OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Review

We purchased the OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

OXO is often an innovator, and this coffee grinder is no exception. Rather than relying on a timer to determine the number of grounds dispensed, the OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder with Integrated Scale weighs the grounds to determine the number of shots or cups. Is that innovation worth the extra cost? We tested, sipped, and decided.

Setup Process: Scale needs to be tared

When we first turned on the grinder, we also needed to tare, or zero, the scale. We simply put the grounds cup in place and held a button until the scale was set. Besides being in the manual, instructions are on a sticker under the scale’s metal plate, so it was easy to find whenever we needed to repeat the process.

Design: Nice enough for counter display

No one would accuse this grinder of being beautiful, but it’s attractive for a kitchen appliance and wouldn’t look out of place in any kitchen, even if it’s left on the counter at all times.

Performance: Grinds from powder to chunky

We tried this grinder with several types of coffee beans, including premium beans and lesser quality, as well as both dark and light roasts. The finest grind was powdery, while the coarsest grind was chunky and a little uneven, reminding us of crushed peppercorns. The coarsest grind was coarser and chunkier than we’d use for brewing coffee but might be useful for other culinary purposes. At settings that we’d actually use for brewing, the grind size evened out, with no more chunky pieces in the mix.

Features: Attention to detail

This grinder has several features that we liked. The bean hopper locks, so it’s impossible to accidentally twist it too far and remove it, and the grinding won’t start unless the hopper is locked. A trap door on the bottom of the hopper keeps beans from falling out when it is removed from the grinder.

In the default mode, the grinder operates by the number of cups that will be brewed, using the scale to determine when to stop. At first, we wondered who actually weighs their coffee, but as bakers will tell you, using a scale is more accurate. That’s not the only benefit, though. The grinder won’t start if the cup isn’t on the scale. This way, you won’t have grounds flying everywhere if someone bumps or removes the cup during grinding. The grinder indicates when the bean hopper is empty, and the scale remembers how much more you need after you add the beans. A sliding lever on the front of the grinder with plus and minus signs lets you increase or reduce the number of grounds per cup, so you can fine-tune your brew. The bean hopper is tinted to protect the beans from UV light, which can cause them to go stale, so you can fill it and leave the soon-to-be-ground beans in the machine for a short time.

Other: One dial (almost) does it all

This grinder has a single-use dial/button that controls almost everything. While it is intuitive in use, some features are hidden from view. For example, by default, this machine grinds the beans based on the number of cups selected, allotting 8 grams per cup. However, it can also be switched to dispense any number of grams needed. A third option turns off the scale. Unless you read the manual to know these options existed, you might never stumble upon them while using the grinder.

In normal use, the button is intuitive. Turning the dial changes the number of cups, and if you forget to press the button, the ring around it blinks slowly to remind you. Another press pauses the grind. Press again, and it continues. Meanwhile, a red ring around the dial lets you know that there’s a problem that needs to be addressed.

Price: A high-end grinder with a high-end price

If we’re not counting commercial coffee grinders, this is on the high end of the price range, thanks to the technology integrated into the machine. The scale is accurate to the gram, and it integrates with the grinding operation, making this a very smart machine.

OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder with Integrated Scale vs. Breville the Smart Grinder Pro

At a similar price point, the Breville the Smart Grinder Pro is another very capable coffee grinder that we tested. We have to admit that we liked both, for different reasons. The OXO is mostly controlled with one button, while the Breville has a digital interface that’s more detailed. The OXO weighs the ground coffee, and the Breville measures based on the grinding time. The OXO generated chunky grounds on the coarsest setting, while the Breville’s grind was smaller but more consistent on its coarsest setting. Either one of these machines would be a welcome addition to a home kitchen, so the final choice would depend on which features you consider most important.