This Japanese invention has been credited to Kyuemon, who developed the first concept in 1986. The filter/dripper is often praised for its environmental impact, due to its porous, ceramic body eliminating the need for paper filters. Additionally, the overall cup quality is said to be improved by the far-infrared effect that is produced by the ceramic material. So, is this filter the solution to environmentally conscious, sustainable brewing with zero waste? I will answer that question from the start... not a fucking chance.
Despite what social media influencers and modern coffee industry shills have demonstrated, the ceramic coffee filter is a novelty item, not a daily brewing device. The concept is certainly interesting, and there is a certain level of magic in watching brewed coffee find its way through the porous channels of the ceramic cone and into a carafe, but the maintenance and upkeep of this filter makes it vastly inferior to other cone filter brewing methods. Let us review the setup, brewing process, and cleaning of this device, in order to add context to these claims:
Setup and Brewing:
This is where the ceramic filter shines, as all one needs to do is add ground coffee to the filter. I still recommend pre-heating and rinsing, as organic material is bound to be caught in the channels from previous brews. We should also be aware that grinding slightly courser is required, in order to prevent stalling and manipulate a brewing environment that supports the most consistent drawdown. I believe 15g to 240ml (1:16) is a good starting point, especially for 01 designs. 3:1 bloom for 30 seconds. Keeping a low and slow circular pour, I found that brewing time can take anywhere from 2-3 minutes, depending on how much material has been caught in the porous ceramic (closer to 4-5 minutes, if stalling).
Taste and Odor:
The filter has a very faint taste and smell, which I have not seen mentioned by many others. The closest descriptors I can think of are earthy and mineral-like. This is not to say that these notes are overwhelming, but it should be noted that I observed these characteristics in my cup tastings. Additionally, the cup retained a noticeable amount of natural oils, without the presence of a gritty mouthfeel, which are strengths of the ceramic filter. However, the clean cupping qualities that we associate with filter brewing were not present, as the cup was more body-forward.
Cleaning and Maintenance:
This is where the ceramic filter really proves itself as falling short of paper brewing methods; cleaning and upkeep are simply too much of a resource-draining endeavour. After brewing, we must dispose of the ground coffee, but despite how dry the bed may be, some will inevitably cling to the sidewalls. This means that we must rinse the filter with hot water, which must be done thoroughly, to prevent microparticles of organic material from getting trapped in the ceramic pathways. However, rinsing will not be enough, which can be demonstrated by simply pouring hot water through a "clean" ceramic filter. The water will be off-color, which means solids are still trapped in the porous ceramic filter.
In order to do a deep clean, we must cleanse with fire or boil; both of which add to the resource cost. Purging the filter with fire can be done above a gas stove, but baking in an oven can also burn the fine materials that are trapped in the filter. Boiling the filter in water is also recommended (with the addition of baking soda, if one desires). One must keep in mind that rapid temperature fluctuations can crack the ceramic, so it is best to take these processes slow.
The Bottom Line:
Is the ceramic coffee filter a cool item to have? Is it a creative piece of coffee history? Does it have a place and purpose? Yes, to all of the above. It is unique and captures the imagination, but much like the siphon brewer, is not practical as an everyday brewing method. The claim that it is zero waste or somehow more environmentally friendly is wildly delusional, misinformed, and can be considered the coping of virtue-signaling, hippy, home baristas. As mentioned in previous discussions, modern paper filter methods, (both natural and bleached) are often made with reduced impact to the environment and are compostable (Chemex, as a direct example). The ceramic coffee filter is a magical way to brew, but that does not make it the magical solution to zero waste coffee.