14 Plastic Free Coffee Makers/BPA Free

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Plastic-free coffee makers will help deter the known health hazards of BPA plastics that cause serious health issues, including heart disease, reproductive failure, Diabetes, high blood pressure, brain diseases, etc. 

Unfortunately, brewing your coffee can create the perfect environment for it to be introduced into your drink. This is because BPA chemicals detach from the internal plastic parts while the machine is heating up.

Fortunately, since the discovery of BPA and its adverse side effects, many companies took the initiative to produce BPA-free, Stainless steel or glass coffee makers. 

To make things simpler for you, we have reviewed 14 plastic-free coffee makers that will include electronic drip coffee makers, Chemex, Moka pot, french press, and pour-over options to fit the brewing method you prefer most. 

Scroll through the entire list to see each brewing category.

What Exactly Makes Up A Plastic Free Coffee Maker?

BPA starts to leech from the plastic while it’s being heated.

The crucial plastic-part of a coffee maker to look out for is the water boiler and the internal plastic parts that come in contact with the hot water and hot coffee.

So, while buying an entry-level coffee maker, focus on the internal parts rather than the exterior. The coffee maker’s outside won’t affect your coffee’s taste and health, but the interior will. 

Steel or Glass Water Reservoir

Ensure that your water reservoir is either glass or steal because that’s the internal part that stays in contact with the water for the longest time.

When a coffee maker gets hot, there’s a slight chance that the water reservoir will get heated up as well.

Thus, it’s essential to choose and check the water reservoir before anything to keep your water BPA-free. 

It’s more about the internal parts. 

The internal part should be BPA-protected because those are the parts your coffee, hot water, get in touch with. 

The coffee maker’s internal parts include the water reservoir, heating element/boiler/heater, water tube (to export the water), shower head, coffee basket, and spout. 

Cheap entry-level coffee makers will have many plastic wares. 

These can include the coffee holder, the showerhead, the water reservoir, and even the external casing. 

Most of this plastic is cheap propylene but BPA-free. 

If you do want to buy a cheaper coffee maker, make sure it’s BPA-free certified. You can always replace the plastic coffee filter with a gold-tone filter; it would be a healthier choice. 

Expensive coffee makers will have stainless steel parts, including the shower screen, a gold-tone filter, glass/steel reservoir, brass/steel boiler, and the external casing. 

Please note: A cheaper coffee maker will have an aluminum heating element; the expensive coffee makers will have either stainless steel or brass boilers. 

It’s not about the carafe.

The most-affordable coffee maker brands will also give you a glass carafe.

Expensive coffee makers might come with a thermal carafe because it keeps the coffee hot for a more extended period.

Nonetheless, glass carafes are cheaper, transparent to show you the on-going brewing, offer visible measurement for accuracy, etc. 

The carafe doesn’t matter because, unlike the boiler and the reservoir, coffee doesn’t stay long in the carafe. With a glass carafe, you pour, and it’s done. There’s not enough time and heat for the BPA to pass through the coffee and into your stomach. 

Use a gold-tone filter.

A filter holds the coffee ground and filters out the brewed coffee when water is pushed through it. 

The filter usually goes with the coffee container. There’s an upper chamber (basket) to hold the filter, which further holds the coffee.

Entry-level coffee makers (electronic) will come with a plastic filter and a plastic coffee chamber. You can easily replace the plastic filter with a gold-tone filter. 

Some automatic coffee makers come with a gold-tone filter; it’s a cheap and healthy replacement. 

Is there a coffee maker that isn’t made with plastic?

All coffee makers will have some plastic pieces.

Not every part of your coffee maker is going to be stainless steel. Plastic is a fundamental requirement for all machinery, and coffee makers are no different. 

For flexibility, connectivity, safe-guarding, plastic, and rubber are often used in higher-end and affordable coffee brewers.

These may include a plastic shower head, plastic coffee container (You can place a gold-tone filter/paper filter above it), etc. 

To determine the quality of a coffee maker, look for the boiler’s material (brass/stainless steel), the carafe, water reservoir, body, sustainability, robust casing, stainless steel exterior with a touch of plastic. 

Drip coffee makers without internal plastic parts

Electric heating is faster than stove or induction. They have a bigger capacity of 10-12 cups unless you decide to choose single-serving coffee brewers. 

They are programmable; you can decide the water flow, bloom rate, temperature, volume with a high-end coffee maker like the Sage.

These coffee makers come with a big carafe (thermal or glass) and are meant to entertain. 

For all of these reasons we started our list with drip coffee makes

Cuisinart DCC Coffee Maker

Cuisinart is probably the cheapest coffee maker with multiple functionalities, a gold-tone filter, a giant glass carafe, and a more extensive water reservoir.

All the plastic used in Cuisinart DCC is BPA-free with a stainless steel casing to increase its life. 

Cuisinart DCC offers 14 cups of capacity with five programmable options, including auto-cleaning, bold coffee brew, brew off/ brew on, auto-off, program future brews, and switch 1-4 cups. 

A center LCD screen with a blue backlit displays the functions and has four additional buttons to select hours, seconds for the future timer, two extra buttons for tone and temperature. 

With Cuisinart, you can now adjust the temperature of the warming plate between low, medium, and high and keep it warm for 4 hours until it auto-shuts off. 

The coffee maker has a concise body with stainless steel exterior and a closed system with a single upper lid to access the coffee chamber and the water reservoir. 

Pros

• The glass carafe has visible measurements with two ounces difference. 
• It offers a gold-tone filter. 
• It’s affordable.
• Water window to display water in the reservoir. 
• Auto-off after four hours. 
• Programmable for next 24 hours. 
• The ‘tone’ features alerts brewing process with audio. 
• It comes with a charcoal filter to keep the water clean.

Cons

• Although they advertise 14 cups, a single cup only weighs 4-5 ounces more petite than a standard cup. 
• The black coating wears off with time. 

