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SimplyGoodCoffee THE BREWER - Plastic-Free Coffee Maker scores higher on safety - here's why.
The most important dimensions, side by side.
The water reservoir is plastic, but Mr. Coffee does not disclose what type. Without knowing the specific polymer, there is no way to assess whether it leaches BPA or other chemicals when in contact with hot water daily.
The water reservoir uses a premium inert material — no plastic touching your water supply before brewing.
Mr. Coffee has not made a BPA-free claim for this specific model. While some of their more expensive machines carry BPA-free labeling, this budget model does not — so there is no assurance about BPA in the plastic components.
The manufacturer explicitly declares BPA-free construction for water-contact components — a meaningful commitment to reducing hormonal disruption risk.
An independent lab has verified this machine meets UL safety standards for household coffee makers — protection against fire, shock, and overheating. This is a solid safety feature at any price, and especially noteworthy at $16.99.
No UL or ETL electrical safety certification was found in public documentation. Not a legal requirement for US coffee makers, but its absence means no independent electrical safety verification.
Brews at just 182°F — well below the 195-205°F range that specialty coffee experts recommend. Your coffee will taste noticeably weak and watery compared to machines that hit the right temperature. This is the most impactful performance gap.
Brews within the optimal temperature range for full flavor extraction — you get the complete spectrum of coffee aromatics and oils in every cup.
The glass carafe sits on a warming plate that keeps cooking your coffee after it is brewed. Already weak from low brew temperature, the coffee degrades further the longer it sits — expect a stale, bitter taste within 30 minutes.
Glass carafe on a warming plate keeps coffee hot but continuously reheats it, gradually breaking down the pleasant flavor compounds. Coffee left on the plate for more than 20 minutes will taste noticeably different.
Mr. Coffee does not say whether the glass carafe is dishwasher safe. We are working from what is listed — and it is not listed.
The carafe is dishwasher safe — easy, thorough cleaning without hand-washing after every brew.
The water reservoir is built in — you fill it through the top. It works, but it is less convenient than a removable tank you can carry to the sink.
The water reservoir lifts out for easy filling at the sink and periodic deep cleaning — no awkward pouring or spillage.
No programmable timer — you flip the switch when you are ready. Straightforward but no way to schedule your morning coffee the night before.
No programmable timer — you must manually start the brew every time.
Mr. Coffee does not mention a permanent filter — the 'Lift & Clean filter basket' is the housing, not the filter itself. You will likely need paper filters.
Includes a permanent reusable filter — no ongoing paper filter purchases needed, and no waste added to landfill.
At $16.99, this is the cheapest coffee maker we have tested — recorded for reference but does not affect the overall score.
Priced at $429.99 — recorded for reference but does not affect the overall 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 need the cheapest possible coffee maker and brew quality is not your primary concern
You want verified electrical safety at a budget price — the UL certification is genuine and uncommon at this price point
You prefer the simplest possible operation with no buttons, screens, or settings to figure out
You want a non-plastic water reservoir — this machine uses a premium inert material where water sits before brewing.
You want coffee brewed at optimal temperature for full flavor extraction from specialty beans.
BPA-free construction across water-contact components matters to your family.
Easy maintenance with a removable reservoir for sink-filling and deep cleaning is important to you.
The main thing to know
The brew temperature of 182°F produces noticeably weak, under-extracted coffee — well below the 195-205°F range that specialty coffee experts recommend for proper flavor extraction.
No UL or ETL electrical safety certification was found — not a legal requirement, but means no independent lab has verified electrical safety.
Skip this if you...
You care about coffee flavor — the 182°F brew temperature produces weak, under-extracted coffee that specialty drinkers will find unacceptable
Material safety matters to your family — the plastic reservoir type is undisclosed and no BPA-free claim is made for this model
You want any convenience features like a programmable timer, removable reservoir, or permanent filter
You want third-party electrical safety certification (UL/ETL) — this machine does not carry that mark.
You drink coffee slowly over an hour or more — the warming plate will degrade flavor the longer it sits.
You are budget-conscious — this machine is priced above $350, which pushes into diminishing returns for home drip coffee.
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 Mr. Coffee and SimplyGoodCoffee 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 SimplyGoodCoffee SimplyGoodCoffee THE BREWER - Plastic-Free Coffee Maker - it scored 7.3/10 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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