AlturaThe DISC Stainless Steel Filter for AeroPress Coffee Makers – Reusable Metal Filter Replacement for Rich Flavor, Travel, and Eco-Friendly Brewing

First off - you don't have to change your current brew method at all. I got ALTURA The DISC: FINE, and it comes with an instruction card saying to use the "inverted" brew method. This is not required. Brew your Aeropress the normal way, and this reusable filter works just like you'd expect.I mostly wanted a permanent filter as the Aeropress store went down during Covid, so I need to think about having a permanent filter on hand just in case the last of my paper filters run out. I'll be using the permanent filter to extend my stack of papers, and it would also be really handy if I travel to not carry around any paper filters.Pros:Direct replacement for paper filters. Press your coffee the same way, with no need to throw a paper filter way. This is great for travel or just when you're running low on paper filters.Flavor is basically the same. I haven't noticed much of a difference. ALTURA claim The Disc allows more natural oils to flow out versus paper, and many people claim they can taste paper, it doesn't make a big different to me. Natural variation in process seems to be a bigger factor for me.Cons:The Disc is made to fit the cylinder, but is smaller than normal paper filters. This is annoying, because you can't just slap the Disc into the end cap like you'd do with a paper filter. This is a puzzling omission. ALTURA should fix it. The only reason they recommend the inverted press method in the instructions is so you can make sure the disc is fit properly onto the cylinder. It's silly.There will be sediment. When you grind and steep coffee beans, you get some dust all the way down to microscopic size. Paper filters are fairly good at pulling this out, so you barely notice sediment and there is usually no noticeable difference in the last sip of coffee versus the first. Methods which have larger holes, such as the Disc or French Press, allow more sediment into the cup. This may affect your last sip, and will certainly leave some sediment in the cup. Again, I barely notice a difference taste-wise, and you only have to swirl a splash of water in the cup to clean it. No big deal to me. But other people may find sediment "gross".The disc will be boiling hot after you press coffee, meaning you can't just pop the grounds into the trash (or compost) like normal. The best method seems to be pulling off the cap and ejecting what you can so the plunger can rest, then leaving the end cap complete with Disc and leftovers in the sink until it cools down. Then either toss the leftover grounds or rinse clean, depending on how much is left. This slows down the process if you're in a hurry, and is a little less convenient than paper filters. Personally, I'm fine with the trade-off. But it's worth noting.Neutral:The press feels different with the Disc. In particular, the fine mesh has a harder time pushing all the air out. Following the Aeropress instruction you should NOT be trying to force the plunger down. This only compacts the coffee and increases the resistance. Just allow the weight of your arm and a little pressure to help the plunger down, and you'll get the fastest press you're going to get. Once the Aeropress starts to "hiss" due to having pushed most of the water our, the Disc really seems to restrict airflow. This adds a few seconds to finishing off the press time, but again, most of the water is out already. It doesn't impact flavor much.Overall:For my purposes, the Disc is great. It could stand some improvements - in particular, it should be the same size as a paper filter so I can just slap it onto the end cap in the morning instead of fiddling with the alignment. But otherwise, the trade-offs can be worth it. It's a little harder to clean, but you don't have to carry paper filters. It leaves some sediment, but there's no paper taste if that bothers you. I'll be keeping the Disc in my rotation, and i'll be great to carry when traveling.

The media could not be loaded. we tried the aeropress platinum coated version with tiny tiny holes. It was almost impossible to use. So I tried this and it works great. A very good balance of filtering and usability. You can see what residue was left in my mug. Keep in mind this was brewed, ground cocoa and I did put some cocoa powder in my cup with my brew.

Overall good filter for making coffee, it is sturdy, easy to clean, so far no rust/corrosion. I've only had three issues with this.1. Cleaning is easy, but will require to you grab the disk (which is hot) and set it aside as opposed to easy paper/espresso puck that you can trash or compost.2. Paper filter is a bit bigger, and will cover all hole include up side wall ... this one does not so you will get coffee residue or bits in there3. Filter will not stick to cap, so it will fall or not align properly like paper filter does ....Otherwise this is fine.-A

To echo what other reviewers have said, this filter does its job and does it really well. It lets oils pass through and allows for a very full, flavorful cup of coffee as a result.The Altura Disc utilizes essentially the same design as the mainstream "disc"-style metal filters with microperforations, but at a price point a few bucks cheaper and without a noticeable difference in quality. With care, it will definitely last a good while, just like any other metal filter.The coffee the Aeropress produces with this filter is definitely a bit bolder, noticeably fuller bodied and much more oil-driven than with the standard paper filters which absorb most of said oils. I brewed two cups using the Altura and the paper filters with the exact same process side-by-side and on appearance alone, I honestly couldn't believe they were both brewed with the same device. The cup from the paper filter was light, crisp and clear. With the Altura, think French press without the sludge--translucent-to-opaque with a big, robust and rounded feel. Both cups tasted great, just different... definitely a matter of personal preference.This filter, seemingly like most metal filters, will let a tiny bit of ultra-fine sediment through with a stronger plunge. I've been impressed by how little gets through overall, but something to consider if you are sensitive to even the slightest sediment in the bottom of your cup. It personally doesn't bug me, and even with a slight bit of sediment, a cup of Disc Aeropress is still way, way cleaner than a cup of French press. A more coarse grind size can definitely help minimize this phenomenon.I was wondering how seamlessly the Altura would work with inverted brewing, since I usually wet the paper filters before pressing and they stick to the inside of the filter cap. Turns out, it works great: place the Disc on top of the chamber, attach the filter cap over the filter, flip, and press. Pressing with this filter takes a little more oomph than with a paper filter, but it's not dramatically different. Clean-up takes a few more seconds than discarding the paper with the grounds, but it's still a breeze. Not throwing away a ton of paper is definitely a nice plus.In terms of customer service, Altura reached out with an Aeropress how-to e-book when my order shipped, which I thought was a nice touch. They also back this filter with a lifetime warranty.Overall, if you're looking to preserve and retain all of the wonderful oils from your coffee while avoiding methods that produce a ton of sediment in the final product, pairing this Altura filter with the Aeropress is a pretty perfect option. It won't entirely replace my paper filters since I occasionally want something light and super-clean, but it really opens up the possibilities of what you can brew up with an Aeropress. I've already used it a lot and I'm looking forward to using it a lot more.