Technivorm Mochamaster

A high-end coffee maker to serve you delicious java every time. Technivorm moccamaster is an advanced coffee brewer with a thermal carafe to keep your java hot for a long time. 

Its stainless steel body and the glass reservoir have a tall interface with a sustainable black coffee container. Technivorm is a simple coffee brewer that does what it deems to with a single switch.

Once you turn on the switch, the brewer does all the action. 

Another simple feature Technivorm offers control over coffee pour. You can adjust the opening for a slower/faster pour. 

It also offers a unique water boiler made of copper to maintain the correct brewing temperature (190-205 degrees Fahrenheit) 

Technivorm has a non-mainstream design with many removable parts for easy cleaning. The thermal carafe+coffee container and the water reservoir+internal heating element sit separately on a single metallic platform. 

Although thermal carafe is enough to hold the heat inside, Technivorm added a brew-thru-lid to pour the coffee from the spout inside the thermal carafe through a thin pipe. That’s exclusive to the machine. 

Pros

• It brews 40 ounces of coffee in 4-6 minutes. 
• Technivorm offers 5-years of warranty.
• The showerhead has nine holes and a stainless steel body.
• A conical coffee container serves better for saturation and water distribution.
• The heating element/water boiler auto-switches off when the reservoir is empty, ensuring the machine is not unnecessarily heating the system.
• Offers a measuring scoop
• You can switch between 5 cups, 10 cups or temporarily stop to pour a single cup. 
• The thermal has a non-conventional conical shape. The more petite mouth holds heat inside. 
• A separate lid and chambers for water and coffee make it a big machine.

Cons

• It doesn’t offer functionality or future brew settings. 
• The settings are minimal with a single switch.
• The carafe has a thin holding plastic plate. Unfortunately, it’s too thin to be called a carafe platform.
• The thermal carafe doesn’t come with a pouring spout. Therefore, you will have to be extra careful while pouring, or you will end up spilling. 
• No direct auto-shutoff. You will have to turn off the machine manually every time you finish brewing. 
• It has too many pieces to put together. 
• The exterior model has a lot of plastic. 
• The smallmouth of the carafe makes it impossible to clean. 
• It’s expensive

OXO 9 Cup Brewer

If you strive to achieve elegance and taste together, the OXO 9 would be a great choice for you.

The separate water reservoir, coffee container, and thermal carafe have an aesthetic contrast of black and silver color, all sitting elegantly on a single dark-grey platform.

OXO brewer is programmable and allows you to set future brews. 

These programs include selecting the cup size-it’s either 2-4 or 5-9. The single dialler lets you set the time for future brews. Its interface is easy-to-use and straightforward. 

OXO connects the water reservoir and the coffee container with a silicone water bridge.

The coffee container is made of stainless steel and has a sturdy structure; it stays in place even without the carafe below. The coffee container has a flat bottom with a conical coffee chamber inside as well for easy saturation. 

The LED screen has a couple of symbols to alert you. These symbols include- carafe removed or carafe wrongly placed, brew icon, coffee is ready, wake-up timer, and warning for no water, a red light for no water, and white light for descaling. 

Pros

• OXO has a precise body with a sturdy and expensive build. Every part stands for itself without any support. 
• It has a rainwater shower that pours hot water evenly through the coffee ground. 
• It has an elegant LED display that displays what’s going on and inside the machine. 
• Stainless-steel carafe with double walls to keep the coffee hot. 
• It offers a 12 hours/24-hour brewing cycle. 
• The machine maintains coffee’s temperature at around 190-205 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• The brewer is quiet for early morning use. 

Cons

• The coffee brewer is larger then average. 
• One cup is equivalent to 5oz, which is small. 
• The thermal carafe is hard to clean. 

Pour over non-plastic Coffee Maker.

Automatic coffee makers do everything for you with a push of a button, but manual brewers allow you to have control over every facet of the brewing process.

You cannot complain about the coffee quality it brews because literally, everything is in your hands.

You grind the beans, decide how hot the water is, pouring techniques, coffee to water ratio, timer, etc. 

Pour over is a technique developed by Peter in the 1940s. The whole concept included pouring hot water in the ground coffee sitting in the paper/metal filter. 

Once you start pouring, the coffee and water start to collide and saturate together. Once the water soaks in the coffee flavor, it pours through the filter into the carafe attached below. 

Chemex

Designed to look like a sandglass, the Chemex comes with an elegant wood holder with an aesthetic tie-around for gripping. The 8 cup Chemex has a large carafe to hold enough coffee for multiple servings. 

The glass used to make Chemex is borosilicate, a durable glass that doesn’t easily break with extreme temperature or by accidental hits.

Not only this, it can adapt to temperature changes, and that includes negative temp as well. 

Borosilicate Glass has boron trioxide that allows the glass to have low thermal expansion. 

Chemex has a run-through spout that runs entirely down the length of the coffee chamber to avoid spills. 

Pros

• It’s affordable. 
• The product is beautiful and makes a great conversation piece.
• It’s a manual coffee maker, so you have complete control over the coffee and its taste. 
• The wooden holder is stylish and of good quality. 
• It will sit perfectly on a medium-sized coffee scale. 
• The glass is non-porous; this keeps it from becoming stained.

Cons

• The carafe doesn’t have measurements to display the quantity of the coffee. 
• Chemex’s one cup size is 5 oz. 
• You will have to buy Chemex filters separately for the best results. 
• The wooden holder needs to be cleaned or it may stain

Hario V60

Hario V60 comes in many materials, and the best option is ceramic. Its design has a cone that’s attached to a plate and a thick ring-like opening. 

Given its carafe-less making, Hario V60 would be a cheaper and a better choice if you already have a glass carafe or a big enough cup to accommodate the V60. 

V60 comes with a single-layer filter, extracting more coffee oils than the double-layered filter paper. 

