I’ve been on quite the quest for very specific coffee and espresso machines (if you only knew the amount of hours I’ve spent researching this and trying to find the best options). I literally wrote out a list of negotiables and non-negotiables which Brianna (my admin) and I used for looking into options. This is exactly what I emailed her:
Non-negotiable:
- Needs to be easy / relatively quick. If I’m going to make espresso or coffee at home I need it to be simple so that it doesn’t take up too much time from my morning/work day.
- I don’t want to have to adjust numerous settings that don’t have super clear pictures or symbols of what they are. If there are a few buttons that clearly say single, double, latte, etc., that’s fine. But if there are a bunch of buttons with symbols that aren’t clear and easy to understand, it’s a no! I want family and friends to be able to easily enjoy it when they come over :)
- Coffee Machine: Needs to be BPA-free
- Espresso Machine: Need to be able to use my own espresso whether it’s ground or beans… I don’t want to have to use their pods, UNLESS there is an option for organic, environmentally-friendly espresso pods (which I find is usually hard to come by, though it would make my life much easier).
- Coffee and Espresso must be organic and medium roast (see this blog/video for more info)
Negotiable:
- Espresso Machine: Really prefer BPA-free but I have scoured the Internet and cannot find this. Even the ones that say stainless steel seem to have some plastic on them once they arrive. At this point, this might just be a lost cause unless I were to spend thousands of dollars on an industrial espresso machine.
- Would be really cool if there was some kind of touchscreen where you could select options like latte, espresso, Americano, cappuccino, etc. This is totally not necessary, just would be a cool bonus.
- Relatively smaller in size so it doesn’t take up the entire counter would be ideal!
So here’s the thing… we obviously can’t avoid plastic 100% in life. I’m not about being overly extreme on this topic. I look at this as being smart and avoiding it when you’re in control. AKA: your home. I know that when I’m out and order a latte their espresso machines probably have plastic, and most places don’t offer organic coffee. That’s ok, I do the best I can at home and at least this reduces my overall exposure. PS – when it comes to plastic heating, it’s the worst, as it can seep into your drinks or food. This is why I was so adamant on my everyday coffee not being exposed to heated plastic. Ok, ANYWAY, here’s what I bought!
- This automatic BPA-FREE coffee machine: I am OBSESSED with this coffee machine. It is literally perfect. It’s completely BPA-free. It automatically grinds your beans for you. There are a couple specifications you can adjust (strength and grind size), but besides that, it’s fully automatic. Also the coffee canister keeps it warm for hours! You can also choose an option for a single cup, and specify it down to the ounces. So if it’s just for you, you can put your coffee mug in there and set the auto setting to have it perfectly brewed by the time you wake up in the morning and head out the door. PERFECTION. Another bonus? It comes with a reusable coffee filter. It’s definitely on the pricier side, but I can’t recommend it enough, and you’ll save overtime when you’re not buying coffee out!
- BPA-FREE Espresso machine: The machine is really cool because you can just froth your milk with it, or you can make a full cappuccino or latte with it. Whatever you want! Super easy to use, zero complications.
- This new brand…Spinn: This is the best of both 1 and 2 ^ put into one machine. It’s also BPA-free so we’ve got that covered! You can basically put beans in the top and the machine does the rest. You can use any of the beans you want, too. It’s connected to an app so its a smart coffee machine that makes espresso AND coffee.
- BPA-FREE French press: This is a great inexpensive option that’s also BPA-free. You have to use ground coffee beans for this, but the whole process literally takes 5 minutes to make. I also like that the aluminum canister keeps it warm… I found that the glass French Press doesn’t stay warm long enough. Coffee in a french press definitely has a stronger taste so depending on your preference this could be a good option. It’s also a great travel / vacation option to ensure you’re staying healthy and BPA-free :)
- Another option – POUR OVER: I thought long and hard about this and while this process is easy and ensures the coffee doesn’t come into contact with any plastic, I felt like it didn’t fit my lifestyle. I make coffee for me and my boyfriend, or family, so each pour over would be a slow process. Furthermore, I prefer whole beans (the coffee retains more antioxidants if you just grind them right before brewing it). But if you enjoy this ritual – go for it!
Now when it comes to the kind of coffee that I like to drink, I don’t like to have caffeine all the time. You’ve probably seen my videos on this where I explain that I’m trying to cut back on caffeine but don’t want the chemicals that normally go into making a coffee decaf. So there’s one process that’s called the Swiss-Water Decaf Process and it basically uses water to decaffeinate beans – this is the type of decaf I prefer to buy. And when purchasing beans, caffeinated or not, I always opt for medium roast (here’s my blog that goes more in depth on why)!
Here’s some great coffee brands:
Regular (caffeinated):
- Subtle Earth Organic Medium Roast (Low Acid Coffee)
- Amazon Fresh Organic Medium Roast (Fair Trade)
- Tiny Footprint Organic Coffee (For Cold Brew)
- Le Colombe Organic Medium Roast
- Organic Nespresso pods
Decaf (Swiss Water Method):