Imagine walking into your kitchen still with your eyes half-open just to realize that you’re out of coffee filters! That means no more coffee for you this morning! Don’t worry, though! If you have paper towels in your kitchen (who doesn’t?), you’ll still be able to kick off your morning and boost your energy with a cup of coffee. Using paper towels for coffee filter isn’t a myth. In fact, they’re the closest substitute for a coffee filter. That’s because both of them are thick and highly absorbent. However, is using paper towel as coffee filter safe? Well, as long as you’re not using them frequently, you don’t have to worry about any health hazards. Here are some of the best paper towels for coffee filters you may want in your kitchen!
Looking for more towels? Check out our best towels to dry dishes and best hand towels for kitchens!
Georgia-Pacific Blue Select Multifold Paper Towels
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Is using paper towel as coffee filter safe? Again, it is! Just take a look at the Georgia-Pacific Blue Select Multifold Paper Towels, some of the best-selling paper towels for coffee filter. Besides being used to clean both small and big messes, they can also be used to filter coffee when you run out of coffee filters. Need to use them for the toilet? Sure!
What’s more, these paper towels for coffee filters have a unique emboss that enhances their appearance and hand feel. They’re soft, strong, and durable. Better yet, these towels are also stackable! Considering everything they offer, getting these towels are a no-brainer!
Pros
- Highly absorbent
- Soft
- Durable
- Versatile
- Affordable
Cons
- The packaging doesn’t protect the towels well
EcoFirst Recycled Paper Towels
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You’ll love the EcoFirst Recycled Paper Towels if you’re into cheap stuff! As the name suggests, these kitchen paper towels are made of 100% recycled paper, making them a nice option for eco-conscious people. Better yet, they’re whitened without chlorine bleaching, so you can use them as a coffee filter without worrying about your health.
Furthermore, these 2-ply paper towels are incredibly durable. Considering their price, their durability exceeds our expectations. Even when wet, they won’t tear easily. Since they’re cheap, you can even get a lot of them! After all, they’re extremely versatile, so there’s no such thing as having too many of them.
Pros
- Cheap
- Highly absorbent
- Eco-friendly
- Durable
- Soft
Cons
- Not available in larger packages
Earthly Co. Reusable Paper Towels
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The Earthly Co. Reusable Paper Towels are easily some of the most eye-catching options here. However, these towels are more than just good looks. Named one of the top paper towels for coffee filter, they can also act as an emergency coffee filter. Don’t worry, as they’re extremely durable and won’t break or tear, even when they’re wet.
Aside from that, these paper towels for coffee filters have huge sheets that can provide sufficient and super absorbent surface area. Fun fact: six of these rolls are equivalent to 11 regular-sized rolls! Such a great value, right? Best of all, these towels are sustainably sourced from reasonably-managed forests.
Pros
- Sustainably sourced
- Can absorb water quickly
- Large surface area
- Reasonably priced
- Durable
Cons
- Could’ve been a little thicker
Kirkland Signature Premium Big Roll Paper Towels
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The Kirkland Signature Premium Big Roll Paper Towels are an ace on this list. Those looking for paper towels for coffee filters won’t be disappointed by them. That’s because these towels are extremely versatile. Besides being able to clean up messes and remove dust from the table, they can also be used to replace your coffee filters.
Additionally, these kitchen towels are extremely strong and durable, which are the main criteria when you’re looking for paper towels for coffee filter. Not only are they strong, but they’re also super soft! In addition to that, they’re reusable after being wet and dried.
Pros
- Reusable
- Highly absorbent
- Extremely strong
- Versatile
- Popular
Cons
- Weaker when wet
Amazon Basics 2 Ply Paper Towels
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If the Amazon Basics 2 Ply Paper Towels could speak, they’d ask you to buy them right now! Available in 12 rolls, these paper towels for coffee filter are a must-have. Apart from being used to try your appliances or absorb oil, these towels can also be used to filter your coffee.
Made in the USA, the flex sheets also allow you to select the size you need. What’s more, these towels are backed by a one-year satisfaction guarantee, showing you how confident the brand is with its product. Best of all, they’re affordable!
Pros
- Affordable
- Versatile
- One-year satisfaction guarantee
- Durable
- More sheets per roll
Cons
- Not the softest
Scott Paper Towels
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Another great option for those searching for paper towels for coffee filters is the Scott Paper Towels. These towels are a must-buy, featuring special ridges that allow them to absorb liquids in just a blink of an eye. Having them will give you that peace of mind when you don’t have your coffee filters.
These towels have huge sheets that can provide sufficient and super absorbent surface area. Not to mention, six of these rolls are equivalent to 11 regular-sized rolls! Such a great value, right? Best of all, these towels are sustainably sourced from reasonably-managed forests.
Pros
- Sustainably sourced
- Can absorb water quickly
- Large surface area
- Reasonably priced
- Durable
Cons
- Not as thick as some paper towels for coffee filters
Kitchen + Home Bamboo Paper Towels
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For those who are wondering, “is using a bamboo paper towel as coffee filter safe or not?” we’re here to tell you that the answer is yes! Enter the Kitchen + Home Bamboo Towels. These eco-friendly towels are a great alternative to coffee filters. First of all, they’re reusable up to 120 times, which is super impressive. And for filtering coffee, we’re proud to say that they’re durable and won’t break easily.
As we all know, some reusable towels for cleaning kitchens are on the flimsy side, which isn’t surprising. Thankfully, these towels are thick, durable, and soft. Believe it or not, they can even be used as replacement pads for flat mops. And since they’re highly absorbent, you can always use them for tackling any spill!
