How to Make Better Coffee With Non-Toxic Coffee Makers

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How important is a coffee maker in most homes? According to some sources, excluding water, people consume coffee more than any other beverage in the world, and it is the second most traded commodity. Though the health benefits of coffee can be debated, most people (myself included!) consume it in large amounts every day.

How much coffee exactly? Well, the world consumes over 2 BILLION cups of coffee a day. This means that the way we choose to drink coffee can have a big impact on our health and on the environment.

The Rich History of Coffee

According to one (very interesting!) legend, Ethiopian shepherds first discovered the stimulating properties of coffee after noticing that their goats had extra energy after eating coffee berries. A little research uncovers many other interesting facts about coffee’s history:

  • The French philosopher Voltaire consumed up to 50 cups of coffee a day. (Fun fact: The lethal dose is 100 cups/day!)
  • Teddy Roosevelt drank 16 cups per day.
  • The Italian government regulates espresso because it is considered an essential part of daily life (similar to how carbohydrates and proteins are listed and regulated on food packaging here). Baristas are also highly respected in Italy.
  • Bach wrote an opera about a woman who drank too much coffee.
  • The word “cappuccino” comes from the similarity of the drink in color to the robes worn by Capuchin monks.
  • The King banned coffee houses in England in the 1600s because he thought people were conspiring against him in coffee houses.
  • Before coffee gained popularity, beer was the breakfast drink of choice in the U.S.
  • The world’s most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak, costs $600 per pound and is literally coffee beans eaten and excreted by a Asian Palm Civet (a large cat).
  • Money may not grow on trees, but coffee does. The coffee “bean” is actually the roasted seed of a bright red berry (making it a fruit).

So we know the world universally loves coffee … but is it healthy?

The Effects of Coffee on Health

A way to supercharge coffee and make it healthy and great for your skinAlthough I’ve covered the health risks and benefits of coffee before, here’s a recap of some of the issues with consuming a large amount of coffee:

  • Caffeine dependence – Over-reliance on caffeine as a stimulant can affect the adrenals in a negative way.
  • Pesticide exposure – Coffee is a notoriously heavily sprayed crop.
  • Mold – Dave Asprey has several good articles on how much mold coffee from inferior sources can harbor.

The good news is, this doesn’t mean you have to give up coffee. Coffee contains antioxidants and other proven health benefits, and there are ways to limit its downsides:

  1. Something as simple as when you have your coffee can make a difference. Consume coffee between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. to protect natural cortisol patterns.
  2. Add a boost of healthy fats ups the benefits of a morning cup of joe.
  3. The way you make your coffee makes a difference to your health. Choosing a healthy coffee maker is an important way to maximize coffee benefits without adding harmful chemicals or burdening the environment.

The Problem with (Some) Coffee Makers

Even if you choose organic and fair trade coffee to avoid the pesticides, some unsavory substances may end up in your brew from other sources.

Ditch the Pods!

Unfortunately, some modern methods of consuming coffee carry their own set of risks. For instance, the popular coffee pods (or k-cups) have become an increasing burden for the environment. Over 10 billion of them ended up in landfills last year alone! Endocrine-disrupting plastic chemicals from the pods can end up in the finished coffee, and these plastics have been linked to various health problems.

Even regular coffee makers (and coffee pod machines) contain plastics that come in contact with hot liquid. These can leach plastic chemicals into the finished coffee.

Yep … Mold in Your Coffee, Again

It makes sense if you think about it. The perpetually dark, wet, and warm environment in the tubes of many coffee machines provides the perfect environment for mold, mildew, and even biofilms to grow.

In fact half of all coffee mugs tested contained mold spores, potentially from the tubing inside coffee makers, and unfortunately the hot water and acidity of coffee is not enough to kill this mold.

Safer Non-Toxic Coffee Makers (That Make Better Coffee Too!)

Though modern drip coffee makers are certainly a convenient way to make coffee, there are other much healthier options that (in my opinion) produce a much better cup of coffee. These are some of my favorite non-toxic coffee makers:

French Press

There are some great French Press options in the coffee maker world. A French Press allows you to have control over the temperature and intensity of your coffee. The water must be pre-heated using another method, but French Press coffee makers don’t require any electricity or heat. They don’t keep coffee warm like a drip coffee pot would but are a great option for making a couple of cups of high-quality coffee. As an added bonus, they can also be used to make tea.

Traditional French Press coffee makers (like this one) are typically glass with a stainless steel interior filter, but there is now also a completely stainless steel French Press machine that won’t crack or break like some of the glass options.

