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.
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
Common questions
Does the Moccamaster (Technivorm) KBGV Select have plastic in it?
Yes. On the Moccamaster (Technivorm) KBGV Select, the water outlet arm and brew basket are plastic and sit in the food path. The rest of what touches your food is copper and Soda-Lime glass. There is plastic in the reservoir & brew-basket lids, which never touch your food.
What is the Moccamaster (Technivorm) KBGV Select made of?
Part by part, the Moccamaster (Technivorm) KBGV Select is: heating element / hot water tube — copper; water outlet arm — plastic; brew basket — plastic; reservoir & brew-basket lids — plastic; carafe — Soda-Lime glass.
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
Spot a mistake or something out of date? Let us know — corrections are how this stays accurate.