Ceramic is a sustainable choice, and it maintains the temperature throughout the pouring. Its mouth is designed perfectly to pour the coffee without dribbling it.

The cone cup-like Hario comes with a handle to efficiently manage the device without any mishaps or spills.

Unlike carafe+coffee chambers that make it super hard to operate, clean, and pour, you can easily dislocate the Hario from the cup to pour directly, remove the residual coffee, etc. 

Pros

• It’s small and can be stored easily.  
• The ceramic is sturdier than glass and more exotic than plastic. 
• The cylindrical rib of the V60 offers a broader coffee expansion.

Cons

• It doesn’t come with an attached carafe. So, you will have to buy it separately. Most people have a carafe in their home already.

V60 Coffee Gator

Coffee gator’s exterior is built out of durable glass, has a stainless steel silver filter, filter+carafe+handle, all this for a much lower price than other expensive products.

The customer service is remarkable, It’s packaged with double-triple safe-guarding for each tool.

The steel filter is wrapped and placed perfectly above the V60 in a polybag; the whole apparatus is folded in a bubble wrap and then second-folded with thick foam for extra safety.

It has a similar model to the Chemex but comes with a big handle to support the whole apparatus properly.

The stainless steel filter comes with a rubber holder for easy portability without having to worry about breaking it if it is bumped. The rubber holder also keeps the filter in place above the V60. 

Not only this, but the Coffee gator also has marked the carafe with measurements, it’s a simple feature but they count! The carafe can hold 13.5 ounces of coffee (2 big cups of coffee!) 

The filter is made from double mesh for delicate separation of oil without extracting any coffee grounds. The filter is cone-shaped and has seven holes at the bottom. 

Pros

• The glass is heat resistant. 
• A BPA-free product.
• A small spout to pour coffee into the glass. 
• The packaging is cute and carefully done with instructions, small gift cards, etc. 
• You don’t need to dispose of filter papers every time. The metal filter is long-lasting. 

Cons

• The metal filter passes on the oils that can concentrate the coffee on an acidic level. 
• It can brew 1-2 cups maximum.
• It’s hard to clean the filter compared to a paper filter that you can simply dispose of. 

Percolators Coffee Brewers

There’s one thing about non-automated coffee makers, they use less plastic and are less expensive. Also, they give you the chance to experiment with your coffee.

Percolators can be electronic or stove coffee brewers. 

The mechanism of percolators is pretty simple. It’s one big jar divided by a middle coffee chamber. To operate a percolator, 

• You need to fill it with water to the given limit. 
• Next, you fill the coffee chamber. The chamber has holes throughout it and an oversized center hole to adjust a big hollow rod (perking rod). 
• This center rod reaches the water and goes beyond the coffee chamber. 
• The chamber is closed with a mesh, and it has holes as well. 
• When given the heat, the water starts to boil and seeps through the rod/pipe. The water goes above the coffee chamber through the pipe and showers on the filter mesh. 
• The water seeps through the holes of the filter mesh and reaches the coffee, soaking it thoroughly. 
• Once the coffee is completely soaked in, it starts to come out of the holes present at the bottom of the chamber and mixes with the water present below. 
• The coffee water goes again, goes through the pipe, reaches the top, showers on the lid of the chamber, soaks with the coffee, and pours out of the hole. 
• The process stops when you stop the percolator or when you switch off the stove. 

Stove percolators are more time-consuming than electric ones, but they are cheaper if you have time in the morning to accommodate the process. 

Most of the percolators will look like stainless steel jars with a cap and a dedicated spout. 

Presto Coffee Maker

Presto is an entry-level coffee maker with a closed system and an electric boiler. If you don’t want to boil the water separately and want something cheaper than an automatic drip coffee machine, this will work best.

Of course, the mechanism of a percolator is different from the automatic drip machine; they still brew filtered coffee at a lower price. 

Presto has a stainless steel body with a stainless steel filter and the perk tube/rod/pipe. There’s a wide-angled handle to support the brewer and a dedicated long funneled spout to entertain you with an old-school feel. 

Presto brews 12 cups of coffee, and every single cup takes a minute to brew. So, it will take 12 minutes to brew the whole pot ultimately. You can admit a little plastic at the base, at the handle, and the top. 

It has a massive capacity of 12 liters. Many other filtered coffee makers will advertise 5 ounces as a single cup. That’s not the case with Presto; it gives you quality coffee in quantity. 

Pros

• It has a detachable cord that you can remove to port the brewer freely once done brewing. 
• The signal indicator tells you when the coffee is ready to serve. 
• It’s faster than stove percolators.
• It heats up quickly. 
• The coffee stays hot inside the stainless steel pot until you turn it off. 
• Use a metal filter for better results. 

Cons

• It lacks an auto shut-off.
• It has a plastic top and doesn’t show you the perking bubbles. 
• The machine is loud.
• The power plug is a little on the shorter side. 

Coletti Bozeman

One of my favorite brands on this list is the Coletti for its beautiful design.

It has a non-conventional dome-shaped stainless steel body with a rosewood handle and a glass top to see the brewing action. 

It’s a non-electric device with a separate spout, and you will need to boil the water on the stove. The mechanism is pretty much similar to Presto, and the interior construction is the same as well. 

Coletti Bozeman is an entirely stainless steel model with no hint of aluminum or plastic.

It is made for the outdoors and can outlive harsh camping sites. If you are used to camping, hiking, and spending a lot of time outdoors, Coletti will give you a nostalgic feeling every time you brew in the woods. 

It works great on the stove as well, so you can consistently brew coffee at home with Coletti. Coletti has a capacity of 9-cups and is more affordable than electric percolators. 

Pros

• Coletti offers 30 free filter papers. 
• It’s non-electric. 
• Prepares nine cups of coffee in 9-11 minutes. (Brew the coffee on low heat to avoid burnt taste)
• It’s dishwasher safe. 

