We Can’t Stop Buzzing about These Cold Brew Coffee Makers

Cold brew coffee is delicious any time, but it’s the must-have drink for hot summer days. With these coffee makers, you can enjoy a delicious cup whenever you need a pick-me-up or a cool-down. Here’s a look at our picks for the best cold brew coffee makers you can buy today.

Update, 8/18/22: Checked content for accuracy and products for availability.

What’s The Difference Between Cold Brew and Iced Coffee?

You might be wondering why you should have to invest in a dedicated cold brew maker when you already have a coffee maker, ice cubes, and fridge. As it turns out, there is a huge difference in flavor between these two methods.

Cold brew takes time to make—anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. With this method, coffee beans or grounds are soaked in cold water to slowly extract caffeine, fats, and oils, which results in a smooth low-acidity taste. Iced coffee is simply hot coffee that’s refrigerated or cooled with ice cubes. In this method, flavor, oils, fats, and caffeine are warmed up and extracted quickly, which alters the chemical composition of those oils and fats and can result in a more bitter coffee.

What to Look for in a Cold Brew Coffee Maker

For what (literally) boils down to a simple cup of coffee, there is a lot that goes into making a decent batch of cold brew—even down to the beans and consistency of the grind you use. Luckily, we have a few of the most important features to consider when it comes to buying a cold brew coffee maker:

• Brewing Capacity: When it comes to how much coffee these devices can make, they’re not all created equally. Some are designed to brew just a cup while others can make as many as 14 servings. Consider how much you’ll want to drink—whether it’s a mug in the morning before work or enough for a family gathering—and find a cold brew maker that matches your needs.
• Easy to Use: Even if you don’t know how to make cold brew coffee, there’s nothing to worry about as these makers handle everything except grinding the beans. The best cold brew coffee makers are a cinch to set up, use, and clean, letting you spend your time enjoying your coffee, not cleaning it up. Bonus points to devices that have dishwasher-safe components and reusable mesh strainers. Good cold brew makers should also let you choose between a mild, medium, and bold brew, and include a carafe or other container you can safely store in your fridge for a week or two.
• Brew Time: Possibly the only downside to cold brew coffee is how long it takes to properly make it, as most makers require anywhere from 12 to 24 hours for a full brew. However, there are options that can have cold brew in your mug in under an hour if you just can’t wait (we get it, don’t worry).

Best Overall: OXO Cold Brew Coffee Maker

The OXO Cold Brew Coffee Maker makes smooth cold brew concentrate and looks good while doing so. It’s designed with a BPA-free carafe made of borosilicate glass (so it’s heat resistant and durable), as well as a sturdy brewing chamber and an ultra-fine stainless steel mesh filter, so everything is easy to set up, break down, and clean. The perforated Rainmaker top ensures an even distribution of water over the grounds for the perfect flavor extraction of up to 32 ounces of delicious cold brew.

Making cold brew with the OXO Coffee Maker is easy: just fill the brewing container with coarse grinds, pour in cold water, and allow to steep anywhere between 12 and 24 hours, depending on your desired strength. Once that’s done, simply press the Brew Release switch (which starts and stops the filtration process) to drain the cold brew concentrate into the carafe, then dilute it with hot or cold water, ice, or other liquids like creamer or milk, and enjoy.

Easiest to Use: Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot

The Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot has a simple streamlined design that’s easy enough for anyone to use. It’s made of durable glass and has a sturdy handle, plus its small spout guarantees a steady and controlled pour with no mess. The pot is dishwasher safe, and the included mesh filter can be washed and used again, so you won’t need to fuss with paper filters. The coffee pot brews about four cups of coffee, and its slim design won’t take up much space in your fridge or on your countertop. Plus, with three colors to choose from (brown, red, and black), you can pick the one that best fits your personality.

Best for Large Batches: KitchenAid Cold Brew Coffee Maker

If you’re looking to make a big batch of cold brew for a summer barbecue (or a whole bunch just for yourself), the KitchenAid Cold Brew Coffee Maker is an unbeatable choice. Not only is it adorable and stylish, but it can make up to 28 ounces of coffee concentrate in a single go. All you have to do to start your brew is scoop grounds into the steeper, pour in cold water, and let it steep for at least 12 hours.

Its small footprint makes it easy to fit in your fridge, and its carrying handle makes it easy to move around while its stainless steel tap easily dispenses cold brew into a glass with the press of a finger. The maker also has a reusable stainless steel steeper with level indicators that’s easy to clean and lets you skip paper filters.

Best No-Fuss Budget Pick: Country Line Kitchen Cold Brew Mason Jar

For anyone looking for a way to make cold brew coffee at home without obliterating your budget, check out the Country Line Kitchen Cold Brew Mason Jar. It may not have the flash and pizzazz that other makers do, but it does include everything you’ll need for making cold brew, plus it’s easy to use. Included in the kit is a two-quart Mason jar, a heavy-duty stainless steel filter for the grounds, a silicone seal for the filter, a flip-cap lid with a silicone seal, an instruction manual, and a recipe booklet.

Making cold brew with this kit is practically effortless: just add coffee grounds and cold water, let it steep overnight, remove and empty the filter, and enjoy your drink. The flip cap makes for easy, mess-free pouring, while the airtight seal keeps things fresh while you store it in your fridge. All components in the kit are high quality and dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. As a bonus, it works perfectly for making iced tea, as well.

Fastest Cold Brew Maker: Cuisinart Automatic Cold Brew Coffeemaker

When the urge for cold brew hits, sometimes you just can’t wait, and with the Cuisinart Automatic Cold Brew Coffeemaker, you don’t have to. It can brew a batch in as little as 25 to 45 minutes, depending on how strong you want it to be. The glass carafe holds up to seven cups of cold brew at a time, and it has fill level indicators to help you pour the perfect amount of water. The coffee maker’s chamber, carafe, and filter basket are all removable and dishwasher safe, and the carafe can safely store coffee in your fridge for up to two weeks. You can opt for a mild brew, which takes just 25 minutes to make, a medium brew (35 minutes), or a bold brew (45 minutes), if you’re willing to wait a little longer.

Best Portable Option: Asobu Coldbrew

The great thing about the Asobu Coldbrew is how well-thought-out its design is. It has a stylish look that matches other modern appliances, and the maker is designed to dispense your cold brew directly into a built-in mug. The mug is removable, and its copper-insulated construction and airtight sealed lid will keep your coffee cold as you take it to the office, school, or the park. The mug is BPA-free and is easy to wash by hand.

Making coffee with the Coldbrew is easy: just add in 1.3 ounces of medium-coarse grinds into the fine mesh filter cup, then pour cold water over the filter and let it steep for 12 hours or more. The brewer is available in four colors—black, copper, silver, and white—so you can find the best match for your aesthetic—and it doesn’t have a large footprint so it won’t take up too much space in storage.

Most Flexible Maker: Chef’n 3-in-1 Craft Coffee Brewing Set

If you enjoy coffee but are hesitant to invest in a menagerie of coffee appliances, you might appreciate the Chef’n 3-in-1 Craft Coffee Brewing Set. With the set, you can make cold brew, pour over, and French press coffee all with the same device, and it comes with all the necessary accessories for each style including a pour over cone and a French press filter. The carafe itself is made of borosilicate glass, which is highly durable and heat resistant, and it won’t add any undesirable additional flavor to your brew. Its small design is easy to store or keep in your fridge, though it does have to be washed by hand as it cannot go into your dishwasher.