Since my readers tend to be more health-conscious, I often get asked about automatic coffee makers with better materials. Let me tell ya, it’s *actually* kind of difficult to find ones without any plastic! However, I discovered some from a brand called Ratio—they’re not completely plastic-free, but the parts that matter are. Keep reading to learn more about them and my review!
This post contains affiliate links. Ratio was kind enough to gift me a coffee maker with no strings attached. I genuinely enjoy it and want to share my honest review with you!
Ratio Six Automatic Pour Over Coffee Maker Review ☕️
Ratio is a Portland-based company that was born of a simple question: in the age of super premium espresso machines, why hasn’t the automatic coffee maker evolved?
You know I love my manual brew methods (such as a Chemex pour over) and treasure the slow morning ritual. But I get it—sometimes you just wanna push a button and have coffee made for you, especially if you have busy mornings or can’t function until you’ve had some caffeine.
That’s what really intrigued me about Ratio; they’re automatic and simulate a pour over, without needing precise attention to detail! So you still get the smooth, flavorful, nuanced cuppa joe that tastes better than drip coffee and extracts the full flavor profile of the beans, minus the work.
While Ratio offers various models (and colors!) of their machines, this post will focus on the Ratio Six (series 2).
Some general info about Six:
- $359
- Weighs 8 lbs
- Assembled in China
- Dimensions are 14.25″ H x 6.75″ W x 13.5″ D
- Capacity up to 40 ounces (five 8-oz cups) of coffee
- Comes with a 5-year warranty and 30-day return window
Materials:
- Body: Formed stainless steel
- Water tank: BPA-free medical-grade Tritan plastic polymer (water is only stored here before heating; it has been third-party tested free of bisphenol compounds and estrogenic/androgenic activity)
- Supply lines: Handblown borosilicate glass
- Showerhead: Stainless steel
- Carafe: Double-wall stainless steel thermal body, stainless steel filter holder, BPA-free plastic liner and lid (I suggest getting their glass carafe and stainless steel filter to use instead! You can also use a Chemex if you already have one; there is about 10.5 inches of clearance, so most fit underneath. The Ratio Eight ceramic dripper is another option that fits on top of the Six’s carafe if you want to bypass the plastic liner)
⚠️ If you swap the carafe for glass or ceramic, then no hot water comes in contact with plastic at all!
It’s a smart idea to steer clear of plastic in coffee makers since hot water can cause plastics to release chemicals like BPA or phthalates into your coffee. These can mess with your hormones and aren’t great for your health over time.
Ratio Six (standard carafe)Related post: “Comparing 15+ Organic & Clean Coffee Brands (Free of Mold & Mycotoxins)”
👍 Pros:
- Large capacity
- Coffee tastes great (v important)
- You can put ice in the carafe to make iced coffee
- Ratio provides measurements for optimal brew ratios
- Minimal plastic and no hot water touching plastic is HUGE for me! 👏
- So incredibly easy and straightforward to use with no setup required—a consistent brew each time!
- Super aesthetically pleasing and I love the sleek, minimalist design (most coffee makers are chunky and ugly, I’m sorry)
- Wide Fibonacci spiral showerhead evenly distributes water across the coffee grounds instead of a continuous drip in one spot
- I’m OBSESSED with the water brewing/gurgling noises; it’s serious ASMR and something I definitely missed with the manual methods
- I like that it just uses however much water you put into it—it’s nice that you can brew up to 40 oz, but I usually only want 8-16 oz, and I can make small batches as desired!
- Total brew time is pretty quick! It takes less than 7.5 minutes, depending on the quantity (it’s roughly 3:15 for two cups). I appreciate that I no longer have to heat water separately, like with manual
💧 Always make sure you use filtered water to get the best-tasting coffee! Things like chlorine and contaminants from tap water, pH, and minerals can all affect the flavor profile.
👎 Cons:
- I would prefer it to be assembled in the USA
- Does not have a heated plate on the bottom
- Costs more than traditional coffee machines
- Bloom is not as intense compared to manual pour overs
- You need to get a separate carafe if you want to avoid additional plastic
- I wish it would beep when done; there is a blinking light indicator, but some noise would be helpful too
- Not programmable and the functions are basic; you can’t pre-program it to start making coffee at a designated time before you wake up unfortunately (…but pressing a button isn’t that hard haha)
- It emits some condensation and steam near the showerhead, so just be mindful about using it near a wall or tight space to prevent moisture buildup, and you might have to wipe excess away when done
- The measurements on the tank are not accurate; it seems to be about a half cup under, so I suggest pre-measuring your water. Keep in mind that about 10% of the water will be absorbed into the coffee grounds, so you may want to add slightly more water to get a greater yield
- I really do not like the standard carafe that it comes with! It’s quite clunky, and there are a lot of pieces and parts, not to mention some plastic. In addition, the way it pours is not good; you really have to tip it over to get the coffee out. Also, there is a hole in the bottom where water can get trapped if you’re not careful when washing it (don’t turn it upside down). This is why I never use the standard carafe and always opt for the glass one!
🌡️ A Note About Temperature:
This is not necessarily a pro or con, but something I wanted to point out. The downside to using an open glass carafe is that it won’t hold heat as well as the stainless steel carafe (which has an optional heat shield accessory that keeps it enclosed).
The coffee is typically between 180-190° F at the end of the brew cycle with the standard carafe, and I recorded about 149° F with a thermometer when pouring into a cup from the glass carafe. Don’t get me wrong, the coffee is still HOT when using the glass carafe—I still have to wait a minute or two, otherwise it burns my tongue. But if you prefer piping hot coffee or want to leave the carafe sitting out for a while, the standard one might work better for you. The glass carafe comes with a stopper to preserve heat, though!
Related post: “Recipe: DIY Homemade Cold Brew Coffee [Zero Waste & Easy]”
Final Thoughts About Ratio Six Coffee Maker
As a coffee snob and someone who strives for a low tox lifestyle, I have high expectations. Overall, I recommend the Ratio Six (with the glass carafe) if you want delicious coffee automatically and are conscious of microplastics. Not gonna lie, I am spoiled now and probably won’t go back to manual pour overs anytime soon because it’s so effortless. But it’s definitely not perfect, particularly if you are an extreme coffee geek who wants total control—if that’s the case, you might want to stick to the manual methods. But I am very happy with it in general, and it looks so nice on my kitchen counter!
Use code ORGANICALLYBECCA for a $20 discount 🏷️
Also available here on Amazon (discount not applicable).
Thanks for reading, and let me know if this was helpful 💚 You can drop any questions in the comments below!
I just use a pour over!
Stainless steel filter with glass carife, pot😉Grind my own organic beans too!