Skip to Content

We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.

The 7 Best Cold Brew Coffee Makers Of 2023

Add to cart, get set, go!

Headshot of Kaitlin MaharBy Kaitlin Mahar
cold brew coffee makerspinterest icon

Did you know Americans spend an average of $1,100 per year on coffee? Now, think about all the times your iced coffee order has been a gritty, watered-down disappointment. You may not be able to change your past, but once you’ve finished pouring one out for all the cold brews gone too soon, you can change your future by investing in a quality cold brew coffee maker. But what coffee machines make the best cold brew? If you're wondering how to get started, we've got all the intel.

Also love your coffee piping hot? Check out our recommendations for the best single-serve and drip coffee makers.

Our top picks

How we picked these products

Good House Keeping Institute Lab Tested Badge

To find the best at-home cold brew coffee makers, we consulted our friends at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Their team of on-staff experts—which includes all types: engineers! data analysts! registered dietitians!—rigorously put everyday products to the test (and then more and more tests) in their New York City-based labs to determine which ones you can trust. For these cold brew coffee makers, they tested performance, design, yield, taste of cold brew, leftover sediment, ease of use and assembly, and even filtration options. Based on their findings, we identified the makers that will have you asking “Where have you bean all my life?!”

    Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Maker

    Editor’s Choice
    OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Maker
    Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Maker

    $73 at Walmart
    Credit: OXO
    Pros
    • Rainmaker lid ensures even water distribution
    • Easy to clean and store
    Cons
    • Requires paper filters
    • Brewing reservoir doesn't include a lid

    Did you hear Tina Turner dedicated her song “Simply the Best” to the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Maker? Okay, we didn’t either, but given its ability to make a cup of what the Good Housekeeping Institute called "smooth, balanced, chocolatey" java, it wouldn’t be a surprise. After adding your favorite ground coffee, just pour water through the perforated Rainmaker lid, which is designed to evenly distribute water over the grounds with minimal effort.

    The hardest part about using this cold brew maker is waiting the 12 to 24 hours it takes to yield up to 13 cups of coffee concentrate—even cleaning and storage are a breeze! It’s good to note, though, that this 32-ounce model requires paper filters and lacks a lid for the brewing reservoir.

    Best Budget Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    Toddy Cold Brew System

    Toddy Cold Brew System
    Best Budget Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    Toddy Cold Brew System

    Credit: Toddy
    Pros
    • Cost-effective
    • Reusable filters allow for easy clean-up
    Cons
    • A little more complicated to use
    • Only uses Toddy filters

    Brewing on a budget? Proof not to judge a book by its cover: the slightly bulky plastic Toddy Cold Brew System offers two brewing methods (classic and dual filtration) to produce a strong, bold concentrate with hardly any sediment. Though it’s not as easy to use as other options on this list, it’s still pretty straight-forward: Slowly pour water over the coffee grounds, wait 5 mins, add the remaining coffee, and slowly add remaining water. Then wait 12 to 24 hours and voilà, about six cups worth of coffee concentrate await!

    It’s worth noting that if you do use a filter (which isn't necessary), this machine can only use Toddy filters, which typically cost about $1 each (and you do get two with your purchase). Why use one? The Good Housekeeping Institute's kitchen tech experts found it helped create "a quicker extraction, a smoother brew, and most importantly, easy clean-up" since it can be rinsed and reused about ten times, or for up to three months. Best of all, they allow for easy clean-up—just dispose of them with your leftover grounds.

    Most Versatile Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    Chef'n 3-in-1 Craft Coffee Brewing Set

    Chef'n 3-in-1 Craft Coffee Brewing Set
    Most Versatile Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    Chef'n 3-in-1 Craft Coffee Brewing Set

    Credit: Chef'n
    Pros
    • Small footprint
    • Makes pour over, French press, and cold brew coffee
    Cons
    • Slightly bulky handle

    There are plenty of 3-in-1 combinations you should avoid—like that shampoo/conditioner/body wash combo you have in your shower— but the Chef’n 3-in-1 Craft Coffee Brewing Set is definitely not one of them. This dynamic trio boasts big Russian nesting doll energy thanks to its compact design, so you can maximize your space and beverage options. Seriously, the only thing that's bulky about this set is the handle, which the Good Housekeeping Institute's lab testers noted "requires a little more room for storing."