Cons

• The holes in the basket are huge and get filtered in the coffee. The flat paper filter doesn’t cover the sidewalls of the coffee container. Its side also has holes. So, you will need to buy separate bowl-shaped filters. 
• The lid isn’t locked. You will have to hold it in position to prevent spilling the coffee. 
• The glass screw is stiff and very delicate.
• It’s hard to clean because the wood needs to stay away from the water. 
• One cup equals 5oz. 

Farberware Coffee Maker

It is a non-electric percolator that you can travel with outside. With a similar mechanism like the electric percolators, farberware brews coffee on the stove.

It’s advised not to use Farberware over campfires to avoid damage. 

The apparatus has a flat-cap jar shape with a glass knob at the top, and a mid-length plastic handle to port the brewer. Farberware offers a dedicated spout that isn’t directly molded in the jar. 

It also offers a stainless steel body with a tight-fitted lid that doesn’t fall off while pouring.

Farberware has a stainless steel finish and comes in two color combinations: polished steel and matte steel. 

It brews 8 cups at a time and takes 10 minutes (maximum) on low heat. It’s a small percolator to fit in your traveling bag without taking up too much space. 

Pros

• The tight lid keeps the coffee hot for a more extended period compared to other non-electric coffee brewers. 
• It’s easy to operate. 
• The coffee chamber has smaller holes than other stove percolators. (It’s still advised to use bowl filters to avoid coffee crumbs from entering your coffee.
• It’s easy to clean because the mouth is broader.
• It’s inexpensive.  

Cons

• The stainless steel will get hot after brewing. Be extra attentive while operating manual heating. Always wear mittens.
• It offers fewer cups than other brewers. 
• Farberware coffee brewer can only brew over stove-top and not on campfires or even induction. It lacks versatility. 
• The spout is an additional and separate part that takes away the elegance and makes pouring super hard. 

French Press Without Plastic

There are many artistic methods of brewing coffee; one similar method is a french press.

A French press uses a plunger to exert pressure and strain the coffee flavors from the water’s coarse coffee grounds. 

Unlike percolators, the french press doesn’t boil and brew on heat.

It uses boiled water, pouring, manual pressure, and manual straining to brew the java without direct heat or electricity.

A French press is more accessible and artistic. The apparatus is relatively easy to use and lavish to look at. 

The jar-like glass or stainless steel French press has a plunger with two to three separate circular discs to exert pressure.

The flange is present above the french press lid, and the discs are present inside the carafe. These circular plates include a spiral filter plate, filter screen, and filter cross plate. 

When you push down the plunger, it compresses all these plates together towards the bottom, applying pressure and straining the coffee grounds. These plates also capture and hold the coffee grounds at the bottom once the brewing is finished. 

To brew with a french press, you will need freshly ground coffee beans (coarse coffee beans)

• The coffee-to-water ratio is 1:15. With every one ounce of coffee, use 15 grams of water.
• Grind your fresh beans to a coarser setting. 
• Scoop the amount of the coffee you want to brew in the french press. 
• Now, heat the water in the boiler and add water to the french press directly from the boiler to maintain the temperature. 
• Allow the water to penetrate the coffee grounds for 4-5 minutes.
• Then, plunge the plunger down. 

A flavorful french press will be cleaner, less muddy, hotter, and more saturated. An inexpensive, entry-level french press might brew muddier coffee, will have more coffee grounds than you would prefer (It depends on the plunger and its filter mesh)

A high-end french press will offer double filter air-tight mesh compared to entry-level french press apparatus. 

Frieling French Press

With a double stainless steel body and interior stainless steel tools, Frieling is a high-end french press to insulate and distribute heat evenly.

Frieling offers double stainless steel filter mesh to provide a sediment-free coffee with quality.

Its metal filters will enhance more enriching oils in the coffee than other brewing methods that use paper filters and soak away most oils.

Expect a denser, more acidic, and more concentrated coffee with a french press.

That’s the quality to it; some people appreciate the muddier tones of french press brew and the concentrated, acidic textures they receive. 

However, Frieling doesn’t brew a muddy-coffee; with the double mesh, it makes sure to provide a cleaner, clearer java to coffee enthusiasts.

Pros

• Frieling offers double stainless steel walls to preserve the hot brew inside. 
• It comes in many sizes that you can choose from depending on the number of people you’d like to entertain. The most considerable Frieling french press has a capacity of 44 ounces. 
• Every tool in this french press is dishwasher safe. 
• The spout is designed to avoid spills while pouring.
• It’s more durable than glass or American plastic presses. 
• The french press is easy-to-clean, free of fingerprints, and doesn’t scratch easily. 
• The appearance has a classic modern design with an unconventional handle. T’s authentic and will adjust to your kitchen beautifully. 

Cons

• Its body is hot to touch, so you will need to use mittens while operating any french press. The handle is entirely stainless steel and doesn’t stop itself from heating up. It would have been better if Frieling offered a wooden handle or a plastic handle. 
• In the end, stainless steel cannot insulate for long, so your coffee will get cold eventually. 

Bodum French Press

An artistic glass-bodied french press with a stainless steel frame and support is Bodum French Press. The whole idea of manual brewing is to observe, witness, and be hypnotized by the whole brewing process. 

Bodum allows you the opportunity to witness the whole brewing process for four minutes in its cylindrical glass walls. 

The plunger has a spiral plate accompanied by a filter mesh and cross to remove the brew’s sentiments. The plastic handle is round and big and makes it easier to hold the carafe properly. 

Bodum comes in many shapes, sizes, and colors. Bodum offers an air-tight plastic lid to introduce easier pouring after the brewing process is done.

The maximum capacity Bodum french press offers is 51 ounces. If you enjoy personal french press time, Bodum also offers 12 ounces french press! 

