14 Plastic-Free Coffee Makers: See Ya Latte, BPA
Plastic-free coffee makers ensure those phthalates and BPAs stay out of your morning brew, while still allowing you to take sips towards sustainable living.
While legitimate eco-options are few in this space, there are brands that percolated to the top of our list. Those that are a little better for us and our planet.
Hario’s BPA and plastic free coffee makers provide a near-unmatched planet-friendly pour over.
Hands-up if you can’t do a single thing in the morning until you have your double shot of espresso? Allow ROK’s non-electric plastic free coffee maker to clear your brain fog.
Coletti has the best plastic free French press coffee maker for adventurers and homebodies alike.
Now pop-on your eco kettle, and sit back and relax as we explore some other plastic-free coffee makers.
And if your cappuccino is turning into cold brew, head to the end of the article to see how we chose these caffeine loving contraptions.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through a brand link below. Learn more here.
Zero Plastic Coffee Makers vs Non-Toxic Plastic Coffee Makers
But first, it’s worth mentioning that finding totally plastic-free coffee makers is like finding a green bean in a heap of Arabican roasted beans, pre your 7am caffeine fix.
Making modern coffee machines often requires plastic.
Some of the most common ways to make coffee, like a drip coffee maker or espresso machine, require many different parts.
Most of these components—filters, lids, reservoir tanks, pumps, waterlines, heating elements, pressure gauges, buttons, switches, and outer covers—are made with plastic.
For this reason, many of us have started looking for coffee makers where hot water and finished coffee don’t come into contact with plastic, or at least only very rarely.
Alternatively, many brands are also now opting for plastic components that are deemed BPA- and/or phthalate free.
So, you’ll see that we’ve filled this list of non-plastic coffee makers with both: zero plastic and toxin free plastic. But ultimately your fix is your choice.
1. Hario
About Hario‘s Plastic Free Pour Over Coffee Maker
If you have clumsy pre-caffeine hands (not so much post-caffeine shakes), the V60 Olive Wood Pour Over Stand Set from Hario holds the coffee dripper, so you don’t have to worry about breakages.
The dripper, server, and lid are all made with heatproof glass.
Even the sealant on the glass lid is free of plastic and made with silicone rubber.
The kit does come with natural brown paper filters, but CoffeeSock has a reusable GOTS organic cotton filter that’s designed to fit.
Hario‘s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
Since 1972, Hario’s factory has been making glass with electricity, an environmentally friendly alternative to combustion smokestacks.
It’s produced using a low-pollutant natural gas. Any excess glass material is returned to the furnace for reuse.
The Japanese company is also working to increase the number of women in managerial positions and participates in regular local philanthropic clean-ups.
Available: Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Alternative Brewing (AUS)
2. DreHomeCrafts
About DreHomeCraft‘s Best Plastic Free Pour Over Coffee Maker
With two glass and wood pour over sets, DreHomeCraft is an Etsy shop made for coffee-lovers.
They both come with a wooden glass dripper and glass pot set.
The dripper is designed for V60 filter paper, but they also sell reusable linen coffee filters.
DreHomeCraft‘s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
DreHomeCraft’s handmade items are produced in China.
They have warehouses in China, France, the UK, and the US to help with local shipping.
Available: Etsy
3. ROK
About ROK‘s Plastic Free Single Service Coffee Maker
Espresso machines usually don’t come with a lot of plastic, but they are made with a lot of different components that take up landfill space.
Not the barista-quality espresso maker from ROK though.
The minimal coffee maker is made with cast aluminum, steel, and glass-composite and uses human power (not electricity) to pull a perfect double espresso.
Designed to last a lifetime, the espresso maker also comes with a 10-year warranty.
Purchased from ROK, it includes a free glass manual milk frother for your sustainable milk alternative lattes.
For those who like their coffee really fresh, check out the manual coffee grinder. It’s made of the same materials as the espresso press,
ROK‘s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
With no heating element that will eventually wear out, the ROK espresso maker doesn’t just curb plastic waste—it prevents a lot of material from ending up in landfill.
It has the smallest carbon footprint in its class and is designed to be anti-obsolescence (read: this is the coffee maker for the rest of your life).
Available: Amazon
4. Austero
About Austero‘s Plastic Free French Press Coffee Maker
One of the best ethical gifts for a coffee (or sustainable tea) lover, Austero can help you personalize a beautiful French press.
Totally free of plastic, this coffee maker is made with glass, wood, and metal.
Austero‘s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
Everything from Etsy shop Austero is handmade-to-order in Turkey.
Available: Etsy
5. Coletti
About Coletti‘s Non Toxic Coffee Makers
You won’t find any plastic or glass in Coletti’s range of French press and percolator coffee makers—meaning no toxins!
Instead, they’re made of AISI 304 stainless steel (the same material used in building construction).
