Non-Toxic Coffee Makers: Glass, Ceramic & Stainless Options
Most drip coffee makers push hot water through plastic tubes, a plastic basket and often a plastic carafe lid every morning. I didn't want to give up coffee, so I switched to brewers where hot coffee touches glass, ceramic or steel instead.
There isn't much published testing on what migrates from the plastic parts of home coffee makers, so I'll keep this practical. If you want to cut plastic contact with hot liquids, the simplest brewing methods are also the ones with the least plastic: pour-over, French press, and stovetop pots.
A quick note on materials
- Glass and ceramic: inert and easy to clean, but they can break.
- Stainless steel: durable and unbreakable. Look for 18/8 or 18/10 (304) steel.
- Aluminum: many classic moka pots are aluminum. If you'd rather avoid it, choose a stainless moka pot.
Pour-over
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Illustrative photos, not the actual products. Tap a photo to see that pick on Amazon.
Chemex Classic 8-Cup Glass Pour-Over Coffeemaker
The classic hourglass pour-over made of borosilicate glass with a wood collar and leather tie.
Why we picked these
- Chemex Classic 8-Cup Glass Pour-Over Coffeemaker Glass pour-over The classic hourglass pour-over made of borosilicate glass with a wood collar and leather tie. Coffee only touches glass and a paper filter. Worth knowing: Chemex paper filters are sold separately, and unbleached ones are available.
- Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper, Size 02 Ceramic dripper A ceramic cone dripper that sits on a mug or carafe. Ceramic holds heat well and has nothing to leach.
- Melitta Porcelain Pour-Over Coffee Cone, #2 Budget porcelain cone An inexpensive porcelain filter cone that takes widely available #2 paper filters. A good way to try pour-over.
- Hario V60 Drip Coffee Decanter, 700ml Glass carafe for pour-over A heatproof glass server to brew into instead of a plastic carafe, sized to sit under a V60-style dripper. Worth knowing: The lid is usually plastic, so check the listing.
For pour-over you'll want a kettle too, and a gooseneck makes it easier. See our non-toxic kettle guide.
French press
Illustrative photos, not the actual products. Tap a photo to see that pick on Amazon.
Secura Stainless Steel French Press, 34 oz
A double-wall stainless steel French press, with no glass to break and no plastic beaker.
Why we picked these
- Secura Stainless Steel French Press, 34 oz All-stainless French press A double-wall stainless steel French press, with no glass to break and no plastic beaker. It keeps coffee hot longer, too.
- Frieling Double-Walled Stainless Steel French Press, 34 oz Premium stainless press A heavy double-wall 18/10 stainless French press with a stainless filter. Pricier, but built to last.
- Coffee Gator Stainless Steel French Press, 34 oz Stainless press, budget-friendly Another insulated stainless French press with a stainless mesh filter, at a lower price than the premium brands.
- Bodum Chambord French Press, 8-Cup Classic glass press The classic glass-beaker French press with a chrome-plated frame and stainless plunger. Coffee touches glass and steel. Worth knowing: The glass beaker can break; replacement beakers are sold.
Moka pots & percolators
Illustrative photos, not the actual products. Tap a photo to see that pick on Amazon.
Bialetti Venus Stainless Steel Stovetop Espresso Maker, 6-Cup
A stainless steel moka pot that works on induction.
Why we picked these
- Bialetti Venus Stainless Steel Stovetop Espresso Maker, 6-Cup Stainless moka pot A stainless steel moka pot that works on induction. Many classic moka pots are aluminum; this one isn't.
- GROSCHE Milano Steel Stovetop Espresso Maker Stainless moka, budget An affordable stainless steel stovetop espresso maker, also induction-compatible, as an alternative to aluminum moka pots.
- Farberware Yosemite 8-Cup Stainless Steel Stovetop Percolator Stovetop percolator An old-school stainless stovetop percolator with a glass knob on top so you can watch it perk. There's no electronics to fail.
- Presto 12-Cup Stainless Steel Electric Coffee Percolator Electric percolator An electric stainless percolator that brews and keeps warm, for anyone who wants a plug-in brewer without a plastic water tank and carafe. Worth knowing: The handle, base and lid knob are plastic.
Moka pots and percolators have a rubber or silicone gasket and sometimes a plastic handle or knob. The gasket is the one part that touches hot coffee, so replace it when it hardens or cracks.
What about paper filters?
Unbleached paper filters are widely available. A paper filter also catches some of the oils in coffee, and that's why many people prefer pour-over to a French press. Reusable stainless filters work too and cut down on waste.