The stainless steel frame has a chrome finish, but it’s not dishwasher safe. It holds and keeps the glass carafe safe and in place. The frame has an excellent base and holds the handle firmly. 

A dedicated spout to pour quickly without spills. 

Pros

• Bodum french press brews 8-cups of french press coffee in four minutes. 
• The metal filter allows the oils and flavors to pass through. 
• The lid holds the heat inside while brewing. 
• The glass carafe is made of borosilicate glass. It’s sturdy, doesn’t break easily, and is used to high temperatures. 
• Straightforward and to assemble and disassemble
• The seal is tight. 
• Glass is a good heat insulator. 

Cons

• It’s glass, it’s going to be delicate and might break easily. 
• The seal is tight and might result in a short pull. Please, go easy while removing or adjusting the lid. Don’t apply too much pressure as it might break the glass. 
• The metal frame is loose. 

Secura

Secura French press offers quality and affordability. It has a double stainless steel body with a three-layered filter mesh to capture as many grounds as possible!

Secura has a beautiful, sleek body with a precise bottom, a unique plunger, a thick flange, and a securing lid. 

Secura comes in many colors that are coated over stainless steel. If you do not prefer the glossy stainless steel model, you can choose between pink, blue, green, copper, black, grey, etc.

The maximum size Secura offers is 50 ounces, and the smallest Secura is 12 ounces. 

Not only this, Secura offers two separate filter meshes for you to use. If you want to refine your coffee further, you can add them to the plunger and strain every sludge possible. 

Pros

• It has an excellent handle and flange despite the metallic body. 
• It’s inexpensive compared to other products and offers much more than its price. 
• The walls are double stainless steel with an insulating layer to capture heat and keep the handle cold. It stays hot for one hour more than other glass french presses. 
• Brews one liter of coffee in four minutes. 
• The triple-layered filter doesn’t mind a fine grind (Although, don’t grind it too fine)
• The whole apparatus is easier to clean. 
• It’s small in size and sits beautifully on any kitchen counter, or even your drawing room, bedroom, office, etc.

Cons

• It’s stainless steel, and you cannot see what’s going on and inside the carafe. 
• The colorful versions of Secura lose the paint pretty quickly especially if you clean it in the dishwasher

Moka Pots without Plastic

Moka pots have three chambers, a carafe, a coffee chamber, and a brewing chamber. Unlike percolator, the brewed coffee doesn’t get mixed with the water present below.

The brewed coffee in Moka pots shifts to the upper chamber. 

Performance: Moka pots brew a pressurized coffee, and its taste falls somewhere between an espresso shot and a filtered coffee.

It’s not as dense as the espresso shot, it doesn’t even have the top crema like the espresso shots, but it’s heavier than a filtered coffee and is brewed under pressure. 

Mechanism: The three chambers maintain steam pressure inside to direct coffee from the lower chamber to the upward one.

The bottom chamber is the water carafe. A smaller coffee chamber with funnel screws firmly on the carafe’s mouth. 

Once the water starts to boil, it starts to push the water vapor upwards. These water vapors move through the holes present at the coffee chamber’s bottom, wetting it up. 

Once the coffee gets entirely soaked in water, it starts to move upwards and passes through the funnel that leads to the upper chamber. Since the funnel is small, the coffee comes out pressurized. 

For better results, it’s best to use hot water instead of cold water inside the carafe. Hot water will lead to a faster water boiling timer than cold water that will take longer and might as well burn the coffee. 

Bialetti Moka Pot

Appearance: It’s an all-aluminum traditional pot with three chambers, a safety valve, a plastic handle, a top plastic knob, and a big spout for pouring.

The apparatus has a perfect fit, and every chamber screws perfectly on one another. 

The coffee chamber is also easy to detach from a source outside. 

Performance: Bialetti needs a small surface to build enough pressure, so there aren’t many bigger options to choose from.

This Bialetti Moka pot brews one cup, but you can divide them in half since it’s concentrated and pressurized. You can even drink it as an espresso shot, 2 ounces each, with a latte or cappuccino.

Pros

• It’s an affordable device.
• Bialetti delivers a unique espresso taste. 
• The body is small and easily stored. 
• It comes with an ergonomic heat-resistant handle. 
• You don’t need abrasive detergents to clean this device. Plain water will do fine. 

Cons

• Brewing with a Moka pot is time-consuming. 
• The body is aluminum and not stainless steel. 
• It’s not dishwasher safe because it’s aluminum. 
• The upper funnel is hard to clean. 

Grosch

A similar Bialetti look-alike is Grosch, but with some upgraded installations. Grosch comes with a wooden handle and a wooden tap. Its handle is designed in a way to protect you from touching the hot aluminum. 

Appearance: Grosch offers four exclusive colors- black (plastic handle), white (wooden handle), red (wooden handle), and aluminum (plastic handle). Grosch has a similar edged model like the Bialetti, and it offers many sizes, from one cup to 9 cups. (Please note: Moka pots measure their cups as espresso shots. So, one cup will equal to 2 ounces of coffee)

It has a decent spout and tight-fitted lid. The coffee chamber has silicone seals to screw in safely. The patented safety valve makes sure the pressure inside is about right. It also works as the water limit. 

Performance: Grosch can work on gas, electricity, and camping stoves. It’s not made for induction and works on the similar principle of Moka pots and brews concentrated diluted yet pressurized espresso shots. 

Pros:

• The color finish is very delicately done, and it looks like a job well-done. The black and white especially power up visually. 
• The safety valves are made in Italy. 
• It has a food-grade aluminum body.
• The handle is designed away from the aluminum body and has a finger protection curve. 
• It gives you a traditional feel while brewing. 

Cons:

• It is a heavy chore to brew from this pot. The brewing is in itself lengthy, and cleaning must be done immediately. 
• No matter how gorgeous the color is, it will rub off. 
• Make sure you are getting the original Italian manufacture. 

What is BPA?