Pour-Over

As the name suggests, this method of brewing involves pouring hot water over coffee grounds and letting gravity do the work. Unlike the French Press, there isn’t a way to push down the coffee to speed up the process, and the pour over method does take a little longer. I find that the extra time and effort are worth it for the quality of the coffee. In fact, This many high-end coffee shops use the pour-over method.

Popular pour-over brewing options include:

  • The Chemex – An all-glass system that has won awards for its design and is even on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. It does require filters and I personally like either the unbleached disposable filters or a stainless steel reusable filter.
  • Cone Coffee Drippers – Slightly less expensive, simple cone filters (like this stainless one) or this ceramic Hario) also use the pour-over method and are typically used to make one cup at a time.
  • Ratio Coffee Maker – This is like a pour over coffee maker but is electric and automatic, so you don’t have to stand over it and manually pour the water. It has no plastic parts (hurray!) and makes some of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted! Check it out here.

Old-Fashioned Percolator

What’s old is certainly often new again! Old-fashioned percolator coffee makers are a great alternative to drip coffee pots. Many of us may remember these iconic machines even though they lost popularity (largely due to modern drip coffee pots and more recent coffee pod brewers). Percolators don’t require any additional equipment or filters though, are easily cleaned, and plug in much like a drip machine. They also keep coffee warm like a coffee pot, so they are a good option for anyone who likes having a pot of warm coffee ready for longer than a few minutes.

Just make sure to use a completely stainless steel model for both durability and to avoid plastic.

Stainless Espresso Makers

The traditional Bialetti espresso makers are often made of aluminum (my husband has used one since college and refuses to get rid of it, much to my chagrin!) instead of steel. Though harder to find, stainless steel stove-top espresso makers work just as well and don’t have the health risks of aluminum. These are a good option for those who prefer espresso to regular coffee.

Coffee Makers: Bottom Line

Don’t let a mold-infested plastic coffee maker ruin a good cup of coffee. Try one of these non-toxic coffee makers. Many have the added benefit of not needing disposable filters and create a better cup of coffee anyway!

Are you a coffee drinker? What is your coffee maker of choice?

Most coffee makers can harbor mold or mildew and may leach plastic chemicals into coffee. Try non-toxic methods like pour-over, French press and percolator.

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

150 responses to “How to Make Better Coffee With Non-Toxic Coffee Makers”

  1. Nancy Avatar

    According to some of the reviewers on amazon, the percolator that you linked to is not fully stainless steel. Part of the interior on the bottom is made of aluminum.

  2. GloryB Avatar

    Single people can use a ceramic or stainless steel pour over coffee dropper. I’ve used both, and prefer the stainless steel as I get my electric water pot boiling hot. I use a Melina #4 double filter so I can have my dark coffee bound fine and it has no residue or bitter taste this way. I can make it as strong or as weak as I want it. No coffee makers, just a water kettle which comes in handy for tea, hot chocolate, instant oatmeal, etc…..

  3. Clare Avatar

    Big thanks to all the kaffeklatcher’s for suggestions. 1) My opener is yes, have the distinction of being one who kicked her Kthingey to the kurb. A. No way to get a strong cup unless dark roast B. Ecowise, I hate the landfill problem. C. Felt trading convenience for mold prone. 2) But not to worry, I have two antique percolators, a porcelain Melitta pour over, and a pricey French Press scored at yard sale and I rotate ’em all I long ago dismissed automatics when lived at altitude and didn’t heat the water to my taste (lower boiling point!!). Recently preppered a liter of comm’l cold brew for if our rural electric goes out x 24 or more.in wintery blasts I loved it for convenience (my perker keeps the water superhot) so am going to try making my own. Which will be with Sav-A-Lot’s 99 cents a gallon R/O water altho’ ingest some tap fluoride for the other mineral content. I look forward to trying all the suggestions, especially the Turkish brew ones. Thanks to our worthy wellness expert plus readers for the real coffee “scoop”.

  4. Hein Kalker Avatar
    Hein Kalker

    I found that when I used a Bialleti exxpreso maker ( actually called a mocha maker) I can sleep at night, whereas with a french coffee press, I can’t. This caused some controversy in Uganda were i lived, so when I got back to South Africa for a visit, I went to a forensic pathologist with my story. She was very interested and said she would check it in the lab. She first made a 3 cup espresso, and measured the caffeine. Lets give it 1 unit.
    Then she made a filter coffee, Drip system, with the same amount. of coffee. 2 units.
    The grind for filter coffee is coarser than for espresso. She then ground the coffee as fine as for an espresso, and put it through the filter. 3 units.
    With the same amount of coffee, she used a french press. Served and drunk immediately, it was 3 units.
    But if it stood around for 15 min it gave a whopping 7 units of caffeine!
    So I guess that if you want your coffee to kick you awake, you use a french press and leave it standing for a while before drinking, and when you want to go to sleep, you drink an espresso.
    Another interesting fact,, dark roast has less caffeine, than light roast, even though its taste is much stronger

  5. Christine Avatar
    Christine

    We have used the cold brew method for years and we enjoy the flavor and less caffeine. I also use the Aeropress.

