In this article, we will give you a roundup review of the best coffee bag filters. But before that, allow us to educate you first. Head over to the users’ guide section for you to understand how we came up with the products in the review section.
The Different Types of Cold Brew Coffee Filters
There are various types of coffee filters in the market. One type might do better than others depending on your specific need. Most determine the type of filters according to their material and shape. We, on the other hand, categorize coffee filters in 3 ways. Aside from the two categories we mentioned previously, there’s another we added – color.
Material
There are two types of coffee bag filters in terms of material – metal and paper filters:
- Paper filter – Paper filters are made using strands of fiber from different plants such as corn, fast-growing trees, etc. Paper filters are great for having light, clean, and non-oily cold brews. Thickness is very important when choosing paper filters. Buying thin ones are counterproductive. They’re more likely to tear after pouring water in. All paper filters are disposable. You might have to replace them with new ones after using for two or three times.
- Metal Filter – This kind of filter is out of fine strands of metal that manufacturers meshed. Metal filter does great when it comes to durability. They’re reusable cold brew coffee filter that’s not prone to tearing. They also do a fine job of making concentrated brews. When buying a metal filter, ensure that it’s rust-free and BPA free. A downside with metal filters is that they tend to produce brews that have an oily aftertaste. Furthermore, there might be grounds of coffee powder that goes with the drink.
Shape
In terms of shape, the types of coffee filters are cone, basket, and coffee filter bags:
- Cone filter – Most cone filters are paper filters. They’re suitable for brewing coffee directly in a decanter or carafe. All you need to do is insert the narrow bottom portion of the carafe then pour coffee powder on its wide uppermost portion. Before buying a cone filter, ensure that it fits on the decanter or carafe that you’ll be using. By the way, a downside with cone filters is that you can’t use them for brewing lots of coffee.
- Basket filter– Basket coffee has a wider design than cone filters. If you can’t understand, then basket filters look pretty similar to cupcake liners but way thicker and more fibrous. Also, they’re more ideal for brewing coffee for 5-7 people. Basket filters are either paper filters or metal filters. Usually, basket metal filters have a plastic or metal frame. Furthermore, you can opt to use them with automatic brewers.
- Coffee Bag Filter – Coffee bag filters look like paper pouches. They’re either big or small. Coffee bag filters can be used for coffee storage aside from brewing. Coffee bag filters are ideal if you don’t have a percolator, drip tower, and other types of brewers with you. Coffee bag filters have to be thick. Furthermore, they should have a short strand of thread that’s required for easy use.
Color
This categorization only applies to paper filters. All paper filters can be further classified into two general types – brown and white filters.
- White paper filters – White paper filters are bleached paper filters. Bleaching is done in two ways – oxygen bleaching and chlorine bleaching. In oxygen bleaching, manufacturers use sodium carbonate. This is a chemical that releases a burst of oxygen on the material that it’s applied to after being exposed to water. This burst of oxygen removes stains and pigmentation. Chlorine bleaching, on the other hand, utilizes the chemical reaction that chlorine causes to remove the brown pigmentation of fibers. If you decide to buy white paper filters, go for those that are oxygen bleached. They’re safer compared to chlorine-bleached filters.
- Brown paper filters – Brown paper filters are unbleached paper filters. Thus, their color might range from dark brown or light brown depending on the plant fiber that manufacturers used.
Paper Filter vs Metal Filter and White Filter vs Brown Filter
Paper Filter vs Metal Filter
Paper filters are what you need for cold brews that are light, crisp, clean, and non-oily. The fibers that make up paper filters do well in trapping fine particles for coffee powder. Furthermore, they absorb most of the natural oils that coffee has. However, a downside with them is that they suck some of the flavors from the coffee. This results in a cold brew that doesn’t taste very strong.
On the other hand, metal filters are what you need if you love strong cold brews. Metal doesn’t suck the flavor and the natural oil from coffee powder. This results in a darker drink that tastes rich. Still, metal filters have one downside. The resulting brew that you’ll get from them might have a slightly dusty or sandy feel. This comes from the tiny particles of the coffee powder that they failed to filter.
To sum up, go for paper filters if you’re fond of clean and light tasting cold brews. Choose metal filters instead if you love drinks that kick the tongue with bitterness.
White Paper Filter vs Brown Paper Filter
Choosing white filters over brown filters and vice versa doesn’t have much of a difference. Just be sure that you rinse them before brewing coffee. By rinsing, we mean to say that you pour hot water into the brown filter or white filter first before putting the coffee powder in. Rinsing is crucial, especially when using white paper filters. If unrinsed, white paper filters tend to give out a slightly sour cold brew.
The Best Coffee Bags for Cold Brew 2020
Plum Labs Cold Brew Coffee Filter
Plum labs coffee filter is a white paper coffee filter that’s made out of custom materials ( a mix of plant fiber and cloth fiber). This product produces smooth and rich cold brews as a result. Also, it’s a coffee bag filter that you can use with a 32 oz wide-mouth jar, a 2-quart mason jar, and a 1-2 gallon pitcher.
