6 Best Biodegradable Coffee Filters Reviewed

crazy by Editorial Staff | Updated on April 4th, 2023

Coffee lovers, it’s time to think green! Did you know that non-biodegradable coffee filters contribute to landfills and harm our planet?


The good news is that you can make your daily coffee ritual more eco-friendly by choosing biodegradable coffee filters.

Used Coffee Filter

In this article, we’ve carefully reviewed the six best biodegradable coffee filters on the market to help you make a sustainable choice. Grab a cup of joe, and let’s dive in!

Best biodegradable coffee filter

If You Care Unbleached All Natural Compostable Coffee Filter

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If You Care Unbleached All Natural Compostable Coffee Filters are an ideal choice for coffee connoisseurs looking for an eco-friendly option. Made from unbleached, totally chlorine-free material, these filters are FSC certified and biodegradable.

They come in different sizes to fit all No. 4 cone-style coffee makers, and a pack of 100 will last a long time. Not only are they environmentally friendly, but they also make cleanup a breeze. You can be sure that they are compostable in home composting facilities as well. With If You Care Unbleached All Natural Compostable Coffee Filters, you can enjoy a delicious cup of joe without the guilt.

CoffeeSock coffee filter

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The Coffeesock is the market leader in simple, sustainable, reusable cloth coffee filters. It is guaranteed to last at least a year and replace 500 paper filters on average.

This pour-over filter fits all popular brew systems, including v60, Chemex, basket, and drip. It is made from GOTS-certified organic cotton, which generates up to 94% fewer greenhouse emissions than conventional cotton.

Given that it absorbs some of the oils naturally present in the beans while allowing the acids to pass through, an organic cotton is a fantastic option for brewing a precisely balanced cup. You can compost the used CoffeeSocks once it’s time to buy new ones.

EcoRoots reusable coffee filter

These coffee filters, designed to suit most 8- to 12-cup cone coffee machines, allow you to go paperless every morning. Two filters in each box are the best option for people who consume a few cups of coffee daily since you can switch between them to ensure you always have a clean filter available.

These filters, a sustainable substitute for paper filters, are made from hemp and organic cotton and last you the entire year. They can be rinsed with a scoop of baking soda, boiled for 10 minutes, or cleaned with soap.

Tupkee coffee filters

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Tupkee Coffee Filters is among the finest choices as it is one of the biodegradable filters. This product comes in two colors; it doesn’t contain bleach, is entirely biodegradable, and doesn’t release toxins into the earth when composted.

Tupkee filters are high-quality goods that give rise to coffee with enhanced flavor. They are made from unbleached, naturally brown-colored material with excellent quality, superior grade natural brown filters.

The filter was particularly versatile since it could be used with a variety of basket-style coffee makers or French commercial presses.

California containers coffee filters 

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One of the best filter alternatives is the California Containers Coffee Filters. They are made from an unbleached paper coffee filter that is completely compostable and biodegradable, making them a green alternative.

In addition to having a natural brown tint, its cone-style filters are unbleached, biodegradable, and a Kosher-certified item. When in use, its double-crimped filter design aids in preventing ripping and bursting.

A rich, tasty cup of coffee is produced from the filter’s micro-fine quality-improving holes, which enable the real coffee taste to pass through.

Melitta cone coffee filter 

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One of the best coffee filters on the market is the Melitta Cone Coffee Filter. It is a highly practical and green product since it is all 2–6 cup electric coffee machines and a 1-cup non–electric cone coffee maker.

The cone coffee filter is unbleached, biodegradable, has a natural brown tint, and is Kosher-certified.

When in use, its double-crimped filter design helps in preventing ripping and bursting. A rich, tasty cup of coffee is produced from the filter’s microfine taste-amplifying holes, which enable the full coffee flavor to pass through.

Are coffee filters biodegradable?

Coffee filters are biodegradable, though it may take some time for them to decompose. Unbleached coffee filters made from 100% paper are compostable and can be added to compost piles with coffee grounds.

