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Is the Oxo Pour-Over Coffeemaker with Water Tank one of the best choices for a pour-over brewer? Keep reading our hands-on, in-depth review to find out why we think so.
We include plenty of tips, how-to-guides, alternative options, and our final thoughts, Neat-ish Rating, answers to the Internet’s top FAQs about the product, pros and cons, and our final thoughts.
What is the OXO Pour-Over Coffeemaker?
The Oxo Pour-Over Coffee Maker with Water Tank is a special pour-over brewing system that provides awesome pour-over coffee results and flavor.
At the same time, it also requires far less hassle and pouring when compared to most other options on the market.
As a result, the OXO Pour-Over Drip-Style Coffeemaker can be considered an ideal choice for beginner and experienced brewers alike.
Key Features
Pour-over coffee often produces what many consider to be a more delicious-tasting coffee than drip-style coffee machines. Much of this is thanks to the often meticulous techniques that are used in order to create the ideal cup of Joe.
The careful process of making pour-over coffee is often considered a hobby for many professional and would-be baristas alike. And it usually involves water heated to the right temp, a gooseneck kettle, freshly ground coffee, paper or metal filters, proper pouring methods, and a manual pour-over dripper.
Some people will also use a scale, thermometer (if they don’t own a controlled temp kettle or want to be super-precise), and various pouring and wait/steep times to enhance their technique. You can find links to a few helpful how-to videos in the Conclusion.
Who It Might Work Best For?
What Makes the OXO Pour-Over Different?
The OXO Pour-Over with Water Tank Brewing System is a versatile and well-designed brewer that manages to provide a multi-purpose coffeemaking experience for a variety of users at a super affordable price.
The pour-over coffeemaker isn’t just ideal for experienced baristas but also for those wanting to learn how it’s done in a way that’s quick, easy to do, and won’t break the bank.
It’s also ideal for individuals who simply want great-tasting coffee from a hassle-free, travel-friendly, and minimalistic coffeemaker without all the unnecessary bells and whistles.
Perculating Perks
What caught our attention with the Oxo Pour-Over Coffee Maker while looking at other popular pour-over systems was that the OXO Pour-Over is somewhat of a coffee-making hybrid.
The OXO Drip Pour-Over Coffeemaker works similarly to a traditional drip-style coffeemaker and also common pour-over coffee brewers, such as some of the brands listed below.
Similar Traditional Pour-Over Brands
It’s a 2-in-1
You basically get to choose if you want to do the pouring and more hands-on techniques of a pour-over. Or take advantage of the convenient water reservoir method, which simply involves scooping in your desired amount of coffee scoops to water ratio and letting the drip-style water reservoir do the rest.
Just like a regular coffeemaker but with pour-over benefits.
We Found It Somewhat Comparable to the AeroPress
We also found that it would likely hold up to the camping or travel convenience that the super-compact and well-loved AeroPress brewer that we own provides—minus the pressurized brewing method—due to the durable, plastic construction, portability, and no need for an electrical source.
The other thing that caught our attention with the Oxo Pour Over Coffee Maker with Water Tank Reservoir was how you could brew your coffee pour-over style when foregoing the water tank. However, you could also choose to simply drip-brew your coffee by using the water reservoir, making it somewhat of an all-in-one.
Less Thinking. More Drinking.
As someone who was new to pour-over coffee brewing and has ADHD, which can sometimes translate into laziness and not wanting to commit to one method of doing something, I loved the idea of having the option to do a drip-style brew or a proper pour-over with one gadget.
This is because I tend to prefer and work better at things when I have more than one way to go about doing something, which I actually discovered when I learned how to clean smarter, not harder.
There’s also the benefit of being able to ease into pour-overs when you’re ready to, simply by skipping on using the accompanying water tank.
Because, knowing me, there would be plenty of days when I wouldn’t feel like spending however much time and effort on tediously measuring or weighing coffee-to-water ratios or having to work with timers. I also knew it would be very likely that I wouldn’t always want to painstakingly pour water at such-and-such speed and for x-amount of time to get the ultimate brew.
And I knew there would be times where I would overthink the entire thing and just waste a whole lot of time trying to do it perfectly. Why? Because ADHD folks are good at hyper-focusing. 🙂
Ease Into the World of Pour-Over
The final thing that had us settling on the Oxo Pour-over Drip Coffee Maker with Water Tank is the fact that it seemed like the smartest and most cost-effective way to go about it.
With the Oxo Pour-over Coffeemaker with Water Reservoir, you don’t have to buy a gooseneck kettle immediately, if at all, to replace your other kettle that might be working perfectly fine, otherwise. You just really need to worry about having enough water and making sure it’s at an ideal temperature.
And there’s no need to buy a bunch of other gadgets, like scales or spendy pour-over brewers, before you’re truly ready to commit or even know if pour-over coffees are the right choice for you.
