The paper coffee filter was invented in 1908 by a German homemaker named Melitta Bentz. In a fit of frustration, she put a piece of paper over the perforated bottom of a pot and poured her coffee through. Eventually, she got a patent on her invention. The company she founded, Melitta, still existed in the early 21st century, providing consumers and coffeehouses with coffee filters and other supplies.
More about coffee:
- Before the invention of the paper filter, people would rely on the metal filters in percolators and might pair them with a piece of linen cloth to keep fine grounds out of their coffee cups.
- Research suggests that, when consumed in moderate amounts, coffee does not have negative health consequences for most people. In fact, there might be some health benefits to regularly consuming moderate amounts of coffee.
- Coffee became available in the United Kingdom by the 1500s, if not earlier. Coffeehouses began to crop up in the 1600s.