Alto Cold Brew No Mess Disposable Cold Brew Coffee Filters - 35 PACK - With Mocktail Brew Guide - Cleaner, Brighter Cold Brew, Without the Cleanup - (2 Quart Pitcher Size)

These bags will change your cold brew coffee game. Best investment ever.

The product does what it advertises, which is to make the straining/clean up process after soaking grounds for cold brew much easier and mess-free.The downside is that it takes much longer for the cold brew process, because the filter bag limits the amount of water that can come in contact with the grounds.So now, instead of putting ground coffee inside the filter to soak, I put the grounds in the water, and then filter the mixture through these filters. This works much better than the way it's meant to be used.

I purchased these filters simply because I wanted to try them, paid full price and was not offered any incentive for my review. I took my time writing this review because I wanted to use these filters a few times first. I had previously been using the brand that came with the well known cold brew system but they were expensive and these are more reasonably priced. I purchased the medium size so I used a 2-quart pitcher to brew my coffee. I used 2 cups of coffee (I like Peets Big Bang and it was ground already) and 6 cups of water. I brewed the coffee for 12 hours on the counter and then another 12 hours in the fridge overnight.First my cons: The pitcher I use is 2 quarts and the filled filter bag full of coffee is taller than the 6 cups of water in the pitcher. I push the bag down as far as possible and try to slant it as much as possible but there is 1.5-2 inches above the water. This surprised me the first time I made coffee with these filters, and it annoyed me. I felt like I wasted some of the ground coffee. The next 2 times I left more room at the top of the bag by removing some of the coffee before adding the water and also pouring the water over the coffee before tying the bag so at least the coffee at the top would get wet and I could squish it down. I am going to have to find a wider/bigger pitcher I guess but I didn't want to have to buy a new one. I guess I could use that big plastic monstrosity from the Toddy's system with the rubber plug but I hated that thing. Okay, the other con: The bags is so narrow it is difficult to fill them. I use a funnel but I tell you what, the first time I was scrambling! I had a measuring cup with a lip and thought that would be good enough and it might have been if someone else had been there holding the filter bag open for me. What a mess!. I stopped what I was doing and found a funnel but had to take the time to wash and dry it because it was in a junk drawer. I don't remember reading a suggestion that I would need a funnel so some warning would have been nice.The Pros: The coffee tastes great! You also get a lot of filters for your money. The filters are much sturdier than "the other brand" so you can really squeeze the coffee liquid out of them. Having the drawstring top is much nicer than having to put a twist tie around a full paper filter bag.How does the coffee taste? when I used the Toddy filters and their instructions the concentrate was more concentrated so I added more water to my coffee cup, but their formula of a 12 oz bag of ground coffee to 7 cups water is why and it lasted me a little less than two weeks. With Alto Cold Brew Filter bags I used 2 cups (about half of a 12 oz bag) ground coffee to 6 cups water and the concentrate needed less water added to make a drinkable cup of coffee and it lasts me about a week.Hopefully I will find a wider pitcher so the coffee is all under water and if so, I will probably update my review. I do like these filter bags.

As a cold brew coffee lover, I have used various systems for preparing the coffee grounds and then placing them within water , and the refrigerator, and waiting for the magic to occur. I have used a French press method, various metal or mesh filters placed into glass containers, and using differing coffee grinding methods. As I was preparing for an extended road trip, desperate to find a system to use on the road, I ran across these cloth filters. I wouldn't have to bring a coffee grinder, nor a filter needing to be cleaned. I only needed to fill the bags with coffee, place it in the jar with water and the coffee was ready by the end of the driving day. No need to grind the whole beans into a course ground texture, the bags hold the regular coffee without any grounds escaping. No messy cleanup, just toss the bags, holding the grounds ,into the trash. I even used the same bag,same grounds in a second round of water, resulting a less potent drink mixture, but full of flavor none the less. Upon returning home, I have continued using these Alto bags. I no longer have to grind the whole beans or use mesh filters in my sink, as I do when rinsing out old grounds. I don't have to worry if my mesh filters are really a good metal or if they are clean or rusting. I only have clean the jars which are used in brewing. Using the bags for the coffee making has simplified the process while retaining the wonderful flavor of the cold brew. I recommend this option to anyone. I love it.

Much easier to use than the metal mesh strainer that came with the original kit. Very little sediment and debris at the bottom. There is a little silt at the bottom, but not much (or sometimes none at all). The key to minimizing sediment is to avoid shaking or trying to strain every last drop out of the bag at the end. Just let the coffee diffuse through the bag, and throw it out when done. Don't mess with it. And you should also wind the string around the top to close it really tight. Definitely buying again.