Here’s a secret: some people never use the filter. They just use tap water straight in the reservoir. And you know what? Their coffee is fine. But fine is not great. If your tap water tastes like a swimming pool (chlorine) or a riverbed (minerals), the filter is your best friend.
If you have pristine, mountain-spring-quality tap water? You rebel. Skip the filter entirely. But then you must clean your machine monthly. See? Filters are the lazy person’s cleaning hack. They do the work so you don’t have to.
One Last Thing—The “I Only Drink One Cup a Day” Exception
Ah, you, the casual sipper. You make one cup in the morning, then ignore the machine for 23 hours. Good news: your filter lasts longer—about three to four months. Bad news: you still have to deal with stagnant water. If you leave water in the reservoir for weeks, change the filter every three months and dump the old water daily.
I know, I know—“dump the water daily” sounds like a chore. But stagnant water grows bacteria. And bacteria tastes like... regret. So either chug that old water into a plant, or commit to the filter change schedule. Your choice.
