Can You Use Regular Cone Filters in a Chemex? (Solved & Explained!)

As you start to use the Chemex coffee maker, you may hear that you need to place a filter at the top. But is it all right to use regular cone filters instead of the designated Chemex ones?

You can’t use regular cone filters in a Chemex, and however, you aren’t going to have the same clean taste as you would with Chemex filters. There might even be a paper to The Brew. Regular paper filters will also allow water to filter through quicker than Chemex filters, so you might have to rethink your pouring technique. 

Let’s discover why Chemex filters make the best coffee and whether you can reuse them, and we’ll walk you through some alternative options that are better than the regular cone filters, including reusable ones, so that you can save some money. 

Why are Chemex Filters Better Than Regular Filters?

While you can use a regular coffee filter for your Chemex, it’s much better to use the designated Chemex filters because they are heavier. The paper is coarser, allowing it to remove finer particles you don’t want, such as oils and fats from the coffee bean.

The heavier paper also means that you can have a proper steeping time for your coffee with the pour-over method. Chemex filters regulate the filtration rate, which means that your coffee will have a richer flavor while filtering out any components that might make the coffee bitter.

The heavier paper also ensures that the filter doesn’t burst under the weight of the coffee and water while filtering. They also are less likely to break when you lift the filter out of the Chemex to dispose of the coffee grounds.

Can You Reuse Chemex Filters?

Chemex filters can be quite expensive, which might have you wondering whether you can reuse them instead of just throwing them away after a single use. Unfortunately, Chemex does not recommend reusing their filters because they make them with brewing one batch of coffee in mind. 

Since the filters are so good at taking out oils and fats, those same particles can clog up the filter. So if you were to reuse the filter, water would pass through it a lot slower, which will cause your coffee to have too many soluble flavors taken out of it.

You may think that rinsing the filter is the best way to get around this, but even with the start of your paper, the filters can’t withstand many rinsings before they begin to tear. If you want a filter you could reuse, there are reusable filters designed for that purpose.

What Alternatives to Chemex Filters Are There?

If you decide that reusable filters are something that you’re interested in, then here are a few alternative options for you to check out. However, you should remember that your coffee’s flavor will be slightly different depending on your filter. So don’t expect these alternative filters to give you the same tasting coffee as you would get from a Chemex filter.

Stainless Steel Filters

Stainless steel filters are reusable, and we’ll give you a full-body coffee that is close to what you would get from using a French press. However, similarly to using a French press, there is also a high chance of getting leftover sediment in the bottom of your coffee cup.

Another disadvantage to stainless steel filters is that they often won’t fit smaller Chemex, such as a 3 cup. They can also be costlier since they’re made from metal and aren’t as high in demand as regular paper filters.

Cloth Filters

If you’re looking for a reusable option that you can easily wash, cloth filters are a great choice. They’re also going to give you a brew closer to a Chemex flavor that you would expect from the actual filters but a bit lighter, especially when compared to the stainless steel filters. 

Cloth filters are a great choice for those who want a more intrinsic and they. They are also less likely to leave leftover sediment in the bottom of your cup especially compared to alternatives.

However, cloth filters can be harder to clean, especially if you don’t clean them immediately after Brewing. Removing coffee grounds from the filter can be arduous, and you also need to make sure that you store them correctly to prevent mold. Generally, you should hang them up to ensure they don’t mix up with other Fabrics in your kitchen.

Using a Coffee Sock

A coffee sock is a kind of organic cotton cloth coffee filter that you can reuse as often as you’d like. Before using it the first time, it’s best to boil water and submerge the coffee, allowing some of the paste in the fabric to drain. Coffee socks are best for 6, 8, 10, and 13 cups Chemex models.

Generally speaking, you also want to use a finer grind, but you may have to experiment with it a little bit to find the appropriate size for your Brew. Since there’s usually a specific time it takes for the pour-over to diffuse through the coffee grounds, you can figure this out after a few tries.

Cleaning a coffee sock is also really easy. All you need to do is rinse the fabric, brush away any of the coffee grounds that may have stuck to it, and then hang it out to dry. Every 6 to 8 weeks, you should put the filter in boiling water to prevent any oils from building up. You can also add in some bicarbonate soap to freshen it up.

Conclusion

While you can use other regular cone filters, you’re better off with a Chemex filter. This is because the paper is heavier, allowing more control over the filtration. And ensure that you are getting a dull and paper taste in your coffee. They are also less likely to tear when you are brewing your coffee or when you want to remove the filter with the coffee grounds.