That said, these plastic free coffee machines are designed for durability and adventuring and the French press keeps coffee hot for 4+ hours (and can be used to make cold brew, too).
Coletti‘s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
All Coletti products are backed by a lifetime replacement guarantee.
The company is veteran-owned and operated and they donate 10% of profits to charities working to spread Christian dialogue in countries where religious freedom is lacking.
Available: Coletti
6. illy
About illy‘s Plastic Free Pod Coffee Maker
Compatible with both ground coffee and pods, the X1 Anniversary from illy blends style with sustainability.
The ‘60s inspired machine is also a good look for our planet.
It’s made with stainless steel and has ECO mode, which uses fast-heating technology to reduce energy consumption.
illy’s E.S.E. coffee pods come in a paper capsule and are certified as 100% compostable (can be disposed of as food waste).
illy‘s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
The Certified B Corp produces as much as possible in Italy. Their manufacturing partners are backed by certifications like ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ISO 50001.
Minimal packaging is used and by 2033, illy has plans to be Carbon Neutral.
They’re involved in many philanthropic projects, like supporting Nicaraguan schools, planting native vegetation in Colombia, and supporting Rwandan women.
Available: illy
7. SMEG
About SMEG‘s Plastic Free Automatic Coffee Maker
SMEG’s 50’s Retro Style Aesthetic Drip Filter Coffee Machine (or their espresso machine if you like your coffee strong) is a blast from the past—and it’s trying to preserve the future.
The almost plastic-free coffee machine has a smaller size than comparable eco-friendly appliances (reducing waste at the end of its life).
“Almost” because it’s darn near impossible to find 100% plastic free drip coffee makers. At least as far as the current options on the market go.
The housing and carafe are metal and glass in this one, and it comes with a reusable metal mesh filter.
SMEG‘s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
SMEG designs all of their products with our environment in mind.
That’s why they choose materials that are easier to recycle, like steel, aluminum, glass, and brass.
They go above and beyond EU RoHS and REACH directives to minimize use of hazardous materials and chemical substances.
Their Italian manufacturing centers are also backed by ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 standards.
SMEG uses renewable energy, recovers or recycles 95% of their waste, and regularly donates to non-profit, health, and voluntary organizations.
Available: Amazon
8. Mueller
About Mueller‘s Small Plastic Free Coffee Maker
Mueller’s French press aluminum plastic free coffee maker is made with double insulated 304 stainless steel.
Perfect for travel, it also features a 4-level filtration system, keeping those grounds out of your cup.
It even comes with a travel canister to keep beans or grounds fresh while you’re on-the-go.
Dishwasher safe and rust-free, this plastic free coffee maker is ready to fuel your caffeine addiction, time and time again.
Mueller‘s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
Mueller donates a percentage of every purchase to the Youth Opportunity Center, which helps youth and families in crisis situations get back on their feet.
Available: Amazon
9. Etsy Vintage Coffee Makers
About Etsy‘s Low Plastic Coffee Makers
One of the best places to turn to save money and our planet is Etsy. And their vintage range of plastic free coffee makers is no different.
Hailing from Italy, VintageAssorty takes coffee enthusiasts back to the 1950s and earlier with their range of stove top percolators, made with aluminum, stainless steel, and even silver and gold.
Similarly, you can bring the magic of an Italian cafe into your kitchen with ItalyVintageDream.
With some coffee makers dating back to the pre-1950s, expect to see materials like aluminum, stainless steel, and porcelain.
10. OXO
About OXO‘s Plastic Free Drip Coffee Maker
The SCA-certified Brew 9-Cup is an near plastic free stainless steel coffee maker from OXO.
Read: most of the important components are plastic free in the Brew 9-Cup.
As a coffee maker with a plastic free reservoir for water, this one features a glass water tank.
The coffee filters into a double-insulated stainless steel carafe (which keeps coffee hot for longer).
The lid and coffee basket are plastic, but can be lined with reusable #4 filters, like this organic hemp one.
The plastic components are BPA free, too.
OXO‘s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
OXO is a member of 1% For the Planet and supports Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a non-profit dedicated to finding less toxic treatments for childhood cancer.
So far, they’ve contributed more than $2.5 million to this organization.
While most products are backed by OXO’s Better Guarantee lifetime warranty, the Brew 9-Cup is covered under a two-year warranty.
They also offer repair options.
11. Canadiano
About Canadiano’s Plastic Free Coffee Maker Canada
Giving the pour over a planet friendly twist, Canadiano offers one of the most sustainable, zero waste coffee making solutions.
A carved out piece of wood—cherry, ash, and walnut—is combined with an ultra-fine, medical grade stainless steel filter to filter out the grounds.
All pieces use nut oil to extend their longevity. Walnut or safflower oil can be applied as a refinish every 3-4 months.
