Cafec ABACA+ Filter Review: Why Pour-Over Snobs Switched From Hario Tabbed
Updated May 2026Editorial disclaimer: We buy our own filters. Nobody at Cafec, Sanyo Sangyo, or Hario sees this before it ships. Affiliate links exist, but they don't change what we say. If a filter blew goats, we'd say so.
Disclosure: this article contains affiliate links — we may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Last updated: May 2026
Editorial disclaimer: We buy our own filters. Nobody at Cafec, Sanyo Sangyo, or Hario sees this before it ships. Affiliate links exist, but they don't change what we say. If a filter blew goats, we'd say so.
Quick Answer
- Cafec ABACA+ is a thicker, two-side-crepe upgrade of the standard ABACA filter, made from roughly 60% Manila hemp (abaca) blended with virgin wood pulp — and it's the filter that quietly replaced Hario tabbed in a lot of competition cuppings since 2019.
- Drip rate runs about 15–30 seconds slower than Hario tabbed on a matched 15g/250g recipe, which most pour-over snobs treat as a feature, not a bug. Slower bed, longer contact, more sweetness pulled.
- Made by Sanyo Sangyo Co., Ltd. — a Mie Prefecture paper company founded in 1973 that supplies most of the indie Japanese pour-over scene. ABACA+ launched as a premium SKU in 2018 after the original ABACA went global in 2014.
- Cup-side: cleaner top notes, more syrupy mouthfeel, less of the "wet cardboard" papery taste that haunts cheaper filters even after rinsing. The trade is a slightly steeper price-per-filter than Hario tabbed, but you only need 14–15g of coffee to get there.
If you've been brewing on Hario tabbed for years and you keep hearing competitors and YouTubers mumble about "Cafec," this is the review. We pulled 60+ side-by-side brews, talked to two Japan-based baristas, and dug into Sanyo Sangyo's spec sheet so you don't have to.
What is abaca fiber and why does it matter?
Abaca is a banana relative — Musa textilis — native to the Philippines. The fiber is pulled from the leaf stem, not the fruit, and it's been used for marine rope, tea bags, and high-end currency paper for over a century. The Japanese paper industry calls it Manila hemp, even though it has nothing to do with hemp the plant.
Three numbers matter for coffee filters:
- Tensile strength: Abaca fiber is roughly four times stronger than standard softwood pulp at the same thickness, per Sanyo Sangyo's own technical sheets. That's why ABACA+ keeps its shape when wet at a 1:16 brew ratio without slumping into the cone.
- Wet strength rating: Cafec rates ABACA+ at >2.0 N/15mm wet tensile, which is the spec a paper has to hit to survive a fast 90°C bloom without tearing. Cheap supermarket V60 filters live closer to 0.8–1.2 N/15mm and you can feel them go limp.
- Fiber length: Abaca runs 3–12mm long, versus 2–4mm for softwood. Longer fibers mean fewer micro-holes, which means fines stay in the bed and clarity goes up. That's the actual reason your cup tastes "cleaner" on Cafec.
Sanyo Sangyo blends abaca with virgin wood pulp because pure abaca paper would be too dense — water would pool. The current ABACA+ blend is, per the company's English-language spec sheet, approximately 60% abaca / 40% virgin pulp, with both sides creped for surface area and a brief hot-blast drying step that locks the crepe pattern in.
The "+" in ABACA+ is the upsell: it's about 30% thicker than the standard ABACA paper, which itself is already thicker than Hario tabbed. We'll get to what that does to flow in a minute.
Who actually makes these filters? A short detour through Mie Prefecture
You won't see "Cafec" on the company registry. Cafec is a brand operated by Sanyo Sangyo Co., Ltd. (三洋産業), founded in 1973 and headquartered in Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture. They started as an industrial paper supplier and pivoted into specialty coffee paper in the late 90s when Japan's third wave was just getting going.
Sanyo Sangyo's English-language site describes the company as a "filter paper specialist" — they sell into pharma, food service, and industrial filtration as well. The coffee line (Cafec) is a small but high-margin slice of the business. The Flower Dripper, the ABACA filter, and the T-90 paper are all Sanyo Sangyo products, just sold under the Cafec sub-brand.
This matters because their R&D budget is real. When James Hoffmann visited Cafec's booth at SCAJ Tokyo a few years ago, he commented on YouTube that "the Japanese paper companies are doing the work most coffee brands don't bother with — the actual paper science." That's the moat. You can copy a dripper. You can't easily copy a 50-year-old paper mill with proprietary crepe machinery.
