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OXO Brew 8-Cup Review

A sleek and simple design, consistently brewing good-tasting coffee without the extra effort of manual brew methods
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OXO Brew 8-Cup Review (This is a great option for those who love pour over, but want the convenience of a drip machine.)
This is a great option for those who love pour over, but want the convenience of a drip machine.
Credit: Laura Casner
Price:  $200 List
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Manufacturer:   OXO
74
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#5 of 11
  • Taste - 50% 6.6
  • Brew Quality - 30% 8.5
  • Brew Time - 10% 8.0
  • Ease of Use - 10% 7.5

Our Verdict

The OXO Brew 8-Cup makes bold, robust coffee with punchy flavors that linger long after it goes down. It's designed to match the quality and consistency of a practiced hand using a manual pour-over brewer, and it does that pretty well. This brewer provides a sleek and simple interface, and it's one of the most consistent models we tested regarding brew temperature and time. The design is also fairly easy to clean. The only complaints we have with this machine are the lack of an automatic brewing function and the high price tag. But, if you're willing to spend a bit more, the newer OXO Brew 9-Cup has some added programmable features. If you have time to prep your coffee in the morning and don't mind spending extra for irresistible, full-bodied flavor on the daily, we highly recommend this machine. To see how it fares against the competition, check out our full drip coffee maker review.
REASONS TO BUY
Great design
Easy to use
Single-cup brewing option
Consistent performance
REASONS TO AVOID
Small brew basket uses a unique filter size
No auto-brew

Compare to Similar Products

 
oxo brew 8-cup
This Product
OXO Brew 8-Cup
Awards  Best Buy Award
Best Budget Drip Coffee Brewer
Best Buy Award
Best Drip Coffee Machine on a Tight Budget
  
Price $200 List
$192.99 at Amazon
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Bottom Line A decent cup quality and solid consistency at a top tier priceEasy to use, programmable options give you the tools to brew your coffee to your liking at a nice priceA cost-effective brewer that makes decent coffee and has more features than expected for its priceWhile we think this machine brews a fair cup of coffee, it is convenient to use and affordableAn inexpensive brewer with programmable functions that makes okay coffee
Rating Categories OXO Brew 8-Cup Ninja 12-Cup Progra... Black+Decker 12-Cup... Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Mi... Black+Decker 12-Cup...
Taste (50%)
6.6
6.4
6.0
6.3
5.0
Brew Quality (30%)
8.5
7.3
6.2
5.4
6.2
Brew Time (10%)
8.0
4.5
5.4
4.0
4.3
Ease of Use (10%)
7.5
7.4
5.9
5.2
5.5
Specs OXO Brew 8-Cup Ninja 12-Cup Progra... Black+Decker 12-Cup... Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Mi... Black+Decker 12-Cup...
Max Cup Capacity 8 cups 12 cups 12 cups 5 cups 12 cups
Scheduled Brewing No Yes Yes No Yes
Average Brew Time for 6 Cups 5.4 min 7.8 min 7.1 min 8.1 min 7.9 min
Average Measured Brew Temperature 193.6 F 191.6 F 177.4 F 181.9 F 181.8 F
Descaling Time 25 min 42 min 57 min 50 min 56 min
Dimensions (H x W x D) 13.5" x 7.0" x 10.5" 14.5" x 9.5" x 8.3" 13.0" x 7.4" x 10.8" 10.0" x 6.5" x 8.0" 8.2" x 12.2" x 11.0"
Carafe Type Insulated Glass Insulated Glass Glass
Preinfusion Yes, Not Adjustable Yes, Not Adjustable No No No
Filter Shape Flat Cone Flat Flat Flat
Cleaning indicator Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Power Draw 1400 watts 1100 watts 750 watts 650 watts 975 watts
SCA Certified Home Brewer Yes No No No No

Our Analysis and Test Results

For those willing to spend a bit extra for a convenient alternative to manual brewing, we think the OXO Brew 8-Cup is one of the best options on the market. It was one of our most consistent models in every metric. Although it got the job done all across the board, we did feel that there were other similar performing brewers at a better price with more features that consumers are looking for, such as automatic brewing.

Performance Comparison


The OXO is a simple and consistent machine that will brew you a good, reliable cup time after time.
Credit: Maggie Nichols

Taste


Our experienced team of taste testers recorded similar thoughts and experiences when tasting what the OXO Brew 8-Cup put out. Each tester had their own cup of coffee to sniff, roll over their tongue, and do all sorts of taste-enhancing mouth movements with — and each came away with nearly identical opinions on the coffee flavor.

oxo brew 8-cup - this machine makes good coffee, and we appreciate that is has a...
This machine makes good coffee, and we appreciate that is has a single cup option.
Credit: Laura Casner

Such consistent results are likely related to the coffee machine's own brew consistency, but that's not the only factor that impacts taste. Our testers found their cups of coffee to be nutty, bitter, roasty, and astringent — quite heavy in these flavors, yet with a light mouthfeel and a lingering, smokey aftertaste. They also reported a neutral, smooth acidity level. Overall? Strong, satisfying, and decently balanced cups of coffee across the board.

