7 Coffee Filter Substitutes Found at Home

1. Paper Towel

This is the most common and easiest option. Can you use a paper towel for a coffee filter? The answer is yes. Paper towels can be a great substitute that doesn’t take much searching. Double or triple the paper towel, as it can easily break when the coffee is going through, but this is our go-to when we are in a bind. Unless you’re low on paper towels as well, then it might just be time to run to the store already. 

2. Cheese Cloth

If you have cheesecloth in your home for whatever reason, this is the closest mimic of a coffee filter. It should be an easy insertion and filter process. The trick to this one is having a need for extra cheesecloth in your home for no given reason. 

3. Cloth Napkin

An option that almost everyone has. Cloth napkins do well. However, they tend to be a bit thicker than some of the other options, so it might be more difficult for the coffee to run through it. Also, don’t grab your expensive cloth napkins. Coffee stains can be a real pain to get out. Old cloth napkins only. The biggest pro of this as well as the option below is that it can pick up large or fine grounds, so if you don’t have large grounds on hand, this can be a lifesaver from a mouthful of yucky coffee grounds. 

4. Dishtowel

In the same category as the cloth napkins, dish towels can be a lot thicker and more difficult to filter with. If you do have an old, thin dishtowel, this is easy to clean and can work if you have no other options. For this and the cloth napkin, use a rubber band to secure it around the coffee maker to ensure it doesn’t get bunched up. 

5. Coffee Sock

This name might have thrown you for a loop a tad. However, this is a great option that is also reusable! This is also a time to note that if this has been a reoccurring dilemma, it may be time to opt for a reusable filter. Not only will it save you money and time, but it is much better for the environment. Hundreds if not thousands of paper filters add up and make for quite a negative footprint on our home we call Earth. 

A coffee sock is actually a cloth tea bag that can be reused. The cloth tea bag holds the grounds and goes over the mug rather than a coffee maker. Pour the boiling water over and you have a filter and coffee maker in one. 

6. Mesh Sieve

We did have to review our vocabulary on the word sieve when we saw this suggested. However, it works! A mesh sieve is a silver shaker that you pour flour or other cooking ingredients that need to be sifted before being used for a recipe. However, to make it work you will need a very fine mesh sieve and try to use thicker grounds. Thin grounds will easier sneak their way through with this method. However, when done correctly, it can be very efficient and cleaned just like normal! 

7. Brew Without One

We know what you’re thinking. If I could brew without a filter, I wouldn’t need this article in the first place! However, there are some coffee brewing methods that don’t require a filter. It might not be perfect but it can get you through for the day. 

This goes by many names: muddy coffee, cowboy coffee, and even a unique way of brewing that originated in Indonesia called Kopi Tubrick. Each has their own spin on it in very mild ways, but each of them is essentially brewing without a filter and drinking the top part of the coffee, staying away from the coffee grounds sitting at the bottom of the cup. 

Muddy coffee uses fine grounds and hopes for the best while cowboy coffee is a camping brewing option with thicker grounds which can be easier to keep an eye out for when sipping. Kopi Tubrick uses almost boiling water as well as sugar to create a tasty option without a filter. We’ve all had this experience a time or two anyway, why not give it a go at the expense of our daily caffeine hit. 

Conclusion

Hopefully, one of these seven options for a coffee filter substitute can be the answer for you. Go give your house a quick look over and decide what you can try with your on-site materials. Happy brewing!