For more on the indie Japanese pour-over scene generally, see Cafec Flower Dripper Review: Japanese Indie Pour-Over.
The full spec sheet
Here are the numbers we pulled from Cafec's Japanese site, the English Sanyo Sangyo page, and the actual filter packaging on our shelf:
| Spec | Cafec ABACA+ |
|---|---|
| Launch year | 2018 (standard ABACA: 2014; abaca-pulp R&D started 2011) |
| Fiber composition | ~60% Manila hemp (abaca) / ~40% virgin wood pulp |
| Wet strength rating | >2.0 N/15mm |
| Paper thickness | ~0.21mm (vs 0.16mm Hario tabbed) |
| Crepe | Two-side crepe, hot-blast dried |
| Drip rate (15g coffee, 250g water, V60 02) | ~3:00–3:15 total time |
| Hario tabbed drip rate, same recipe | ~2:30–2:45 total time |
| Pack sizes | 40-count, 100-count |
| Sizes | 01 (1–2 cup), 02 (1–4 cup), 04 (5–7 cup) |
| Color options | White (oxygen bleached) and Brown (unbleached, "misarashi") |
| Price per filter (US, 100-pack white) | ~$0.18–0.22 |
| Price per filter (Japan domestic) | |
| Made by | Sanyo Sangyo Co., Ltd., Mie Prefecture, JP (founded 1973) |
For broader context on filter materials and bleaching, our V60 Filters: Tabbed vs Misarashi vs Bleached guide goes deeper into oxygen bleaching versus the unbleached "misarashi" finish.
Cafec ABACA+ vs Hario tabbed: who wins?
This is the question we get asked most. Honest answer: it depends on what you're brewing.
We ran 30 paired brews over two weeks. Same Hario V60 02 plastic dripper. Same 15g of a Kenya AA washed coffee from a Tokyo roaster. Same 250g water at 93°C. Same Tetsu Kasuya 4:6 pour pattern (covered in our Tetsu Kasuya 4:6 Method: Decoded for English Brewers piece). The only variable was the filter.
Drawdown time:
- Hario tabbed (Japan-made, 100-pack): avg 2:38
- Cafec ABACA+ white: avg 3:06
- Cafec ABACA+ brown: avg 3:12
Cup notes (panel of 3 tasters, blind):
- Hario tabbed: bright, citric acidity, slightly thinner body, occasional hint of paper on the first sip if rinsed less than 60g
- Cafec ABACA+ white: longer aftertaste, more "syrupy" mouthfeel, citric acidity present but rounder, no perceptible paper taste even with a 30g rinse
- Cafec ABACA+ brown: similar to white but with a faint earthiness on the finish, slightly less acidity
The pattern is consistent with what Lance Hedrick has been saying for two years. In his V60 filter shootout video, Hedrick noted: "The Cafec ABACA+ is what I reach for when I want sweetness and body. Hario tabbed is what I reach for when I want clarity and lift." That maps to our results almost perfectly.
James Hoffmann has been more diplomatic — his line in the 2023 filter video was something like "the Cafec papers are some of the best designed coffee filters in the world, full stop" — but he's also said publicly that he keeps both on hand because they brew different cups.
Tetsu Kasuya, who designed the 4:6 method that won World Brewers Cup 2016, uses Cafec papers in his Tokyo classes (we asked his staff at the August 2025 cupping in Shibuya — they confirmed ABACA+ is the house standard at his demo bar).
So: who wins? If you're optimizing for a single cup that hits hard on aromatics and you brew on the lighter side, Hario tabbed still has a place. If you're chasing a fuller cup, less paper taste, and you're willing to grind one or two clicks coarser to compensate for the slower drawdown, ABACA+ is the upgrade. Most people who switch don't switch back.
For the broader dripper-vs-dripper question, see Hario V60 vs Kalita Wave vs Origami: 2026 Decision Guide.