Brew Quality


In my opinion, brew quality is the main selling point of the OXO Brew 8-Cup. This machine produced consistent, good-quality coffee in all of the tests I conducted. Overall, I think the OXO Brew is a great machine for those who prefer pour-over but are looking for greater convenience or the ability to make higher amounts of coffee more quickly. The OXO didn't manage to reach the minimum temperature suggested by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) in our testing, hitting an average brew temperature of 193.6°F. This is, unfortunately, below the suggested brewing temperature, which is 195°F to 204°F.

oxo brew 8-cup - pre-infusion involves slowly soaking coffee grounds with water at a...
Pre-infusion involves slowly soaking coffee grounds with water at a low pressure before applying the full brewing pressure.
Credit: Laura Casner

Pre-infusion helps this brew achieve above-average water distribution, but examining the brew bed shows visible holes where the water came in contact with the grounds. However, the coffee made with this brewer is more uniformly saturated, not pulling away from the sides of the filter.

oxo brew 8-cup - the oxo provides a fairly even saturation, brewing a decently...
The OXO provides a fairly even saturation, brewing a decently balanced cup of coffee.
Credit: Laura Casner

The OXO Brew was impressively consistent. We brewed five pots of coffee back to back and measured the brew basket temperature, coffee temperature in the carafe, and brewing time. For those who want to be certain their coffee is being made precisely the same way each time, this machine is a great choice.

Brew Time


The OXO 8-Cup brewed quicker than most typical drip brewers, with an average of 5 minutes and 22 seconds. Of course, when the machine beeped after the brewing cycle had finished, we had to wait an additional minute or so for the water to finish dripping out of the brew basket.

Still, brewing time was very consistent and seriously impressive. This is a great result for those who simply cannot wait to get their morning coffee fix. In this case, quicker is certainly better.

oxo brew 8-cup - while using the single-cup option, you can make your first cup of...
While using the single-cup option, you can make your first cup of coffee even faster.
Credit: Laura Casner

Ease of Use


The OXO Brew features a very simple and intuitive interface. The brewer is not programmable, but it does have an automatic pre-infusion setting, a sneak-a-cup feature, and a separate button for the cleaning cycle.

We like the simplicity of this model when it comes to brewing different batch sizes. There is one switch to select whether you're brewing into a carafe or a single-serving mug, two buttons to select how much coffee you're brewing, an on/off switch, and a button for running the cleaning cycle. The filter basket also has a switch to brew either into the carafe or a cup.

oxo brew 8-cup - adjust brewing quantity with either the 2-4 cup setting or the 5-8...
Adjust brewing quantity with either the 2-4 cup setting or the 5-8 cup mode.
Credit: Laura Casner

This brewer lacks automatic brewing, meaning you can't load the water and grounds the night before and wake up to a fresh pot of coffee. But, if you are considering the OXO Brew, you are likely concerned about taste quality and would not leave your grounds sitting in the filter all night anyway. Its insulated carafe does a decent job maintaining the temperature of your coffee in between cups.

We found the OXO Brew to be relatively straightforward to clean. It uses paper filters that make disposing of grinds quick and easy. While some grounds splash back onto the shower head, it's easily removable and fast to clean in the sink, even on a daily basis.

The components of the OXO 8-Cup can be removed easily for cleaning.
Credit: Maggie Nichols

It doesn't create too much of a mess in normal use, and its descaling process takes a relatively innocuous 60 minutes. Most of the components are dishwasher safe: tray, brew basket, scooper, and spray head. The insulated carafe needs to be washed by hand, which is simple to do, though water collects around the rim of the vessel, preventing it from completely draining when flipped upside down on the drying rack.

oxo brew 8-cup - the oxo brew basket is dishwasher safe, but it doesn't sit well in...
The OXO brew basket is dishwasher safe, but it doesn't sit well in the machine. The handle is a great feature, once you get used to it.
Credit: Laura Casner

Should you buy the OXO Brew 8-Cup?


The OXO Brew is on the pricey side and may not be a viable option for budget shoppers. However, for those seeking a simple machine that consistently brews a tasty cup of coffee, we think this is a straightforward reliable brewer. We'd recommend this if you find it on sale, but, there are better options in this price range.

oxo brew 8-cup - the oxo is a great option for a consistently impressive cup of...
The OXO is a great option for a consistently impressive cup of coffee with an extremely simple interface and brew process that just works.
Credit: Laura Casner

What other drip coffee makers should you consider?


The OXO is an impressively consistent drip coffee maker, but there are other viable options out there. The Ninja 12-Cup is a more affordable option with a programmable auto-brew feature, which we love, and it still makes a flavorful, balanced cup of coffee. However, if you want the best coffee flavor possible, you need to get your hands on the Technivorm Moccamaster. The Moccamaster's coffee quality is out of this world good, and its simple one-switch operation makes it easy to use for beginners, yet it has a few tricks up its sleeve for advanced coffee enthusiasts who want to hone their craft.

Lesley Robinson, Arthur McMahon, Liz Nelson, and Kendra Ridenour