  6. Kathleen Brown Avatar
    Kathleen Brown

    It’s funny how the pendulum swings back-and-forth on things like coffee! I had read sometime ago that the French press is unable to filter out something that harms your heart. I wish I could remember what that is but I ditched my French press years ago because of it. Have you seen any research about that?

  7. Deborah Avatar

    The Hario V60 is on my list, and the Bodum drip brewer is amazing too…

  8. Iris Avatar

    We abandoned our old Mr. Coffee type coffee maker for an old fashioned Farberware 8-10 cup ALL stainless steel percolator. The fact that EVERYTHING in this percolator is stainless steel (brew basket, spreader, pump tube and well) was just what I was looking for. It makes fabulous coffee quickly and hot, Hot, HOT. That was part of what I hated about coffee makers, the coffee was never really hot. Thanks for this post, great information! To think I might have been consuming mold just creeps me out!!

  9. Kim Avatar

    Has anyone found a percolator without the aluminum (like the presto has)?

    1. Iris Avatar

      Kim,
      You might look into the old Farberware Superfast Model 138. That’s what I bought after much research. From everything I’ve read, it’s completely stainless steel (brew basket, spreader, pump tube and well), and has a glass knob/bubbler on top, not plastic. It makes excellent HOT coffee. I found mine on Ebay.

  10. Julie Avatar

    We have a Chemex but still use our old Bunn to heat water. What do you recommend to heat water? Is there a safe tea pot out there?

  11. Faye Avatar

    Last year I gave up on percolators. Had been buying Cuisinart perks but the last few only worked for a short time before loosing the power to heat the water hot enough making for a very weak brew. As soon as the coffee is done we turn off the machine since we don’t mind a quick blast in the microwave to reheat coffee. A secret: I’ve been known to make a pot and reward it cup by cup over the course of 3 days. I do make fresh for guests though. Back to the point: my Technivorm provides fabulous drip coffee although I wish the basket that holds my gold permanent filter was something other than plastic.

  12. Linda Avatar

    Filtron cold press coffee concentrate maker. Make 1# of coffee at a time. Thenadd the concentrate to the temp water you want. The cold press method through the thick wool batting makes for very low acid coffee. I use organic coffee only.

    1. Teneko Avatar

      I haven’t heard of the Filtron system. I used to have a Toddy until the carafe broke. Cold brew coffee is so smooth and can have either hot water or ice water added to reconstitute.
      Personally I am a French Press user as I typically only have 1-2 cups a day and it’s just the hubby and I. I like to make a “rocket fuel latte” using a recipe I found on another blog site. It includes:
      Hemp hearts (1-2 Tbsp)
      Coconut oil (1 Tbsp)
      Raw cacao butter (1 Tbsp)
      Collagen or gelatin (1-2 Tbsp)
      Pop that into a blender with the coffee, whirr, and enjoy. It’s my all in one coffee boost and breakfast.
      Sometimes I add flavourings to it, but it really doesn’t need it. Only problem is my hubby hates the WHIRR WHIRR WHIRR of the blender in the morning while he’s trying to sleep! 😀

      -T.

  13. Kelly Avatar

    We have the old-fashioned percolator you mentioned and we love it. Our friends came to visit us recently and they liked it so much they bought 3! One for a family member they were going to visit and 1 for each of them!

  14. Aleza Avatar

    Great timing! My drip coffee maker just broke down 2 weeks ago. I’ve been boiling water on the stove and pouring it through the top of the machine. It works well enough, but now I’m considering the other options. Thanks

  15. Karina F Avatar
    Karina F

    Hi Good Evening Doll,

    I loved this post…I have a question in regards to the Chemex brand.. I love the company as a whole and the pour over method seems like such a healthy option but as a nursing student and full time employee this process seems a little bit time consuming since im usually on the go trying to beat traffic . The Chemex brand now has something that has the Ottomatic coffemaker that heats the water for you and pours into the chemex and I was wondering is this still a healthy alternative or will I still obtain any harmful plastic chemicals? If so I will just wake up earlier and do the pour over method? Or maybe you know a faster healthier option…any input would be highly appreciated. thank you 🙂

    Karina

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