Best non-toxic coffee makers – the plastic-free alternatives you should consider first

Investing in a plastic-free coffee maker is smart. Whilst experts have been clear and reassuring that coffee makers aren't toxic when used correctly, there are measures that you can take to mitigate any concerns over plastic particulates making their way into your daily brew.

Most of the best coffee makers are crafted from glass or stainless steel, which doesn't pose any concern to experts. However, as soon as those materials are replaced with lighter, cheaper plastics, there are some causes for concern.

If these plastics are damaged or overheated they could leach into your cup of coffee, meaning you ingest them. It's a very low risk, but, if you're worried, there are plenty of plastic-free coffee makers you can buy. The ones below have been tested by a barista and selected as the best non-toxic coffee makers on the market.

The quick list

If you want a summary of the best non-toxic coffee makers on the market, here are the headlines. I'll go into more details of what we found in our expert tests further down the page.

Best non-toxic coffee maker

Made from stainless steel, this is a safe, affordable, specialty coffee maker. It’s very simple to use, but don't let that deceive you. This is one of a handful of home coffee makers that still meet the Speciality Coffee Association's Golden Cup Standard for brewing.

The OXO quickly earned its spot at the top of our buying guide for the best drip coffee makers for a number of reasons. First, the taste is unbeaten. It delivers consistently delicious and bold cups of coffee, regardless of the quantity being brewed.

We timed the OXO and it took less than six minutes to brew a full eight-cup carafe of coffee. Single cups of coffee were even quicker and still delicious. Plus, rather than use a hotplate (risking burnt or stale coffee) this has a double-walled carafe, which keeps coffee hot for hours and is easy to pour from. The only drawback to the OXO’s simplicity is that it isn’t programmable or customizable.

You can read more in our full OXO 8-cup coffee maker review

Best non-toxic espresso machine

De'Longhi's La Specialista Maestro boasts some of the most impressive credentials on the market. It's built from durable stainless steel and, although a few of the finishes are plastic, the important, heated and pressurized parts are completely safe. his firmly places the De’Longhi in amongst our non-toxic collection.

I was blown away by La Specialista Maestro in our tests. It looks like an expert's coffee machine but works simply. Even if you have no barista qualifications, the auto-tamper and pre-sets can make a consistently delicious cup of coffee. You can make the kinds of coffee that you read about on geeky menus as well as your local cafe.

The only downside with La Specialista is that it's expensive. I actually think that it's worth every dollar, but I'm well aware that nearly $2,000 is a lot to front up for an espresso machine.

Our De’Longhi La Specialista Maestro review has more information.

Best non-toxic drip coffee maker

This beautiful machine was made for durability. As such, the stainless steel is ultra-high quality and safe for brewing your coffee. We love the look of this on the countertop. The retro, boxy design looks great in the (extensive) range of colorways, from midnight blue to khaki green and copper or silver.

In our tests, we found that it quietly brewed some of the best coffee that any of our drip coffee makers achieved. This didn't come as much of a surprise, since it is set to make coffee to the SCA's Gold Standard. What did surprise us was how quickly it worked. In four minutes, we brewed a whole pot of perfect coffee, which is incredibly rare.

The only downside of this simple machine is that you pay a lot of money for basic functions. We loved how premium it felt, but were somewhat disappointed that we didn’t get more from it.

Our Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select review has more details.

Best non-toxic French press

This was one of the most expensive options on our collection of the best French presses on the market. However, it’s well worth the price tag, especially since it’s made from stainless steel.

The double-walled, premium design will keep your coffee hot for hours. With a tight rubber seal and dual-filter stage, the Espro easily makes the smoothest, most delicious cup of French press coffee. Thanks to the expert design, the Espro also makes a killer cold brew.

Of course, it's also quiet and compact, so if you live in a small home, you will easily have space to make some delicious coffee. The only downside of the Espro is its price tag. If you don't like the look of that, the Bodum Chambord is crafted from glass and stainless steel – and it's a fifth of the price.

You can read more in our French press buying guide.

Best non-toxic pour over

This is the only all-glass coffee maker in this guide, which is both a pro and a con, depending on how you look at it. Having a glass carafe makes this easy to brew coffee in. You can see exactly what you're doing and how your coffee is brewing. It's also non-porous, easy to clean, and won't pick up any coffee stains or odors, even if you make a slow cold brew in it.

The capacity of the Chemex is also rare for a pour-over. Most of these are single-serve, but you can buy one of these with enough capacity for eight coffee drinkers. It looks stylish and sleek, so is definitely a coffee maker to show off when you have guests round.

Of course, with glass comes the inevitable chance that it'll smash. Luckily, this is relatively thick. I've tested other glass pour-overs that are constantly on the edge of shattering. The Chemex would take more than a knock to break, but it comes with the risk of it nonetheless. Plus, the Chemex filters are relatively difficult to pick up.

You can read more in our buying guide for the best pour-over coffee makers.

Best portable non-toxic coffee maker

AeroPresses have a cult following: they're compact, portable, and yet they brew delicious cups of coffee. Since testing one, it's become my go-to brewer when I'm busy in the mornings or working in the office.

You can make a range of different coffees in the AeroPress. I make espresso-style brews more often, but also Americanos, cold brews, and cappuccinos. You wouldn't expect it from such a small coffee maker, but it's brilliant. The smooth flavors and perfect levels of filtration make unfaultable cups of coffee.

Granted, the AeroPress isn't glass or metal, but it's a BPA-free plastic that feels premium and steers clear of all the nasty chemicals that some cheaper options offer. The only other downside is that this is better suited to single-servings and needs more attention than an easy automatic coffee maker.

You can read more in our full AeroPress review.

Our Verdict

It’s reassuring to see so many high-quality appliances in our guides are non-toxic, and it means that you’re very likely to already own a non-toxic coffee maker. We love brewing with a range of techniques. If you see a style you like, we have more extensive buying guides for each one - just make sure you check the materials.

How we test

We put a lot of thought into how we test the best coffee makers before featuring them in our guide and have included a range of coffee makers from top brands like Breville, Nespresso and Technivorm to make sure that there is a coffee maker for everyone in our roundup.

We always test an espresso, Americano, and cappuccino, if possible. This will help us to understand the range that each coffee maker has. However, if a coffee machine claims to make sixteen different types, we will test them all and add them to the 'special features section'. We make sure to use the same coffee beans in each test, so that we can compare how well the flavors and aromas of the coffee has been extracted. If a machine can froth milk, we will test non-dairy milks too, as these can be temperamental.

Our experts are either trained or are training as specialist Customer Advisors, which means that they'll have experience across the coffee industry, from manufacturing to customer-facing roles. You can also click through to read more thorough reviews of coffee makers, including how easy they are to set up, our thoughts on the user experience, and that all-important cleaning process.

FAQs

Are coffee makers toxic?

No. Some cheaper coffee makers use plastics where they should use stainless steel or glass. When heated to higher temperatures, these can release harmful chemicals into your brew. Over time, these can be harmful, but they aren’t any cause for immediate concern. We have an article where medical experts answered our question, ‘Are coffee makers toxic?’ if you would like more information.

Are coffee beans toxic?

There has been lots of debate around this topic, but experts say not to worry. Coffee beans have recently been praised for their health benefits by the gut-health community, namely Tim Spector. The biggest residual concern is that when coffee beans are roasted, some reach temperatures high enough to burn them, forming acrylamides, which can have negative health effects. Buying premium beans and lighter roasts can help to avoid this concern.