What Is BPA Free Coffee Maker

The term BPA stands for Bisphenol A, an industrial chemical usually found in hard plastic. The public went crazy after the 2008 CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) study. The study confirmed that 9 of 10 adults in the USA have traces of the BPA in their urine.

Some studies showed connections between high levels of BPA and diabetes, obesity, infertility, high blood pressure, cancer and deadly heart diseases. If your coffee sometimes tastes like plastic, well, that means you have a problem.

But, worry not. In this article, we will guide you through the world of the best BPA free Coffee Makers. We don’t want you to take any chances and we will show you the best of the best. So, stick with us for a while, will you?

Benefits of Using a BPA Free Coffee Maker

You don’t want to look at your regular morning cup of Joe with suspicion every morning. So, getting yourself a BPA free coffee maker will calm your mind in a few ways.

No Health Risks 

As mentioned above, BPA can harm your body quite a bit, from sterility to heart disease. Your cup of coffee should do well to your body, not harm it in any way. So, you can choose a non-plastic coffee maker or one made from BPA free plastic.

Delicious Cup of Coffee Every Time

A bad cup of coffee is a lousy way to start your morning. The coffee that tastes like plastic is even worse. By picking a top-quality BPA free coffee maker, you are destined to have a great coffee every time. 

Safe to Use

There is more than one way to skin a cat and there are a dozen ways to prepare a cup of coffee. However, choosing a high-quality BPA-free coffee maker will guarantee you a perfect cup of coffee, every time. Pick quality. Don’t let cheaper products fool you.

That goes especially for the safety part. By using a quality product, you are safe from any kitchen disaster. That includes faulty wires, breaking a carafe or the possibility of an electrical shock. Only by picking the most quality BPA free coffee maker, you will be safe. 

Decaf Coffee Will Taste Even Better

Some people love decaf coffee and some hate it. There is no point in arguing. But, if you want to extract the maximum of flavors from your best decaf coffee, you are going to need a good coffee maker. No caffeine, no harmful chemicals, just a great flavor.

How Does BPA Free Coffee Maker Work

As there are more than a few models and types of BPA free coffee makers, this question has no simple answer. We will get to the different types of coffee makers further in the text.

However, there are few things all these coffee makers have in common. Firstly, they don’t contain any of the BPA, not even in traces. And secondly, they all have the same goal. The goal is to dissolve our freshly ground coffee beans in water, thus giving us a perfect cup of coffee every time.

Pros and Cons of BPA Free Coffee Makers

Pros

• Health benefits – no risk from the BPA.
• Modern solutions – some of these BPA free coffee makers are fully automated. All you have to do is to press the button.
• A plethora of choices – you can choose from small, travel ones to the big boy coffee makers that can brew coffee for the whole family at once.
• Durability, especially if you go for the stainless steel option.

Cons

• Price – some of the models are quite pricey, and frankly, not everyone can afford them. That especially goes for the stainless steel models or the ones with a lot of additional features.
• Also, steel models can be too heavy and the glass/porcelain ones are sometimes too fragile.
• French press – you love it or you hate it. Well, some people hate it.

Types of BPA Free Coffee Makers

French Press

This is an old school coffee maker. Usually known as French press or coffee press or sometimes even coffee plunger(!). Making a coffee on a French press usually takes an additional step or two. However, you will get a killer cup of coffee every time. Go for stainless steel with a glass carafe and get yourself a premium French press travel mug for a morning caffeine shot.

Stovetop Espresso Maker

Most of the coffee aficionados put the espresso on the pedestal.  The strong aroma and rich taste are the perfect way to start every morning. That’s because, unlike other methods, a stovetop espresso maker uses steam to brew coffee. Go for an espresso maker made of stainless steel. Its durability and robustness will provide you with mornings and mornings of coffee preparation. Also, it doesn’t contain any plastic parts. Hence it’s a 100% BPA free coffee maker.

Percolator

This spirit of the past dates way back to 1810 when it was invented by Sir Benjamin Thompson. The process of brewing is quite simple. The percolator consists of just two chambers. You just put the coarse ground coffee on the upper chamber and add water into the lower chamber. They are simple to use, inexpensive, and of course, BPA free, given the fact they are almost always made strictly from stainless steel. No more unclear user manuals or googling how to troubleshoot your Keurig machine. Just two parts and that’s it.

How to Choose the Best BPA Free Coffee Maker

Convenience

Also known as “fitting my lifestyle”. Siphon coffee brewing isn’t for everyone, as it takes some time and patience. Simpler versions of the BPA free coffee makers will fit people with less time and more need to get the cup of coffee quick. More complicated versions will take more of your time but will provide you with more features.

Size

If you live in a smaller apartment, student dorm or share a living space, you should go for a smaller coffee maker. Hint: the durability of a dual coffee machine can surprise you pleasantly, as well as its practicality of use.

