I've tried a dozen of the most popular coffee concentrates. The OXO Rapid Brewer outperforms them all in mere minutes.
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This Tiny Gadget From OXO Makes Coffee Concentrate in Minutes Instead of Hours
Published on May 28, 2025
Ahh, the beautiful world of coffee concentrates. For sleep-deprived adults, nothing beats a caffeine hit on demand. As a casual coffee lover and food reporter, I’ve tested over a dozen coffee concentrates over the course of my career. While they do deliver a convenient jolt, they don’t replace the flavor and depth of a freshly-brewed shot, and they’re pricey to boot.
But making my own coffee concentrate—especially cold brew concentrate—takes time. Unfortunately, time is simply not a luxury I have in the morning. When I heard about a new, inexpensive kitchen gadget capable of creating coffee concentrate in mere minutes, I was initially very skeptical. But after spending six months with the OXO Rapid Brewer, I’m now a true believer in full-bodied, five-minute cups.
EMILY WAY FOR TASTE OF HOME
OXO Rapid Brewer
What is the OXO Rapid Brewer?
The OXO Rapid Brewer is a handy little gadget that makes espresso-like, hot or cold concentrated coffee shots. These shots are then mixed with water and milk or ice to create delicious, cafe-style drinks. The whole process from grind to brew takes only two to five minutes, rather than a traditional steep method, which takes several hours (or even days).
The beauty of the Rapid Brewer is twofold. First, and most importantly, it cuts down on the time it takes for a real, flavorful coffee concentrate. Second, and even more exciting, is the customization available with this method.
Folks can choose their favorite coffee brand (including flavored beans), whether they prefer hot or cold coffee and their dilution method. This leads to lots of fun experimentation. Think espresso-style martinis, deeper flavors in bakes and—of course—coffee bar classics like lattes and iced frappes.
How We Tested It
I’ll admit, when I first received my OXO Rapid Brewer, I was a little overwhelmed. The gadget comes apart into five pieces: a tamp, pump, drip cup, water chamber and a grounds basket. However, each piece easily screws onto the next, so it’s relatively easy to assemble and disassemble.
Both hot and cold concentrates use roughly the same method, with the only real difference being the measurements of grounds and water, plus the water temperature. Once you run through the steps a couple of times, it’s truly as simple as making something like a pour over or French press. The key to a successful concentrate is in the prep, with the grounds perhaps being the most important part.
Grind Size
Whether it’s organic coffee, espresso or any other beans, grind size will make or break the concentrate. The manual says that the grounds should be slightly more coarse than what you’d use for a home espresso machine, but finer than you’d use for drip coffee.
I own a Cusinart coffee grinder and experimented with grind settings one, two and three. For me, the finest grind setting ensures the best extraction, but it’s worth experimenting to see what works for you. The main goal is making sure that the grounds tamp down tightly to keep the water in the chamber during the steeping period, while still offering enough movement for the water to flow through them upon pumping.
Because the flavor of the concentrate relies heavily on the grounds, I recommend sticking with espresso, dark or medium roasts. Light roasts work, but can come out a bit acidic depending on the coffee’s notes. I’ve experimented with dozens of options, but my favorite remains Lavazza Super Crema, which creates a lovely depth and delightful foam upon hot extraction.
Assembly
Once you have your grounds ready, the next part is assembly and brewing. Add the fresh grounds to the grounds basket. The ratios for hot and cold concentrate are slightly different: 1/4 cup grounds for hot concentrate, or 1/2 cup for cold concentrate.
Next, use the tamp and firmly press the grounds down so that they’re tightly and evenly packed. There are guidelines on the inside of the grounds basket that discern the tamp level for both hot and cold concentrate, making it easy to see when the grounds are packed tightly enough.
From there, screw the grounds basket onto the bottom of the water chamber, then place these on top of the drip cup. Then, fill the water chamber up to the fill line with either hot (up to 212ºF) or cold/room temperature water. Immediately after filling, tightly screw the pump onto the top of the water chamber. Twist and pull the pump upwards, creating a vacuum seal.
Steeping
Set a timer for two minutes for hot coffee or five minutes for cold coffee. Wait as the coffee steeps. Once the time is up, press down on the pump several times to push the water through the grounds. This forces the water through the steeped grounds and extracts all that delicious flavor.
You may get some foam, especially for hot coffee. This isn’t exactly crema like espresso would have, but it’s a good indicator that the extraction is nice and concentrated. Voila—you now have coffee concentrate! And trust me, this stuff is potent. The extraction uses just over one bar of pressure, which imparts so much body and flavor nuance into each concentrate.
Warning: This is very, very concentrated coffee, meaning that it needs dilution prior to enjoying. Don’t drink the concentrate straight!
Hot Coffee
As I said before, the best part of the OXO Rapid Brewer is all the possibilities it creates. I’ve tried many different self-made recipes, but a classic latte is satisfying and oh so simple. I pour about half of the concentrate into a mug, then microwave another mug filled with whole milk (but feel free to sub with plant milk or 2%).
Then, I use a handheld frother, which agitates the milk and gives it a silky smooth, foamy texture. You can also use a small whisk or a fork for this. From there, just pour the milk on top of the concentrate, stir, spoon the foam on top and enjoy!
