I have been working towards a non-toxic home by replacing items as needed. I wanted a non toxic coffee maker and came across a pour-over coffee maker. I’m so glad I tried it because it makes the best cup of coffee!

So what do Coffeemakers have to do with dogs since dogs can’t have coffee? I’m sure some owners may say they NEED their coffee in the morning before taking their dog for a walk.

However, the purpose of this article is to reveal 1) some hidden dangers of your coffee maker that you may not be aware of and 2) how it could impact you or your pet’s health.

Hidden dangers of coffee makers

Coffee makers can be a source of 1) mold, 2) Teflon exposure, 3) BPA [an endocrine disruptor found in plastic] and 4) flame retardants [BFR’s]! These chemicals off-gas and accumulate in our home environment which in turn creates poor indoor air.

I didn’t want plastic-filled pods or to make my coffee cup by cup so that eliminated the ever so popular “pod machine.” In my opinion, they are not good for the environment as billions of cups end up in the landfill, plastics are linked to health issues and I didn’t feel like it made a good cup of coffee. For those of you who have this pod machine and want to continue using it, did you know they have a refillable k-cup and prefilled compostable k-cups?

Teflon free coffee maker

The warming plate on some coffee makers may contain Teflon, a non-stick coating, that has made pets sick. As part of my kitchen detox, this was one of the items I wanted to replace with a less toxic version.

Toxin free Coffee maker

Whenever I did a search for a non-toxic coffee maker, the results were always French press, and percolators.

I use a French Press as my portable coffeemaker when I travel but I really wanted a pour-over coffeemaker as I prefer the flavor of pour-over coffee.

I was beginning to wonder if there is such a thing as an automatic toxin-free coffee maker being as many contain plastic parts such as a plastic water tank, plastic water tube, and a plastic coffee cone basket.

Non toxic coffee maker

Finally, I found a plastic-free coffee maker! Update: The original coffeemaker featured in this blog has been sold out everywhere for months. It is because they came out with a new version of the pour-over coffee maker. This new pour-over coffee maker has many of the same features such as: a stainless steel coffee filter, glass water tank, and carafe but it also has a programmable timer, water temperature control, and you can adjust the water to coffee grounds ratio. 

• Glass water tube
• Glass water tank reservoir
• Plastic-free coffee cone: reusable stainless steel filter
• Glass coffee carafe
• brews about 4 cups in 5 minutes
• Spray heads do a slow spin while alternating water from different “spouts”
• It’s pretty. It has a sleek look and blue lights that illuminate the buttons

Sale: I have the original pour over coffee maker featured in this blog. It is brand new, never used but is missing the filter which you can easily buy. If I get enough interest in buying it, I will put it up for sale. Leave a  comment below stating you would be interested in purchasing. 

3 Things that may impact your decision to buy this coffee maker

• While the new version of the pour-over coffeemaker has many positive reviews, it seems it requires a little bit of patience to get it “dialed in” correctly according to some reviews.
• Coarse ground coffee: You will have to have a coffee grinder {recommendations below} as a finer grind may cause issues for you when using this type of coffee maker. With the incorrect coffee grind, your coffee will not taste as it should and it could causing clogging or overflow issues.
• Brewing capacity: Although the carafe holds up to 30 ounces, you can only brew 4 cups at one time.

Bonus tip: Do not leave coffee grounds in your pour-over coffee cone. This could cause clogging issues down the road and you will be forced to buy a new coffee cone.

Coffee maker with a Glass water tank

Below is a short video to hear how it sounds when making coffee.

Tip: For those of you who want piping hot coffee, follow the tip on the full demo video. Still not hot enough? Warm your coffee mug and creamer if used before putting the coffee in your mug.

BPA Free coffeemaker and Phthalate free coffee maker

Another option of a drip coffee maker, which is more expensive, but well known is this BPA free coffee maker. While it is not perfect, it is BPA free, BPS free, BPF free, has Phthalate-free plastic, and has a glass carafe. It comes in over 20 colors to match any decor or add a punch of color and has a 5-year warranty.

Why your coffee maker has a plastic smell or burning smell

I thought about going back to a coffee maker with a hot water tank. I decided against it for many reasons such as I read many complaints about a bad smell, burning smell, or plastic smell coming from the coffee maker. I contacted the company and was told it could be from the epoxy used on the water tank.

Non-toxic Coffee Gear: BPA Free Coffee Grinders, Eco Coffee mug, and coffee accessories

Update: With the coronavirus going on now many stores are not allowing you to use their coffee grinders. Below are a few suggestions for personal coffee grinders if you need one.

1. Stainless Steel Coffee storage container: I store my organic coffee and chicory mixture (New Orleans style coffee) in this stainless steel container. It has a one-way valve to release co2 which is coffee’s enemy. It comes with a satisfaction guarantee and a 30-day refund. About this company: The wrong color container was sent to me. I contacted them and they immediately offered to “make it right.” I was thrilled with how quickly they took care of it. Great Customer service! 🙂

2a. Eco Coffee Cup: Many mugs with lids have the plastic ring, o-ring, around the lid that are prone to mold. I ran into that with this coffee mug and travel mug. Unfortunately, I had to throw them away since the o-ring itself couldn’t be replaced. I needed something that would last longer and was more eco-friendly. I found these eco-friendly coffee cups which have worked great for 7 months and counting. I hand wash mine but I have seen others put them in the dishwasher. The difference I noticed was coffee sleeve came loose on the mugs washed in the dishwasher. The lid has no inner 0-ring, is made from silicone, and has never dripped coffee all over me. According to Health Canada, silicone does not react with drinks. Another advocate says, silicone is recyclable, doesn’t decompose but it is not considered hazardous waste as it is not toxic to aquatic organisms.

2b. Tech Savvy Coffee cup: If you like tech gadgets, this coffee cup allows you to set and maintain the temperature of your coffee. They also have this in a coffee travel mug. The top review by Ed gives you a good explanation of how the coffee cup works.

3. Coffee Grinder: manual coffee grinders can be great for travel or if the electricity goes out. Electric Versions are this 1) Burr Mill grinder with a BPA free coffee container and three-year warranty 2) Burr Coffee Grinder with glass hopper and coffee catcher. Unfortunately, it only has a 1-year warranty but is a popular brand that I have heard makes long-lasting products and 3) Burr grinder with Borosilicate glass container which is supposed to reduce static.

At the time of writing this blog, I had not experienced static. That could be because I used a low-end grinder and didn’t notice it. Now that I have #1 I did notice coffee clinging above the coffee container or at the bottom of where ground coffee comes out.

4. Electric water kettle: glass water kettle with automatic shut off and blue light that illuminates while boiling.