However, if you have a big kitchen or extra space, we say go for it. Pick a bigger machine, especially if you are in a multi-person household.

Of course, you don’t have to get yourself an oversized coffee maker just because you can. Pick the one that suits you the most.

Material

To be absolutely sure your coffee maker is BPA free, pick one of these materials:

• Porcelain
• Stainless steel
• Other metals
• Glass

That said, your coffee maker can be completely plastic if you have enough evidence from the maker that he doesn’t use BPA. Nevertheless, using a coffee brewing device made from stainless steel will keep you safe.

Brew Size

The choice is quite simple here. If you don’t drink that much coffee during the day and live alone, go for a single cup, but if you are a true coffee junkie, or live with one, multiple cups are a must. Luckily, most of the modern brewers make 10 to 12 cups.

Timing

If you are one of those people that need the coffee only in the morning, go for a coffee maker with a warming plate. Avoid reheating your coffee in the microwave. If you enjoy your coffee for the whole day, our advice is to get yourself a coffee maker with a thermal carafe to keep your coffee warm.

Brewing Options

Much like the convenience part, it’s all up to your preferences. With simple coffee makers, like percolators, your only choice is to add more or less coffee. However, with modern type makers, you can choose almost anything, from the strength of the coffee to its final temperature.

Additional Features

Oh, we are always fans of the extra features. Go for it. Auto shutoffs, alarms and even smart devices you can connect with your smartphone. The coffee-making doesn’t have to be old fashioned all the time. Every day, new features are being added to the modern BPA-free coffee makers and our duty is to enjoy it. For us, the automatic coffee brewing alarm clock is one of the greatest inventions EVER!

How to Use BPA Free Coffee Maker

French Press

Step 1 — Preheat your press

Fill your French press coffee maker with hot water and swill it around a bit. This will keep your coffee hot for a longer time and stabilize your brew temperature.

Step 2 — Carefully measure your coffee

Of course, using a grinder for making French press coffee is a must. Only freshly ground beans should be used every time. Use a small kitchen scale for maximum precision.

Step 3 — Measure the water

The simplest ratio you should aspire is 1:15. Meaning, use one part coffee to 15 parts water. Again, using a kitchen scale will help you brew better coffee. As for the temperature, go anywhere between 195 and 205 degrees F.

Step 4 — Adding the coffee and the water

Add the coffee into your French press and pour over the warm water. Give it a nice, quick stir, so every coffee particle is soaked in the water.

Step 5 — Place the lid

Place the lid on the top of the coffee maker and wait a few minutes. The usual waiting time is 4 minutes. Press the plunger down, nice and easy. All the way down. Otherwise, it won’t work.

Decanting your coffee will give it a full, rich taste.

Stovetop Espresso Maker

Step 1 — Stovetop disassemble

The stovetop espresso maker has 3 parts. The lowest part is for the water, the middle one (filter) is for the coffee grounds and the highest one is for your cup of Joe. Disassemble it.

Step 2 — Grinding

As always, grind your coffee right before making it. For a stovetop, use a coarser setting.

Step 3 — Hydrate

Use cold, clean water to fill the lowest part of the stovetop with the water. Don’t let it pass the safety valve.

Step 4 — Fill

Fill the filter basket with freshly ground beans. Fill it to the maximum.

Step 5 — Stovetop assemble

Put all the parts together. Make sure you don’t overtighten it, as there is really no need for that. 

Place your stovetop coffee maker on, believe it or not, stovetop. And now, wait for it to boil. If you are using the gas stove, it should be decently quick.

Percolator

Step 1 — Measure

Again, take out your small kitchen scale and start measuring. With the percolator, the recommended ratio is 1:17. Meaning one part of coffee to 17 parts of the water. Of course, when you get the hang of it, experiment with the different ratios.

Step 2 — Grinding

For percolators, you should go with a medium-coarse grind.

Step 3 — Filling the water

Fill your percolator with clean, cold water.

Step 4 — Adding the coffee

Add the freshly ground coffee to the basket. Then, attach the basket lid and close the percolator lid.

Step 5 — Brewing

For electric percolators, your only job is to turn it on and wait. Most of these devices will shut off automatically when the process is over. For the old fashion ones, wait while your percolator is slowly making the coffee on your campfire or a stovetop. When the bubbles appear, give it 6 to 8 minutes more. And then, you are ready to go.

How to Clean BPA Free Coffee Maker

Do we have to mention you should clean your coffee makers after every use? You should always clean your Ninja coffee bar regularly, or that simple coffee traveling mug. The principle is the same. 

How to Clean a French Press

Step 1 — Disassemble the French press and fill the carafe with hot water

Swirl it around to make other steps easier. Hot water will soften the stains.

Step 2 — Pour down that water into the sink

This way, your drains will remain unclogged. Of course, you can use the coffee grounds as compost for your garden plants.

