For shoppers searching Ratio vs. Simply Good coffee maker, the decision comes down to how strictly they define plastic-free and how much they will pay for a reported edge in the cup. WIRED’s comparison recommends the $799 Ratio Eight Series 2 when coffee flavor is the priority. The $479.99 Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer is the less expensive choice for buyers who want plastic excluded from the cold-water reservoir as well as the water and coffee route.
That is roughly a $319 difference before taxes or shipping. It is also a reminder that “plastic-free” gets used with enough elasticity to make a rubber band jealous.
Which plastic-free coffee maker should you buy?
Choose Simply Good if the requirement is that water and coffee avoid plastic throughout the appliance, including before brewing starts. WIRED called it the only drip machine the reviewer had tested that met that threshold, specifically including the cold-water tank.
Choose the Ratio Eight Series 2 if taste is the deciding factor and the higher price is acceptable. WIRED’s reviewer said its drip coffee rivaled top pour-over results and called it the best drip coffee they had tasted. Serious Eats also characterized the machine as plastic-minimal and said its water lines are glass. Those are editorial assessments, not controlled taste-test results across a panel of reviewers.
The materials distinction is in the water path
WIRED reports that the Ratio keeps hot water from contacting plastic. That is meaningful, but it is narrower than removing plastic from every stage. The publication distinguishes Simply Good because its reservoir is also free of plastic contact, according to the reviewer’s testing.
Simply Good’s own specifications say neither plastic nor aluminum touches water or coffee. The company lists a borosilicate-glass reservoir and carafe, a stainless-steel boiler, flow path and filter basket, plus medical-grade silicone seals. It markets the brew path as “100% plastic-free”; that is a manufacturer specification, rather than independently verified materials testing. Buyers who apply a strict materials standard should read that seal specification rather than treating the label as magic ink.
What does the Simply Good brewer include?
According to Simply Good Coffee, its brewer holds eight cups, or 40 ounces, and can make a full pot in up to six minutes. The company states a brewing range of 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit, an automatic bloom setting, removable dishwasher-safe components and a five-year replacement warranty covering qualifying defects under normal home use. Its stainless-steel filter basket takes No. 4 cone filters.
The presence or absence of plastic does not establish a health outcome. WIRED notes that research into health effects from microplastics has not reached a settled conclusion. The practical choice here is therefore about a buyer’s material preference, price ceiling and confidence in the available flavor reporting, rather than a proven health claim.
For the underlying comparison, see WIRED’s review and Simply Good Coffee’s product specifications.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
