OXO Brew 9 Cup Coffee Maker

OXO Brew 9 Cup Coffee Maker Review

Brand: OXO
Released: September 2015
Updated: 4 months ago
4.2
Overall review score
110
Review insights
24
Scored features
11
Expert reviews

Bottom Line

Choose it for rich drip coffee, auto-brew convenience and a thermal carafe that keeps coffee hot. Skip it if price, tall countertop footprint, small-batch performance, or fussy carafe cleaning matter most.

Best for

Best for drip-coffee drinkers who want strong brewed coffee with scheduling, freshness timing, and a thermal carafe that keeps coffee hot. It especially suits people who value convenience over manual control.

Not for

Not for buyers with tight counter space, strict budgets, or a preference for single-cup brewing and manual pour-over flavor. It is also a poor fit for anyone who dislikes hand-washing carafes or small parts.

Verdict

Reviewers consistently frame the OXO Brew 9-Cup as a premium drip maker that balances strong coffee results with everyday convenience. It earns praise for rich, smooth coffee, reliable brew temperature, auto-brew scheduling, a freshness timer, and a thermal carafe that keeps coffee hot without a plate. The tradeoff is that its polished design is tall and space-hungry, the carafe can be awkward to clean or pour fully, and small batches are less convincing for some testers. Value opinions depend on priorities: several reviewers see the higher price as justified by performance and features, while others prefer cheaper or more consistent alternatives.

Feature Scorecards

Summary

24 reviewed features
  • Very positive 4.5-5.0
    10 (42%)
  • Positive 3.5-4.4
    10 (42%)
  • Neutral 2.5-3.4
    3 (13%)
  • Negative 1.5-2.4
    1 (4%)

Pros highlights

  • 4.5
    10 reviews moderate consensus
    Overall user experience: 4.5, 10 reviews, moderate consensus
    Overall experience was mostly excellent, with many reviewers recommending or enjoying the machine for simple, convenient coffee, though one reviewer found it a poor match.
  • 4.3
    10 reviews moderate consensus
    Espresso and beverage quality: 4.3, 10 reviews, moderate consensus
    Reviewers mostly praised the brewed coffee as rich, smooth, tasty, delicate, or fantastic, while one Chemex-focused reviewer found the flavor weaker than their preferred manual brew.
  • 3.9
    10 reviews strong consensus
    Design, ergonomics and footprint: 3.9, 10 reviews, strong consensus
    Design feedback was strongly positive on looks and countertop appeal, but the tall body and large footprint were repeated ergonomic drawbacks.
  • 4.5
    9 reviews strong consensus
    Automation and sensors: 4.5, 9 reviews, strong consensus
    Automated features were a major strength, including auto-brew scheduling, bloom/pre-infusion behavior, freshness timing, and helpful brew adjustments.
  • 4.0
    8 reviews low consensus
    Cup, tray and carafe handling: 4.0, 8 reviews, low consensus
    The carafe often earned praise for heat retention and smooth pouring, but several reviewers reported awkward last-pour behavior, spills, or cleaning challenges.
  • 3.8
    7 reviews moderate consensus
    Water system, maintenance and descaling: 3.8, 7 reviews, moderate consensus
    Maintenance feedback was mostly favorable thanks to removable parts, descaling reminders, and simple cleanup, but the carafe and small parts made cleaning harder for some reviewers.

Cons highlights

  • 2.4
    4 reviews strong consensus
    Design flaws: 2.4, 4 reviews, strong consensus
    Design flaws centered on the narrow or awkward carafe, tall/wide footprint, and one reviewer's early plastic-smell problem.
  • 3.2
    3 reviews strong consensus
    Capacity: 3.2, 3 reviews, strong consensus
    Capacity sentiment was mixed: the nine-cup size was useful, but reviewers cautioned that small pots were weaker and larger-capacity buyers may need another machine.

Compared With Category Average

Compared with other Coffee Machines, this product is above average in Pot function, Mess-free used-puck disposal, Build quality and durability, near average in Cup, tray and carafe handling, Assembly and Setup, below average in Grinder, hopper and dosing system, Capacity, Design, ergonomics and footprint.

Comparison summary

24 compared features
  • Above average 0.4+ pts higher
    8 (33%)
  • Same as average within 0.3 pts
    11 (46%)
  • Below average 0.4+ pts lower
    5 (21%)

Largest category differences

Attribute This product Category average Difference
Grinder, hopper and dosing system 2.6 3.7 -1.1
Pot function 4.7 3.7 +1.0
Mess-free used-puck disposal 4.8 3.8 +1.0
Build quality and durability 4.7 3.8 +0.9
Warranty and Customer support 4.5 3.6 +0.9
Capacity 3.2 3.9 -0.7
Heating-element power 4.7 4.1 +0.6
Filter 4.4 3.8 +0.6

Consider This Instead

Compared in Reviews

Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.

  • Better: refinement and customization TechGearLab preferred upgrading to the Breville Precision Brewer at a similar premium price.
  • Better: versatility and customization Forbes recommended the Breville Precision Brewer Thermal for buyers prioritizing versatility.
  • Better: speed and single-cup brewing Wirecutter pointed to the OXO 8-Cup as faster and better suited to single cups, while noting it lacks the 9-cup's auto-brew convenience.

FAQ

Does the OXO Brew 9-Cup make good coffee?

Yes. Most reviewers praised the coffee as rich, smooth, flavorful, or fantastic, though one Chemex user felt the flavor did not match their manual brew.

Is the auto-brew timer useful?

Reviewers repeatedly liked the programmable timer, especially for waking up to coffee already brewed. The freshness timer was also praised for showing how long the pot has been sitting.

How fast does it brew?

Reviewers generally found it fast for a drip machine, with full or near-full pots reported around six to eight minutes, and one nine-cup test taking about nine minutes.

Is the carafe good?

The thermal carafe was praised for keeping coffee hot for hours and often pouring well. The main complaints were a narrow opening, awkward cleaning, spills, and difficulty getting the last coffee out.

Is it easy to clean?

Cleaning feedback was mixed. Several reviewers found removable parts and descaling reminders helpful, but others disliked hand-washing the carafe and managing small parts.

Is it worth the price?

It depends on whether convenience and coffee quality matter more than budget. Reviewers called it expensive, but several still saw the feature set, reliability, and taste as worth the premium.

Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed

These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.

Video Reviews

Article Reviews

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