Step 3 — Clean the stains

Use warm water and start from the inside. Most of the hard stains will be there. The outside usually has just your fingerprints on it.

Step 4 — Rinse, rinse, rinse

Not a single soap bubble should be left. This way, you will be sure your next cup of coffee won’t taste like dish soap.

Step 5 — Dry with a piece of a damp cloth

The whole process doesn’t take much of your time and you should make a habit out of it. A clean coffee maker is a happy coffee maker.

How to Clean a Stovetop Espresso Maker

Step 1 — Wait to completely cool down

By doing that, you will avoid a burn or two. After it’s cooled, disassemble it. Make sure you remove the gasket.

Step 2 — Rinse thoroughly every part

Don’t use any chemicals or use mild dish soap, if it’s necessary. If your stovetop espresso maker is made of aluminum, you have to be extra careful. Aluminum is porous and gets damaged easily.

Step 3 — Dry every part

No moisture should be left. Use a piece of clothes or a kitchen towel. You will not only be removing the water but also the coffee oils that you perhaps didn’t wash thoroughly.

Step 4 — Do not assemble it if all the parts aren’t dry

Water and electricity don’t mix well.

Step 5 — Descale from time to time

Descaling saves your espresso maker from mineral deposits that can clog the valve. For descaling, use two parts of water and one part of vinegar. Fill the stovetop with this solution and wait for it to boil. Pour the solution out. Wait for the pot to cool down and clean as usual.

How to Clean a Percolator

Step 1 — Unplug 

Be extra careful not to get any cable wet. The risk of electrical shock is not something you should take for granted.

Step 2 — Soften the stains

Using a kitchen sponge, carefully remove all the stains. Don’t use steel wool for hard stains, although it sounds tempting. You will end up damaging the carafe.

Step 3 — Scrub the percolator basket

If the basket is really dirty, soak it into the solution of water and vinegar (1:1) and leave it be for some time.

Step 4 — Rinse 

Again, we want our next coffee to taste like coffee, not like a soap bubble. Be careful with rinsing if you are using the electrical percolator.

Step 5 — Thoroughly dry percolator

Your percolator shouldn’t be sterile all the time. It should just be clean and provide you with a great cup of coffee every time.

Does More Spending Mean More Quality

As always, spending more money on any product can’t guarantee you anything. But, coffee makers produced from Keurig can’t have the same price as some no-name shady brand.

The price shouldn’t be your main concern when you chose your BPA-free coffee maker. The quality of the product and health benefits should.

Do’s and Don’ts With BPA Free Coffee Makers

Do’s

• Use only the freshest, cleanest water there is for your coffee.
• Measure coffee for precision and better taste.
• Get yourself a 100% proven BPA free coffee maker.

Dont’s

• Don’t let your coffee beans get bad.
• Don’t risk your health and good taste buying a shady cheaper product just to save a few bucks.
• Don’t end up buying an overcomplicated BPA free coffee maker that will occupy all of your free time.

FAQ About BPA Free Coffee Maker

What is the safest coffee maker?

Any of the coffee makers that don’t have BPA can be listed as the safest coffee maker. It’s your choice whether you will go with stainless steel, porcelain or some other option.

Are Mr. Coffee coffee makers BPA free?

Mr. Coffee is a great company that makes the state of the art coffee makers. However, not all Mr. Coffee coffee makers are BPA free.

Are coffee filters toxic?

Believe it or not, some of them are. But not for us, rather for the environment. You see, if you are using bleached paper coffee filters, you will have to ask yourself how they are bleached. There are two ways of bleaching the coffee filters: with chlorine and oxygen. Using oxygen-based bleach is harmless for you as well as for the environment. However, chlorine-based bleach filters will pollute the environment, although there are no studies confirming toxicity to the human body. If you want to be absolutely sure, use metal coffee filters, unbleached filters, or the ones bleached by oxygen.

How do you know whether a coffee maker contains BPA?

If your coffee maker is BPA-free, it should clearly be advertised on its surface. All our coffee makers mentioned above are truly BPA-free. But, if you want to make your own choice, we advise you to read the small letters. Especially the ones on the package or the carafe. If you find a triangle with the number 7 or 3 or PC (polycarbonate) mark, that means the coffee maker isn’t BPA-free.

Using a coffee brewing device from stainless steel or glass will give you that extra touch of safety.

Conclusion

Choose carefully, you can choose only one. Kidding, you can pick every single one of the coffee makers we recommended. What is your weapon of choice and why?

Photos from: artjazz / depositphotos.com, IgorVetushko / depositphotos.com, belchonock / depositphotos.com, Daxiao_Productions / depositphotos.com and Sandralise / depositphotos.com.

The post Best BPA Free Coffee Makers – Safe & Entirely Plastic-Free appeared first on Trouble Coffee.