Side by Side Comparison of: True Modern Electronics vs Medelco

My old filter worked fine but, after six years of daily use, it was time for a new one. If the coffee maker is still around in six more years I'll buy another new one then.

This works wonderfully in my Ninja coffee maker. I was so tired of using paper liners because not only are they so wasteful, but they didn't seem to fit all that well into the Ninja. This fits great. It is very easy to clean by running some water through it after use. I didn't notice any change in the taste of the coffee at all. All in all very pleased with this.

This was great. The one we got from another source actually warped. This held up well. The handle fits down inside the lip so that it fits our coffeemaker very well.

I bought another coffee filter in stainless that looked so slick and had a little holder to sit in on the cup. It was superfine and somehow I couldn't grind the coffee right to get the kind of morning coffee that I want. I ordered this filter, one I had previously. Ahhhh. I'm back to enjoying my cup.

This fits perfectly in my Ninja Coffee Bar (model number CF080Z). I have no idea why other people are complaining that it doesn't fit their Ninjas... Of note, this filter is more permeable than my disposable filters and I noticed that my coffee was a little watered down. The fix is simple; add a little more coffee grounds!

I use this in my Ninja coffee brewer and love that it is eco-friendly. It also makes my coffee taste quite a bit better which surprised me and was not my intention. This item also shipped a day earlier than I had expected.

We have two coffee machines and this product has seen heavy use, typically two or more times a day. Being even reasonably careful while washing it this product is durable remaining without defect after months of use. It wasn't until I started using it regularly and my coffee tasted consistently better that I realized it had previously tasted like paper filter bleach. As a simple and reliable way to get better tasting coffee this product is highly recommended.

I've been very pleased with this filter. Simple design, does what it is supposed to. Very easy to clean (I dump the coffee grounds in the trash, give it a rinse in hot water, & let air dry.); I may use a bit of detergent if needed. I like not needing to rely on the paper filters, worrying about running out, as well as the eco benefits. Some days I alternate between coffee & yerba buena, but it rinses clean so I don't notice any leftover taste residue.I'm not enough of a foodie to notice if the filter makes my coffee taste any better, but it certainly doesn't taste any worse. The little basket handle is a bit flimsy, so I could see how it could potentially break off, however, it's really irrelevant; even if the filter didn't have a handle, it wouldn't make a difference in it's coffee-maker fit or usability. I would recommend this filter to anyone.

I love strong coffee which is why I love this basket. This will seem in complete disagreement with many reviews here claiming that because it's got a mesh bottom water goes through too quickly. And I probably use less coffee than most when brewing a pot. The problem is a mesh bottom basket like this is not meant for pre-grinded drip store bought coffee, in my opinion. I grind my own coffee which results in grounds that are far far finer than store drip grinds. This means a huge amount of extra surface area during brewing. The water picks up the flavor quickly but the fine grinds can block other filters and cause a mess so a mesh bottomed filter is what is needed in this case, Store bought drip is more course and needs to soak in the water awhile to get stronger flavor from it so a solid bottom basket is better because it slows the drip. I've always been plagued with overflowing coffee makers but never with mesh-bottomed baskets like this. So I get a really strong great tasting coffee using a coffee bean and roast of my choice without an overflowing mess. And this basket, by the way, is high quality and well-made. Great for the price.

We have a Mr. Coffee, 4-cup coffeemaker. I searched the Internet for days but could not find unbleached coffee filters for a 4-cup machine. We have been trying to make changes in our home which are wiser, from an environmental viewpoint, and so we no longer wanted to use the bleached filters. We didn't know, and perhaps most folks don't realize, that the bleached white coffee filters will leach (release) dioxin into your coffee. Dioxin is a known carcinogen .... it can cause cancer, folks!!!So, we finally opted for this little jewel. My husband absolutely loves it!! The package came with 2 filters in it, which means that even if one is in the dishwasher, there's still a fresh, clean one ready to use. He said he had to tweak the amount of coffee he puts in the basket to get the brew just as he likes it, but once he had that settled, it's been smooth sailing. He is delighted that I found something that's earth-friendly and he's also delighted that he no longer has to keep buying paper coffee filters! This one is a definite winner!!

