OXO Brew 8 Cup Espresso Maker, Stainless Metal,Black

It makes good coffee
I got this for replacing a 16 year old Cuisinart coffee maker. So far this Oxo coffee maker has been doing a good job. The coffee does have slightly better flavor than my old coffee maker. It’s easy to use. Of course I had to fiddle with it at the beginning but it is easy to use.After trying out the carafe for my first batch of coffee just to check how everything works. I’ve been using it primarily with the single cup filling feature. This lets me fill my coffee cup directly. I really like this feature since I use an insulated coffee mug so the temperature is well maintained so I can enjoy the coffee. This coffee maker as many others uses 5 oz as a standard for a cup of coffee. I’ve been filling up my water tank for three cups and used three scoops of coffee ground. I pour in water to bring the water level right to the 3 cup level line. So I’m starting with 15 oz of water and I end up with 13 oz of coffee in my cup. The final 2 oz of water won’t drip out. There’s a sliding switch to use when I’m making a single serving of coffee to a cup. The position is pushed to the left so that it will hold open the valve on the coffee ground basket. I also push the switch to the right to close the valve to make sure no coffee leaks out after I take my cup away to close the valve. One thing I don’t like about the carafe is that coffee can drip from the pouring sprout and it drips coffee onto the body of the carafe and the table. I took off one star for that.There’s a power button and two buttons to chose if you’re making 1-4 cups of coffee and the other button is for 8-12 cups of coffee. I tried 8-12 for my single serving of coffee and it doesn’t seem to make time difference.Over all I like this coffee maker. It looks simple and modern and is easy to clean. If fits easily under my cabinet. I was able to buy this at under $150 as there was some deal going on so I bought it. I’ll have to see how long this one will last.June 13: I noticed after making a cup of coffee that at the hole where the water drains in to fill the holding tank. There was a slight bit of water backing up. I was curious so I used some descaling solution and did a cleaning cycle. This happened before the cleaning light turned on. After the cleaning cycle the water wasn’t visible anymore at the end of a brew. So now when ever I see water backing up a bit I do a cleaning cycle. It may be too early but I guess it depends on how hard the local water is. I’ll do it this way instead of the letting machine time it and give a signal to run a cleaning cycle.

OXO 8 Cup Coffee Maker Review updateWe have now had the unit for about two weeks and as a result I can give a more complete review.The unit is a smaller coffee maker, unlike many other more conventional home brewers. It is able to brew anywhere from two to eight coffee industry standard 5 ounce cups, or 40 fluid ounces in total. I point this out as the Amazon description still lists it as making 64 fluid ounces. I sent in a note to Amazon about correcting that mistake but nothing has changed yet.Interface:- The interface is uncluttered and intuitive, with none of the stuff I don’t want.- It has only 4 buttons: Power, 2-4 cups, 5-8 cups, Clean.- No unnecessary clock or timer functions.- Two brew baskets: the standard “main” basket and an insert for making lesser amounts- The base has a recessed pedestal which can be flipped over to lift a mug up when brewing directly into the mugUsage:- I have now used all options for making a brew:- 2-4 cups setting into both a pot and a mug, 5-8 cups into a pot.- Water comes in hot and FAST. Initial bloom phase (flow then pause) lasts about 30 seconds to a minute.- Coffee is ready in 7 minutes or less, depending on amount being made.- No spills or leaks seen at any time.- A few small drips and spatters when making the brew into a mug. Use a tall mug. Note: the included pedestal is your friend here. Make use of it.- Coffee is hot. The pot keeps it between low 170s and mid 180s (°F) for at least an hour.Quality of brew:- Flavourful, especially at the larger volumes (5-8 cups).- Flavour intensifies as it cools. This was expected.A note on the coffee grind & amount:- Grind: – Medium, i.e. use as directed by the manual to start. – Too coarse or not enough coffee and the flavour will be thin. – Too fine or too much coffee and the resulting brew might be over extracted. It might even clog. See note on water flow above. I never saw this happen but I suppose it is possible.- Amount: – Use as directed (~ 8 gm / 5 oz cup) for larger amounts to start. – Use slightly more for lesser amounts (2-4 cups), especially when brewing into a mug (~ 2 cups).Once you’ve played with it for a while, I have no doubt the sweet spot will be found for your favourite coffee beans and the amount of coffee you like to make.The one feature I have yet to use is the “Clean” function. That won’t be for another two months or so, given our use of the brewer.All in all, a great coffee maker, well worth the price of admission.

I recently switched from a Keurig pod machine to this OXO coffee maker, and the difference has been incredible! I was tired of the crappy taste of pod coffee, and honestly, the idea of hot water pouring through plastic and foil in the pods can’t be good for us, not to mention how bad the pods are for the environment. After doing some research, I decided on this machine, and after a two weeks of use, I couldn’t be happier with the results.I chose this coffee maker for its design, strong reviews, and SCA certification. It offers the flexibility to brew either a single cup or a full carafe, which is perfect for my needs. The controls are minimal and intuitive, making it very easy to use. I also paired it with the OXO burr grinder, and let me tell you, nothing beats the flavour of precise freshly ground coffee! If you want to up your home coffee experience, get a good burr grinder and the OXO one came out on top for its reviews too year after year!It does take some trial and error to get the water-to-coffee ratio just right for your taste. For the best results, I recommend using a scale to measure the grounds to water ratios, there are online calculators to help too, but once you figure out your preferences, you won’t need to weigh every time. The machine and grinder have completely transformed my coffee experience, allowing me to explore different roasters and brew coffee that feels more like a café experience at home.While there are other SCA-certified machines out there, this one consistently ranked as the top choice in the reviews I watched even compared to the more expensive machines. The price on Amazon is also reasonable vs other retailers. This machine is ideal for anyone who wants to take their home coffee brewing to another level without getting into espresso machines. However, if you’re just looking for something basic to brew a quick cup from pre-ground coffee from a tin, there are cheaper options and this machine isn’t for you. But if you value great-tasting coffee, and want to dial in flavour, strength, and actually taste coffee notes how they were actually meant to be experienced, then this machine is absolutely worth the investment! Paired with their burr grinder you’ve got yourself an elevated home brewing experience that you won’t regret!