OXO vs Capresso vs Bonavita - 8 Reasons the OXO is Better
I have owned two Capresso machines for a total of six years and I have owned two Bonavita machines for another six years. I find this machine to be better than either. At their best I would say that all three coffee makers are capable of making very good coffee, and I would be hard pressed to support the claim that the coffee made in this machine is consistently better than the best coffee from either of the previous brands. That said, it is very good. At Starbucks or at good restaurants I rarely find coffee that I enjoy so much. I don't seek out coffee esoterica and I don't consider myself a coffee snob; but I do buy good beans and I grind them for each use. If the coffee made in this machine is not measureably better, why would one spring for the extra money for the OXO machine instead of the Bonavita or the Capresso? Before we answer that question, we must explain why the thermal caraffe. The answer is that burners that keep uninsulated caraffes warm invariably burn coffee and they do not keep out air. The combination of oxygen and excess heat too quickly turn the tasty brew from beverage to burnt battery acid. Keep excess heat and air from fresh-brewed coffee and it can taste good for hours. Need it to be warmer? Pop your mug of coffee in the microwave for half a minute or so. A good thermal caraffe can keep coffee tasting fresh-brewed for four hours or more. And the caraffe on the OXO is that good. WHAT MAKES OXO BETTER? -- 1) The caraffe on this machine works better. It keeps coffee tasting fresh from the time it is made at 5:00 AM until lunchtime, around noon. None of the previous machines did this - although all were ten or fifty times better than open pots, there was always a bit of oxidation bitterness, even if the lid was kept on the thermal caraffe. A constant irritation with the Bonavita was that the pour spout was so poorly designed that (it seemed like) fully 10 percent of the coffee ran down the side of the caraffe onto the counter. Of course, pouring slowly could sometimes help a bit, but I never could do this. The people who will benefit most from this difference are absentminded guys whose wives hate cleaning up their reckless coffee spills. In such a case, this difference alone could help save a marriage. 2) The OXO machine's fit and finish are better. I cannot tell why, but this machine just looks better sitting on my black granite countertops. Perhaps it is the shiny black plastic. Or the sculptural curves. In any case, it has the presence of a work of art, FWIW. This machine is, however, taller by about two inches. It has a greater kitchen presence. This extra size may sometimes be a tiny drawback - especially in a tiny galley kitchen. 3) The brew-stop feature really works. Remove the caraffe and two things happen: 1) a spring loaded plunger closes to stop coffee flow. 2) the machine senses the absence of the pot and pauses the brewing cycle. With the Bonavita, I always scalded my hand if I wanted coffee before the cycle finished; both features are missing from it. 4) Number 4 coffee filters actually fit. With the Bonavita, one must fold the paper filters over at the bottom and side joints, then hope that sliding the pot into position does not nudge the top of the filter closed - the consequence of which is a plugged machine with scalding hot water and coffee grounds flowing across the kitchen counter and floor. This little accident has happened probably two dozen times in the six years I've operated Bonavita machines. Diligence and determination reduced the frequency of occurrance, but it was always a hazard. With the OXO, the bin that holds the filter is deep enough that this kind of problem is much less likely. No folding, no sliding, no scalding coffee floes. 5) The clear water reservoir helps one see how far the brewing cycle has gotten. The Bonavita and the Capresso coffee makers had smoke tinted plastic reservoirs which allowed one to observe the water level from nearby; but not from acrosss the room. With the OXO I can observe the progress from across the kitchen. 6) Of course, once the novelty of it wears off I'm sure that this won't count for much, but I happen to think it's mildly amusing watch the water bubble up through the central heating tube. So does my wife. Who buys a coffee maker as a source of entertainment? I admit it's not much, but we take our amusement where we can find it. 7) "The caraffe is not in place." Fortunately, this coffee maker does not scold you for being neglectful as some cars did in the 1980's with spoken phrases like "your door is a jar;" but it does turn on a red light when it senses that the pot is not in place. Absentminded people might find this of some help when they have started the machine by pushing the start button, but nothing has started happening ... because the caraffe is in another room! 8) The microprocessor counts how many times you have brewed coffee since descaling. When it gets to 90 it tells you to descale the machine. Since I have lost 4 machines to scale, I like the idea that this might extend the life of this machine to the point that it actually has a lower cost of ownership than my previous machines. I know that it is saving me on electricity already because in my old Bonavita it now takes two cups of water to make one cup of coffee -- it's evaporating half of the water. That's very energy intensive. It did not do this when it was new. Sadly, my experience with Bonavita machines is that once I notice that they need descaling, it is too late. So a friendly reminder might help me extend the life of my machine and keep brewing costs down. My impression of OXO kitchen tools has always been that they are very carefully and thoughtfully designed. And that they are well executed. This coffee machine extends those brand values to coffee makers. At the point it completes the cycle, the coffee made by this machine is certainly as good as, if not perceptibly better than that of the Bonavita or Capresso; but the coffee keeps better in the caraffe, it pours into the cup better, and it is much less susceptible to filter handling errors that result in rivers of hot coffee running across the counters, down the cabinets, and onto the floor. It looks better, and I have reason to hope it will ultimately have a lower cost of ownership thanks to its descaling reminders. I've had it for a week and I am very pleased with it. Read more