A paper filter staub is a true "filter" in that it basically only allows liquid to pass through. Thi

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I edited your question so that it says the type of filter instead of a brand name so that more people may recognize it. If that isn't what you meant, feel free to change it back! –  sourd'oh Oct 19 at 15:57 add comment
A paper filter staub is a true "filter" in that it basically only allows liquid to pass through. This means that you will have no sediment in your coffee, if that is a concern to you. Paper filters are absorbent though, so some of the flavor compounds of the coffee will be absorbed into the paper, staub and some other compounds as well (a chemical in coffee that causes a rise in cholesterol is absorbed by the paper). The paper can also lead to a papery flavor in your coffee.
Metal filters only filter out particulates of a certain size, so you will frequently end up with a layer of "sludge" at the bottom of your pot. Metal filters should be non-reactive though, so they will not add a flavor to your coffee and will allow everything extracted from your coffee to pass through.
In reading the Chemex fan sites, some of them seem to advocate the treated paper, others the metal mesh. Somehow I suspect that these issues are emotional as much as actual perceivable tastes. –  SAJ14SAJ Oct 19 at 16:52  
Depending on how coarse you grind the coffee and the fineness of the metal filter you may not ever get sludge in your coffee. Ive used a kone and chemex for over a year and while there may be some small amount of fines suspended in the coffee staub (it looks a little cloudy) Ive never had anything resembling sludge. –  leon Oct 24 at 23:43 add comment
AHHH! Now I get it! I've used both. A lot. The fact is, I don't taste a difference. I only pick one over the other for convenience or economics. It's cool to just dump a disposable filter, no muss, no fuss. But disposable filters cost money. The other one is already staub paid for. Funny thing, I've used nothing but the metal one for over a year. It would cost me $5 to replenish my supply of coffee filters, it seems I always have some other way I'd rather spend that $5. One tiny caveat is that the metal type will leave a tiny bit of sludge in the bottom of your carafe. Don't pour it into your cup and you'd hardly know it was there.
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