It doesn’t require replacement filters and the wood is biodegradable at the end of its life.
Canadiano’s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
Canadiano sources their FSC wood locally before it’s manufactured in Toronto.
Available: Canadiano
12. Lindy’s
About Lindy’s Old Fashioned Plastic-Free Drip Coffee Maker
This blast from the past makes coffee the same way your grandparents might have.
Lindy’s drip coffee machine makes 1-10 cups of coffee using water heated on a stovetop or your favorite kettle.
After the water is heated, it can be poured in the top reservoir, where it filters through a stainless steel diffuser plate before being collected in the bottom reservoir equipped with a pour spout.
It’s made with heavy duty 18/10 surgical stainless steel and the only plastic bits are the cool-touch handles.
Lindy’s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
The coffee maker is made in India.
Durable stainless steel is the material of choice, so there’s no reason this non plastic coffee maker shouldn’t last forever.
As long as you can heat water in some way, it can also be used without electricity.
Available: Amazon
13. AeroPress
About AeroPress Non-Toxic Coffee Maker
Technically speaking, AeroPress is about as far as you can get from a completely plastic-free coffee maker. It’s made of almost exclusively plastic.
But hear us out—AeroPress is actually one of the few coffee makers that really prioritizes low-waste and non-toxic materials.
The parts of the revolutionary coffee system are made of mostly polypropylene, with a silicone seal on the plunger. They’re all FDA and EU approved for use in contact with food and are BPA and phthalate free.
Polypropylene is used because of its durability and when the silicone plunger seal is removed, all parts are reportedly recyclable (though we’d recommend checking for #5 recycling in your area first).
According to someone’s “showerthought about the Aeropress being plastic” we found out that polypropylene is also made without BPS.
You can opt for traditional paper filters, which are both reusable and compostable, and they also have a Stainless Steel Reusable Filter, too.
AeroPress Ethical and Sustainability Practices
AeroPress just requires hot water, coffee, and your hands to make a delicious cup of espresso-like brew.
It’s one of the most low-impact coffee makers with a small footprint, which is why it’s an eco-friendly camping gear staple.
It doesn’t require electricity and there are replacement parts available for all components.
AeroPress coffee makers are entirely made in the USA.
Available: AeroPress | AeroPress UK
14. Ovalware
About Ovalware’s Plastic-Free Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Saving time, money, and our planet, this Ovalware cold brew coffee maker is a solid fix if you want a delicious coffee (or iced tea) with minimal effort.
Coarse coffee (or loose leaf zero waste tea) can be added to the medical-grade stainless steel filter then the glass carafe can be filled with cold water and left to brew for 12-24 hours.
No parts of the coffee come into contact with plastic.
The silicon seal is airtight, meaning that the coffee can be stored in a fridge for up to two weeks.
Ovalware’s Ethical and Sustainability Practices
Founded by three brothers, Ovalware is made up of people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, who all share a deep-rooted love for brewing.
They’ve been on a journey towards eco-packaging and the Cold Brew Maker will be the first product shipped with zero plastic.
Available: Ovalware
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Why Choose Plastic Free Coffee Makers?
Fancy an oat milk latte with a splash of phthalates?
Probably not—and neither does the planet.
Plastic doesn’t really deserve an invitation to our coffee breaks—yet it’s been RSVPing.
Plastic coffee = toxic coffee
Many components in a coffee maker are often made with plastic.
This means that each cup likely exposes us to hormone disruptors like BPA and phthalates.
And the big problem here is that BPA is known to leach out 55 times faster in hot liquids than it does under normal conditions.
The plastic-hardening chemical has been linked to a range of health concerns, like heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, reproductive disorders, obesity, cancer, and impaired brain development.
And it’s worth it to mention that even some “BPA-free” claims should be met with skepticism, because it’s relatively easy to swap out BPA for its toxic chemical cousins, Bisphenol S and Bisphenol F (BPS and BPF).
The BPA alternatives are structurally similar. So, from a manufacturing standpoint, they make a worthy alternative.
Unfortunately, they’re hormonally active in similar ways, too.
When it comes to estrogenic, antiestrogenic, androgenic, and antiandrogenic hormonal activities, BPS and BPF have been found to be just as potent as BPA as endocrine disruptors.
Phthalate leaching
Similarly, long-term exposure to phthalate plasticizers adversely influences not just the endocrine system, but also healthy functioning of multiple organs.
The water reservoir, basket, and pipes are often made with hard plastic or PVC, which may leach a variety of phthalates (DMB, DIBM, DEHP).
Phthalates are the world’s most commonly used plasticizers, after all.
Worse, phthalates are more likely than BPA to be leached out by the hot water in a coffee maker.
Chronic exposure to phthalates has been known to adversely impact the endocrine system and healthy organ functioning.
Long-term impacts may include impaired growth and development and compromised reproductive system functioning.