Cold Coffee
In my humble opinion, the sky is the limit with the cold coffee concentrate that the Rapid Brewer makes. Pour it over ice and mix with milk or water for an iced latte. Pop it into your favorite Ninja Creami recipe for a nice buzz. Add it into brownie batter, cookie dough and chili for deeper flavors. I’ve even frozen it in pucks à la Cometeer Pods and poured hot water over it when I need a quick caffeine fix.
One of my favorite ideas comes from a local coffeeshop. Add a little splash of club soda, some concentrate and any number of flavored syrups for a creative coffee mocktail over ice. If you get tired of the same old cup of coffee every morning, the Rapid Brewer is an easy way to mix up your routine without adding too much time to your mornings. You don’t even have to be at home to use it—you just need some grounds and some water!
Cleanup
My biggest gripe with actual coffee machines is the nightmarish process of cleaning and descaling. While there are tons of handy guides on how to descale a coffee machine, it’s one of those looming “to-dos” that I always push back. In fact, I don’t even remember the last time I properly descaled my drip machine. Yikes!
Some may assume that the more parts a gadget has, the harder to clean. However, I’m happy to report that the Rapid Brewer is super simple and easy to maintain. Simply dump the used grounds into the trash or compost bin, give the parts a good rinse (and perhaps a quick scrub with some dish soap) and enjoy a clean concentrate maker. Additionally, all parts aside from the pump are dishwasher safe.
The only caveat: submerging the pump in water isn’t recommended, so give it a wipe instead.
Pros
- Delivers versatile, flavorful concentrate in minutes
- Capable of both hot and cold coffee
- Surprisingly easy to use
- Incredibly sturdy
- Travel-friendly
- No paper filters!
Cons
- Requires some experimentation
- Most compatible with dark and espresso roasts
OXO Rapid Brewer vs. The Aeropress
In the world of portable coffee makers, the Aeropress is perhaps the most well-known. I’ve owned my Aeropress for over seven years. In fact, I have three—one for home, one that lives at my husband’s office and one in my car in case of a caffeine emergency while camping or traveling. In contrast to the pressurized Rapid Brewer, it operates a bit like a traditional French press.
So, is the OXO Rapid Brewer better than an Aeropress? That’s a complex question that ultimately depends on your expectations. What initially drew me to the Aeropress was the promise of fast, flavorful extraction on the go. The same appealing travel-friendliness applies to the OXO Rapid Brewer, with the bonus of no paper filters. I see myself reaching for the OXO Rapid Brewer over the Aeropress for that reason alone, especially since paper filters can affect the taste of such a small amount of concentrate.
Admittedly, I’m not a barista with practiced tastebuds (though I have done coffee tasting classes in the past). All told, I’m just a humble coffee lover and food reporter who likes variety in her daily brews. To me—and the average consumer, I imagine—both units offer great-tasting, quick caffeine hits.
Final Verdict
Overall, I find the OXO Rapid Brewer easy to use, inexpensive and capable of making a darn good cup of coffee. Additionally, it delivers over one bar of pressure in the chamber, positioning it a step above drip coffee in terms of extraction. Still, one bar of pressure is a far cry from the amount of pressure needed for a full-on espresso pull. For that, you’d need something like the travel-friendly Minipresso, which offers up to eight bars of pressure.
That said, those seeking a travel-friendly concentrate maker will be hard-pressed (get it?) to find something comparable to the Rapid Brewer. As much as I love premade concentrates for their convenience, I can’t see myself swapping back after using this impressive coffee gadget. Compared to a $20 bottle of concentrate, it pays for itself in just two uses—and the cup customizations are endless.
Where To Buy the OXO Rapid Brewer
EMILY WAY FOR TASTE OF HOME
OXO Rapid Brewer
Those interested in experimenting with the OXO Rapid Brewer—or those who simply want good concentrate fast— can snag one for themselves from a number of retailers. It’s typically priced at around $40. Find them at OXO, Macy’s, Amazon and Target. You can also pick up an “outdoor” version, which features red trim and a stylish carrying case. Save time, money and enjoy your mornings—no waiting or special knowledge required!
FAQ
How do you clean the OXO Rapid Brewer?
While it’s not dishwasher safe, cleaning the OXO Rapid Brewer components is delightfully simple. Just tap the used grounds into your trash or compost and rinse each piece under running water. You can also use a little dish detergent and gentle scrubbing for a deeper clean. The most important thing to remember is to never submerge the pump in water. Just give it a good wipe if it’s dirty.
How do you use the OXO Rapid Brewer?
Using the OXO Rapid Brewer is simple, and is made all the simpler thanks to the integrated fill lines. First, grind some beans. They should be coarser than an espresso grind, but finer than drip coffee grounds. Then, unscrew all the parts of the gadget, leaving you with five pieces: a tamp, the pump, a drip cup, the water chamber and the grounds basket.
Next, add your grounds to the grounds basket. For hot concentrate, use 1/4 cup, and for cold concentrate use 1/2 cup. Then, use the included tamp to firmly press the grounds down so that they’re tightly and evenly packed. They should approximately match the fill lines present on the inside of the grounds basket.
From there, screw the grounds basket onto the bottom of the water chamber, then place these on top of the drip cup. Fill the water chamber up to the fill line with either hot (up to 212ºF) or cold/room temperature water. Immediately after filling, tightly screw the pump onto the top of the water chamber and pull the pump upwards, creating a vacuum seal.
Let it steep two minutes for hot coffee, or five minutes for cold coffee. Once the time is up, press down on the pump several times to push the water through the grounds. Mix with water, milk or ice and enjoy!
