Yes, in one of two ways: use a paper insert that the press maker lists for your exact model, or filter the coffee after it leaves the press. ESPRO documents paper filters for its ESPRO Press. For a press without a documented insert, brew and press as usual, decant the coffee, then pour it through a paper-lined dripper. Do not tuck loose paper under an arbitrary mesh screen.
A fitted insert has to match the model
ESPRO's FAQ says you can add a paper filter to an ESPRO press and that the paper absorbs aromatic oils, which changes the cup. The paper-filter page lists 18 oz and 32 oz sizes for the ESPRO Press. Separately, the FAQ says the Travel Press and Ultralight Press share paper filters with each other; that statement covers those two models, not the larger presses.
Fitting the insert
- Confirm the exact model and size of your press, then buy the paper filters listed for that model.
- Assemble the filter stack exactly as the maker instructs. Do not add paper to a stack it was not designed for.
- Brew with your normal recipe and press slowly. If the handle becomes unusually hard to move, stop rather than forcing it; let the press cool before disassembly and follow the maker's guidance.
Filter the coffee after brewing
On a press without a documented insert, you can leave the press unchanged and remove sediment after decanting.
- Brew and press normally, then pour the coffee into a heat-safe carafe or mug. This gets the liquid off the grounds.
- Set a paper filter that matches your dripper in the dripper, over a second stable, heat-safe vessel on a dry, level surface.
- Pour the decanted coffee through the paper in a slow, steady stream. Let gravity do the work: no pressure, no stirring the bed, no pushing the slurry through the paper.
- Discard the paper and rinse the dripper before the next brew.
This uses a dripper and paper as they are designed to be used, without adding an accessory to the press.
Which option fits your press
Your setup | Paper option | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
ESPRO Press, 18 oz | ESPRO 18 oz paper filter | The paper is listed for that ESPRO Press size |
ESPRO Press, 32 oz | ESPRO 32 oz paper filter | The paper is listed for that ESPRO Press size |
ESPRO Travel Press or Ultralight Press | The paper filter those two models share | The FAQ says they share filters with each other; confirm the part rather than substituting an 18 oz or 32 oz paper |
Another press with a maker-listed paper insert | That maker's insert | Follow its model and size instructions |
Another press with no listed paper insert | Paper filter in a separate dripper | Keep the press assembly unchanged |
What changes in the cup
With paper, expect less sediment, a lighter body and a less oily texture. Without paper, expect more of the oils and body that define a French press. Keep dose, grind, water and steep time constant when comparing the two; our French press coffee ratio guide covers dose, not filtration.
