OXO BREW Conical Burr Review
Pros: Above-average grind consistency, easy to use, relatively inexpensive
Cons: Can be messy, noisy
Manufacturer: OXO
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
OXO BREW Conical Burr | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | ||||
| Price | $100 List $99.95 at Amazon | $100 List $99.95 at Amazon | $25 List $22.99 at Amazon | Check Price at Amazon | $40 List $29.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Above-average grind consistency, easy to use, relatively inexpensive | Good grind consistency, relatively inexpensive | Relatively clean and easy to use, quieter than most blade models | Inexpensive, small footprint | Cheaper than a burr model, very little spillage |
| Cons | Can be messy, noisy | Somewhat loud, can make a mess | Produces inconsistent grinds | Inconsistant grind-sizes, heavy static | More expensive than many other blade models, inconsistent grinds |
| Bottom Line | Though it's messy and noisy, this machine grinds quite consistently without breaking the bank | Excellent performance and one of the best values on the market make this a great choice | One of the better blade models on the market, but definitely don't expect it to produce consistent grinds | A basic burr grinder one-step above a blade grinder, providing mediocre grind consistency | A standard blade model that may be a bit more expensive than many are hoping |
| Rating Categories | OXO BREW Conical Burr | Bodum Bistro | Mr. Coffee 12 Cup E... | Krups GX500050 | KitchenAid Blade |
| Grind Consistency (35%) | |||||
| Cleanliness (25%) | |||||
| User Friendliness (25%) | |||||
| Noise (15%) | |||||
| Specs | OXO BREW Conical Burr | Bodum Bistro | Mr. Coffee 12 Cup E... | Krups GX500050 | KitchenAid Blade |
| Grinding Mechanism | Conical burr | Conical burr | Blade | Flat burr | Blade |
| Burr/Blade Material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Metallic | Stainless steel |
| Dosing Mechanism | Timer | Timer | Timer | Timer | Manual |
| Best Brew Application | Pour over, french press | Pour over, french press | Pour over, french press | Pour over, french press | Pour over, french press |
| Dimensions | 7.4" x 5.25" x 11.75" | 7.6" x 7.1" x 12.5" | 5" x 5" x 9" | 4.29" x 7.24" x 10.4" | 7.1" x 4.1" x 3.7" |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs | 3.2 lbs | 1.7 lbs | 3.2 lbs | 2.6 lbs |
| Cup Material | Metal | Plastic | Plastic, metal | Plastic | Metal |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The OXO BREW Conical Burr offers the quality of a burr grinder at a fairly reasonable price. It isn't our absolute favorite burr grinder in this price range, but we don't think it will disappoint anyone either.
Performance Comparison
Likes
The most compelling aspect of the BREW Conical Burr is the fact that it provides above-average grind consistency. In our testing, it managed to keep more than half of its grinds in the ideal size range — a feat that is probably more impressive than it sounds. It also kept fine coffee dust to a relative minimum when grinding at a coarse French press setting and produced fairly consistent dose sizes. All this indicates that this machine will give your coffee a better chance of reaching its full potential than most models on the market.
While the grind consistency on the BREW Conical Burr is good, we'd like to point out that it wasn't the best we observed in this price range. While we don't think many people will be disappointed with its grind consistency, those looking to really maximize their quality-per-dollar will be able to find slightly better options at the same price point.
We also like this machine's simple interface. Just turn a single dial to select the number of seconds you'd like your machine to grind, press the button in the center of that dial to start grinding, and you're good to go. Sure, this model forces you to do some experimenting to figure out exactly how many seconds it takes to grind your ideal amount of coffee, but this process costs way less than getting a fancier grinder with a scale to do the work for you. We also found the machine to be relatively easy to take apart for deep cleaning.
Dislikes
Grinding is an inherently messy business, but the BREW Conical Burr does very little to minimize that mess. Unlike other OXO models we've tested, it doesn't spit grinds out while grinding. However, many of those grinds stay stuck in the chute, so you often get a little coffee cascade onto the counter when you remove the grind cup. The grind cup itself hangs onto some static, and in turn, hangs onto some grinds, which can result in a mess when trying to pour those grinds into your coffee maker.
Grinding is also inherently noisy, but again the BREW Conical Burr fails to dampen that noisiness in any way. It actually isn't particularly loud, as we measured it at an average of 88 decibels. However, it manages to imbue each of those decibels with maximum annoyingness, as the sound is very high-pitched and quite grating.
Value
The BREW Conical Burr sells for a mid-tier price and actually delivers a fair amount of grind consistency for that price. However, we've seen other models in the same price range that can grind slightly better. Additionally, the messiness and unpleasant noise are things that can get annoying after a while, degrading the machine's long-term value a bit.
Conclusion
The OXO BREW Conical Burr is a compelling option for those looking for a good coffee grinder on a budget. Though we think you can get a bit more for your money elsewhere, we don't think this machine will be a disappointment.
— Max Mutter and Michelle Powell
Ad-free. Influence-free. Powered by Testing.
GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison.
Learn More