Moccamaster vs Simply Good Coffee — which premium coffee machine makes a better brew? Here's what I think

(Image credit: Tom's Guide) The Coffee Lab (Image credit: Tom's Guide)I'm Erin, and welcome to the twentieth episode of The Coffee Lab, the series where we forget coffee snobbery. The Coffee Lab is all about making coffee fun. Join me as I help you kickstart your coffee journey!Anyone who knows anything about coffee has heard of Moccamaster. The Moccamaster (specifically the KGBV Select) is the most famous drip machine in the world, and there's very little competition. Few brands can go head-to-head with Technivorm's industrial, hardy stalwart, arguably the best coffee maker of all time.Mostly unchanged since its 1969 release, the Moccamaster does what many other coffee brands wish their flagship could: it has the best reputation in coffee. Whether this is from the industry-leading after-purchase care or the indestructible machine itself, I'm not sure. But people seriously love this thing. It's irrefutably "cult".So enter the zippy young upstart — Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer. This model launched at the end of last year and was rolled out in 2026. What's the Plastic-Free Brewer got that the Moccamaster hasn't then? Well, the clue's in the name — it's not about what it has, but what it hasn't. Simply Good Coffee uses zero plastic in the brewing process.Sure, this is all well and good — but what about taste? Let's find out which one makes a better brew.Moccamaster KGBV Select & Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer: What's the difference?While at their cores, the Moccamaster KGBV Select and the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewers are both drip/filter coffee machines, there are a few key differences.These differences reside in two main areas: design and accreditation.Obviously, the SGC Plastic-Free Brewer is that: plastic-free (well, low plastic). No hot water touches plastic anywhere in the brewing process — but it does have medical-grade silicone tubing in the water lines. Even so, I don't class this as "plastic" as it's not the kind of polymer that leaches into water or breaks down over time.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.The SGC has plastic on the exterior to prevent burns. Seriously, imagine if it were completely steel. You'd need to go to the ER if you accidentally brush up against it after brewing.Now, the Moccamaster KGBV Select has a plastic filter basket and a plastic destratification tube in the carafe. I personally don't mind this plastic — Technivorm (which makes Moccamaster) is a Dutch company, and the EU has seriously strict regulations on plastic. It's high-quality, non-leaching, BPA-and PFA-free — all the adjectives. (Image credit: Erin Bashford)So what else separates them? The SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) accreditation. Now, I don't think this is the be-all and end-all. There are more important things than an SCA accreditation. Taste, feel, emotional connection, secret ghosts inhabiting your coffee maker — whatever floats your boat (stews your brew? No. That's terrible. A career in stand-up comedy is clearly not for me).If you do care about SCA accreditations, as I know a lot of coffee lovers do, you'll be more inclined to go with the Moccamaster. The KGBV Select has been SCA-accredited since the latter's advent in 2017, but the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer isn't yet accredited.Moccamaster KGBV Select & Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer: So how does it taste?The Moccamaster KGBV Select and Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer both make a rich, comforting, delicious brew with zero silt or bitterness. I would have no qualms recommending either of these machines for serious coffee lovers or newcomers alike.There are a few main differences in flavor, though. Take a look at these two photos. Left: Moccamaster | Right: SGC (Image credit: Erin Bashford)The SGC Plastic-Free Brewer has a "Bloom" function, whereas the Moccamaster does not. In simple terms, this function steeps the coffee in water before pushing more water through for a full brew. This allows the coffee to grow more complex and can bring out nuanced flavors in the beans.As a result, the SGC flavor is a little more juicy and what I would describe as "coffee-snob" territory. The Moccamaster tastes divine, don't get me wrong, but it brews a cup I would associate with "I'm a real coffee drinker because I drink my coffee black" memes.I know people take water distribution seriously, so here's a comparison shot of the Moccamaster and Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer filter baskets post-brew. Image 1 of 2 Moccamaster (Image credit: Erin Bashford) Honestly, there's no better or worse here. Both machines brew a delicious cup. I would be happy with either of these in my apartment. The Moccamaster is pure, classic coffee, and the SCG is a little more pure, classic coffee wearing a beanie hat and a flannel.I would choose the Moccamaster over the SCG purely for the lifetime repairs (and, well, because the SCG isn't actually sold in the U.K. yet), but you wouldn't be disappointed with either.Which brew appeals to you? Moccamaster or SGC? Let me know in the comments and stay tuned for next Monday's The Coffee Lab, on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok. Finally, you can visit our dedicated Tom's Guide Savings Squad hub for expert help on getting the best products for less. More from Tom's GuideOverwhelmed by coffee jargon? Here are the 5 key espresso terms you need to knowI'm an ex-Starbucks barista — you can make the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at home for a fraction of the costI tried Lelit's brand-new 'entry-level' espresso machine — and I wish I had $2,000 so I could buy it Erin Bashford is a senior writer at Tom's Guide, focusing on reviews. She has a Masters in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from the University of East Anglia. As an ex-barista, she knows her way around a coffee machine, and as a music lover, she's constantly chipping away at her dream of having a multi-room home sound system. In her spare time you can find her reading, practising yoga, writing, or stressing over today’s NYT Games.