These filters take an average of six to eight months to decompose, but if they are allowed to dry out, it takes much longer. Adding them to a moist compost pile will help the decomposition process, and worms seem to love them.

If you want to go the additional mile for the environment, you can use brown unbleached paper filters, which disintegrate even more quickly than white coffee filters.

Reusable coffee filters are available in several materials, like metal, cotton, hemp, and even wood, and are an effective method to cut down on paper waste.

Reusable filters are available for almost every coffee-making device or technique. Here is a selection of environmentally friendly filters that can help you reduce waste and improve the flavor of your cup of coffee.

Different types of coffee filters

Coffee enthusiasts can purchase a variety of coffee filters, some of which they prefer to others. You might be interested in whether coffee filters are biodegradable due to their manufacturing process.

Cloth filters

Another recyclable and ecological option that is well-liked by those attempting a zero-waste lifestyle is cloth filters.

Oil is very well absorbed by cloth, and it keeps coffee grounds from flowing through. Although it is not nearly as resilient as metal, it is nonetheless reusable and easy to clean.

Unbleached coffee filters

These coffee filters resemble those bleached, although these are their original hue. Without the bleach, they are merely their natural shade, which some may find less appealing since they appear worn.

These coffee filters are better for the environment and biodegradable as well. You can go for unbleached coffee filters in coffee filter compost if you want a more natural and completely chemical-free solution for your compost.

Paper coffee filters 

These filters, which are frequently only paper and occasionally bleach, are a thin layer that keeps grounds out of the pot. You can tell whether paper coffee filters have been bleached if they are fully white before being used.

This bleaching is done to make the filter seem clean so you can be sure it is clean. Once the coffee has been brewed and gathered on the grounds, the filter will change. Although these bleached coffee filters are not the most eco-friendly alternatives, they will degrade and be biodegradable.

Plastic coating filters

Because they are designed to be reused, some coffee filters feature a layer of plastic covering. Instead of composting these, wash them and put them back in the coffee pot. To ensure that all the grounds are included in the compost when you throw your used coffee grounds, you must scrape them all out of the plastic filter.

Chemex coffee filters 

The Chemex coffee filters are a heavier-duty alternative to the common paper filters. They effectively prevent coffee grounds from slipping through and entering the pot.

Their cups are less acidic than others to encourage the consumption of coffee that is healthier for you.

The coffee filter can be thrown in with the coffee grounds when you compost your coffee since it doesn’t contain bleach. Because they contain no chemicals and are made with the environment in mind, they won’t release any chemicals into the environment when they break down.

Is it important for filters to be biodegradable?

It is important for filters to be biodegradable, as they minimize pollution from plastic pollutants and turn into nutrients for the soil. However, biodegradable products do not break down quickly, meaning they can stay in the environment for decades.

Protecting the planet is a responsibility that everyone has to take on for the good of their own livelihoods and future generations. Biodegradable products are much better for the environment as they don’t fill up landfill sites as quickly.

Additionally, biodegradable filters have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, making them safe for food contact. Using biodegradable filters also helps conserve water when making coffee, aiding in protecting our planet even more.

Choosing biodegradable filters can be a small step towards creating a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

How long do coffee filters take to decompose?

There is no conclusive response to this question because various factors can affect how long coffee filters take to disintegrate. Among these elements are:

  • Temperature 
  • Humidity
  • Time of the year
  • Type of coffee filters
  • Time since its manufacture

Coffee filters typically take 6 to 8 months to break down totally. This time frame is quite typical for organic products.

Conclusion 

Modern coffee filters are available in various forms and sizes, and we have many options when deciding whether or not to choose ecologically friendly ones.

With coffee filters, we can save cost over time by choosing cloth filters or reusable metal filters over throwaway paper ones, unlike certain products where the eco-friendly variants might occasionally cost more.

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Editorial Staff

The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.