OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker - Single-Serve & Carafe, Thermal Stainless Steel, SCA Certified

I'm thrilled with the coffee maker. It makes excellent tasting coffee. The SCA certification and bloom function really enhances the quality of the brew. I like that it can handle smaller brews for 1 or 2 mugs just by adding the single serve insert along with the185 wave filters. Not as convenient as pods but better tasting with freshly ground coffee (at your preferred water to coffee ratio) Also way more economical using whole bean, freshly ground coffee instead of the pods. I like the design of the insulated carafe and lid compared to a previously owned one that always held coffee/water in the lid and was impossible to clean. If you are looking for a simple to operate coffee maker that focuses on quality of the brew for 1-8 cups (1 to 4 mugs) , this one is for you.

I am not a coffee snob and I will confess I have been a Keurig user for last 5 years. Conveniently to use but problems with standing water on tank bothered me. At least a glass reservoir would be better.OXO 6 cup answered my sanitary concern. It is indeed a leading contender for a truly fresh cup of coffee. Very versatile unit and easy to clean up. The quality is to be admired. Only one slight drawback, OXO chose to eliminate the hot plate. This may be a deal breaker for some people. OXO argues that they engineered a thermal system that will hold the coffee hot for a while. They are right and wrong. If you brew 6 cups then the thermal factor can fully perform but if you brew less then four it becomes a challenge simply because of the volume. OXO claims the hot plate eventually renders the sitting coffee biter. They have a point but most folks find it easier just to pour a cup from the hot plate rather than go through another brewing cycle.For me, above is not a problem. I use the machine for breakfast and empty the canister within 45 minutes to an hour and the temperature is acceptable.In my opinion it remains the best and cleanest coffee maker. I can safely say it brews a perfect cup and I see why coffee lovers appreciate it. Who knows, to please everyone they may consider adding a heating element to boost their thermal system as an option. In short: highly recommended without reservation!

Reinforcing the opinions shared in other reviews, this machine makes a GREAT cup of coffee. The water distribution really brings out the flavor of my beans in a way that previous drip coffee makers (black and decker, Mr coffee) have not. Additionally, the user interface is so incredibly simple that it’s practically “boomer-proof.” With just a few straightforward buttons and settings, even my older, technologically challenged parents figured out how to use it without my assistance. A huge plus if you’re having frequent guests making coffee! After a month of use, I have decided to keep my machine but a couple small things still bother me. First, because of the way the carafe is made, not ALL of the coffee you make comes out when you pour it into a cup. Every morning, I pour my coffee with the carafe lid on, then take the lid off to pour out the last inch in the bottom of the pot. Really bizarre! Additionally, this coffee machine unfortunately doesn’t keep your coffee warm in the pot for very long. My partner wakes up at 4am and makes coffee, and by the time I’m awake at 6am, the coffee is lukewarm-cool. Finally, the inside of the stainless steel carafe stains very easily. I wash it out with soap and water each time I use it, and I’ve only had it for a month, but regardless, the inside of my carafe is already showing signs of discoloration. Overall, these are small things that OXO will hopefully address with their next model. I find this appliance to be a slightly elevated take on your average drip coffee maker- probably makes an equally good or better brew than $300-400 machines- but not so incredibly distinct from cheaper coffee makers that it justifies the price tag.

Warning, this is a critical review. I give this a 5 star because overall product merits an excellent rating. However, if I was to rate this based on value, I rate it a 3 star.I'm not a coffee snob. I like my cheap coffee. I've watched several coffee snob reviews on this product prior to purchase, and this is my take. What the heck is the difference between a $30 drip coffee maker and a $300 drip coffee maker? Well, it's the same difference between a 900watt microwave and a 1400watt microwave. This $300 coffee maker has a higher wattage heating element. Which means it'll heat the water of faster and hotter. Does it make that big of a difference? That's something only a coffee snob can tell you. I'll say this: I can tell the difference. It's not earth shattering, but it does make a difference. Does it make a $200+ difference? Most will say 'no'.So now I move onto rating the coffee maker on overall quality. This is where I get a little more critical. Why? Because it's OXO. I own lots of OXO products and I love them all. I'll be honest and say, this feels more like an OXO product in the making. It's not the user experience I'd expect from OXO. Translation, this misses the mark on being sensational. The insulated carafe is nice, but OXO could have done better. It's a quality carafe, but like some reviewers point out, it leaves about a table spoon or more of liquid when done pouring. It's a minor inconvenience. But ever day use will add up that frustration. Means when you clean the carafe, you'll have that fair amount of water left inside as well. I admit, it is annoying. Very surprised OXO couldn't have designed that better...for $300.The other complain perceived by many is the filter basket. This is my biggest complaint. For $300 and being OXO, this is really were they missed the mark. The basket is flimsy. Not the $300 quality I'd expect. The snap into place operation is clunky. It doesn't just easily slide into place. Little details you'd expect from a brand like OXO are completely missing here. I personally find the selection of 2-4 cup vs 4-8 cup a garbage design. I've used both modes. Makes little to no difference. I recommend using the carafe at all times. The 2-4 cup operation is a waste. And because of that waste, it adds to the frustration of the lacking filter basket design. The sliding lever you use to select 2-4 vs 4-8 doesn't lock into place. That will annoy you. The big difference between 2-4 vs 4-8 is having a choice of which type of filter you want to use. THAT is where OXO could have made a killing on their design. For whatever reason, most expensive coffee makers opt for basket style filters. I personally hate them. They're a pain to use and tedious to fiddle with in the morning. Conical filters are superior in my opinion. It's great that OXO created an option to use conical filters. However, as pointed out their filter basket design is garbage. Not worth using conical filters in the 2-4 cup mode. My advise to OXO, fix this aspect of your coffee maker! The filter basket design will make you crave your Mr. Coffee simplicity. This filter basket will make your $300 coffee maker feel cheaper than a $30 coffee maker. The coffee snob channels will detail how wonderful the filter basket design disperses the water and so on. Garbage observations. Even a $30 coffee maker does the same job.The last complain is so trivial, and yet surprised OXO could have designed this better. Why the two power buttons? You turn on power, then you actually need to select 2-4 vs 4-8 for brewing? Why? Maybe it needs to sense you're boiling less water vs more water. It couldn't have been designed to sense that? The fact that the coffee maker will auto shut off really hammers home the uselessness of having two buttons.Why am I complaining so much right? It's because it's OXO! You expect something different with OXO. You expect great quality and super simple operation. And I admit you don't feel that with this coffee maker. It should have been a one button design from the start. You expect OXO to be innovative. There's nothing innovating in this design. Nothing at all. It's just a quality coffee maker with seemly more complexity in it's cheap filter basket design than what's needed. OXO had a great idea in allowing both conical filters and basket style filters. It's a shame they couldn't have executed on that design better. I personally would prefer conical filters. Especially for an OXO product. Why? Because conical filters are always easer to work with. People buy OXO because they like simple quality and easy. Saying that, they may want to cater their next design to those that prefer conical style filters.I definitely have some criticism for this product. Keep in mind the harsh criticism is do to the $300 price tag and it having the OXO brand. You expect something different from both. Do I recommend buying the product? Oddly yes. I admit in the world of automatic drip coffee makers, no one really rises to the challenge of nailing the perfect design when it comes to quality and simplicity. That surprises me to this day. It's just a coffee maker! I commend OXO for it's styling. To be honest, that's why I bought it. I would have bought the Brawn if it had the better heating element. Overall it's a 5 star compared to competition. A solid 3 star in falling short of OXO expectations.