BPA (Bisphenol A) is exclusively found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, a chemical used by industrialists to produce sturdier plastic for food storage, canned food, and other storage boxes. 

BPA’s history

• 1905: It was discovered to be very sturdy and not easily breakable. This leads chemists to mix BPA with other components to make sturdier plastic. 
• 1992: Chemists announced BPA’s structure and how it was identical to estrogen (an essential hormone). They postulated the dangerous side effects it might lead to by mimicking estrogen in our body. 
• 2000: Many studies and experiments lead to its ban, especially from baby products. FDA releases reports of the safe amount of BPA, but they are arguable. 

Instead of polycarbonate plastic that has BPA, industries started using polypropylene, a sturdy yet cheap plastic.

It’s a BPA-free product!

Polypropylene is even considered more robust than steel and can carry a lot of weight without dysfunctioning. It has a high-melting-point that makes it microwave safe

What side effects can BPA have on your body if ingested daily?

Studies show that adult humans ingest at least 11mcg BPA per day, and babies ingest 7mcg.

According to the FDA, 23mcg of BPA intake per day isn’t harmful, but other researches and experiments proved otherwise, stating ‘that even 4.5 mcg of BPA is dangerous for our body’.

Its estrogen-like structure can confuse our body’s receptors into accepting a foreign, unnatural chemical instead of the natural estrogen.

That’s where the real problem starts when BPA starts acting like estrogen. 

What is estrogen?

Estrogen is responsible for the reproductive attributes of women.

It’s one of the two hormones in women’s bodies that initiates sexual development.

Estrogen is responsible for breast enlargement, physical attributes of a woman, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, cholesterol regulation, overall health regulation, etc.

Estrogen is also found in men but in lesser quantities. 

It is one of the most essential hormones for humans, and when it’s mimicked, yrbod may stop prdcng it, wic can cause serious side effects.

Side effects of BPA

• Less weight in newborn babies.
• Hormonal fluctuation leads to depression, anxiety, and mood swings in babies. 
• Low sperm count: BPA is dangerous for men’s reproductive cycle as well. 
• Miscarriage: Since estrogen is responsible for the reproductive cycle, BPA can disturb this cycle by replacing it. 
• Lower egg production and infertility: BPA does disturb the whole reproductive cycle; it also starts influencing the menstrual cycle badly.
• High blood pressure
• Heart diseases. 
• Enlargement of specific breast tissues in babies leading to cancer risks.
• Obesity

Is there a coffee maker that isn’t made with plastic?

All coffee makers will have some plastic pieces.

Not every part of your coffee maker is going to be stainless steel. Plastic is a fundamental requirement for all machinery, and coffee makers are no different. 

For flexibility, connectivity, safe-guarding, plastic, and rubber are often used in higher-end and affordable coffee brewers.

These may include a plastic shower head, plastic coffee container (You can place a gold-tone filter/paper filter above it), etc. 

To determine the quality of a coffee maker, look for the boiler’s material (brass/stainless steel), the carafe, water reservoir, body, sustainability, robust casing, stainless steel exterior with a touch of plastic. 

Are all coffee makers BPA-free?

BPA-free and plastic-free are two different things.

While a coffee brewer may or may not be plastic-free, the brewer’s plastic will be BPA-free-99%.

With the widespread knowledge and ban on BPA (Bisphenol A), most companies, even the smallest firm, will try to produce BPA-free goods. 

There’s a high probability of zero percent BPA in most countries that have banned or reduced BPA usage.

Most European countries, including Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, have banned BPA from kid’s products. 

Most of the known coffee maker brands like Bialetti, Cuisinart, OXO will not use plastic with BPA like the polycarbonate plastics. It’s advised to buy from a higher-end company than to trust local brands when it comes to quality. 

No, not all coffee makers will be 100% BPA-free. Please, make sure the seller you chose mentions the plastic-type used to mold the coffee maker.

If the manufacturer hasn’t mentioned BPA, it’s an insincere sell and purchase. Companies must mention what they sell and how they manufacture them. 

Are BPA-free plastics safe?

Nothing can sum up being 100% safe, BPA-free plastic or not; things will impact us.

These impacts can be unnoticeable or unknown. Studies and experiments are now second-guessing the existence and the value of BPA’s replacements- BPS, BPF, BZP, BPAF, BPP, etc.

These chemicals used to replace BPA still have BP (Bisphenol) as the base chemical. 

Although these studies are still at an early age to draw any conclusion, it’s relatively safer to avoid plastic in your day-to-day life. 

As for coffee makers, it doesn’t need to be 100% plastic-free.

Coffee makers can still use plastic on the exterior because they are intrinsically essential to building the structure.

However, coffee makers and buyers should avoid plastic on the interior that contact coffee+heat, water+heat, coffee+water+heat. 

BPA-free plastic is excellent for the outer surface and the whole frame. 

How do you know if there is BPA in your coffee maker?

BPA was introduced to plastic’s composition for a sturdier end-product. So, plastics that are hard, not easily breakable, have a clear translucent vision; the chances are that the given plastic has BPA. 

Now, this may or may not hint towards a complete BPA plastic because things can be transformed.

For starters, choose a product whose company focuses on BPA-free advertisement. They know their plastic, and they know its side-effects. It’s best to choose a knowledgeable seller. 

If you don’t see any mentions for BPA-free plastic, staying away would be the best option. Moving forward, the number 3, or 7 trademark on the plastic also identifies as BPA. 

A BPA-free plastic would have 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 labelings or polypropylene mentioned on the plastic. Polypropylene is used to manufacture most plastic items and doesn’t have BPA in its composition. 

Other evidence of BPA-free or BPA plastics are:

• The manufacturing dates: If the manufacturing date takes you back to 2012, chances are your plastic has BPA. Thus, always buy a fresh, more contemporary version of machines. 
• Please note: Number 7 can also identify other plastics. So, it’s not 100% sure if 7 is the indication of BPA plastic or not. 

