Natural Brew #4 Cone Coffee Filters, Natural Brown Paper, 100-Count Bags (Pack of 8)

I've been using #4 coffee filters for over 30 years, and have tried all sorts...regular white, natural brown, mesh reusable...you name it. I prefer the natural brown because they are supposedly dioxin/chemical-free (it would be nice if there was some sort of certification so we actually knew).Melitta, my usual brand, was on sale often enough at my local store (NY metro), so they were reasonably priced...but that seemed to change after the 2008 economic downturn and the subsequent stealth inflation (I say stealth, because, even though our government would have us believe there is none, groceries have gone up as much as 40-50% in some cases...when one factors in reduced package size with price increases). And Melitta filters became a bit pricey for me, since we drink A LOT of coffee!So...we began to look for more affordable alternatives: enter "Natural Brew"...a very decent, less-expensive alternative. The main differences I have noticed:- thinner paper (not necessarily bad...possibly a faster filter time, and they seem sturdy enough)- slightly smaller cone (with most other filter brands, I usually need to fold in the bottom & side seam edges to get them to fit in the filter holder...I do not have to with these). Again, not necessarily bad...in fact, it saves a step.So, these are a good alternative when priced right. For those who prefer a beefier filter, I would recommend the  If You Care No. 4 Coffee Filters, 100-Count Boxes , which are thicker, a bit larger and usually have a little thumb tab to help open them...but also tend to cost more (I am able to find them locally at reasonable prices, though).Now, if I could just find more affordable great-tasting coffee! ;-)

These filters have a hard smooth surface compared to Melitta. They don't seem to flavor the coffee, don't clog, don't fall apart even if you forget to clean the coffeemaker from Friday afternoon until Monday morning. Because they have that hard finish, it was a little tricky getting the filter to open for me, but after using a few of them, that isn't much of an issue.The filters are in fairly thick zipper bags of 100 each. These individual bags are a little less than 6 inches square and about an inch and a half thick, obviously getting thinner as you use the filters up. They arrive in a point-of-purchase display that is just short of six inches wide and tall, and about 13 inches deep. If you have a shelf deep enough for it, it's probably set up for stuff twice as tall, so you waste a lot of storage space. I decided to keep one baggie next to the coffee beans, and stash the others in a stockpot I don't frequently use, but when I DO use it, it'll be a minor pain. I'll be keeping my eyes out for a box that has a lid, so I can stack stuff on top of it.Not the end of the world. A problem that can be addressed by thinking about it over some coffee. I don't know why most outfits charge an arm and a leg for #2 cone filters, but this is certainly a great price!

These make great coffee. They work great, maybe even better than Melittas. I brew my coffee one cup at a time with a dripper that you set right on the cup so I stand there and observe the whole process. I will gladly order more of these.Update: The second batch that I bought does have some filters that don't seem to be "knitted" together as well. I have to be careful when I'm spreading them open so that they don't separate. They still work perfectly once they are in the dripper as long as I they didn't get split while putting them in. It's not difficult to keep them from separating, but prior to this batch it never had even crossed my mind. I'm hoping this is a temporary problem with just this second batch. I took a star away for that. I will continue buying these and, if this problem proves temporary, I will update this review again.Update: I have ordered another 2 batches since last update and the quality has been the same. I haven't had any more try to fall apart, but I may be being a little more careful now too. They are not as rugged as Melitta. However, they work fine for me and I will continue to use them.Update: I have now ordered a total of 6 batches. That's 4800 filters. It was only that second batch that gave me trouble. I have been delighted with them ever since. I raised my rating back up to 5 stars.

I live in a small city where it is difficult to locate unbleached #2 coffee filters. When they are available the only brand is Melitta and if I am able to locate them they are in the small packages and are very expensive. When I started looking for unbleached coffee filters on the internet I saw that the "Natural Brew" was about half price of Melitta so I ordered a box of 8 bags of 100 filters. It was kind of a gamble on my part because I am fussy about my coffee. They arrived quickly and I tried them immediately after physicaly comparing them to the competition. I couldn't tell any difference between the two products. The paper that the filters are made of felt like it was the same weight, they were exactly the same size and sealed at the bottom and the side the same way. The only difference was the packaging. The "Natural Brew" brand was in zip lock bags and the "Melitta" brand was in the card board boxes. As a quality conscious and price conscious shopper the decision is easy. I will be purchasing "Natural Brew" coffee filters.

Great value and perfect fit