Coffee Filters

Brewing a pot of delicious coffee is an essential task for many. Coffee provides us the energy to start our days or gives us a much-needed afternoon pick-me-up, which is why it’s one of the most beloved beverages around the world.

To brew a decent cup of coffee all you’ll need is one of the many coffee makers and espresso machines available from Staples, some coffee stirrers and straws, coffee, water, and, of course, coffee filters. Coffee filters are important for the brewing process and help to reduce the amount of dregs and impurities that would otherwise get into your freshly-brewed coffee, so it’s incredibly important to have the right filter for your type of coffee maker or machine.

At Staples, we’re huge coffee fans, so our team knows a thing or two about high-quality coffee filters for everyday use.

What Are the Different Types of Coffee Filters?

When you think of coffee filters, you imagine the standard white, basket-shaped variety. And while those are great coffee filters for some machines, they aren’t the only ones available to you. In fact, there are several types of coffee filters that are designed to fit into different coffee makers. Let’s break down some of the common differentiators.

Coffee Filter Shapes

The most common coffee filter shapes are cone and basket-shaped filters. The basket shape has a flat bottom and often has grooved edges. This type of coffee liner is designed to be used in coffee machines with standard basket filter systems, but can be folded to fit into cone-shaped coffee maker baskets in a pinch.

Cone-shaped filters, on the other hand, have a sharply tapered bottom and smooth sides. Cone filtration systems are said to filter the hot water through the grounds more efficiently, giving your coffee more flavor. These specific liners only fit well into cone-shaped baskets.

Coffee Filter Capacity

Coffee filters are available in many sizes that determine the amount of cups they can brew. The capacity of the coffee filter can be checked in the product specifications, but in general, standard coffee filters can often hold up to 8-12 cups worth of coffee grounds.

Bleached vs. Unbleached Coffee Filters

Paper coffee filters are often bleached to make the paper a bright, white color. Bleaching can either be done with chlorine or oxygen, with many people preferring the quality of oxygen bleached coffee liners. Coffee filters that are not bleached often appear more brown in color and are thought to be a better choice for the environment because the paper hasn’t gone through any additional purification processes. As far as the effect each filter has on your coffee, however, there’s no difference between the two.

What Type of Coffee Filter is Best?

There are a ton of great coffee filters to choose from – you just have to find the right one for your purposes. As you’re browsing through our selection of coffee filters, think about the amount of coffee filters you’ll need (a large office might need more than a home or smaller office would, for instance) and the type of coffee maker you have. After that, everything else is up to personal preference!