Question about why people pre-rinse their paper filters

I've been brewing pour-over coffee for about five years now and I keep seeing people online and in cafes rinsing their paper filters with hot water before brewing. But here's what I noticed at a shop in Seattle last month: the barista rinsed the filter, dumped the water, then let the cone sit for two full minutes before adding coffee. I asked why and she said it preheats the brewer. That makes sense. But then I see other people doing it just to get rid of paper taste. I've never noticed any off flavor from my unrinsed filters at home. Am I missing something? Does the paper quality matter that much? I use Melitta filters and they seem fine without rinsing. Has anyone else compared side by side with and without rinsing?

2 comments

2 Comments

betty12615d ago

Haha yeah I feel you on that. I've been doing pour over for a while too and I never rinse my filters unless they're super cheap ones that smell like cardboard. My Melittas have always been fine straight out of the box.

brian30314d ago

Oh come on, is rinsing a filter really that big of a deal either way lol. I mean yeah if it tastes like cardboard toss it but most of the time I don't think anyone could tell the difference in a blind taste test. People get so worked up over tiny details in coffee brewing when half the time it's just placebo effect. I've used unrinsed filters for years and my coffee tastes fine, I really doubt a little paper dust is ruining anyone's morning cup. It's one of those things where the internet makes it seem way more serious than it actually is.