The 7 most Environmentally Friendly Coffee Machines

Today we are introducing you to a range of coffee machines that help us reduce our environmental impact and footprint.

We will also tell you what to look out for when choosing an environmentally friendly coffee machine.

Table of Contents

Top 7 most environmentally friendly coffee makers

When we talk about eco-friendly coffee makers, we have to consider certain factors such as: B. the service life and power consumption. Below we show you the ranking of some products that meet these characteristics.

Bodom Brazil French Press

This French Press deserves to be on this list because its preparation requires no electricity. It is worth remembering that these products are not equipped with a disposable filter, but the piston itself filters the coffee.

As we shall see, the press is durable and aesthetically pleasing thanks to its construction materials.

Properties of the Bodum Brazil French Press coffee maker

Production capacity: This coffee maker has a capacity of about 350 milliliters, which is enough for about 4 regular-sized cups.
Construction Materials: The carafe is made of high temperature resistant glass, while the rest of the body is mostly made of plastic with some stainless-steel details.
The Press: Brings out the original flavor of the coffee beans by extracting only the necessary amount of oil.
Price: $35.

Pros and cons of the Bodum Brazil French Press coffee maker

Advantages	Disadvantages
The design is very aesthetic and very light, weighing only 220 grams.	A large part of the case is made of glass, which reduces shock resistance.

Silberthal coffee maker with plunger

Like the previous product, this coffee maker is user-friendly as it acts as a container for pre-heated water and therefore does not have an electric heating system. It also does not have a separate filter.

In addition, this coffee maker has the advantage of being entirely made of steel, which increases its durability and resistance.

Properties of the Silberthal coffee machine

Production capacity: This press stands out as one of the largest, its carafe can hold up to one liter. That can mean up to 12 cups per brew.
Filter: The filter included in the press is a stainless-steel mesh that prevents residues of ground coffee from getting into the drink.
Construction Materials: This coffee maker is made of double-layer insulated stainless steel.
Price: $42.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Silberthal coffee machine

Advantages	Disadvantages
Thanks to its construction, the machine is very durable and can maintain the temperature of the coffee.The filter is very easy to clean thanks to the Easy-Clean technology.	The steel coating can be damaged in the dishwasher or by certain abrasive cleaning agents.

Hario V60

This coffee maker is in this ranking because it is more of a container that the coffee is poured into using the drip method. It’s a very simple product, which means it has few parts. A carafe and the filter are included. In this case, the filter holder is not made of disposable material.

The only downside is that the filters are made of paper, although the brand’s specialty paper allows for multiple uses.

Features of the Hario V60 coffee maker

Method of preparation: This coffee maker has the particularity of preparing drip coffee but thanks to its flexibility it can be adapted to a wide variety of techniques.
Components: Drip cone with Hario paper filter different from the usual filters on the market. It also has a jug in which to store the coffee, which flows down due to gravity.
Materials of Construction: The cone can be made of plastic, ceramic, steel or copper while the decanter is made of glass.
Price: 35 dollars.

Pros and cons of the Hario V60 coffee maker

Advantages	Disadvantages
The Hario is very versatile and can be adapted to many different filter sizes and materials.	Learning how to handle the product and its optimal use requires knowledge and experience.The preparation takes a lot of time.

Bodum coffee maker with funnel 11571

The continuation of the pour-over coffee maker series. This eco-friendly coffee maker consists of a container and a filter. However, this filter is different in that it is made of steel mesh, allowing it to outlast many uses with minimal wear.

Features of the Bodum coffee maker with funnel

Production capacity: This coffee maker is characterized by its size of 34 ounces, which is approximately one liter.
Construction Materials: The container is made of heat-resistant glass and the funnel has a stainless-steel mesh filter.
Extras: The product is dishwasher safe.
Price: $45.

Pros and Cons of the Bodum Funnel Coffee Maker

Advantages	Disadvantages
The filter is reusable and since it is made of stainless steel it does not alter the taste of the coffee.Popular design.	The preparation is a bit slow.Large glass containers are sensitive to blunt impacts.

Cold brewer B1

Cold brewers are perhaps the most environmentally friendly coffee brewers because they don’t require a heat source. Instead, the coffee is prepared cold, which gives the coffee different properties.

The product comes with a filter that is also reusable. The only downside is that quite a bit of plastic is used in the construction of this model.

Properties of the Cold Bruer B1 coffee maker

Production capacity: This coffee maker has a volume of 500 milliliters, ideal for about 5 cups.
Brewing Type: Cold brew, drop brew cold brew coffee.
Construction materials: borosilicate glass and plastic.
Extras: The reservoir is removable for better cleaning.
Price: $25.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Cold Bruer B1 coffee maker

Advantages	Disadvantages
Cold brewed coffee tends to be less bitter and less acidic than hot coffee.	The drip time is quite long compared to other preparations.

Monix Vitro Noir

This Moka coffee maker prepares the traditional coffee of life. It has earned its place at the top because the coffee is brewed over a direct flame. These products are made of metal, so their functionality has been maintained over the years.

But there are also other models of electric mocha pots or coffee makers that are used on an electric stove.

Features of the Monix Vitro Noir coffee machine

Construction materials: The body of the coffee machine is made of aluminum, which makes the product lighter, but at the same time makes it less resistant to shocks and aging. This also means that the coffee maker is not compatible with induction cookers.
Non-stick coating: The inside of the coffee machine has a non-stick coating that ensures good hygiene.
The Kettle: This part has a polished design with no sharp edges, making the kettle easier to clean.
Production capacity: This is one of the largest Italian coffee machines on the market, with a volume of up to 600 milliliters, which is about 12 cups of coffee.
Extras: It has a lid and handle covered with a thermo-resistant material that prevents overheating and provides greater safety.