**Update on 12/9/14:Filter still looks brand-new. I pop it in the top rack of the dishwasher a few times a week. No discoloration from either the coffee grounds or the dishwasher, and it still filters like a champ. I buy pre-ground coffee, and also grind myself at the store on the setting for automatic drip coffee makers.Original review on 12/29/13:After almost 2 years of paper filters that cave in, I did some research on permanent filters, and based on the Amazon reviews decided on the Medelco 4-cup filter for my Mr. Coffee Cafe Latte maker. No more grounds-filled lattes! I use organic Sumatran coffee - ground from whole beans at the grocery store on the espresso setting, just a small amount at a time which lasts me a little over a month, & kept in a airtight container in the kitchen cabinet. I use 1 small plastic scoop of grounds + a little more, but you need to test a bit to find your perfect amount. I also tamp down the grounds very lightly with the back of the scoop. The filter is easy to remove since it has a handle, and easy to clean...I use an OXO dish brush filled with detergent, but one would be ok with simply rinsing with warm water. I want to keep the mesh as nice as possible, so I probably will not put the filter in the dishwasher. I am glad I don't have to worry about grounds getting into my beverages with this excellent filter.

the only filter i could find to fit my Black and decker 5 cup coffee machine. great to finnaly find one

My husband bought me the Starbucks Classic Pour-Over Brewer #4 for Christmas. After receiving such a wonderful gift, I wanted to make sure that I would never run out of filters! So, I ordered this filter as a way to reduce my paper filter consumption. With my Pour-Over Brewer, this filter is not quite a perfect fit and sits up slightly when brewing. However, the coffee tastes just as good with this! It was a great purchase for a similar price to buying filters for a limited time. I have washed it in the dishwasher on the top rack (even though I am not sure it is dishwasher safe) and it held up just fine. I have had this for only a week now.

This is a great way to be environmentally friendly and save money on disposable filters. This filter works just fine. It is actually easier than a disposable to insert into the filter compartment. My only complaint is that it is a little bit difficult to rinse all of the coffee grounds out from the bottom of it if you are just wanting to rinse and reuse.

Over the past 16 years I have used 4 such filters. This filter seems to be shorter than the previous ones I have purchased. In other words the top of the filter does not come up to the top of the cone in which the filter is supposed to go. It does not appear that I was sent a #2 filter in lieu of a #4 but I guess it could be possible. This is the first time that I have had one a bit shorter than the holder. It might not be an issue for those who like their coffee less rich. I use about 1 Tbsp/ per number on the water line (i.e 4 scoops for water to the 4 line). So when I need to make 8-10 cups (my unit's max) the expanded coffee grounds rise and can go over the rim of the filter. I like not having to use paper filters and except for being shorter, these are fine.Update*** It WAS shorter than I expected. I finally opened up the plastic wrap and found a #2 paper filter I have for my one cup pour over and tried it out. It fit perfectly. So apparently I was shipped a #2 rather than a #4 filter. Amazon Customer Service is great! They refunded my money and I will order another one and hopefully receive an actual #4 filter.

As a filter this works very well and does eliminate the waste / cost of disposable filters. The trade off is that you have to clean it and if you don't want grounds down the drain it requires a few minutes of ballet between the sink and trash can with a paper towel to get the thing completely clean. This isn't too big a deal but enough of a hassle for me to dock a star. Note, if you are lazy and let the grounds sit in this until they dry the cleaning becomes more challenging as the top ring and along the sides tend to stick to the mesh requiring delicate but firm hand to scrub it clean and avoid damaging the filter. Do yourself a favor and dump/clean the filter immediately following each brew.

Husband drinks lots of coffee, so he needed a larger coffee maker. The small one we have (4 cups) came with a permanent coffee filter and we found that just fantastic! No more waste of filters or wasting money...the 4 cup permanent filter worked really well for us, but it did leave a ring on the filter (after each use) where the coffee grounds topped off in the filter. It was actually a bit "slimy." I was hoping this one did not do that, but it does. Its not that horrible, but one cannot just rinse the grounds out, one has to really clean and wipe that part of the filter. It does leave a stain on the filter, but if you keep up with washing it daily, it does not get worse. Not really an issue for me (because I would rather do that than use disposable filters), but it may be an issue for someone else. Husband says it does NOT affect the taste of the coffee at all.I was also worried about what some other reviewers said that it did not fit into their coffee makers....but we found it fits perfect into the 12 cup hamilton beach coffee maker we purchased....its a #4 cone, and those should fit into any 12 cup coffee maker....We will never go back to using disposable filters, this is a keeper...hope they keep making it! It is recommended to replace it every 3 years.

I bought this to replace my old Krups coffee maker filter, the old one was pretty gross, I couldn't get it clean anymore. This filter is a little smaller, don't think it's exactly meant for Krups, but it works fine and just as good as the old filter. I would buy again.

as advertised. 4 stars is my highest rating for basic stuff.

open bottom takes more coffee or tea to produce same strength as a paper filter or a closed bottom filter.

