Yes, you can reuse Aeropress paper filters (& you should)
This is just a short post to explain why it's totally fine to reuse the Aeropress paper filters, and why you totally should. Previously, I wrote about how you can use normal coffee filters for an Aeropress, which was a popular post, so this is a kind of follow-up post.
I assumed that the Aeropress paper filters would totally fall apart if I tried to reuse them, or that reusing the filter would affect the taste of the coffee, but I haven't found this to be true at all. In fact, in preparation for this post, I decided to reuse the paper filter in the photos that I've taken 3 times, and it was completely fine!
If you're looking to reuse an Aeropress paper filter, here are some tips:
- Don't run it under water - the temptation will be to try and "clean" the filter after you've used it the first time - don't do that as you could make the paper soggy and then it'll definitely not work. If you've got little clumps of coffee stuck on the paper from the first time you used it (as shown in the image below) then you can just scratch them off with your fingers, lightly!
- 3 times seems to be the sweet spot - for this post, I reused my paper Aeropress filter 3 times, and I think that if I had tried it again it might have completely fallen apart, resulting in a wasted coffee. So I'd recommend reusing Aeropress paper filters 3 times max.
- tell a friend! - imagine if everyone started reusing their Aeropress paper filters a few times before putting them in the bin. Just think about how much paper and money would be saved!
I feel like I've discovered a great little hack here, and this will change the way I make my Aeropress coffee forever!
Finn H
Finn is the editor of You Well and has been writing about travel, health, and more for over 10 years.