What We Like About Plum Labs Cold Brew Coffee Filter
- Odorless and preserves the natural odor of the coffee powder for the cold brew
- Has a drawstring for adjusting this product’s size and allows it to fit in different containers
- Has a tight meshing and ensures that small particles get trapped
- Has an ultra-wide opening for pouring coffee powder with ease
What We Don’t Like About Plum Labs Cold Brew Coffee Filter
- The tight meshing loosens a bit as we continued to use this product
- This product is purely dedicated to making large batches of cold brews
EasyColdBrewCoffee Disposable Cold Brew Coffee Filter
This coffee pitcher is perfect for normal-sized mason jars. Furthermore, you can use this as a tea bag infuser, a citrus infuser, and a hop bag or spice sack for making soups and boils. That said, this product’s strength lies in its versatility. This might be what you need if you’re looking for a filter that’s useful for brewing cold coffee and tea.
What We Like About EasyColdBrewCoffee Disposable Cold Brew Coffee Filter
- Very versatile and provides a lot of benefits
- Made out of corn fiber and ensures that the cold brew tastes and smells clean
- Ideal coffee bag filter for brewing from well-known coffee powder brands such as Starbucks, Doughnut House, Asobu, etc.
- Fits well with 32 oz weck and ball mason jars
- Durable and safe to use with automatic coffee makers
What We Don’t Like About EasyColdBrewCoffee Disposable Cold Brew Coffee Filter
- Didn’t seal well and we have to tie the drawstring at the mouth to keep it shut
- A single pack only contains 30 pieces which are a bit lacking since it can be used for different purposes
Boao Cold Brew Coffee Filter
A single pack of this product contains 200 pieces of coffee filters that you can use. This fits on standard size ball mason jar, weck mason jar. and standard pitchers. The penetrability is quite good and ensures that the coffee powder becomes very moist as soon as the user pours water in.
What We Like About Boao Cold Brew Coffee Filter
- Has a loose meshing and that allows the coffee powder inside to absorb moisture well
- A single pack contains 200 pieces
- Works well as a tea infuser
- Fabric made and a single piece can be used at least several times before getting a new one
What We Don’t Like About Boao Cold Coffee Filter
- The loose meshing allows some fine particles to mix with the drink
- The drawstring is quite short and the mouth doesn’t seal well
HOMYHEE Cold Brew Coffee Filter
This cold brew coffee filter works best for making cold brews from fine or coarse coffee powder. Manufacturers used a compostable fine fiber for making this. This product’s texture is highly similar to cloth but has the same filtering performance as paper filters. This product allows you to create dark cold brews that don’t feel sandy.
What We Like About HOMEYHEE Cold Brew Coffee Filter
- Can be used for making cold brews from fine or coarse coffee powder
- Has a meshing that allows for good penetrability and traps fine particles well
- Made from non-toxic raw material and ensures that the cold-brew won’t taste bad
What We Don’t Like About HOMEYHEE Cold Brew Coffee Filter
- Only good for one-time use
Tezpack Cold Brew Coffee Filter
This might be the product that you need if you’re tired of coffee filters that are prone to tearing. The construction of this cold brew coffee filter is very thick. That said, you won’t have to worry about damage no matter how much coffee powder you decide to put inside. Furthermore, it also works well for cold brews that taste light.
What We Like About Tezpack Cold Brew Coffee Filter
- Has a thick construction and acts as a semi reusable cold brew coffee filter
- Does great at filtering the bitter taste of coffee powder which is crucial for cold brews
- Thick construction prevents tearing and ripping
What We Don’t Like About Tezpack Cold Brew Coffee Filter
- Thick construction results to slow extraction
Which of The Products Above Do We Recommend?
There’s no bias here. Nevertheless, we really praise EasyColdBrewCoffee Disposable Cold Brew Coffee Filter. There are several reasons why we decided that it’s best. First, it’s made out of natural corn fiber. Thus, it’s health-friendly. The other products also use plant fiber. However, they’re mixed with synthetic materials to reduce production costs.
Second, EasyColdBrewCoffee works well for making cold brews from popular brands of coffee powder. This provides a sense of relief since we don’t have to worry about whether or not it’s a coffee filter that’s only suitable for making cold brews with a single specific brand.
Third, EasyColdBrewCoffee fits under the category of a good coffee bag filter that’s thick and comes with a drawstring that’s quite long. It’s true that it doesn’t seal well. However, the long drawstring makes up for this minor issue. Tying it around the mouth wasn’t hard because holding it was easy.
Finally, we recommend EasyColdBrew Coffee Filter because it’s very versatile. Users who decide to buy it will have an infuser hop bag or spice pack aside from a cold brew coffee filter.