Is it possible to use other brands of coffee filters?

  • Why would you not be able to? The Hario ones will be specifically shaped to fit that filter but there's no reason you can't use other filters and cut to fit or say not fill the filter with too much coffee/water – EdChum Jun 26 '15 at 8:20
  • What's the motivation? This might give better suggestions. Are you interested primarily in cost savings? Availability? Welcome to Coffee! – hoc_age Jun 26 '15 at 14:33

Yes. Well, if the shape matches. I have never found alternatives for paper filters (patent restriction?), but there are clothes and stainless steel versions available.

  • 1
    I wonder why there are no "generic" alternatives... +1 for completeness! @John - If cost savings over time is the motivation, reusable ones like Eric mentions (e.g., cloth, metal, plastic, etc.) may be a good option for you -- see also this question about tradeoffs between paper and reusable filters. – hoc_age Jun 26 '15 at 14:37

If you're willing to do a bit of work to save a bit of money, consider folding your own filter out of filter paper. For example:

  • I have used very large basket filters in a cone filter in a pinch (they can be really cheap; here's one example for about one penny/cent each). You can fold them in half twice, and they fit fine, or even just jamming the thing in the cone works if you're in a hurry. :)
  • Actual non-folded filter paper, such as this half-moon shape, intended for Chemex but would also work in the similar cone shape of the V60.

For completeness, here's some more info in the "shape" topic:

There are three primary "cone" filter shapes, with examples from Amazon and other outlets:

  • Melitta style (available in sizes including "#2" (most common), "#4", and "#6"); these are passable in a pinch but really don't fit well.
  • Chemex style; these tend to be larger, thicker, and more expensive; they produce a slightly different filtration. These will basically work in a V60 cone (but not the other way around: DO NOT consider using V60 filters in a Chemex!)
  • V60 style (available in sizes including "01", "02" (most common), and "03"); As @Eric states in his answer, I haven't found a "generic" brand of this shape of paper filters.

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