Are Plastic Coffee Makers Safe?

Plastic coffee makers are safe as long as they are not in contact with the water, coffee, or direct heat.

Heat works as the potential force for BPA to detach from the plastic and get soluble with the coffee/water. 

Thus, it’s essential to buy an all-internal stainless steel or metal coffee maker. As long as the coffee makers’ internal parts are metal, no harm can protrude your coffee.

What questions to ask before buying a coffee maker?

Every different brewing method will yield a different tasting coffee. Given the affordable prices of manual coffee brewers, it won’t harm your budget to purchase all the coffee brewers, including Moka pots, french press, stove percolators, etc. 

It’s still necessary to rsearch your purchase; if you are not careful while understanding yourself and what you demand from the coffee maker, you will waste money.

We prepared these quick Q&As to ask yourself before purchasing a coffee brewer. 

What is it made out of?

The material used to build the coffee maker decides its life expectancy, quality, insulation, enriching-taste, artisan aspects, etc. 

The top metal used to construct auto-drip coffee makers will always remain stainless steel.

Stainless steel gives an overall structure to the automatic brewer and claims decency at every mold. Not just the exterior parts, the metallic surface is vital for the internal parts in the automatic brewer as well. 

Stainless steel doesn’t disturb your coffee taste and your coffee’s health. You can expect a little plastic on both automatic and manual drip coffee maker. 

Although people have a popular misconception to defame plastic, it’s still used for wiring, casing, heat insulation, buttons, etc. 

Some higher-end coffee makers may as well use brass or copper to design their heating element.

Pour-over Chemex and V60 usually use glass, wood, and metal(filter) to construct their devices.

Glass gives coffee makers a great lookout and also works as an excellent mirror heat insulator. If you are an enthusiastic, glass carafe and coffee makers will excite you into mesmerizing the whole brewing process. 

A French press uses either stainless steel or glass. Both are A-quality material to build a french press. Make sure the filter inside the french press is stainless steel and not a plastic mesh. 

Moka Pots are made of stainless steel or aluminum. Aluminum is the second-best choice after stainless steel. 

Type of brewing method

Suppose you want a concentrated filter coffee and a diluted espresso shot; it would be hurtful if you ended up buying a pour-over coffee maker that doesn’t pressurize diluted espresso shots. 

Ask yourself what kind of brewing method do you prefer?

Unless you haven’t tried them all. If so is the case, I suggest buying one coffee maker for every different brewing technique to understand and enjoy different tastes every day. 

If you like the robust flavors of coffee with a denser/muddier texture, go with a french press. 

If you want to brew multiple cups of drip coffee without wasting time or manual efforts, go with an automatic drip coffee maker. It will brew in advance just for you. 

Pour-overs and french press are authentic but do not use heat. If the hot beverage is your choice to go, pour-overs and the french press won’t be ideal because they dissipate heat throughout.

Unlike them, Moka pots, percolators will brew on continuous heat so that they will be hotter. 

Is it convenient

Automatic drip coffee will offer you the utmost convenience, but it won’t come cheap.

Manual coffee makers will demand patience, practice, different ratios, and countless tries before brewing the perfect cup of java. 

If you are willing to invest time, effort as a true coffee aficionado, what’s convenient?

Despite the time-consuming process, manual coffee makers are not as difficult-to-use as one might contemplate. They are more soothing to watch and have an aesthetic feel to them. 

While it’s very inconvenient to have a broken automatic coffee maker, not finding its parts is a heavier inconvenience. Such is not the case with manual coffee makers; they are built to last and live with you for years unless you slip and break the glass. 

Quality

Without quality, a cheaper purchase will only yield cold, stale coffee. Thus, choosing the right coffee maker with apt quality is a must.

Quality can be measured by its body, the material, and the authentic taste and temperature the apparatus yields. 

Suppose it has a beautiful exterior design, but if it fails to brew hot coffee at the correct temperature, what’s the point?

Thus, it’s crucial to look deeper while choosing the coffee maker, like its temperature settings, temperature regulations, brewing time, etc. 

How much time do you have to brew your coffee? 

Would you prefer to acknowledge, appreciate the whole brewing process? Or would you instead wake up to hot brewed coffee? 

Depending on your choice and the time availability, you can either choose automatic drip coffee makers for instant coffee or choose other manual brewing techniques. 

Beware, an automatic coffee brewer might brew faster, but will it be of quality?

Automatic coffee brewers cannot offer much to programmability, so you are left without modification or personalized coffee.

To manually personalize your coffee, you will need a manual coffee maker. If you are ready to spare a couple of minutes on the brewing process, these small yet antic apparatus will surprise you with flavorful coffees. 

• Pourover: 3-4 minutes full attention
• Percolators: 7-10 minutes (It does require constant monitoring but not as much)
• French Press: 4 minutes (full attention)
• Moka pots: 8-10 minutes (Constant monitoring)
• Drip coffee maker: Depending on the number of cups you choose to brew. Drip coffee makers will take 10 minutes (approx.) to brew the whole carafe. You don’t need to pay attention after pressing the button. To come after the brewing is finished to save electricity.

What are your alternatives to Plastic Coffee Makers?

Choosing quality over affordability can sometimes pay off a much bigger deal. Stainless steel coffee makers might be more expensive, but they are worth your health and well-being. 

The price difference between stainless steel and plastic is not humongous. If you can afford manual brewing, glass and ceramic will be exquisite and a safer choice. 

Stainless steel or aluminum must be an imperative aspect of drip coffee makers, percolators, and Moka pots because all these three are introduced to extensive heating.