I have an old Mr. Coffee 4 cup coffeemaker. This filter is 1/2" smaller in diameter than the basket, and when I saw that I was a little worried that water would drip down outside the filter, leading to weak coffee. I've used it a couple of weeks now, and that hasn't proven to be the case. It works fine as a coffee filter. The one problem I have found is that the ends of the handle kept popping out of their sockets. I got tired of having to snap them back in, so I removed the handle altogether--since the filter is smaller than the basket, it's easy enough to grab the edge of the filter and lift it out.

Perfect size for my new coffeemaker I purchased it with and for. Did notice a small, gold line of discoloration on the bottom though--after I took a picture of it, I noticed it's merely the gold screen!

The orginal coffee basket filter that came with my 5-cup Mr Coffee unit was a poor excuse for a component in an otherwise fine unit. The filter material was flimsy and that made it hard to position the paper filter; what's more, it quickly filled up with a brown stain or sludge that washing in hot soapy water couldn't remove. This "Gold" model ($6, after-market) has a significantly sturdier backbone (cannot tell if metallic or other other material.) I doubt there's much gold in "them thar filters" other than coloration. But this one is easily restored by ordinary household washing back into pristine cleanliness.

I used this in my drip machines with good results. At the time i purchased this, I felt I was just being "green" by not wasting paper filters. Only later did I realize that I was also doing myself a favor since metal filters--unlike paper--allow certain aromatic oils to pass into the cup, giving you a different (some might say "richer") flavor profile...

I had purchased a previous one a few years back and felt it was time for a replacement. This newer model is not as sturdy as my original and the handle has a tendency to detach. It works but quality could be better.

The filter on the left is the newly purchased filter. The filter on the right in the picture is the one that came with my ninja coffee bar. This filter does not fit perfectly into the coffee machine. It is very 'weeble wobbly' I hope it will still get the task done. Just among first impression of fit in my ninja coffee bar, I will not be purchasing this particular filter again.

not the best product. does not filter very well it leave residues on the cup

It's a pain to clean. I thought it would make it easier. It's a good back up if I run out of paper filters.

Does the job. Cheaper look and feel than expected.

A bit disappointed about this cone coffee filter. I have tried different levels of grinding the coffee beans but the coffee is still a bit cloudy, and I don't like that . If I want a clear coffee I still have to use the coffee filter .

Fits in my 5 cup maker but it's significantly smaller than the paper filter holder piece and has a full plastic bottom

already had in new coffee pot

A have must because its gold! Arrived swiftly but was of a thin mess. I have seen a little better quality in the stores.

There seems to be more 'dust' at the bottom of my coffee cup after switching to this filter. I don't know if it is a reflection of the filter or the coffee itself as I have switch over to a new type.

I used to have one of these that was screen on the sides and the bottom, worked great. This one, however has a solid plastic bottom with screen only on the sides... I can never make a full pot of coffee without it overflowing and dumping grinds in to my pot. It is totally frustrating. It works great up to 8 cups... after that, you're making cowboy coffee. It just doesn't allow for efficient drainage and flow.

This works ok in a pinch, but it doesn't filter as finely as I would prefer. I end up with a bunch of residue in my cup and I didn't get that with paper filters.

Smaller than normal #4 cone filter

Works OK but does not filter as finely as a paper filter so coffee can not be ground as finely to avoid fines in the pot. With the same grind also found one has to use more coffee than with a paper filter to get the same strength brew. Also takes a fair amount of rinsing to clean out the grounds leading me to question if this is really environmentally friendly. Prefer to use the paper filter which is easy to remove, compost and allows me to use less coffee per pot of brew.

Still use it; but it leaves a sludge in my coffee cup.

I thought I could use this instead of paper filters, but it doesn't work. My organic coffee wasn't clear, but cloudy using this filter alone. Most paper filters even unbleached ones are packaged in unsealed or paper containers leaving them to absorb fragrances and odors from packaging and storage places. As our society has become so fragrant and toxic chemicals are everywhere, this is a problem for people with multiple chemical sensitivities. I would not recommend this product.

I grind my own beans, a Baratza Virtuoso. So it's a good grinder but not professional so it produces some fines even at coarser settings. This filter does an awful job of keeping those fines out. The coffee is murky with a thick layer of sludge on the bottom. Paper filters do a superb job in comparison.

This filter is only 3.25" tall, which is too short for our Technivorm Mochamaster which needs a 3.9" tall filter. Unfortunately, not all #4 filters are alike. Ask for height after measuring your filter need.

While this permanent basket coffee filter did fit in the Black & Decker DCM600B 5-Cup Coffeemaker, I felt it allowed the water to pass too quickly through the coffee grounds. Also, it was a messy little clean-up job and, while I aspire to be environmentally more conscious, I'm afraid I'm not going to do it in the realm of coffee filters. It's back to paper for me!

