Ratio vs. Simply Good: Which Plastic-Free Coffee Maker Is Best?

The era of plastic-free drip coffee has finally arrived. It couldn't come soon enough.

Drip coffee is my first true love when it comes to caffeine. But sadly, my first love is hopelessly addicted to plastic. From the very first Mr. Coffee machines in the 1970s, nearly every drip coffee maker on the market, including many of my favorite drip coffee makers, has included plastic at some point in the brewing process.

But plastic, as we're now learning, can leach tiny particles called microplastics into coffee or water, which you then happily drink in your morning cup. The science isn't all in on health risks, but it doesn't seem great.

Luckily, in the past year, a couple new machines have arrived with the promise to remove plastic from the equation: the Ratio Eight Series 2 ($799) and the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Coffee Brewer ($480). Each promises to deliver delicious, high-end coffee without the plastic.

Each costs significantly more than machines made with injection-molded plastic parts that are easier to manufacture. And each has a couple quirks and trade-offs. But the Ratio Eight in particular makes drip coffee that rivals the best pour-over, and the best drip coffee I've ever tasted—and never brings hot water into contact with plastic.

But for those who want to avoid plastic completely, including on the cold water tank, there's really only one drip coffee maker I've tested that fits the bill: the Simply Good Coffee plastic-free brewer, which comes in at a much lower price.

If flavor is a primary consideration, I'd still recommend upgrading to the Ratio Eight. It's also the coffee maker that's become my daily driver when testing new coffee roasters and my favorite coffee subscriptions. But I understand that its price brings it out of reach for some. Here's the rundown.

The Fully Plastic-Free Machine: Simply Good Coffee

Photograph: Matthew Korfhage

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