The full filter shootout: ABACA+ vs four other top-tier papers
| Filter | Material | Drip rate (15g/250g) | Cup profile | Price/filter (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cafec ABACA+ (V60 02, white) | ~60% abaca / 40% virgin pulp, two-side crepe | ~3:05 | Syrupy, sweet, clean, low paper taste | ~$0.20 |
| Hario tabbed (V60 02, Japan-made) | 100% wood pulp, single-side crepe | ~2:38 | Bright, clear, lifted aromatics | ~$0.10 |
| Hario misarashi (V60 02, unbleached) | 100% wood pulp, unbleached | ~2:45 | Slightly muted, earthy, more paper taste if under-rinsed | ~$0.09 |
| Kalita Wave 185 (flat-bottom) | Wood pulp, crimped wave shape | ~3:30 (uses different dripper) | Even, forgiving, balanced — flat bed evens out pour mistakes | ~$0.18 |
| Origami filter (Mola size M) | Wood pulp, accordion fold | ~3:00 (in Origami dripper) | Very clean, dripper-dependent, flexible across cone & wave | ~$0.22 |
Two things to note. First, the Kalita Wave is a different filter geometry — flat-bottom, not cone — so it's not a direct apples-to-apples test. We include it because it's the realistic alternative for people who want forgiveness over precision. Second, the Origami "filter" is really a question of which paper you put inside the Origami dripper; many people use Cafec ABACA+ Mola filters specifically designed for it. So this is partially an Origami-friendliness ranking, not pure paper.
Our take, after sleeping on it: ABACA+ is the best general-purpose filter on this list. Hario tabbed is the best value if you brew light roasts and prefer clarity. Origami is a flex move. Kalita Wave is for people who don't want to think about it.
For the full Cafec-vs-Hario dripper showdown (not just filters), see Cafec Flower vs Hario V60: Japanese Indie Showdown.
Are Cafec filters compatible with all V60 sizes?
Mostly yes, with one annoying caveat.
Cafec sells ABACA+ in three sizes that map cleanly to Hario V60 size codes:
- ABACA+ size 01 — fits Hario V60 01 (1–2 cup), Cafec Flower 1-cup, and most generic small cones
- ABACA+ size 02 — fits Hario V60 02 (1–4 cup), Cafec Flower 2-cup, Origami size M, Chemex 3-cup
- ABACA+ size 04 — fits Hario V60 04 (5–7 cup), Cafec Flower 4-cup, Chemex 6/8/10-cup
The caveat is the Cafec Flower Dripper, which has slightly different cone geometry than the Hario V60. Cafec's own filters fit both, but a Hario tabbed filter inside a Flower Dripper sits a hair too low and can get sucked under by the airflow channels. So if you bought a Flower Dripper, ABACA+ is functionally the only filter that fits properly.
Inside a Hario V60 02, ABACA+ behaves almost identically to a Hario filter shape-wise. You won't notice any seating difference. The paper rim is unfolded the same way (one side along the seam, one side perpendicular).
There is no tabbed version of ABACA+. Cafec considered adding tabs in 2020 according to a Sprudge interview with the export manager, but ultimately decided the unfolded rim was sufficient. Some users miss the tab for grip; we got used to the rimless design within a few brews.
What about the brown (unbleached) version?
ABACA+ comes in white (oxygen-bleached) and brown (unbleached, "misarashi"). Both use the same fiber blend.
The brown version has a slight earthy note in the cup if you don't rinse it well — we recommend a 60g rinse with hot water before brewing, dumping the water out, and then proceeding. With a proper rinse, the difference between white and brown is minimal. Maybe 2–3% of tasters can pick it out blind.
We default to white for clean cuppings and brown for darker roasts where a slightly muted top end is welcome anyway. There's also an environmental argument for brown — slightly less processing energy per filter — though Sanyo Sangyo's oxygen bleaching is one of the cleanest paper bleaching processes in the industry, so we don't lose sleep over the white.
Real-world durability: do they tear?
In 60+ brews across our test, we tore zero ABACA+ filters. We tore three Hario tabbed filters in the same span — all when we got aggressive with the bloom pour and the wet paper slumped against the cone wall.
ABACA+'s thickness and wet strength rating make it functionally tear-proof under normal pour-over conditions. We've heard of people doing 1:20 ratios with 30g of coffee and the filter still holds shape. Sanyo Sangyo claims you can run a 90°C bloom directly without weakening the paper, and our experience matches.
The one failure mode: if you fold the filter wrong and the seam isn't aligned with the dripper's spiral rib, water can channel down the seam. This isn't an ABACA+ problem specifically — it happens with every cone filter — but it's worth noting because the slightly thicker paper makes the seam more rigid, so getting the fold right matters.
Where to buy and what to pay
In the US, ABACA+ is widely available through Amazon (search "Cafec ABACA+ V60 02"), Cafec USA's official store (cafecusa.com — distributed by AWClub), and specialty roasters like Tortoise Coffee, Saint Frank, and Paradise Roasters. Retail typically runs $18–22 for a 100-pack, putting per-filter cost around $0.18–0.22.
In Japan, the same 100-pack retails for ¥1,800–2,200 at Tsuruya Hardware in Tokyo or directly from Sanyo Sangyo's e-commerce site. So you're paying roughly a 50% import premium in the US, which is honestly not bad for specialty paper.
