OXO BREW CONICAL BURR COFFEE GRINDER REVIEW: YAY OR NAY?

You can’t brew great coffee without a great grinder. Does the Oxo Conical Burr Coffee Grinder fit the bill?

Pre-ground coffee simply doesn’t cut it if you want to make the most flavorful brew. Once you get serious about coffee at home, you need to invest in a decent burr grinder to reap the benefits of freshly ground beans.

You tend to get what you pay for when it comes to coffee grinders, but there are a few lower-priced options that punch above their weight. One of these is the Oxo Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder. In this review, I’ll explain why I think it offers fantastic bang for your buck!

The Full Oxo Coffee Grinder Review

I spent several weeks testing the Oxo coffee grinder in an effort to uncover all its quirks and charms. Keep reading as I explore the nitty-gritty details of this popular and affordable burr grinder, from its grinding capability to its build.

How I Rated It

• Grinding Capability
• Ease of Use
• Design
• Durability
• Value for Money

4

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The Basics: Burrs, Dosing, And Grind Settings

At the heart of this grinder is an impressive set of 40 mm stainless steel conical burrs. Grinders at this price range typically have either stainless steel or ceramic burrs, and personally, I’m partial to steel. They are sharper than ceramic (though they dull more quickly), less brittle, and dissipate heat more quickly when grinding large batches.

What is the advantage of a conical burr grinder?

The burr shape debate between flat and conical burrs continues to rage among coffee nerds, and I don’t really have a dog in the fight. It mostly comes down to personal preference. 

Flat burr grinders usually offer better grind consistency, which results in a cup with greater clarity and complexity (1). On the other hand, the slightly broader grind size distribution delivered by conical burrs yields a brew with more body and depth, which is preferred by some tasters. Additionally, conical burrs suffer less grind retention, resulting in more accurate dosing.

Can an Oxo conical burr grinder be used for espresso?

The Oxo Brew grinder has only 15 settings. This is pretty standard in this price range, with competitors generally offering between 12 and 20 settings. But it means that there is a fairly large gap between each grind size. While the finest setting is technically fine enough for espresso, it lacks the precision to dial in the ideal size. 

In testing, I was impressed with the grind consistency throughout the grind range but particularly in the medium to coarse settings. This is a perfect grinder for a pour over dripper, drip coffee maker, French press, or even for cold brew coffee.

Is it better to dose by time or weight?

The model of the Oxo burr grinder I tested used a timer for dosing, which is standard for an entry-level coffee grinder at this price. You set a time, press start, and the grinder stops when the time is up. 

It isn’t as accurate as dosing by weight because factors like the fullness of the hopper or the type of coffee beans impact the grams of coffee ground. However, I suspect 99% of coffee drinkers wouldn’t notice the difference.

Dosing by weight is always a more accurate option, and Oxo makes a burr grinder with integrated scale for that reason (2). But at three times the cost of the timer model, I find it hard to recommend. You can always just buy a good coffee scale for $50.

How To Use The Oxo Burr Coffee Grinder

Grinding coffee is very easy and intuitive with this machine. Add beans to the hopper, twist the hopper to adjust the grind setting if necessary, set the timer, and press start to run the grinder. That’s all there is to it.

As long as you’re grinding the same amount each day, which is certainly true for many of us, you only need to press a single button for the perfect dose.

Noise Complaints

The most common complaint about this coffee grinder is that it is loud, but that isn’t strictly true. In testing, it measured roughly the same decibels as other grinders in its class. What is true is that it is a particularly unpleasant noise. It’s decidedly more high-pitched and whiny than others I’ve tested. Fortunately, it’s pretty short-lived as the timer maxes out at 30 seconds.   

Thoughtful And Attractive Design

The Oxo Brew grinder is well-designed from an aesthetic standpoint. No surprise for a company that has built its reputation on functional and attractive kitchenware (3). 

It’s nice and compact. With a small footprint of just 6.8” x 11.8”, it won’t take up a lot of space on your counter. It is relatively tall, at 14.8”, but still low enough to slide under your upper cupboards. Its slender body, coupled with a substantial height, gives it a stately appearance. 

The bean hopper is perhaps the standout design feature. Its 12-ounce capacity is larger than most of its competitors. And I love its airtight design and UV tint, which allows you to store coffee beans in the hopper for up to a week without worrying that they will degrade. It amazes me that more brands don’t embrace tinted hoppers.

Better Than Average Build – But Don’t Expect Forever

This Oxo conical burr grinder is one of the cheaper electric burr grinders on the market, so I won’t claim it’s built to last forever. A prosumer model, it is not. But it does have some nice features to enhance its longevity. 

The amount of stainless steel on this model – including exterior panels, the grounds catch bin, and the burrs themselves – makes this grinder more durable than most. Competitor models, notably the Capresso Infinity, are largely plastic.

The grinder is pretty easy to clean, thanks to the removable top burr, which is an unexpected bonus at this price. By making this kind of basic maintenance as easy as possible, Oxo definitely increases the lifespan of your grinder. I wish you could also remove the bottom burr, but even with it in, I found it pretty easy to clean the grind chamber with a soft brush and a small air blower.

Static And Plastic

Oxo claims the stainless steel coffee grounds container avoids static far better than plastic alternatives. While this may be true, this grinder is far from static-free. I definitely had grounds jumping around, stuck in the bin, and dancing across my counter. 

This issue is common to nearly every reasonably priced grinder, as it’s quite expensive to tackle. Consider it a necessary evil, and keep a cloth on hand to wipe up stray coffee grinds.

Is This Grinder Worth The Price?

Value for money is where the Oxo Brew Conical Burr grinder really shines. There is a small cohort of entry-level burr grinders around this price ($100), and in my opinion, it’s the best of the bunch. I’d even venture that it’s better than some more expensive models, at least for batch brewing, thanks to its impressive grind consistency. Plus, it comes with a longer-than-average 2-year warranty for peace of mind.

Don’t Buy the Oxo Brew Conical Burr Grinder If…

• You’re on a very tight budget: If you want something cheaper, don’t be tempted to settle for a blade grinder. In my experience, the Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder is probably the most affordable electric coffee grinder worth buying, but an even better option is to choose a manual grinder like the Hario Skerton Pro.

• You mostly make espresso: Pulling a proper shot of espresso demands a high-quality grinder, so plan on increasing your budget accordingly. I’d suggest the Baratza Sette 270 grinder as a reasonable entry point Or, if you have the cash, look at the whole line-up of Eureka prosumer coffee grinders. 

• You want more grind settings: I suspect the average coffee lover will be satisfied with the range of the Oxo grinder. But if you’re getting more serious about brewing a specialty cup of coffee, you might want a few more variables to tinker with. Take a look at the popular Breville Smart Grinder Pro, which has 60 grind settings, or the Baratza Encore, which has 40.

The Verdict

The Oxo Brew Conical Burr grinder is a fantastic choice if you brew French press or drip coffee, especially if you grind the same amount of coffee every day. It offers incredible value for money, given its consistent grind uniformity and easy-to-use one-touch grinding. As long as you’re not put off by its high-pitched whine, you’ll have no complaints!

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