back of the spoon and gently tap the bottom of the filter. It can release the coffee that’s stuck.

You can see the coffee oil on the surface of the cup.

It’s the characteristic of the metal filter.

I love this stainless filter as it’s completely non-plastic and lightweight.

Enjoy your flavourful coffee

How to Clean a Metal Coffee Filter

Gently apply Neutral detergent and then thoroughly rinse with warm water using a soft sponge.

I’d recommend a natural sponge such as loofah,

rather than synthetic ones so that microplastics don’t get caught between the metal filters. This keeps the taste natural and also keeps you healthy.

Deep Cleaning

Avoid scrubbing too hard. Instead, soak it in bicarbonate of soda water with hot water for 30 minutes and rinse it thoroughly.

Please do make sure to keep it dry.

It will work nicely. It should serve you well for many years.

Minimalist swaps for a sustainable home (without “eco” pressure).

Switching to a reusable metal coffee filter has changed my morning. Not only do I enjoy flavourful coffee, I’ve also eliminated hundreds of paper filter wastes whilst simplifying my kitchen and saving extra cash.

It’s a small change that makes your day light up.

Have a wonderful day, and keep warm.

The metal coffee filter was first featured tin this video, and you can see more of my minimalism swaps like this here.