Not only are these plastic based toxins bad from a health perspective, but they can impart that gross plastic-y taste in coffee, too.
And then we’ve got to consider the impact on our planet.
Environmental impact of plastic coffee machines
BPA in the environment has been known to negatively impact ecosystem health.
Especially since we annually release more than a million pounds of it, in the US alone.
Like many other chemicals, major sinks for BPA include rivers and lakes. Which is why we have a better understanding of BPA impacts on aquatic vertebrates than land-based ones.
Studies have shown that BPA can lead to reproductive and developmental harm and diminished immune function in aquatic non-mammalian vertebrates.
Phthalates are close behind, as they’re produced in very high volumes and are a pervasive toxin in the environment.
They, too, can lead to reproductive toxicity in animals, just as they do in humans.
Not to mention the fact that these plastic-based components are almost always impossible to recycle, and will remain in landfills for hundreds or thousands of years after their last brew session.
Makes you think twice about having that second (or third) cup of coffee, doesn’t it?
How We Found The Best Plastic Free Coffee Machines
To use our favorite coffee analogy again, finding sustainable technology in the world of low impact coffee machines is like finding a green bean in a mountain of roasted beans.
While some companies are starting to avoid use of BPA and phthalates, many coffee makers still have a long way to go before they’re truly plastic free.
Still, it didn’t stop us from looking.
Materials:
The best plastic free coffee makers are made with stainless steel, biodegradable wood, or glass.
Stainless steel is durable, easy to maintain, resistant to heat, and won’t impart colors or flavors.
Similarly, glass offers many of the same benefits—but we all know how easy it is to break!
Unfortunately, even with glass carafes in a drip coffee machine, the plastic lid and basket may present a risk of BPA/phthalate leaching—so look for those that are explicitly free of these toxins.
Or use filter baskets, interior plumbing components, carafes, and water reservoirs (read; anything that touches water or hot coffee) that are plastic free.
Because even if something is deemed BPA-free, it may contain a BPA alternative, like BPF and BPS.
These substitutes have also been known to be hormone disruptors.
Aluminum is another common plastic alternative, but it is a known neurotoxin.
Sourcing and supply chain:
Unfortunately, many of these brands are still leaving coffee grounds in our cups. Read: they’re not transparently filtering out some of the unethical aspects of many consumer good supply chains.
It would be great to know more about where and how materials are sourced, and how workers are supported.
Energy efficiency:
Manual is the go-to here.
If you can make a cup of coffee or espresso without requiring energy, that’s adv(enti)ageous for our planet.
If energy is required, functions like double-walled insulation or clear-to-read cup measurements can help you minimize the amount of power that’s needed to heat up water and keep it warm.
Recyclability and repairability:
From an end-of-life perspective, small non plastic coffee machines with fewer components are better.
It’s far easier to recycle a stainless steel French press than a drip coffee machine made with glass, stainless steel, and a batch of other materials.
That morning cup tastes even better when a brand offers repair and replacement part options or lengthy warranties.
How To Dispose of Coffee Machines
When your trusty coffee machine can brew no more, you may be wondering how to dispose of electronics.
A still-working coffee maker can be donated and many thrift stores, like Goodwill, offer e-waste recycling services for those beyond their last batch.
In the US, Staples recycles coffee brewers (less than 40 lbs).
For UK coffeeholics, Ferrari Espresso recycles non-working coffee machinery and provides you with coffee beans for sending yours in.
After enjoying the final flat white produced by your coffee maker, Australian coffee connoisseurs may have luck by turning to this e-waste recycling service.
An Australian PlanetArk dropoff point may be locally available, too.
Your local government or council may also offer e-waste drops off or collection days.
Final Thoughts On Plastic Free Coffee Makers
It’s easy to get swept up in the hype of swapping out all your existing homewares for zero waste products.
But the most sustainable caffeine addiction fix is to stick with the coffee maker you already have.
Otherise, checkout secondhand options or maybe a thrift store near you for a pre-loved stainless steel or glass coffee maker.
And if you’ve been looking for a coffee maker with a plastic free basket, you’ve likely realized that this has yet to become a piping-hot consumer trend.
A drip coffee maker remains one of the most popular ways to prepare our daily brews, yet one that is completely devoid of plastic, is not a thing. At all.
So, let’s keep the buzz around non plastic coffee makers going so that eventually we can avoid plastic in every sip.
Share this article with fellow coffee lovers so we can all get plastic out of the world’s most consumed beverage.
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Hallo, please is there a coffe maker/maschine without plastic or aluminium parts?
Thank you!
Hi Ana, there’s a whole lot on this list that have no plastic or aluminum. There are several coffee makers that are entirely stainless steel for example. But if you’re after an electrical zero waste coffee maker, it can be a little trickier, although those on this list get pretty close.