Running out of coffee filters at the office is an easy way to give a new client or potential investor the idea that your operation isn’t quite as professional as it should be. Rather than scrambling to run out and buy more in time for the meeting to end, there are some substitutes you can keep around in case of emergency. The same applies for when it happens at home. Today, we’ll be touching on a couple of smart coffee filter substitutes that will come in handy whenever you run into a bit of a bind. There are even a few options that encourage living or working in a more sustainability friendly way too.
Reusable Coffee Filters
If you’ve gotten used to single-use coffee filters, now might be a good time to consider making the switch to reusable options. This will not only save you quite a bit of money in the long run, but will also have a positive effect from an eco-friendliness perspective. Reusable filters come in various shapes and sizes, but more often than not they can be used up to four times before having to be discarded. By making the switch as a rule, you may even reduce the likelihood of running out of options the next time you have a visitor at home, or the office.
Paper Towels & Napkins
A more common solution for when you’re looking for a substitute is a paper towel or a clean napkin. These emulate the traditional purpose of a single-use coffee filter, getting the job of brewing a pot done in similar fashion. We wouldn’t recommend using this alternative more than whenever it is an absolute emergency, however. Some brands add unhealthy chemicals to their paper towels, which can creep into the coffee and affect the taste. A brown, unbleached option may be your best bet, but shouldn’t be considered a long term solution.
Traditional Tea Bags
A lesser known substitute that can still get the job done is a reusable tea bag. These are especially useful for people who are used to drinking a lot of tea alongside their coffee every single day. By DIY’ing a coffee filter out of a tea bag that has already been used, you’ll not only be reducing the amount of waste you’re creating. You will also have a smart coffee filter solution that can really get you out of a bind. You may need to settle for a pot with two tablespoons or less, as well as steeping it for four to five minutes, but the result should be exactly the same.
Coffee Machines with Built-In Filters
When you’d like to eliminate the risk of running out of coffee filters at home or the office altogether, consider buying a coffee machine that doesn’t need one to begin with. Many brands now create machines that have built-in filters, offering peace of mind and simplifying the brewing process too. At Aquaspresso, we have a range of coffee machines that are able to offer you both of these too. Explore our range to see what we mean, and feel free to get in touch with us about our rental and to-buy options based on your active needs.
