Moccamaster (Technivorm) KBGV Select
The beloved hand-built drip machine - copper heating element, glass carafe, repairable for decades. Not plastic-free though: the outlet arm and brew basket are BPA-free plastic in the water/coffee path.
The verdict: Minimal plastic contact
The Moccamaster is far better built than a typical drip machine - a copper heating element, a glass carafe, and a repairable design that lasts decades - but it is not plastic-free. Hot water is dispensed through a plastic outlet arm, and the brewed coffee passes through a plastic brew basket. Both are BPA/BPS/BPF/phthalate-free, and Moccamaster defends the plastic on performance grounds. That puts it at minimal-contact as shipped: real plastic in the hot water and coffee path, but a limited, food-safe amount in an otherwise metal-and-glass machine. Both plastic parts can be swapped out to convert the brew path to fully plastic-free - see the upgrade below.
Verification: Manufacturer confirmed · Last reviewed
What it's made of
| Part | Material | Food contact |
|---|---|---|
| heating element / hot water tube copper boiling element - the water heating path | Copper | Yes primary 🔥 |
| water outlet arm BPA-free plastic; hot water flows through it onto the grounds. Moccamaster sells a stainless steel replacement (see hack). | Plastic other / unspecified | Yes primary 🔥 |
| brew basket BPA-free plastic; holds the filter and grounds, brewed coffee passes through it. Can be swapped for a ceramic brew cone (see hack). | Plastic other / unspecified | Yes primary 🔥 |
| reservoir & brew-basket lids BPA/BPS/BPF/phthalate-free plastic; over the cold reservoir, not in the brewed-coffee path | Plastic other / unspecified | No |
| carafe glass carafe models; a thermal stainless carafe version is also sold | Soda-Lime Glass | Yes primary 🔥 |
A cult-favorite automatic brewer, hand-assembled in the Netherlands, SCA certified, and famous for lasting decades with cheap replaceable parts - most of the machine is metal and glass, and it brews a single carafe fast. Its replaceable-parts design is also what makes the plastic-free conversion below possible. If you'd rather not mod anything, the Simply Good Coffee Brewer ships with a plastic-free water path outright.
Pros
- Exceptional build quality; hand-made, repairable, lasts decades
- Copper heating element, glass carafe; SCA certified brew quality
- Plastics are BPA/BPS/BPF/phthalate-free
Cons
- Not plastic-free as shipped - the outlet arm and brew basket (water/coffee path) are plastic
- Reaching plastic-free requires two aftermarket swaps (stainless arm + ceramic cone)
- Premium price
- Plastic parts are hand-wash only
Make it better
Convert to a plastic-free brew path (stainless arm + ceramic brew cone)
Recommended Minimal plastic contact → Plastic-free easy
Swap the two plastic parts in the water/coffee path - the outlet arm and the brew basket - for a stainless outlet arm and a ceramic pour-over cone. The brew path then becomes copper, steel, ceramic, paper, and glass - fully plastic-free.
- Replace the plastic outlet arm with Moccamaster's stainless steel one (drops in, no tools)
- Remove the plastic brew basket entirely
- Set the ceramic brew cone (on its stainless bracket) on top of the carafe where the basket sat
- Add a size 4 paper filter and brew as normal - hot water now flows steel-to-ceramic-to-paper-to-glass
What to buy: Moccamaster stainless steel outlet arm (9-hole) ($) · Ceramic brew cone + stainless bracket (e.g. the "No Plastic Brew Kit for Technivorm", size 4 filter) ($$)
- Two parts to buy; the outlet-arm swap alone is a cheaper partial fix but leaves the plastic brew basket (still minimal-contact) - you need both swaps for a fully plastic-free path
- A plain ceramic cone has no drip-stop, so don't lift the carafe mid-brew
- Match the cone/filter size (size 4) and mind the flow rate - the Moccamaster dispenses fast
- Addresses all the plastic Moccamaster discloses in the brew path; we haven't teardown-verified there's no internal seal
Categories: Drip Coffee Machines
Sources
Every material claim above is backed by these. This is the scattered info we centralized.
- manufacturer https://us.moccamaster.com/collections/replacement-parts Moccamaster states the brew basket and outlet arm use BPA/BPS/BPF/phthalate-free plastics, defended on heat-management/performance grounds
- manufacturer https://us.moccamaster.com/products/outlet-arm-9-holes stainless steel outlet arm sold as a replacement part, compatible with 1L and 1.25L brewers
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