The coffee filter and drip coffee were born from an iconic housewife from Dresden, Germany, Melitta Bentz. Tired of coffee grounds in her coffee, in 1908 Melitta Bentz punched holes through the base of a brass pot and used a blotting sheet from her son’s school book to create a two-part filtration system. Melitta Bentz’s yearning for a better and cleaner cup of coffee led to the invention of the filtered pour-over, challenging us to enjoy the perfect cup of coffee. And so, we do. Fast forward over 100 years, and The New York Times stated that Melitta Bentz be ‘overlooked no more,’ proving just how important this female entrepreneur and the company she created is to society today.
Originating in Bentz’s home, Melitta is still a family company today and is one of the largest providers of premium-quality coffee around the globe. To this day, Melitta Bentz’s original coffee filter and pour-over innovation remains the precursor to all modern pour-over and drip coffee brewing worldwide and Melitta is the leading brand of coffee filters in North America and one of the leading coffee roasters in the world!
Female innovations have contributed to contemporary society in countless ways. During Women’s History Month, we honor the contributions of often-overlooked women to the history of the United States and beyond.
