A Purists Guide to Non-Toxic Coffee Makers

I am a cancer survivor who went on a mission to find a plastic-free and non-toxic coffee machine.

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How cancer has changed my outlook on clean living.

This Christmas I attempted to find a unicorn for my husband – a non-toxic coffee machine. I have tried in the past only to come up empty handed but this time I was determined. Having had cancer recently I can tell you that I see the world through different eyes now. Everything looks toxic after you’ve had cancer. Thankfully my tumor was very rare and a surgeon got it out with clear margins but I am on a ten year “watch list” now and require a yearly scan. So everything just hits different now when it comes to making healthy choices for my family. I was really having a hard time watching my husband make coffee in his plastic coffee machine each and every day.

Out time is precious in the mornings, so we wanted an automatic machine.

I searched the internet high and low for an automatic coffee maker that was “non-toxic.” You see, my husband’s time in the mornings is precious, extremely precious. His commute is just over an hour and he’s got things to do in the mornings. Feeding and watering chickens and making a fire in our wood burning stove. Fitting in a mourning routine with a little exercise and some devotions and reflections. So this man is busy in the mornings and it just doesn’t fit into his life right now to spend more than two minutes to make a pot of coffee.

You can find coffee machines that are BPA-free, but I wanted something better.

There are lots of alternatives to coffee machines that are non-toxic. That’s an easy search. What is super hard to find is an automatic coffee-maker. You can try and search “BPA-free coffee maker” and loads will come up on Amazon. Here is a great Cuisinart coffee maker that claims “According to the product information, all parts that come in contact with coffee or liquids are BPA free.” Another low cost BPA-free coffee maker is this Mueller that actually says “BPA-free” in big letters on the box. But I wanted to go a step further than simply BPA-free because plastic is still plastic.

My search ended when I discovered the Moccamaster.

I can honestly say that I found literally one option that met our criteria when it came to buying a non toxic coffee maker. We wanted a simple machine with replaceable parts that was under $400. The Moccamaster coffee maker is hands down the best option out there for not only health conscious but also eco conscious coffee connoisseurs. Each Moccamaster is handmade in the Netherlands with high quality materials since 1976. Their simple design actually strips down and limits the amount of plastic necessary. Here is what their site says when it comes to using plastics:

“We consistently evaluate the materials we use in our coffee brewers. We believe that where we use plastics, they are the best product to use for optimal performance. Plastics do not retain heat, allowing you to maintain consistent coffee quality when brewing back-to-back. In addition to being lightweight and resistant to damage, plastics also offer more functionality than other materials and are inexpensive to replace if accidentally lost or broken.

All plastics we use are food-safe and BPA, BPS, BPF, and phthalate-free. These parts should only be washed with warm, soapy water and never be put in the dishwasher to retain malleability. With proper care, these quality components should last a long time.”

We can brew a pot of pour-over style coffee in four minutes.

After using our new Moccamaster for several weeks now I can say that my husband loves it! It’s so simple to clean and use. What I plan to do is order a new filter each year around Christmas because this is the main part that’s plastic and plastic does wear down over time. The Moccamaster site makes it super easy to order replacement parts as “sustainability at our core” is their motto. I also really appreciated their minimal cardboard packaging with zero white foam and barely any plastic. Bottom line – I highly recommend you give their coffee maker a try.

As far as completely non-toxic coffee makers you simply have to go plastic-free. So here is a brief rundown of your choices:

• An Italian coffee maker or “moka pot.” These are used widely in Europe and must be filled with espresso grounds and make only lattes, americanas or espressos. While they are often made with aluminum, I would stick to stainless steel like this one from Bialetti.
• Pour over coffee makers. We used a Melitta pour over coffee dripper for years and loved it. You do have to pour over for a good bit of time to fill a whole pot but they are great. For brewing a single cup of coffee, you can also try a double mesh stainless steel coffee dripper.
• An electric or stovetop coffee percolator. These are great if you can devote about 15 to 20 minutes of your morning to an amazing tasting cup of coffee. I found a nice plastic and aluminum free one from Coletti.

What about the tea drinkers?

I have to end with a brief tip for tea drinkers. I myself drink several cups of tea daily and was devastated to learn that if you are brewing tea bags you are drinking plastic. Crazy, I know. The brand of tea I drank religiously for years and years switched from using polyester (plastic) tea bags to some kind of biodegradable corn based product only in 2018!!! Nuts! So I now only drink a nice organic loose leaf tea in a stainless steel tea infuser/strainer. I love this little stainless steel tea scoop to perfectly measure for one cup of tea. Enjoy!

No tea regiment is complete without a stainless steel tea kettle like this classic one from Chantal. I also always use nice, heavy glass mugs like these from Duralex or Anchor Hocking because lead has a way of sneaking into ceramic mugs. Lastly, we love a designated measuring spoon for coffee or tea.