So, we basically chose the Oxo Pourover Coffeemaker with the water tank for its cost-effectiveness, easy-to-use convenience, and low-maintenance brewing option while still having the ability to go into full pour-over mode if we wanted to.
How Does the OXO Pour-Over Work?
In this section, you’ll find OXO’s instructional video down below and some additional information about the tank reservoir and measuring rations in the About Certain Features.
You’ll also find some of our own recommended instructions on how to use the Oxo Pour-Over coffee maker based on our experience and research in the How to Use section, where we’ve also included a picture of OXO’s basic instructions as well as some traditional pour-over method tips.
In this section, we briefly cover some of the key features of the Oxo Pour Over Coffee Maker with Water Tank.
The Water Tank Reservoir
There are a number of things that stand out with the Oxo Pour-Over Coffeemaker with Water Tank, but it’s pretty much safe to say that its #1 feature to stand out from the rest of the competition would have to be the water tank reservoir.
The water tank gives people the opportunity to skip the need of tediously pouring water over coffee grounds with a gooseneck kettle for a considerable amount of time in order to achieve the optimum saturation and overall flavor. The water tank, with its special drip holes of varying sizes, does this for you.
The water tank on the Oxo Pour Over Coffee Maker also eliminates the need for buying a gooseneck kettle, but you can also still choose to get on if you plan to work your way up to traditional pour-over coffees later on, simply by not using the clear water reservoir tank.
Easy Measuring and Ratios
With the Oxo Pour-Over CoffeeMaker and Water Reservoir, brewing can be done quickly and with little hassle involved—especially when compared to traditional pour-over brewing.
As mentioned before, there’s no need to spend copious amounts of time meticulously pouring water onto the ground. However, there’s also a need to weigh out measurements if you don’t want to.
This is thanks to the water tank’s measurement markings, which show in both ounces and milliliters. The reservoir tank works just like a traditional drip-style coffeemaker machine.
You just scoop out the appropriate measurements based on how much coffee you want, using the measurements on the side of the tank to Oxo’s tablespoon/teaspoon measurement system that’s listed in the included instructions.
The instructions help you measure out brew ratios starting from 10 grams (2 tablespoons coffee to 6 oz/ 180 mL) up to 4 tablespoons/20 grams, such as seen in the table below.
| Coffee | Water |
|---|---|
| 10 grams (2 Tbsps coffee) | 6 oz/180 mL |
| 13 grams (2 Tbsps + 2 tsp coffee) | 8 oz/240 mL |
| 16 grams (3 Tbsps + 1/2 tsp coffee) | 10 oz/300 mL |
| 20 grams (4 Tbsps) | 12 oz/360 mL |
Instructions
Pour-Over Method
You can also opt to use the Oxo Pour Over Brewing System as a normal pour-over brewer by eliminating the water tank steps.
This will usually require a gooseneck-style kettle for controlled pouring, and many people prefer to use scales for exact measuring as well as a timer for pouring times, should there happen to not be on included with their kettle.
It is also recommended to check the temperature of water to ensure it’s an optimal temp for brewing, although some kettles do this for you.
Here are a few popular kettle options and devices that many prefer to use if this is something you plan to evolve into later.
Likes & Dislikes
Here are some of the top pros and cons for the OXO Pour-Over Coffeemaker Drip Brewer with Tank that we discovered while conducting our product review and after using the coffeemaker for several months.
What to Like
Things to Consider
What We Like About The Oxo (Extended Version)
Conclusion
In the end, we find that the Oxo Pour Over Coffee Maker with Water Tank isn’t just a handy, affordable, and cost-effective way to get into making pour-over coffees but it really makes a good cup of coffee.
We love how it can be ideal for pour-over novices, lazy baristas, and experienced java gurus alike.
And we appreciate how it allows you to start with easy drip-style brewing and evolve to or use the Oxo brewer without the tank for the more traditional pour-over brewing method.
Best of all, it’s more than possible to achieve the same good-tasting each time you brew a cup of your favorite coffee. Much of this is thanks to the easy and convenient way the Oxo Pour-over Coffeemaker helps you easily measure your coffee-to-water ratio and the consistent pour-over from its drip-style water tank.
Overall, we found that it produces excellent-tasting coffee, even when compared to our AeroPress and regular coffeemaker. Even more than a year later, we gravitate towards using the OXO Pour-Over Drip Coffee Brewer for our everyday coffeemaking with the water tank.
Here are some of the Internet’s most Frequently Asked Questions about the Oxo Pour-Over Coffee Maker with Drip-Style Water Rank that we investigated.
It takes approximately 2.5 to 3 minutes for the Oxo to finish drip brewing when you use the water tank. Times will be dependent on the type of grounds you use and how much coffee you plan to brew.
The Oxo Pour-Over Coffee Brewer with Water Tank uses #2 paper cone filters.
Yes, it’s possible to safely use the OXO Pour-Over Coffeemaker with Water Tank while camping. In fact, many people find that it’s more durable than to travel with than glass our ceramic options, thanks to its sturdy plastic and compact build.