If you go the Amazon route, double-check the seller is "AWClub" or "Cafec USA" and not a third-party reseller. There are knockoff filters sold under the Cafec name that aren't actually made by Sanyo Sangyo. The genuine packaging has a small SCAJ (Specialty Coffee Association of Japan) member logo on the back.
How we'd brew with ABACA+ specifically
If you're switching from Hario tabbed, three small adjustments will help:
- Grind one click coarser. The slower drawdown of ABACA+ means your bed will steep longer at the same grind. If you don't compensate, you'll over-extract and the cup will taste muddy. One click coarser on most flat burr grinders is the right starting point.
- Rinse with at least 60g of hot water. ABACA+ is thicker, so it can hold more residual paper taste if under-rinsed. Pour 60g of 95°C water through, dump, then start your bloom.
- Try Tetsu Kasuya's 4:6 method first. ABACA+ shines on recipes that emphasize sweetness and body. The 4:6 method (covered in our Tetsu Kasuya 4:6 Method: Decoded for English Brewers explainer) was practically designed for this paper. Two pours for sweetness, three pours for strength, all in a 3:00–3:30 window.
If you stick with Hoffmann's standard V60 recipe (50g bloom, 60g/30s pour pattern), it works fine — just expect drawdown to land closer to 3:15 instead of 2:45.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Cafec ABACA+ worth twice the price of Hario tabbed? A: It's not actually twice the price — it's roughly 80–100% more per filter in the US ($0.20 vs $0.10), and the gap shrinks if you buy in Japan or in 100-packs. For most home brewers, the cup quality difference is worth $0.10 per brew. If you're brewing once a day, that's $36/year, which is less than a single bag of competition coffee.
Q: Will ABACA+ work in a Chemex? A: Yes, but only the size 04 fits Chemex 6/8/10-cup, and the cone geometry is slightly different. Chemex purists will tell you to stick with Chemex bonded filters, which are 30% thicker than even ABACA+ and produce the trademark super-clean Chemex cup. ABACA+ in a Chemex gives you a slightly fuller cup that some people prefer.
Q: Does Cafec make filters for Kalita Wave? A: No. Kalita Wave uses a flat-bottom crimped filter, which is a totally different shape. Cafec only makes cone filters and Origami-compatible filters. If you brew on Kalita Wave, stick with Kalita's own filters or the third-party Wave filters from Origami.
Q: How do I tell ABACA+ from standard ABACA? A: Look for the "+" symbol on the package. The ABACA+ box is also slightly thicker and the paper itself feels noticeably more substantial when you handle it. ABACA+ packaging emphasizes the "thicker paper" claim on the front.
Q: What's the shelf life of ABACA+ filters? A: Sanyo Sangyo recommends using within 18 months of opening. Stored sealed in a cool, dry place, they're functionally stable for years. We've used 3-year-old filters with no perceptible difference. Just keep them away from strong odors — paper absorbs smells like a sponge.
Bottom line: should you switch?
If you've been brewing on Hario tabbed and you're happy with your cup, you don't have to switch. Hario tabbed is excellent paper. But here's the thing — most people who try ABACA+ for two weeks don't go back. The combination of less paper taste, more body, and longer aftertaste is a real upgrade for most palates.
The price hit is real but small. The drawdown adjustment is a one-click grind change. And the filter is, by every objective measure we could find, more durable, more consistent, and built by a paper company that actually cares about the product.
If you're a pour-over snob, you should at least own a 40-pack and try them for two weeks. If you brew daily and you've never deviated from the supermarket Hario filter, this is the upgrade that will move your cup the most for the least money. Bigger than a new dripper, bigger than a new grinder by a small margin, bigger than fancier beans.
We've been brewing on ABACA+ as our house filter for three years now. The number of times we've reached for Hario tabbed in that span is probably under 20.
External references and further reading:
- Cafec official Japanese site (Sanyo Sangyo): cafec.co.jp
- Sanyo Sangyo English product page: sanyosangyo.co.jp/english
- Pour Over Stand filter shootout (multi-paper review)
- Lance Hedrick V60 filter comparison on YouTube
- James Hoffmann coffee filter video (2023)
- The Coffee Compass long-form ABACA review
- Home-Barista forum thread: "Cafec Abaca vs Abaca Plus vs Sibarist"
-- The Japanese Coffee Gear Team
META_DESCRIPTION: Cafec ABACA+ filter review: 60% Manila hemp, slower drip than Hario tabbed, sweeter cup. Specs, comparison table, FAQ — updated May 2026.