Pros
- Reusable up to 120 times
- Thick and absorbent
- Machine washable
- Perforated for easy tearing
- Eco-friendly
Cons
- Have to be stored when not used
Sparkle Paper Towels
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Aside from keeping your countertop sparkling, the Sparkle Paper Towels are also a nice substitute for your coffee filters. Considering how affordable these paper towels for coffee filter are, we’re surprised by their performance. They’re surprisingly thick and durable.
Those who’ve bought and used these towels agree that they absorb water really well and don’t shed, which is a huge plus if you use them to scrub a surface with force. Not to mention, they have wider sheets that are perfectly sized for various tasks.
Pros
- Reasonable price
- Excellent absorbency
- Pretty durable
- Versatile
- Wider sheets
Cons
- Scratchy
Viva Signature Cloth Paper Towels
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Do you want to trap those coffee grounds but don’t have your coffee filters? You won’t panic if you have the best paper towels for coffee filter, like the Viva Signature Cloth Paper Towels! These cloth-like towels can easily absorb the most liquid compared to other brands while also picking up spills quickly.
Aside from that, these towels are extremely soft. Believe it or not, they’re some of the softest paper towels for coffee filters on the market. Additionally, they don’t break easily and are also incredibly thick. Thousands of people have bought these towels and have nothing bad to say.
Pros
- Highly absorbent
- Cloth-like design
- Extremely soft
- Thick
- Durable
Cons
- Fewer sheets per roll
Seventh Generation Paper Towels
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Is using a paper towel as coffee filter safe? Of course, especially if you have something like the Seventh Generation Paper Towels. These environmental-friendly paper towels for coffee filter are made using recycled paper. Despite the construction, they perform just as well as regular paper towels. They’re durable enough and can absorb water quickly, making them a nice substitute for your coffee filter.
In addition to that, these rolls are smaller than their competitors, making it easy to store them in small spaces. Plus, there’s no shedding! If what you need is a fast absorber that can handle small wet messes and act as a coffee filter substitute, we think these towels are a great deal.
Pros
- Reasonable price
- Environmentally-friendly
- No shedding
- Fast water absorption
- Whitened without chlorine bleach
Cons
- Smaller rolls
Presto! Flex-a-Size Paper Towels
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Cheap and reliable, who doesn’t like the Presto! Flex-a-Size Paper Towels? If you have these towels at home, you’ll have nothing to worry about. When there’s a huge mess in the kitchen, these towels will always be ready to help you out. Run out of coffee filters? These paper towels will save you as well!
As some of the best paper towels for coffee filters, these towels have great absorbance and diffusion. Though cheap, they perform just as well as the more expensive options. What’s more, the material is soft to the touch, and we’re huge fans of the adorable designs and patterns as well.
Pros
- Affordable
- Larger rolls
- Good absorbance and diffusion
- Soft
- Adorable designs and patterns
Cons
- Not the most durable
Brawny® Tear-A-Square® Paper Towels
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Looking for tough and versatile paper towels? The Brawny® Tear-A-Square® Paper Towels should be your go-to option! What’s unique about these paper towels for coffee filter is that they offer different-sized square options for different jobs. For handling a big spill, you can tear off two regular sheets. Half a square should be more than enough for smaller tasks like filtering your coffee.
Do you have dry skin? Perfect, as these towels don’t feel scratchy at all. Aside from that, we also appreciate that they’re strong both when dry and wet. Thanks to these paper towels, you can brew your coffee easily, even when you don’t have your regular coffee filters.
Pros
- Soft
- Different square size options
- Durable
- Excellent absorbency
- Each pack has six triple rolls, which is equal to 18 regular rolls
Cons
- On the pricier side
Bounty QuickSize Paper Towels
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While there are dozens of reliable paper towels for coffee filters on the market, the Bounty QuickSize Paper Towels are easily our favorite. These towels will be your life savior whenever you run out of your coffee filters. What’s more, this pack contains 12 family rolls, which means you’ll get plenty of them.
Furthermore, these kitchen towels shed the least and can maintain their strength even when they’re wet. This is crucial, especially when using them as a coffee filter. Not to mention, each roll is gigantic. With around 9,500 square inches of surface area and a diameter of six inches, these towels are some of the biggest rolls you can buy.
Pros
- Strong
- Absorptive
- Soft
- No shedding
- Versatile
Cons
- A bit more expensive than some paper towels for a coffee filter
How To Choose The Best Paper Towels for Coffee Filter
When choosing the best paper towels for coffee filters, you should consider the following things:
Absorbency
The ply is the number of layers in each sheet, indicating the towel’s absorbency. Two-ply is the most common one for effective single-use paper towels, which is what you need to filter coffee. It’s also stronger and more absorbent than single-ply paper.
Durability
Of course, your paper towels for coffee filter should also be durable. It shouldn’t break or tear when you pour water over the grounds placed inside the paper towel. If your paper towels are too thin, they won’t be able to double as a coffee filter.
Usability
In some cases, paper towels can be washed and reused. Of course, we don’t recommend you buy paper towels and use them mainly as a coffee filter. However, if you do need to use them as a coffee filter, you should note that you can only use them once, even when they say they’re reusable.
Is it OK to use paper towels as coffee filters?
Yes, you can. However, you need to make sure you don’t make it a habit to use paper towels as coffee filters.
Do paper towels have harmful chemicals in them?
Unsurprisingly, paper towels do have chemicals. So, is using a paper towel as coffee filter safe? Lucky for you, the contaminants aren’t severe in most cases, and the health risks are negligible.
What happens if you don’t use a coffee filter?
It can be potentially harmful. Coffee filters help remove certain oils known as diterpenes, which can harm your health.