While OXO doesn’t specify the need to use the bloom method, many coffee fanatics still recommend doing so for 15-30 seconds prior to brewing when using freshly ground coffee to get better-quality flavor and saturation of the coffee grounds. It’s also good to rinse the paper filter first.
Is the OXO Pour Over Coffee Maker dishwasher safe? Yes. We typically place ours in the top-most rack when we use the dishwasher since there’s usually less heat involved in this area, depending on your washing machine, and to be on the safe side.
Yes, the Oxo Pour-Over Coffeemaker with the water reservoir can adequately replace a traditional, drip-style coffee maker, French press, etc. It generally takes about just as long to brew a cup of coffee as your average single-serve coffeemaker or setting. However, it’s good to keep in mind that you can’t brew a full pot of coffee when using the Oxo. It’s single-serve only.
The Oxo Pour Over Coffee Maker with the water tank allows you to brew up to 12 ounces of coffee.
Yes! That was one thing we were surprised by–find we use our traditional coffeemaker and our AeroPress far less due to preferring the Oxo.
The Oxo Pour Over Coffee Maker comes with 1 water reservoir tank; 1 dual-function lid; 10 unbleached #2 cone filters; 1 pour-over coffee maker brewer; and easy-to-read instructions that are in English and French.
The Oxo Pour-Over Coffee Brewer with Water Tank uses #2 paper cone filters. There are 10 unbleached filters included in the box.
No, you do not need to use a gooseneck kettle if you don’t want to or plan to use the water tank as your preferred method of pouring.
However, if you plan to work up to or use traditional pour-over methods every now and then or eventually, then you may want to go with a gooseneck kettle if you need to purchase an electric kettle to use with the Oxo Pour-Over Coffeemaker.
In this section, you’ll find some alternative pour-over dripper brewers that are popular choices within the coffee-making and pour-over enthusiast communities.
We’ve also gone ahead and listed a few of the options we considered when looking for a pour-over brewer, prior to purchasing the Oxo Pour-over Coffeemaker with Water Reservoir.
Where do you buy the Oxo Pour Over Coffee Maker with Water Tank? You can typically find it in some brick and mortar stores and online, but generally through sites like Amazon, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and QVC.
Starbucks has also carried the brewer in the past, stamped with their brand name, but likely won’t be available at this point or all that often.
We were fairly skeptical about the Oxo Pour-Over Brewer with Drip-Style Tank but ended up pleasantly surprised by the ease of use and, more importantly, the overall taste it helped produce.
We initially chose the Oxo as our pour-over brewer since we were beginners and wanted the option to do some hands-free brewing/pouring and pass on a lot of the fuss.
How It Rated Against Our Coffee Machine and AeroPress
I also wanted to see if it could beat the AeroPress, Ninja Coffeebar, and other types of brewers we’ve tried in the past. We gravitated towards the AeroPress for the first half of 2021 again, after unearthing it during several house moves the previous year.
I also wasn’t feeling too keen on the Ninja Coffeebar’s closed system, which can sometimes be difficult to prevent mold/mildew buildup if you’re not careful.
While using the AeroPress this year, I was reminded of the rich flavor that it produced, along with the whole brewing ritual involved. But I wanted to see if pour-overs could top it. I also wanted the option of less hassle on lazy or busy mornings.
The Final Verdict
It turns out that I much preferred both the mechanics and enhanced flavor of the Oxo to both the standard drip-style brewers, like our Ninja Bar, and the AeroPress.
I felt like it brought out the notes of the coffee more than the Ninja Coffeebar, even with the Ninja’s Cafe Forte mode, which I usually use and that’s designed to produce a more enhanced flavor profile. I also found that it didn’t require as much thinking as the AeroPress, and I wasn’t making nearly much of a mess.
But the most significant selling point was how the Oxo produced a very pleasing and well-balanced flavor for our current coffee—especially when compared to the muddiness that I noticed with the AeroPress and the somewhat blah taste that the Ninja had been producing later.
I figured a pour-over coffee might be able to manage beating out a traditional coffeemaker and maybe the AeroPress. Still, I didn’t think that the very basic water tank addition would be able to do it.
Love at First Sip
My first sip the first few days often caught me offer guard with just how the flavor was balanced and how good it tasted. It was so good that I didn’t even feel the need to start learning how to do pour-overs right off the bat.
I was thrilled with the dripper tank doing most of the work for me, and that seems to be something that other beginners and experienced pour-over brewers who’ve tried the Oxo seem to say universally.
The only downside was that it cost less than the AeroPress I’d already paid for and much, much less than the Ninja Coffeebar. I didn’t even need to shell out for some ultra-fancy gooseneck right away.
Neat-ish Rating: 4.7 stars
Oxo Pour-Over Coffeemaker Dripper Single-Serve
What to Like
Things to Consider
Interested in how to make traditional pour-over coffee? Then you might find these YouTube Videos useful (new tab).
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