    With pour over, French press, and cold brew coffee-making capabilities, this is our recommendation if you're struggling to rationalize spending a chunk of change on a single-use kitchen tool or if you’re the only one in your household who even likes cold brew.

    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
    Best Small Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    OXO Brew Compact Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    OXO Brew Compact Cold Brew Coffee Maker
    Best Small Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    OXO Brew Compact Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    Now 21% Off
    Credit: OXO
    Pros
    • Easy to use, clean, and store
    Cons
    • Makes less coffee than its larger counterpart

    Like the Good Grips Cold Brew Maker, OXO's Compact Cold Brew Maker is "just as effective and easy to clean as its bigger sister," according to the Good Housekeeping Institute, making it a perfect option if you're low on fridge and storage space or don't want to deal with filters. Boasting a 24-ounce brewing container, elegant glass storage jar, and cork lid, this model requires minimal effort to pour and store small batches of cold brew.

    As with the larger version, simply add ground beans and pour water into the Rainmaker top to evenly distribute water over the grounds. Then set it and forget it for either 12 to 24 hours if you’re brewing on your counter or 20 to 24 hours if you’re leaving it in your fridge. When it’s done, you’ll be left with about five cups worth of bold, rich coffee concentrate—and no gritty sediment.

    Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker for Large Batches

    Brim Smart Valve Coffee Maker

    Brim Smart Valve Coffee Maker
    Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker for Large Batches

    Brim Smart Valve Coffee Maker

    Credit: Brim
    Pros
    • Designed for optimal water dispersal and coffee freshness
    • Compatible with most generic filter brands
    Cons
    • More complicated brewing process
    • Requires reusable filters

    Is your home the go-to brunch spot? Whether you’re one of many cold brew drinkers in your house or you’re used to serving a crowd, the Brim Smart Valve Coffee Maker has you covered with its 2.5-liter brewing container, 1.5-liter glass decanter, and accompanying lids. For best results, the Good Housekeeping Institute recommends users "[follow] the guide for preparing the coffee, which is a little more involved than other models." Like the super-popular Chemex, this gadget takes a similar approach to pour-over brewing to ensure your grounds properly “bloom”, which means they release carbon dioxide and expand. The end result is five cups of coffee concentrate with strong, robust flavor and very little sediment.

    Though the brewing method is a bit more complicated than other models, the wide-angled head allows for plenty of water dispersal, and the carafe’s tapered design keeps your coffee fresher longer. The Smart Valve does require reusable filters (which need to be replaced every dozen uses), but two come included and you can use any of the readily-available generic brands.

    Easiest-to-Use Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    County Line Kitchen Cold Brew Coffee Maker with Flip Cap

    County Line Kitchen Cold Brew Coffee Maker with Flip Cap
    Easiest-to-Use Cold Brew Coffee Maker

    County Line Kitchen Cold Brew Coffee Maker with Flip Cap

    Now 15% Off
    Credit: Country Line Kitchen
    Pros
    • Simple brewing process
    • Canister's mason jar design makes it easy and inexpensive to replace
    Cons
    • Leaves behind a little sediment

    The County Line Kitchen Cold Brew Coffee Maker may leave a little sediment due to the filter's cylindrical shape, but its brewing method is so dang simple we don't even mind. This maker yields about three cups of coffee concentrate in 12-24 hours at room temperature or 24 to 48 hours in the fridge, but if you want an average strength or stronger concentrate, we recommend brewing it for longer.