This filter works fine, but nor for more than about 7 tablespoons of coffee grounds. If I put in more than that it spills over the edges when it brews. That means I can never make more than 3.5 cups of coffee. I'm disappointed since the ad said it worked for up to a 5 cup coffee maker, which I have. It needs to be a lot bigger to do that.

Unfortunately, the basket is too small for my coffee pot. Because it is too small, when I put the coffee in the basket while it was in the machine, it fell between the basket and the holder thus causing unbrewed coffee to drip into the coffee pot. This makes the coffee very bitter and leaves coffee grounds in the bottom of the coffee pot. I am disappointed because, I was very specific when I did my search for the best filter for my particular coffee pot and the Medelco filter was tauted as the best filter for my Hamilton Beach 4 cup capacity coffee pot.

This could be the worst permanent coffee filter I have ever had. It makes the weakest coffee EVER. I wouldn't even call it coffee. As far as I could tell, it made some colored hot water, but that's about it.I called Medelco to see if they had any thoughts. Their customer service representative was not helpful.With the combination of the unhelpful representative and the poor quality filter I had just bought, I decided to return it.Back to the paper filters for me on my Hamilton Beach 6-cup BrewStation.

It's a well-made item, and shipping was reasonably fast. Unfortunately it doesn't fit a 4-cup coffeemaker, as it was advertised to do. Not only did I try it on my one Black and Decker, but took it to several different stores and tried it on every 4-5 cup machine they had. The smallest machine it fit was an 8 cup. Since I basically only paid for ship, though, it doesn't seem like it's worth returning.

Got this to use with the Hamilton Beach 6 cuper as about only one sized to fit. Not real happy with results - first as others said it lets too much water through too fast making really weak coffee using same amount as was used in paper filter (wasteful of expensive coffee). Fixed that by fitting a can lid (pull-off catfood lid with a bit of curling up the edge so it fits nicely - I like tinkering with things to make them work my way anyhow) into the bottom to restrict water flow. Maybe in other coffee makers that wouldn't have been an issue, but was in this one. But I don't feel I'm being really green using this - it's messy cleaning compared to paper filters and uses quite a bit of water to rinse the thing to use again - so water vs. recycled paper filters? and water isn't free in my city anyway! This is my first experence with a permanent filter and it may be my last. To give credit it seems well constructed and will probably last a long time and with the restriction on the bottom does as good as paper - but the coffee don't taste any better or even different to me.

Water ran straight through so quickly that it did not work for us at all. We got this one instead and its great! Clever Coffee Dripper Large (Bundle with Plastic Scoop + 5 Cone Paper Coffee Filters)

It doesn't fit in my Krups coffee maker, which takes #4 filters.

terrible filter, noticed sediment in coffee first time it was used. decided to use a paper filter underneath it to see if it was passing anything through. the paper filter was completely covered. using this thing is completely pointless.

Does not fit in Krups properly. It's usable to some extent but we have to slam it in place and hope for the best every time we make coffee. Not universal by any means.

After less than 2 months of use this item has developed a crack down the side. Unfortunately, I either did not notice or the damage happened during a brew, which caused grains to seep out and clog my machine, spilling the brewing coffee all over the place. What a mess to my kitchen and the machine. I honestly wasn't going to write a review until I came back to order a replacement and noticed other "cracking" complains. Obviously this is not a one-off but a defect in the product. I will be looking elsewhere for my new filter.

Smaller than expected, considering we've always purchased this size. The handle also falls off daily.

Thought this would be a great way to save paper from filter papers but it made my coffee all watery. It might be because of the plastic part under the mesh but I tried to put more grinds in it but it was still watered down.

when making single cup of coffee water drips through the bottom not through coffeedont buy

You get what you pay for. The first pot of coffee I made with this filter, in my Mr. Coffee, looked like strong tea. I have to agree with other reviewers that this element is too porous. I also have much more sediment in the last cup of coffee that I pour. Back to the drawing board, Medelco!

Causes some coffee pots to clog because it blocks the draining opening for the water to get to the coffee pot. We ended up not using ours at all because it caused the coffee filter to get blocked and we had grounds and coffee everywhere.

Maybe it was the coffee maker I bought to use this Medelco 4 cup permanent basket coffee filter on but returned the coffee maker and now stuck with this. Caused the coffee grinds to leak out the top. Made coffee so weak since there is not enough room or water to actually make coffee. Bad choice on my part

I wanted to like this product, because it certainly seems like a money AND environment saver, but it makes every single cup of coffee taste like plastic. I tried it for a couple weeks thinking it would eventually lose that plastic taste, but it hasn't. Instead of being environmentally friendly, I'm thinking this one will go straight to the dump. :(