Stainless Steel coffee makers

• Besides the health advantages of stainless steel coffee brewers, they are also very sturdy, long-lasting, and durable. 
• Stainless steel retains the exclusive taste of coffee without disturbing or camouflaging a metallic taste
• These brewers are lavish and will compliment your kitchen. 
• Stainless steel comes with no-fingerprint qualities. 
• Unlike plastics and woods, stainless steel coffee makers are non-porous and do not allow germs and bacterias to contaminate the surface. 
• They don’t scratch easily and are well adapted for heat, cold, etc. 

Aluminum Coffee makers

Despite the heated argument on Aluminum’s safety, the negligible amount of aluminum that trails off to food isn’t harmful. Aluminum is anodized to become non-stick and non-leaching 

• Aluminum is a good conductor of heat and cooks food faster than other alloys. 
• Aluminum, when anodized, poses no health concerns. 
• Humans usually intake 1-10mg of aluminum and are considered safe. 
• It’s better than plastic. 
• Durable. 
• Easy to clean. 
• Quite lavish to look at. It has a distinct natural color that gives a traditional appearance. 

Are Coffee Filters Toxic?

Researchers have suggested a high amount of dioxins and organochlorine residues in white paper filters.

These filters are bleached with chlorine and thus resulting in a high amount of harmful dioxins. 

Dioxins are responsible for many health concerns, including hormonal disruption, reproductive failure, cancer, etc.

These dioxins in lesser quantities are not a threat but combined with other harmful chemicals like TCDD and dioxin can lead to many health hazards. 

It’s best to prefer metal filters like the golden-toned metal filter or the stainless steel filter. Another substitute for the white paper filter is a brown paper filter or a cloth filter. 

Brown filter papers are non-bleached. Always try to find a paper that’s non-chlorinated with toxins. 

Do K-cups have BPA in them?

No, K-cups are BPA-free but are made of plastic. K-cups can only be used in machines that are specially designed for k-cups. You cannot use k-cups in a pod basket. 

Keurig took the initiative to manufacture a single-serving automatic coffee brewer that uses k-cups for brewing.

These k-cups are plastic cups sealed with coffee inside. A K-cup machine will put a single hole on both sides for the water entrance to reach the coffee ground and the bottom hole to extract brewed coffee. 

Fortunately, after a long and known history of BPA, K-cups are now BPA-free. Although the widespread harm of BPA’s look-alike is still havoc, people suggest eliminating plastic whatsoever from their daily usage. 

What is the healthiest way to brew coffee?

Hygiene and quality should never be compromised while brewing coffee or even otherwise. 

While quality comes with a price, it’s more useful in the long run. Similarly, hygiene shouldn’t be stacked while brewing.

These include a sterilized coffee machine, fresh soft water, and fresh ground coffee.

Many brewers take the liberty to leave their machines unwashed after brewing. These uncleaned coffee makers will bake on leftover coffee and introduce new bacteria, germs, and houseflies on the leftover organic food.

Thus, it’s always important to wash every part of the coffee maker (that’s washable) after you are done brewing. 

Not only this, it’s highly suggested to refill your water reservoir every day to avoid stagnant water.

Stagnant water can lead to many habitats for microscopic organisms. That being said, your water reservoir must also be cleaned before refilling to remove scale or debris buildup. 

The water you use must be soft to avoid scaling the machine. Although soft water doesn’t serve you a healthier cup, it keeps your machine healthy, which is equally important for a coffee lover. 

The amount of coffee you drink serves the actual health decision. Although caffeine has its benefits, overconsumption has never done well for humankind.

Caffeine at a certain amount, say 400mg is healthy, but beyond this will disturb our normal/regular body function leading to excessive sleep loss, depression, anxiety, faster heartbeats.

The energy boost caffeine provides sometimes unbalances your body when overdosed. 

Too much coffee at once (500+mg) can lead to a fatal overdose. Thus, the amount of caffeine you consume every day must be constricted and should be split into equal parts throughout the day. 

What is the healthiest coffee maker?

A coffee brewer that uses filters, determines the water hardness, doesn’t use much plastic closer to the brewing apparatus can be considered a healthier coffee maker. 

Ideally, a coffee maker that brews less per day can be considered healthier because it will keep you in check of the number of coffees you brew per day. 

An automatic coffee maker will brew many cups and might lead to overconsumption with the giant carafe. Thus, a manual coffee brewer would be a healthier choice if you have no control over your coffee consumption. 

A healthier coffee maker will also believe in self-cleaning to clean the insides of the coffee wall and frequent descaling. 

Why does my coffee maker smell like plastic?

Plastic reservoirs tend to outgas and mix with stagnant water. Thus, it’s advised to replace your water every other day.

When water is placed to sit in with the plastic reservoir for a more extended period, plastic starts to leave its odors in the water. 

When you brew your coffee with the same stagnant water that’s been sitting in the water reservoir for a long time, it starts to taste like burnt plastic.

To avoid the plastic smell and taste from your brewer, 

• Descale your water reservoir monthly if you use hard water. 
• Cleanse your machine with water and vinegar to remove plastic’s stance and layer that usually degenerates in the water. 
• Clean the water reservoir daily. 
• Avoid plastic reservoirs in the first place! 
• If you do buy a plastic coffee maker, make sure the plastic is BPA-free. A BPA plastic is more prone to leaching off in the water upon heating than other chemicals. 

Conclusion 

Despite the misconception, coffee is a healthy morning decision with many scientific studies that prove this fact.

When consumed in a standard dose, coffee increases metabolism, helps you lose unhealthy fat, and protects you from heart diseases. It has a high quantity of protein (10-13%) and high levels of antioxidants. 

This will only stay true if it’s brewed in a healthy coffee maker. Start your day by choosing a BPA-free, plastic-limited coffee maker.

You can start with manual coffee brewers that use glass as the primary material for starters if you are on a tight budget and later switch to bigger stainless steel brewers. 

You will be surprised by the taste a small ceramic V60 will offer every morning. Manual coffee makers will give you a more personalized and authentic cup than a plastic brewer. 

Choose wise and drink healthily!