    The canister’s dishwasher-safe mason jar design makes it easy to store and clean and cheap to replace—pro-tip from the Good Housekeeping Institute: "You can easily have one jar storing and one jar brewing at the same time, to keep your brew in constant rotation," so you never have to go without your precious java.

    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

    What's the difference between iced coffee and cold brew?

    delish line break

    Whether you have difficulty stomaching the acidity of regular coffee or you want to kick your watery java to the curb, you might find that cold brew is the solution to your caffeine woes. So what does a cold brew coffee maker do, exactly? As the name might suggest, cold brew is made from coffee grounds that are steeped in cold water instead of hot water over an extended period of time (usually about 12-24 hours). We get it—why wait up to a whole day for coffee when you can just press a button and get some in minutes? Patience, young grasshoppers.

    Though it might seem contradictory, this slower, gentler method results in a deeply-flavored, stronger, and bolder coffee concentrate, which you can pour over ice or mix with hot water. Plus, cold brew is less acidic, which is ideal for those with gastrointestinal issues like IBS or people on low-FODMAP diets, and some studies show it can even boost your immunity. Don’t get us wrong, we love our coffee in all forms, but if you’re looking for a richer, sweeter, and smoother cup that can last for weeks in your fridge, you might be interested in giving cold brew a try.

    What should I look for in a cold brew coffee maker?

    delish line break

    Glad you asked! Whether you're new to the cold brew scene or a seasoned pro, here are some factors you should always consider when shopping for a cold brew coffee maker:

    Filtration: You know what’s worse than a weak cup of coffee? A gritty cup of coffee. There are three general types of filtration systems that can be utilized by cold brew coffee makers: Mesh, metal, and paper. While it might seem counterintuitive, paper filters are the best at keeping extra sediment out while yielding a robust concentrate. Mesh filters tend to weaken your coffee, while stainless steel options tend to let some grounds slip through the cracks.

    Size: Making cold brew is a lot like life: It’s all about balance. Many makers can produce more than just a single cup of joe at a time, but knowing what size you’ll need involves taking a look at your lifestyle. As we mentioned before, some cold brew batches can last up to two weeks, so if you like to have a lot of coffee at your disposal or you do a lot of entertaining, a maker with a greater yield might be a better option for you. That being said, if it’s just you or you live in a smaller household, it’s fine to want a maker that will produce enough java to last you a few days or even a week, but not so much that it goes to waste.

    Automatic vs. Manual: Yes, we know we’ve been going on and on about patience being an integral part of the cold brew making process, and now here we are to tell you there is such a thing as a faster way to get cold brew—besides, you know, ordering one at Starbucks. Automatic models do yield a faster cold brew, but unless you’re really short on time, we don’t recommend them. Compared to manual models, they’re harder to clean (because they have more parts) and are less consistent, but they’re an option if convenience and speed are more important to you than a smooth, robust flavor.

    Headshot of Kaitlin Mahar
    Kaitlin Mahar
    Contributing Writer

    Kaitlin Mahar is a California-based freelance writer covering the shopping and lifestyle beats. When she's not sharing her passion for the Oxford comma with anyone who will listen, she is a proud cat parent, avid yogi, tea enthusiast, and co-host and co-producer of the podcast "Crime Culture". 

    Watch Next
     
    preview for Featured Videos from Delish US

    Food News

    7eleven bring your own cup day

    7-Eleven's Bring Your Own Cup Day Is Back Apr. 29

    jello shot jenga

    You Can Buy Jell-O Shot Jenga on Amazon

    native american food brands

    9 Native American Foods To Buy Online

    queen elizabeth ii platinum jubilee 2022 the prince of wales and duchess of cornwall attend big jubilee lunch at the oval

    King Charles Chose Quiche For Coronation Dish

    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
    Logo
    twitter icon
    youtube icon
    facebook icon
    instagram icon
    pinterest icon
    Hearst Lifestyle and Design Group - A Part of Hearst Digital Media

    A Part of Hearst Digital Media

    Delish editors handpick every product we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.

    ©Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.