Do You Need a Filter for a French Press?
- No extra filter needed: every French press includes a built-in metal mesh that does the filtering.
- The mesh lets oils and fine particles through, which is why cafetiere coffee tastes fuller than paper-filtered brews.
- A coarse grind (sea-salt size) plus a slow plunge keeps sediment to a minimum.
- You can add a paper filter if you want a cleaner cup, but you will lose body and need to adjust your grind.
- Clean the mesh after every brew and replace it when it warps - a fresh Bodum Chambord mesh costs less than a bag of beans.
Related reading: French Press Coffee: 6 Questions Answered Β· Best Cafetiere (French Press) Guide UK Β· Coffee Grind Size Guide UK
No, you don't need to buy paper filters for a French press. The cafetiere comes with its own filter built in: a fine stainless steel mesh disc that sits on the plunger and strains the grounds as you press. That's the whole point of the design. You add coarse ground coffee and hot water, wait four minutes, press, and pour. No extra paper, no pods, nothing to replace.
Compared with pour over or drip machines, which rely on paper to do the work, the French press gives you a heavier, oilier cup because the mesh lets more through. If you love that full body, you're done. If you want a cleaner, brighter cup, you can add paper as an extra step - we compared both approaches below so you can pick what suits your taste and your kitchen routine.
How the French Press Filter Works
The filter is simpler than it looks. The plunger rod runs through a spring, a cross plate and a fine mesh disc with a silicone or rubber rim. When you press down, the mesh traps the bulk of the grounds at the bottom of the jug while the brewed coffee flows up through the holes. The rim seals against the glass so grounds can't slip around the edge - at least when the mesh is flat and the seal is in good shape.
Mesh size matters. Most presses use a weave fine enough to hold back coarse particles but coarse enough to let tiny fines and natural coffee oils pass. Those oils carry flavour and mouthfeel, which is why cafetiere coffee coats your tongue more than a V60. Paper filters strip almost all the oils out, so the cup tastes cleaner but thinner. Neither is better - you've just got a choice about texture.
The mesh is reusable for years if you rinse it properly. Unscrew the plunger stack after each brew, tap out the puck, and rinse the discs under warm water. A soft brush once a week shifts the oils that make the next brew taste stale. If the mesh bows or the rim cracks, swap it. Bodum sells spare mesh packs and a new Bodum Brazil costs little enough that many people replace the whole press rather than hunt for parts.
Do You Need a Paper Filter as Well?
Short answer: no. The mesh is enough for the brewer to work as intended, and millions of cups are made that way every day without any paper at all.
Some people add a paper filter anyway because they want less sediment and a brighter cup. You've got three easy options that don't require buying a new brewer. First, pour your pressed coffee through a paper filter set in a dripper or sieve after pressing. Second, use a disc paper filter that sits on top of the mesh - brands like Fellow sell circles cut for cafetieres. Third, use an AeroPress Original if you want paper-filtered immersion coffee by design - its paper is finer than any cafetiere mesh.
Adding paper changes the cup. You'll notice less grit at the bottom of the mug and a lighter mouthfeel, with acidity a bit more pronounced. You'll also lose some of the oils that give French press its signature body. If you lean that way, grind a touch finer than usual, because paper slows the flow and you can afford a little more extraction without the sediment penalty. If you prefer the classic full press, skip the paper and focus on grind and technique instead.
Grind, Timing and Pour: How to Keep Sediment Out
Sediment is less about the filter and more about what you put through it. A fine or inconsistent grind is the main culprit. When fines are mixed in with coarse, the tiny particles slip through the mesh and settle as sludge. A burr grinder fixes this by giving you a uniform particle size. The Timemore Chestnut C2 is a reliable manual option for coarse cafetiere grinds, while the De'Longhi KG79 is a budget electric pick that handles coarse well enough for daily brewing. Our best coffee grinders UK guide compares both in detail.
Use a coarse grind, about the size of sea salt. If your coffee looks like table salt or sand, it's too fine for a press. Start at 1:15, so 30g of coffee to 450ml of water for two mugs, and adjust from there. Pour water at 92-96C, stir gently, put the lid on and steep for four minutes. Press slowly over 20-30 seconds and pour straight away. Leaving brewed coffee sitting on the grounds keeps extracting and also lets fines settle back into suspension - if you won't drink it right away, decant into a thermos.
One more trick: don't pour the last mouthful from the press. Tip slowly and leave the final 10-15ml with the dregs. That's where most of the fines live. Combine that with a coarser, more even grind and the cup is noticeably cleaner without needing any paper at all.
Paper vs Metal vs Cloth: Which Filter Suits You?
Paper gives you the cleanest cup. It traps almost all fines and most oils, so the coffee tastes bright and tea-like. You need to buy filters and you produce waste, but the cleanup is tidy. Metal mesh, as in a French press or a permanent filter, keeps the oils and some fines, so the cup is fuller and needs no consumables. Cloth filters sit between the two, keeping most fines but letting oils through, though they need careful washing to avoid off flavours.
For most French press owners, metal alone is right. You've chosen immersion brewing for body and simplicity, and paper would work against both. If you find yourself wishing your cafetiere tasted more like a pour over, try the paper pour after pressing for a week before you buy anything. You might find you prefer the cleaner style enough to add a Chemex Classic 6-Cup to your shelf alongside the press, rather than forcing one brewer to do two jobs.
Cleaning and Replacing the Filter
Take the plunger apart after every brew. Knock out the grounds, unscrew the mesh stack, rinse each disc, and wash the glass. Weekly, brush the mesh to shift oils a rinse misses. If the coffee starts tasting papery or stale even with fresh beans, the mesh has likely built up rancid oils - a soak in warm water with a drop of washing-up liquid usually sorts it. Store beans right too: an airtight Fellow Atmos canister keeps oils fresh before they even hit the brew, which matters more than most people expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Verdict
You don't need a paper filter for a French press - the steel mesh is the filter and it's all you need for a proper cafetiere cup. Keep your grind coarse and even, press slowly, and pour without chasing the last sip and you'll get body and clarity without extra kit. If you want a cleaner, brighter mug for some beans, pour the pressed coffee through paper as an occasional extra step rather than a permanent fix. For everyday brewing, the mesh on your Bodum Chambord or Bodum Brazil plus a burr grinder like the Timemore Chestnut C2 is the combo that keeps the press simple and the cup clean.
- Bodum Chambord 12 Cup - classic 1 litre press with replaceable mesh. Read our full cafetiere guide
- Bodum Brazil 8 Cup - budget pick that brews true
- AeroPress Original - paper-filtered immersion if you prefer cleaner cups
- Timemore Chestnut C2 - manual burr grinder for coarse French press
- De'Longhi KG79 - budget electric burr grinder
- Chemex Classic 6-Cup - paper-filtered pour over for brighter cups
- Fellow Atmos canister - airtight storage for fresher beans
Sam writes about coffee for Coffee Nerds - machines, grinders, beans and brewing gear for UK coffee lovers. He keeps the nerdy details practical.
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Last reviewed: 22 August 2026 Β· Evidence-based content Β· Contains affiliate links