Coffee filter paper is a paper tool used to filter coffee grounds in pour-over coffee. It was invented in 1908 by Melita Benz, a housewife from Dresden, Germany, to solve the problems of poor filtration, excessive coffee grounds, and cumbersome cleaning associated with coffee pots at the time. Inspired by her son's blotting paper, Benz created the first prototype filter paper by placing it on a perforated copper kettle, and obtained a patent in July 1908, subsequently founding the Melita company. Filter paper can be classified according to its material, shape, and bleaching method. Materials include wood pulp paper and cotton paper, and shapes are mainly conical and trapezoidal. Bleaching processes result in either natural wood-colored or white filter paper.
In its early days, the Melita company operated as a family workshop. By 1928, due to high demand, the company had over eighty employees. Following the success of the Melita filter cup, other brands of filter cups, such as Hario's V60, Kalita's corrugated filter cup, and Chemex, emerged. The material of filter cups has evolved from the initial flat-bottomed metal to materials like ceramic, which are more suitable for conical filter paper. The compatibility between the filter cup and the filter paper can affect the brewing results. Filter paper is mainly divided into two types: unbleached natural wood color and bleached white. A comparative test conducted by the Shanghai Consumer Protection Commission in 2026 showed that all tested samples met safety standards, and no harmful substances such as formaldehyde or fluorescent substances were detected. Natural wood color filter paper may impart a woody aroma, while white filter paper may have less impact on the flavor of the coffee itself. Rinsing the filter paper with hot water before use is a common practice, supposedly to reduce the papery taste.
