<p><strong>Short version:</strong> The Hario brand filters are <strong><em>thinner than other paper filters</em></strong> and seem to have <strong><em>more texture</em></strong> than other types of filters. I assume this has some, but perhaps slight, impact on the <strong><em>rate at which water passes through the filter</em></strong> and also <strong><em>what "stuff" passes through the filter</em></strong>, which impacts the resulting brew and its taste.</p>

<p><strong>Longer version:</strong> The rest of this response is basically a comparison of the Hario filters to other types of filters. This isn't particularly authoritative nor scientific. I don't immediately find any good online resources on this; one video that I don't care to link or watch, and another article from <a href="http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/11/best-ceramic-coffee-dripper-pourover-hario-bonmac-bee-house-kalita-reviews.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Serious Eats on dripper styles</a> but it doesn't compare the filters themselves as such. So, I'm going rogue.</p>

<p>The different cone (and filter) manufacturers each have their own shape, presumably to ensure product lock-in for consumables (in this case, primarily filters). Here are the three primary ones that I'm aware of:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/NqO7d.jpg" alt="brown paper filters">
Clockwise from upper left: off-brand Melitta-style #2, Hario brand V60 02, Chemex brand pre-folded bonded. All are "natural" brown (unbleached, etc.) varieties.</p>

<p>My basic summary, having looked at these three examples from my own stockpile (certainly, this is a small sample) in order from thickest to thinnest:</p>

<ul>
<li>The Chemex filter is very thick; almost more like like a thin pressed cotton cloth or fabric. Almost completely opaque. <a href="http://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/filters.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Chemex filter page</a> states that they are "20-30% heavier" than other filters and removes finer sediment and "undesirable oils and fats".</li>
<li>The Melitta-style is in the middle, and is similar in nature to most other Melitta-style and basket-style filter paper. Thick enough to be mostly opaque, but noticeably thinner than Chemex. The <a href="http://www.melitta.com/en/2-Cone-Filter-Paper-Natural-Brown-40-Count-1428,64752.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Melitta brand filters</a> have claimed "flavor enhancing perforations."</li>
<li>The Hario brand is the thinnest by a fair margin. It's almost translucent through most of the filter, with a somewhat leaf-vein-like pattern to it, presumably from paper fibre and production method. This brown ("natural") style seems to be called "Misarashi" for reasons I don't understand. There's little information on the Hario (<a href="http://www.hario.co.uk/coffee/v60-filter-papers.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">.co.uk</a> / <a href="http://www.hario.jp/product/list.php?middelclass=2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">.jp</a>) pages about the nature of the filters.</li>
</ul>

<p>Frankly, I don't notice a significant difference in coffee draining rate (throughput), but I suspect there is. I (personally) think there's a slight difference in taste and output of the brew, but perhaps I'm fooling myself into legitimizing more coffee gear.</p>

<p>As stated in <a href="https://coffee.stackexchange.com/q/1969/262">this other question about Hario V60 filters</a> off-brand filters do not seem common (in our regions).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-22T06:23:14.557Z
Thanks for this great answer @hoc_age! As you already mentioned, I just tried another filter for the usage and try to taste any difference. I tasted a difference too, but I'm not sure what causes this. Maybe the misfit of the filter to the dripper or really the filter? I'm not sure, but I tend to say it may be just my mind (as often in such cases). :-) Anyway this answers my question really well! Thanks a lot for taking your time to answer it.
Ionic
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-22T03:09:56.303Z
2015-07-22T20:37:46.737Z
2017-04-13T12:51:53.733Z
hoc_age
<p>I'm using the Hario V60 for quite some time and I always used the V60 filterpapers which are stated to be the best for my ceramic dripper. I never thought about it, until a friend of mine ask me whats special about them and why I don't use normal papers which will quite fit into them too and are much cheaper.</p>

<p>Honestly, I couldn't answer it for sure. I just thought about it, that I read something about a different paper structure but as I said. I'm not sure with this. </p>

<p>Is there any real difference between the V60 paper and normal filters or is it just the fact that they will fit better into my ceramic dripper?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-17T17:28:11.030Z
What other types of filters work in the V60 shape? Do you mean "Melitta" style ("#2" or so)? There was [a recent question about other filters fitting into V60 cones](http://coffee.stackexchange.com/q/1969/262). Perhaps you could answer that one! :)
hoc_age
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-20T08:38:08.600Z
Well basically yes. I'm don't have a real best try for it. Melitta fits and need a bit folted/cut. But Basically the it's the question if there is something special at the filter itself. Such as a different paper or anything like that. :-)
Ionic
<paper-filter><v60>
Whats special about the Hario V60 filterpapers?
Ionic
# Whats special about the Hario V60 filterpapers?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-07-17)

I'm using the Hario V60 for quite some time and I always used the V60 filterpapers which are stated to be the best for my ceramic dripper. I never thought about it, until a friend of mine ask me whats special about them and why I don't use normal papers which will quite fit into them too and are much cheaper.

