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OXO Brew 8-Cup Review

A sleek and simple design brewing great-tasting coffee without the extra effort of manual brew methods
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oxo brew 8-cup drip coffee maker review
The Oxo 8-Cup reliably makes good coffee.
Credit: Laura Casner
Price:  $200 List
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Manufacturer:   OXO
By Liz Nelson ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Apr 29, 2022
66
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#2 of 15
  • Brew Quality - 35% 5.9
  • User Friendliness - 30% 6.2
  • Ease of Cleaning - 20% 6.9
  • Consistency - 15% 8.8

Our Verdict

The OXO Brew 8-Cup is designed to match the quality of a manual pour-over brewer. This brewer provides a sleek and simple interface that allows you to easily brew anything from an 8-cup carafe down to a single cup of coffee. 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. If you have time to prep your coffee in the morning and don't mind spending extra for great taste, 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
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
No auto-brew

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oxo brew 8-cup drip coffee maker review
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OXO Brew 8-Cup
Awards  Best Buy Award Best Buy Award Top Pick Award  
Price $200 List
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Bottom Line A decent cup quality at a top tier priceThis inexpensive machine gives you some features without breaking the bankAn inexpensive brewer that makes good coffee with programmable functionsThe most convenient and hassle-free pod brewer we've testedAn affordable option with consistent brew times and temperatures
Rating Categories OXO Brew 8-Cup Hamilton Beach 2-Way Black+Decker 12-Cup... Nespresso VertuoPlus Mr. Simple Brew 12-...
Brew Quality (35%)
5.9
6.0
5.6
4.7
4.4
User Friendliness (30%)
6.2
6.1
5.1
7.1
3.9
Ease of Cleaning (20%)
6.9
7.5
6.0
7.4
6.8
Consistency (15%)
8.8
6.5
7.1
3.5
7.1
Specs OXO Brew 8-Cup Hamilton Beach 2-Way Black+Decker 12-Cup... Nespresso VertuoPlus Mr. Simple Brew 12-...
Cup Capacity 8 12 12 1 12
Single Serve No Yes No Yes No
Automatic Brewing No Yes Yes No No
Brew Temp 171 °F 166 °F 162 °F 168 °F 160 °F
Preinfusion Yes, not adjustable No No Yes, not adjustable No
Filter Shape Flat Flat Flat Pod Flat
Energy Usage 1400 watts 950 watts 975 watts 1350 watts 975 watts
Measured Dimensions (H x W x D) 13.5" x 7" x 10.5" 13.9" x 12.2" x 11.1" 8.2" x 12.2" x 11" 12.8" x 8.7" x 12.7" 12.3" x 9.3" x 13.8"
Measured Weight 10.3 lbs 5.0 lbs 4.8 lbs 10.1 lbs 2.8 lbs

Our Analysis and Test Results

For those willing to spend a bit extra for better-tasting coffee or anyone looking for a convenient alternative to manual brewing, we think the OXO Brew 8-Cup is one of the best pour-over options on the market. It was one of our higher-performing 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. Even though we were impressed with the brew quality, it was not the best coffee maker overall in our lineup.

Performance Comparison


oxo brew 8-cup drip coffee maker review
Credit: Laura Casner

Brew Quality


In our opinion, brew quality is the main selling point of the OXO Brew 8-Cup. This machine consistently produced great coffee in our tests; however, it does not match many of the higher-end brewers in terms of taste.

Overall, we 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. Unfortunately, in our tests, we found the OXO did not get the brewing temperature into the Specialty Coffee Association's (SCA) recommended brewing temperature range of 195 to 204 degrees. 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 drip coffee maker review - 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

User Friendliness


The OXO Brew features a very simple and intuitive interface. The brewer is not programmable, but it does offer a 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 drip coffee maker review - 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.

Ease of Cleaning


We found the Brew to be neither particularly difficult nor notably easy to clean. It uses paper filters that make disposing of grinds quick and easy, 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.

oxo brew 8-cup drip coffee maker review - the oxo brew basket is dishwasher safe.
The OXO brew basket is dishwasher safe.
Credit: Laura Casner

Consistency


The OXO Brew had the best consistency of all the brewers by far. In order to ensure consistency, we brewed five pots of coffee back to back and measured pH, coffee temperature, and brewing time to be sure. The coffee brewed from the OXO was not very acidic compared to other brewers, with a pH of 5.48 immediately after being brewed. The difference in pH was just .21 after two hours — which is quite low. It also brewed quicker than most, with a standard deviation of just .01 between brews. Its brew temp consistency was most impressive of all. The brewer only differed .47 degrees Fahrenheit between all five back-to-back brews.

oxo brew 8-cup drip coffee maker review - the oxo brew 8 cup makes great coffee, and we appreciate that is has...
The OXO Brew 8 Cup makes great coffee, and we appreciate that is has provides a single cup option.
Credit: Laura Casner

Value


The OXO Brew is on the pricey side and may not be a viable option for budget shoppers. However, for those seeking to maximize the taste quality of their coffee, we think this brewer certainly justifies its high price tag.

Conclusion


The OXO Brew 8-Cup is a premium drip coffee maker geared toward those seeking a rich, nuanced cup of coffee to start the day. Though the machine isn't perfect, we think it largely delivers on that promise.

Liz Nelson