Compare Coffee Machine
Technivorm Moccamaster KBT scores higher on safety - here's why.
The most important dimensions, side by side.
Coulee's hot water path is all stainless steel — no plastic touches your coffee during brewing. However, the cold-water reservoir material has not been disclosed. Until Coulee specifies what the tank is made of, we cannot fully assess the safety of the water-contact materials.
The reservoir is made from plastic that's certified BPA, BPS, BPF, and phthalate-free — a more comprehensive safety claim than most competitors. The one gap: the exact plastic type isn't named, which limits full verification.
Coulee confirms BPA-free construction across the machine — a clear commitment from the brand to eliminate this endocrine disruptor from all components.
Moccamaster goes further than most brands — they explicitly declare freedom from BPA, BPS, BPF, and phthalates across all plastic components that touch your water and coffee.
An independent lab has verified this machine meets UL 1082 safety standards for household coffee makers — protection against fire, shock, and overheating. Impressive for a small startup brand.
This machine carries third-party electrical safety certification, meaning an independent lab has verified it meets fire and shock prevention standards.
Brews at 205°F — the top of the optimal range for specialty coffee extraction. Your cup will have full flavor complexity and body, with the automated pour-over delivering even saturation across the coffee bed.
The copper heating element delivers water at 196-205°F — right in the sweet spot for pulling the full range of flavors from your coffee grounds. This is SCA Gold Cup certified brewing.
The SWIRL brews directly into your cup — there is no carafe. This is the whole point of a single-serve pour-over design, but the scoring rubric treats the absence as a gap since it is built for multi-cup coffee makers.
The glass-lined stainless thermal carafe keeps coffee hot for hours without a warming plate — your last cup tastes as good as the first, with no burnt or stale flavors from reheating.
No carafe to wash — you brew directly into your own mug. Brand recommends wiping the exterior and running a descale cycle periodically.
The thermal carafe needs hand-washing after every use — not uncommon for glass-lined thermal carafes, but it does add to your daily routine.
The 13oz water reservoir lifts out for easy filling at the sink — straightforward daily workflow.
The water reservoir lifts right out so you can fill it at the sink — no awkward pouring or worrying about spills. It also makes periodic deep cleaning much easier.
No programmable timer — you press the button when you are ready. For a single-serve brewer, this is typical and brew time is under two minutes.
There's no timer or scheduling — you flip the switch when you're ready to brew. Moccamaster's simplicity is intentional, but it means no waking up to fresh coffee.
A stainless steel permanent filter is included — no paper filters to buy or throw away. Coulee also offers compostable EcoPour filter packs if you prefer a cleaner cup.
You'll need to keep #4 paper filters on hand. Many coffee enthusiasts actually prefer paper for a cleaner cup, but it's an ongoing purchase.
At $199.99, the SWIRL is mid-range for the category — recorded for reference but does not affect the overall score.
At $349 this is a premium investment — but the 5-year warranty and Dutch craftsmanship back it up. Price is recorded for context but does not affect the R3 score.
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Everything you need to make the call - who each one is for, and who should skip it.
Go for it if you...
You want a single-serve brewer where hot water never touches plastic — the stainless steel boiler and spigot ensure a genuinely plastic-free brew path
You value verified electrical safety from a small brand — UL 1082 certification is unusual for a startup and shows a real commitment
You prefer automated pour-over convenience without pods, K-cups, or single-use plastic waste
You want the included stainless steel permanent filter and the option of compostable EcoPour filter packs
You care most about coffee quality and want SCA-certified brewing with a thermal carafe that preserves flavor for hours
You prefer a simple, reliable machine with one-switch operation and minimal electronics that could fail
You value a 5-year warranty and handmade Dutch construction that's built to last a decade
You want a removable water reservoir for easy filling and cleaning at the sink
The main thing to know
The cold-water reservoir material is undisclosed — despite Coulee's plastic-free brewing path, you cannot verify what the tank itself is made of, and it is the single largest factor holding the score back.
The water reservoir uses BPA-free plastic without specifying the exact polymer — while Moccamaster's broader BPS/BPF/phthalate-free claim is reassuring, full material transparency would push this into the top safety tier.
Skip this if you...
You need to brew more than one cup at a time — this is a single-serve brewer with a 13oz reservoir
Full reservoir material disclosure is important to you — the cold-water tank material is not specified despite the brand's plastic-free marketing
You want a programmable timer to schedule your morning coffee ahead of time
You want to wake up to fresh coffee — there is no programmable timer or delay brew feature
You prefer dishwasher-safe components for minimal cleanup effort in your daily routine
You need the absolute safest reservoir material — stainless steel or glass options exist from other brands
Neither of these quite what you're looking for?
I've reviewed all Coffee Machine options at every price pointEvery Coffee Machine in our database is scored using R3's deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. For this comparison, we evaluated Coulée Coffee and Technivorm across 3 independent criteria: Safety (72%), Efficacy (23%), Usability (4%). No sponsored rankings. No paid placements.
Straight answers - no sponsored content, no filler.
I'd start with Technivorm Technivorm Moccamaster KBT - it scored 8.1/10 overall in our scoring system. Safety is our top-weighted scoring pillar, followed by efficacy (23%), and usability (4%). Check which pillar matters most to your family and compare those specific scores.
R3 uses a deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. We evaluate each Coffee Machine across Safety (72%), Efficacy (23%), Usability (4%) using independently verified data. No sponsored rankings. No paid placements. Every score is fully reproducible.
Not necessarily. The overall score reflects our weighted rubric, but your priorities may differ. If you care most about safety, compare the safety scores directly. If budget drives your decision, the value scores and prices tell a clearer story. The "right" pick is the one that matches what matters most to your family.
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