Honestly, I couldn't answer it for sure. I just thought about it, that I read something about a different paper structure but as I said. I'm not sure with this.

Is there any real difference between the V60 paper and normal filters or is it just the fact that they will fit better into my ceramic dripper?

**Tags:** paper-filter, v60

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What other types of filters work in the V60 shape? Do you mean "Melitta" style ("#2" or so)? There was [a recent question about other filters fitting into V60 cones](http://coffee.stackexchange.com/q/1969/262). Perhaps you could answer that one! :)  
> **username_0**: Well basically yes. I'm don't have a real best try for it. Melitta fits and need a bit folted/cut. But Basically the it's the question if there is something special at the filter itself. Such as a different paper or anything like that. :-)  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-07-22. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

**Short version:** The Hario brand filters are ***thinner than other paper filters*** and seem to have ***more texture*** than other types of filters. I assume this has some, but perhaps slight, impact on the ***rate at which water passes through the filter*** and also ***what "stuff" passes through the filter***, which impacts the resulting brew and its taste.

**Longer version:** The rest of this response is basically a comparison of the Hario filters to other types of filters. This isn't particularly authoritative nor scientific. I don't immediately find any good online resources on this; one video that I don't care to link or watch, and another article from [Serious Eats on dripper styles](http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/11/best-ceramic-coffee-dripper-pourover-hario-bonmac-bee-house-kalita-reviews.html) but it doesn't compare the filters themselves as such. So, I'm going rogue.

The different cone (and filter) manufacturers each have their own shape, presumably to ensure product lock-in for consumables (in this case, primarily filters). Here are the three primary ones that I'm aware of:

![brown paper filters](https://i.sstatic.net/NqO7d.jpg)
Clockwise from upper left: off-brand Melitta-style #2, Hario brand V60 02, Chemex brand pre-folded bonded. All are "natural" brown (unbleached, etc.) varieties.

My basic summary, having looked at these three examples from my own stockpile (certainly, this is a small sample) in order from thickest to thinnest:

* The Chemex filter is very thick; almost more like like a thin pressed cotton cloth or fabric. Almost completely opaque. [The Chemex filter page](http://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/filters.html) states that they are "20-30% heavier" than other filters and removes finer sediment and "undesirable oils and fats".
* The Melitta-style is in the middle, and is similar in nature to most other Melitta-style and basket-style filter paper. Thick enough to be mostly opaque, but noticeably thinner than Chemex. The [Melitta brand filters](http://www.melitta.com/en/2-Cone-Filter-Paper-Natural-Brown-40-Count-1428,64752.html) have claimed "flavor enhancing perforations."
* The Hario brand is the thinnest by a fair margin. It's almost translucent through most of the filter, with a somewhat leaf-vein-like pattern to it, presumably from paper fibre and production method. This brown ("natural") style seems to be called "Misarashi" for reasons I don't understand. There's little information on the Hario ([.co.uk](http://www.hario.co.uk/coffee/v60-filter-papers.html) / [.jp](http://www.hario.jp/product/list.php?middelclass=2)) pages about the nature of the filters.

Frankly, I don't notice a significant difference in coffee draining rate (throughput), but I suspect there is. I (personally) think there's a slight difference in taste and output of the brew, but perhaps I'm fooling myself into legitimizing more coffee gear.

As stated in [this other question about Hario V60 filters](https://coffee.stackexchange.com/q/1969/262) off-brand filters do not seem common (in our regions).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for this great answer @username_1! As you already mentioned, I just tried another filter for the usage and try to taste any difference. I tasted a difference too, but I'm not sure what causes this. Maybe the misfit of the filter to the dripper or really the filter? I'm not sure, but I tend to say it may be just my mind (as often in such cases). :-) Anyway this answers my question really well! Thanks a lot for taking your time to answer it.  

---

