Compare Coffee Machine
OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker scores higher on safety - here's why.
The most important dimensions, side by side.
The water reservoir is plastic, but Mr. Coffee does not disclose what type. Without knowing the specific polymer, there is no way to assess whether it leaches BPA or other chemicals when in contact with hot water daily.
The reservoir is confirmed BPA-free, but OXO doesn't disclose the specific plastic type. Without knowing the exact polymer, we can't fully verify whether replacement chemicals like BPS or BPF are present.
Mr. Coffee has not made a BPA-free claim for this specific model. While some of their more expensive machines carry BPA-free labeling, this budget model does not — so there is no assurance about BPA in the plastic components.
OXO explicitly confirms all water-contact and coffee-contact components are BPA-free — a meaningful safety commitment for daily use.
An independent lab has verified this machine meets UL safety standards for household coffee makers — protection against fire, shock, and overheating. This is a solid safety feature at any price, and especially noteworthy at $16.99.
OXO is an established brand sold through every major US retailer, and the instruction manual includes standard electrical safety warnings consistent with certified products. We're confident this machine meets safety standards, though OXO doesn't prominently display the certification mark in their online materials.
Brews at just 182°F — well below the 195-205°F range that specialty coffee experts recommend. Your coffee will taste noticeably weak and watery compared to machines that hit the right temperature. This is the most impactful performance gap.
OXO's BetterBrew technology delivers water in the optimal 197-205°F range for full flavor extraction. This is an SCA-certified brewer — it meets the same brewing standards as machines costing twice as much.
The glass carafe sits on a warming plate that keeps cooking your coffee after it is brewed. Already weak from low brew temperature, the coffee degrades further the longer it sits — expect a stale, bitter taste within 30 minutes.
The double-wall vacuum-insulated stainless carafe keeps coffee hot for hours without a warming plate — your coffee won't develop that overcooked taste that glass-on-hotplate models produce.
Mr. Coffee does not say whether the glass carafe is dishwasher safe. We are working from what is listed — and it is not listed.
The brew basket and Rainmaker showerhead are dishwasher safe, but the thermal carafe itself needs hand-washing — standard for vacuum-insulated carafes.
The water reservoir is built in — you fill it through the top. It works, but it is less convenient than a removable tank you can carry to the sink.
The water tank is built into the back of the machine — you'll need to bring a pitcher or cup to fill it rather than taking it to the sink.
No programmable timer — you flip the switch when you are ready. Straightforward but no way to schedule your morning coffee the night before.
There's no timer or delay brew — you press the button when you're ready. OXO designed this as a simple, one-button brewer without scheduling features.
Mr. Coffee does not mention a permanent filter — the 'Lift & Clean filter basket' is the housing, not the filter itself. You will likely need paper filters.
Uses basket-style paper filters — you'll need to keep them stocked. Third-party reusable filters are compatible if you prefer to skip the paper.
At $16.99, this is the cheapest coffee maker we have tested — recorded for reference but does not affect the overall score.
At $199.99 this is the most affordable SCA-certified thermal carafe brewer on the market — you're getting brew quality that rivals $350 machines. Price is recorded for context but does not affect the R3 score.
7-day free trial · Cancel anytime
Everything you need to make the call - who each one is for, and who should skip it.
Go for it if you...
You need the cheapest possible coffee maker and brew quality is not your primary concern
You want verified electrical safety at a budget price — the UL certification is genuine and uncommon at this price point
You prefer the simplest possible operation with no buttons, screens, or settings to figure out
You want SCA-certified brew quality with a thermal carafe at the lowest price available in this segment
You brew both full pots and single cups and want a machine that handles both without accessories
You prefer a simple one-button operation without complicated menus or programming
You're comfortable with the trade-off of fewer convenience features for better brew quality per dollar
The main thing to know
The brew temperature of 182°F produces noticeably weak, under-extracted coffee — well below the 195-205°F range that specialty coffee experts recommend for proper flavor extraction.
Every usability feature is stripped away — no programmable timer, no removable reservoir, no dishwasher-safe carafe, no permanent filter. This is a machine for coffee purists who don't mind a hands-on routine.
Skip this if you...
You care about coffee flavor — the 182°F brew temperature produces weak, under-extracted coffee that specialty drinkers will find unacceptable
Material safety matters to your family — the plastic reservoir type is undisclosed and no BPA-free claim is made for this model
You want any convenience features like a programmable timer, removable reservoir, or permanent filter
You want to wake up to fresh coffee — there is no programmable timer or delay brew feature on this machine
Full material safety transparency is important to you — the reservoir polymer is not disclosed despite the strong BPA-free commitment
You want a removable water tank and dishwasher-safe carafe for minimal daily maintenance effort
Neither of these quite what you're looking for?
I've reviewed all Coffee Machine options at every price pointEvery Coffee Machine in our database is scored using R3's deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. For this comparison, we evaluated Mr. Coffee and OXO across 3 independent criteria: Safety (72%), Efficacy (23%), Usability (4%). No sponsored rankings. No paid placements.
Straight answers - no sponsored content, no filler.
I'd start with OXO OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker - it scored 8.0/10 overall in our scoring system. Safety is our top-weighted scoring pillar, followed by efficacy (23%), and usability (4%). Check which pillar matters most to your family and compare those specific scores.
R3 uses a deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. We evaluate each Coffee Machine across Safety (72%), Efficacy (23%), Usability (4%) using independently verified data. No sponsored rankings. No paid placements. Every score is fully reproducible.
Not necessarily. The overall score reflects our weighted rubric, but your priorities may differ. If you care most about safety, compare the safety scores directly. If budget drives your decision, the value scores and prices tell a clearer story. The "right" pick is the one that matches what matters most to your family.
Not the right match? Explore these alternatives in the same category.