Pros and cons of the Monix Vitro Noir coffee maker

Advantages	Disadvantages
Lightweight and easy to transport.Higher capacity than competitors e.g.	Not suitable for use on induction cookers.Not dishwasher safe.

Ilsa Neapolitan coffee maker

This Neapolitan coffee maker, although not very common, has its place in this list because its operation is very similar to that of the Moka machines. That means they are durable and used over the fire.

However, the problem of electrical heating also affects this type of product.

Properties of the Ilsa Neapolitan coffee machine

Production capacity: The maximum capacity is about 6 cups; smaller models are also available.
Design: The shape of the coffee maker is quite idiosyncratic as it consists of a very similar upper and lower body. The only difference is that the lower part has a spout. The screw-in filter is located in the middle of the two housings.
Materials of Construction: Stainless steel and heat resistant plastic.
Price: $60.

Pros and cons of the Ilsa Neapolitan coffee maker

Advantages	Disadvantages
Each part of the coffee maker has its own handle, so they can be operated separately and conveniently.The preparation is very quick.	The price is not competitive.Detergents and abrasives are not recommended as they can damage the material.

What are the best coffee makers for the environment?

As you may have noticed, the best coffee makers are the ones that don’t use electricity and brew the coffee the traditional way. This can be for example:

Italian or Moka coffee makers (you can find more information on this blog where we tell you all about these products).
Cold Brew – or cold brew coffee makers.
Neapolitan coffee machines.
Pour-over or drip coffee machines.
Piston coffee machines or French presses.

Why are these coffee makers the least harmful?

These coffee machines are our best choice when it comes to being environmentally friendly because they don’t use any energy. In addition, they have a very long service life and usually contain no disposable parts.

However, you should keep in mind that there are some alternatives with non-reusable filters that can generate waste.

What other alternatives are there?

Although we mainly recommend that you prepare your coffee with a non-electric coffee maker, we have to keep in mind that it is not always the best choice for everyone. Non-electric coffee makers, for example, don’t have enough features, require more experience, and are often quite slow.

This is where electric coffee makers come into play. In general, you should choose a machine that offers all the benefits you want while using as little energy as possible. Here are some parameters to consider.

What to consider when choosing a sustainable electric coffee maker?

Power consumption

As previously mentioned, not all electric coffee makers are created equal. However, it can be said that the average power consumption is around 1000 watts. This is the case if we consider the following:

Coffee machines for domestic use: the average consumption is around 800 watts, with the most economical machines consuming around 450 watts and the most consuming machines up to 1200 watts. Of course, this depends on the features, size and performance of the device.
Bar coffee makers: They are more specialized and designed to brew large quantities at shorter intervals. On average, they consume between 1800 and 2000 watts.

It’s important to remember that some coffee makers have very useful features like energy-saving auto shut-off. Because even if it doesn’t look like it, most coffee machines still use energy when they are idle or in standby mode.

Use coffee capsules

Coffee pods are one of the most popular ways to consume coffee, so much so that they have overtaken many more traditional brews. This is due to the simplicity of their use.

At first glance this doesn’t seem so bad, but we must consider that thousands of capsules are thrown away every day, which is a serious problem for the following reasons:

Capsules are not biodegradable, i.e. they only degrade over a period of 100 to 400 years or more.
Very few capsules are recycled.

Construction materials

The material from which the coffee machines are made is very important for the impact we can have in the future. While no coffee pot itself is biodegradable, in some cases we can reduce waste and environmental damage.

In this case we recommend metal or glass materials instead of plastic. Not only because of the pollution and the long time it takes for plastic to degrade, but also because the other materials stand the test of time better. This makes the need to replace them and generate waste less urgent.

Water consumption

Although all machines use water, it is not always used in the same way. Therefore, you should consider the following:

Size of the coffee maker

Make sure the coffee maker is the right size for consumption for the number of people that will be using it. If it is too large, it will leave coffee that will be wasted if not consumed in a short time. This affects both water consumption and your wallet.

Losses depending on the preparation method

In this case, we are talking about machines that lose water while making coffee. For example, high-pressure coffee machines, where the water evaporates in order to be condensed again. Depending on the model, it is very likely that this process will result in a loss of liquid. In other words, the amount you pour into the tank may not be reflected in the coffee.

While we must clarify that the losses in these cases are minimal, this is a factor to consider.

Full tank

In automatic coffee machines for domestic use and for industry, where you only have to press a button, it is very common for the tank to remain full until it finally becomes empty.

That’s good, because you don’t have to worry about refilling it all the time. At the same time, it’s also tricky because if the water isn’t used up quickly, it has to be replaced, which in turn wastes water. Also, drinking without changing the water can be harmful to your health.

Cleaning

Cleaning and maintenance of coffee machines is essential for their proper functioning, but you should carefully follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. In addition, we recommend the following:

If possible, the right material would be stainless steel, as in most cases it only needs to be cleaned with water and is therefore more environmentally friendly.
Many cleaning products create foam or contain ingredients that are bad for water sources and aquatic life.

Accessories

Coffee makers require certain accessories that may or may not be included. In most cases, these accessories are made of plastic and are small in size, making them relatively easy to lose or damage. In such a case, they would have to be replaced, increasing cost and waste.

Ideally, you should buy accessories made of durable material and keep them in a fixed place so that you can extend the life and number of uses of the accessory.

Filter

Perhaps the most important accessory of any coffee machine is the filter. Filters come in different shapes and sizes depending on the model, but there are only two types: reusable and disposable.

In this case, we advise you to opt for reusable filters as much as possible. You can even read online how you can make your own filters from recycled fabrics or other materials.