OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker Review

Introduction

OXO makes my all-time favorite coffee maker, the OXO Brew 9-Cup, but the OXO-Brew 8-Cup is quickly becoming a favorite as well. The two coffee makers have totally different designs, with the former having a more conical shape and different controls. The 9-Cup is also programmable. However, it’s taller – and may not fit under every countertop. 

On the other hand, the OXO Brew 8-Cup has a compact design that will fit almost anywhere. Another advantage of the OXO Brew 8-Cup is that it provides the option to brew a single cup of coffee. In addition, it’s available with either a glass carafe or a thermal carafe. But does the OXO Brew 8-Cup deserve a spot on our list of the best coffee makers? Keep reading to discover the other features of the OXO Brew 8-Cup and learn how it fared during testing.

Design and features

• Space-saving elegant design
• Rainmaker shower head
• Water tank is not removable

The OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker arrived in a brown cardboard box, and inside of that, a company-branded box. The contents were securely packaged to avoid damage during the shipping process.

Accessories included a coffee scoop, brew basket, five large paper filters, single-serve accessory, five of the Kalita Wave Filter 185 paper filters, and a manual.

When using the single-serve accessory to brew into a coffee mug, you’ll need a specific type of paper filter: the Kalita Wave Filter 185, which may not be a household name. However, you can purchase 50 of these paper filters for $8.  

The OXO Brew 8-Cup has a modern, elegant design. The stainless steel is durable and adds a stylish touch to any kitchen (or office). The coffee maker is also compact (17.2” H x 9.85” W x 13.7” D – and weighs 10.3 pounds) so it doesn’t take up much space on the countertop, and when not in use, you can see in the photos that it will easily slides under the upper cabinets and out of way. 

The rainmaker showerhead is designed to evenly distribute water over the coffee grounds, which contributes to the flavorful brew. The drip tray also functions as a mug riser.

The 40-ounce water tank is located on the back of the coffee maker. It’s easy to fill; however, since it’s not removable, there are only 2 ways to remove water: drain it all in the carafe, or unplug the coffee maker, take it to the sink, and turn it upside down.

The thermal carafe is made of stainless steel with black trim. It’s not only gorgeous, but keeps coffee hot without the need for a warming plate. However, keep in mind that the model with the glass carafe is $40 cheaper. (It has a warming plate that comes on for two hours for half a carafe, and four hours for a full carafe.) 

The brew basket has a sliding lever. When brewing a smaller quantity (two to four cups), slide the lever to the left. When brewing a larger quantity (5 to 8 cups), slide the lever to the right.

The other controls are at the very bottom of the coffee maker, and there are only 4 self-explanatory buttons: the power button, the brew 2-4 cups button, the brew 5-8 cups button, and the clean button. The process is so simple that you almost don’t need to read the owner’s manual. 

Performance

• SCA-certified taste
• Brews into carafe or mug
• Thermal carafe keeps coffee hot

The OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker performs extremely well. It’s a SCA-certified Gold Cup brewer, which means it meets the standards for water temperature, brewing time, extraction quality and also consistency. OXO uses proprietary BetterBrew Precision Brewing, which controls the water temperature (keeping it between 197.6°F to 204.8°F), which optimizes the brew cycle. The rainmaker shower head disperses water evenly over the coffee grounds, which leads to a more flavorful (instead of a bitter) extraction.

In my first few tests, I brewed into the carafe, sometimes making eight cups, and then six cups, to see if there was a difference. After filling the water tank, I ensured the lever was pushed to the right (carafe mode). Then I snapped in the brew basket and added a large paper filter, followed by the desired amount of coffee. Then I pressed the On button and the Brew button. 

The coffee was hot, robust, and flavorful. At the time, I was trying Keats & Co Calypso light roast, which has baked apple, brown sugar, and sweet berry notes. The aromas and flavors were rich and complex. 

I love the option of brewing an entire carafe, or brewing 2 to 4 cups directly into a coffee mug without the need for pods. Sometimes, when I brew smaller quantities in a drip coffee maker, the coffee tastes watered down. However, the OXO Brew 8-Cup is smart enough to adjust how the water intermingles with the coffee grounds to ensure that the coffee is nuanced instead of watery. 

During several tests, I made between two and three cups of coffee, brewing directly into a large glass coffee mug. This entailed switching the Mug/Carafe lever to Mug, and then inserting a Kalita 185 paper filter into the Single-Serve Accessory, which was then inserted directly into the brew basket and snapped into place. Then I placed the glass mug under the brew basket, pressed Start, and then Brew. 

Each time, the coffee was flavorful and delicious. Notice that I removed the well cover (and placed it in the back up against the wall), to provide more space for the glass coffee mug to fit. With a shorter mug, the well cover can also be flipped over to make the mug taller.

The OXO Brew 8-Cup uses all of the water in the tank for each brew cycle, so I knew it was important to pay attention when filling the tank. Fortunately, the fill lines correspond to the quantities, so if I wanted two cups of coffee, I would pour water to the two-cup fill line. I found it easier to sometimes just fill my coffee mug with water and then pour it into the water tank to ensure my quantities were right.

Maintenance is easy. The coffee maker’s exterior can be wiped with a damp cloth, while the carafe and lid can be hand washed with a mild detergent. The removable parts (shower head, brew baskets, scoop, and drip tray) are machine washable. The Clean light is displayed after 90 coffee cycles as a reminder to descale the coffee maker. While OXO makes a descaling solution (which they sent me with the coffee maker), it’s nice to know that the company doesn’t state that their brand has to be used. Instead, the recommendation is just to use “a” descaling solution. 

Should you buy it?

FAQs

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