No, you can make it the way you like it, with paper, for a clean oil-free brew and easy cleanup, or without for a more full-flavored coffee and less waste. The advanced micro-filter is built in, so you don’t need the paper filter if you don’t want to, or if you find yourself without. The paper is also renewable and compostable, and oxygen-whitened, making it eco-friendly. Brewing with paper filters is faster, taking only 2 minutes. Brewing with only the metal filter taken 3-4 minutes.