This $40 OXO Device Makes the Best Home Espresso
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
Comment
The rabbit hole of single-serve coffee setups goes deep in the pursuit of great-tasting brew. Pour-over, AeroPress, espresso machines: Sometimes it seems like there are more devices and complicated recipes to make the coffee than there are people to drink it, and consistent results can be elusive — even for someone who’s been a coffee obsessive for as many years as me. Home espresso is, of course, even more complex and costly. Last year, however, OXO released a coffee gadget that has transformed my daily cup and rendered my home-espresso quests virtually moot. The OXO Rapid Brewer is a $40 contraption that resembles a cross between a French press, an espresso machine, and an AeroPress. With a modified recipe, the coffee it makes rivals any of those methods.
New! You can now save this product for later.
The OXO Rapid Brewer consists of four parts: a chamber where you add the ground coffee, an upper cylinder where you add water, a hand-pump mechanism that sits atop that, and a simple cup to catch the brewed coffee underneath. It’s not complicated. If you follow the directions that come with the OXO Rapid Brewer, you get a perfectly fine cup of normal coffee that brews in two to five minutes. Using this stock method is nothing to write home about.
The more elevated way to use the Rapid Brewer is based on tinkering and revelations from the enthusiasts in the coffee community, most notably YouTuberLance Hedrick. This method does require a tad more fuss, but the results are worth it. By introducing paper filters combined with the brewer’s mesh filter and forcing the coffee through with hand-generated pressure — kind of like a gentler version of espresso — you get some of the most effortlessly delicious coffee I’ve tasted. It yields a small amount of concentrated coffee liquid that is bright and sweet, not ashy and bitter.
This preparation has been affectionately dubbed “soup” (or “zuppa,” for some added flair) by aficionados. When you brew soup with the OXO, you end up with a bit more volume than an espresso, no foamy crema on top, but it’s packed with all the intense flavor of an expertly pulled shot. You can throw back this soup on its own and marvel at its concentrated goodness, or you can dilute it with hot water for a more standard-size cup of joe that retains a marvelous complexity. It’s firmlynotespresso as traditionally defined, but the sweet, rich punch of flavor is on the same level. I’ve found more consistency of sweetness and balanced acidity making coffee with the OXO than in years of toiling over temperamental pour-over methods and espresso adventures.
With the Rapid Brewer, you do not need a specialized pouring kettle with a gooseneck spout or to monitor timing, as in most pour-over methods. You do not need an espresso machine that is costly, requires constant maintenance, and has a high learning curve. The entire brewer is compact, portable, and easy to clean, and it requires zero technique and is fast as heck. Once you are ready to pour water into the brewer, the entire process takes less than a minute.
To make soup with the Rapid Brewer, you will need a couple of additional items. Paper filters that sit in the brew chamber atop the coffee grounds will provide clarity and distinct flavors that the built-in mesh screen cannot.AeroPress filtersfit well enough for this purpose, or you can cut rounds out of any coffee filters you have on hand. I was able to cut 12 round filters for the OXO out of oneChemex filter. As with all coffee preparations,a good burr grinderpays dividends in flavor and consistency. You’ll need one that grinds fairly fine, but not as fine as espresso. Most grinders out there should have the appropriate range (I’ve been using my trusty1ZPresso K-Ultra hand grinder). Atemperature-controlled kettleis also handy but not required. Your water should be at about 200 degrees F. If you are using water boiled on astovetop kettle, just wait about 30 seconds off the boil and you should be in range. A full rundown of soup technique can be found in thisvideo, and there’s even aReddit communitydedicated to the OXO Rapid Brewer.
I’ve been brewing espresso at home for well over a decade, and making soup with the OXO is the most delicious and consistent way I have found to achieve the flavor of a café-quality espresso at home. When I want a more classic cup of brewed coffee, I just add enough water to the soup to make an eight- to ten-ounce cup. The Rapid Brewer has its limits, however. It is a single-serving brewer, one cup only, not suitable for serving groups. It also only really shines with the addition of paper filters, finely ground fresh coffee, and precise water temperature. These factors, baseline requirements for getting the most out of any “manual” coffee-brewing method, may put the Rapid Brewer in the “too fussy” category for many. But compared to many methods out there, it is a simple and very affordable way to get superbly delicious coffee at home.
Other coffee gadgets we like
More From The Strategist
- The Back-to-School Hall of Fame
- The Best Things Strategist Editors Have Bought This Year (So Far)
- Everything You Need to Outfit Your College Dorm
- The Strategist Summer 100
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
