Should You Filter French Press Coffee? (Solved & Explained!)

French press coffee is technically unfiltered as the coffee grounds have direct contact with the hot water.

Yet a metal filter is used in a French press to separate the grounds from the water. French press coffee needs to be partly filtered in this way to avoid bits of sediment getting into the water and causing coffee to taste bitter.

The following will answer the question of whether French press coffee is filtered, if it should be filtered, and which filter is the best to use.

Does French Press Coffee Need to be Filtered?

French press coffee is not filtered in the traditional sense of pouring hot water through a filter and briefly saturating the grounds. French press coffee saturates the grounds directly in hot water for several minutes to extract the flavors.

Yet the grounds need to be separated from the water using a metal mesh filter to remove the bits of sediment.

Is French Press Coffee Filtered or Unfiltered?

Despite having an in-built stainless-steel mesh filter, a French press actually makes coffee which is technically unfiltered.

This is because the grounds are not separated from the water through the filter but are instead steeped directly in the water. All the oils, flavors, aromas, and substances are extracted from the coffee and nothing is caught on the filter or removed.

Is the Metal Filter Built into a French Press?

French presses are made up of a beaker, a lid with a plunger and a stainless-steel mesh filter. This filter is in-built into the French press and is part of the design.

The metal filter is reusable and lasts for many years, meaning that separate filters do not need to be bought and placed in each time, making it eco-friendly.

What Size Coffee Grounds Can Be Filtered in a French Press?

The mesh filter in a French press separates the grounds from the water but has gaps in between the mesh. These gaps are large enough that if the coffee grounds are too fine, they can escape through into the water and cause sediment.

For a French press coffee grounds need to be coarse, the thickness and consistency of rough sand.

Can You Use Paper Filters in a French Press?

French presses have an in-built metal filter and another filter such as a paper one is not required.

If you wanted to add an additional filtering process to your coffee making, you can use a paper filter in a French press. If coffee grounds are too fine to be caught by the metal mesh a paper filter can catch them.

What Are the Different Kinds of Coffee Filters?

• Paper filters, which are disposable.
• Stainless-steel filters, which can be reused for many years.
• Gold filters, or stainless-steel filters with gold plating, can also be reused for many years.
• Nylon synthetic filters can be reused for around a year.
• Cloth filters, which can be made of cotton, muslin, hemp, or cheesecloth, can be washed and reused for around six months.

Which is the Best Coffee Filter to Use?

Metal filters, such as the kind used in a French press, are the most environmentally friendly option as they are reusable and last for many years. Though they cannot be used with fine ground coffee and do not filter out certain substances.

Paper filters are not eco-friendly as they are single-use and disposable, though many can be composted or biodegraded.

Does French Press Coffee Taste Better?

Unfiltered coffee, such as French press, is renowned for its strong and robust flavors. The process gives you more control over your coffee as the longer you let it steep the stronger and bolder it will taste.

Does Filtered Coffee Taste Worse than Unfiltered?

Filtered coffee has less flavor but has a smoother taste without the presence of oils or sediment. Filtered coffee is milder and weaker, and does not have the same distinct and strong flavor as unfiltered. This is because unfiltered coffee saturates all the aromas and oils into the water, creating more flavor.

Is Filtered or Unfiltered Coffee Healthier?

Unfiltered coffee is unhealthier than filtered coffee, as harmful substances are not filtered out.

Coffee contains substances such as cafestol and kahweol, which are diterpenes which can raise cholesterol by affecting the production of bile in the body. Unfiltered coffee also contains a higher amount of caffeine, which can have adverse health issues such as headaches, shaking, insomnia, and anxiety.

What Do Filters Remove from Coffee?

Coffee filters do not just remove sediment, they also remove potentially harmful substances, oils, and caffeine from the coffee. Diterpenes such as cafestol and kahweol are mostly caught on the filter and there is a lot less of them present in filtered coffee.

What Healthy Substances Does Coffee Contain That Should Not Be Filtered Out?

Coffee is high in antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. The antioxidants, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B-12, provide a range of health benefits from your coffee.

These nutrients are anti-inflammatory, which protect against diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, which are linked to inflammation. They also boost immunity and protect against diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, depression, and liver disease.

How Do You Clean a French Press In-Built Filter?

Take the filter out of the French press and clean it thoroughly after each use.

1. Take the French press apart and unscrew the filter and remove it.
2. Rinse all the parts with hot water and dish soap to remove any grounds and oils.
3. Press the plunger down several times through hot water to remove any leftover residue.

How Do You Clean Used Coffee Grounds Out of a French Press Filter?

Unscrew the filter and remove it from the French press. Use a sieve that can catch the coffee grounds, or a paper towel, before washing the grounds out of the filter so that they do not go down the sink.

Empty the coffee grounds into the household waste or place them into a compost pile to make a natural fertilizer.