OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker Review

We purchased the OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker so our reviewer could put it to the test. Keep reading for the full product review.

Despite the many brewing methods to choose from, many caffeine lovers still choose the automatic drip coffee maker to get their daily dose. Known for brewing large batches of strong coffee, the drip coffee machine is classic, but automatic coffee machines are widely varietal today and the large selection can get pretty overwhelming. One drip coffee machine that's received great reviews is the OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker. To see if it lives up to the hype, I tested it to evaluate its drip coffee, overall design, ease of use, cleanup, and price. Read on to see what I thought. 

Design: Simple, sleek, and compact

The OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker is simple, but boasts a polished and modern design. This machine sports a stainless steel exterior with black accents. It's also compact, measuring 13.5 x 10.5 x 7 inches. I liked the slim design because I had no problem finding space for it on my kitchen counter. The OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee maker is also very easy to navigate. It only has two buttons on its base and a lever on the front of the filter basket to select the batch size. I found the machine’s minimal design to be a big plus.

One downside is that the water filter permanently sits on the back of the main unit and is, therefore, not removable. This was a minor inconvenience, as I had to use another vessel to add water to the tank every time I wanted to brew a batch of coffee. 

Setup Process: 15-minute setup

The setup for the OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker is quick. All it requires is a washing of the removable parts, including the filter baskets (one single-serve and one large-batch basket), thermal carafe and lid, reversible well cover and platform, and coffee scoop. The included instructions also recommend running the machine through with just water to clean out the inside. This entire process took about 15 minutes. 

Performance: Amazing single-serve and large-batch drip coffee

The OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker brews some of the best drip coffee I’ve had using an automatic drip coffee machine. It delivers gold-standard coffee certified by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). This means that it uses precision brewing to control the water temperature and brewing time in accordance with the SCA’s standards.

Another great feature is the rainmaker shower head. This piece functions to evenly distribute the water over all of the coffee grounds to get the best extraction and flavor. 

I found that using this coffee machine is very intuitive. This is due to the clearly labeled buttons and simplistic design. To make a large batch of coffee, I added my desired amount of grounds and water to the machine and pressed the corresponding “5-8 cups” button. I also needed to adjust the lever on the front of the filter basket to the large batch option. Next, I added water to the reservoir. One disadvantage is that I had to add the exact amount of water I wanted to brew because the OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker will use all of the water in the tank. 

When the coffee has finished brewing, the machine will beep one time. It took about seven to eight minutes to brew a full 8-cup batch of coffee. 

This coffee maker also can brew single servings ranging from 2 to 4 cups. To use this feature, I inserted the single-serve accessory directly inside of the large filter basket and put a small paper filter inside of the small basket. Everything else stays the same, except I changed the lever to the single-serve option and pressed the "2-4 cups" button. I also added the platform located on the base of the machine to raise my mug a few inches to catch the coffee and prevent spills. I liked this single-serve feature because it allowed me to make a small amount of coffee, which is something I often do in my two-person household. 

A downside to this machine is that filtered water must be used to fill the water reservoir, as the OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker doesn’t come with a water filter system. 

Ease of Cleaning: Most parts are dishwasher safe

To clean this coffee maker, the removable parts should all be washed after use. All are dishwasher safe, except the thermal carafe and lid. The exterior of the machine should be cleaned with a damp cloth and then wiped dry. I found the cleaning process to be quite standard and didn’t have any issues with it. 

When the machine has run through 90 cycles, the “clean” light button will illuminate. Detailed descaling instructions are included in the user manual. The clean cycle takes about 25 minutes. 

Price: A bargain

A quality drip coffee machine retails for around $200. Considering the excellent drip coffee this machine produces, its ease of use, and sleek look, the OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker retails for a more-than-fair price at around $170. 

OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker vs. Wolf Gourmet Programmable Coffee System

Wolf Gourmet Programmable Coffee System: The Wolf Gourmet Programmable Coffee System is a popular coffee machine that retails for around $700, but you can find it on sale for around $500. At a higher price point, it boasts several customizable and convenient features that the OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker doesn’t offer. The Wolf Gourmet Programmable Coffee System can brew up to 10 cups of coffee at one time, features an Accu-Brew mode, automatic brew mode, warming function, and LCD panel. The water reservoir is removable and has a water filter system. 

What it comes down to is what you want in a coffee machine. Both make great drip coffee, but the Wolf Coffee Maker offers a few extra features—at a cost, of course.