- Cold brew coffee is refreshing and delicious, but it can take up to 24 hours to make.
- I tested seven different cold brew devices and relied on my 10+ years of coffee industry experience to find the best cold brew makers so you won't be disappointed by a weak batch after hours of brewing.
- The Toddy Cold Brew System is the best cold brew maker because it produces large batches of flavorful concentrate and is easy to use and clean.
- We expect some cold brew makers to go on sale, so if you're looking for deals, check out our Black Friday and Cyber Monday coverage.
One of the most dramatic changes I've seen in my decade-long career in specialty coffee both behind the bar and behind the scenes is the rise of cold brew coffee. It's gone from a niche, seasonal drink to being one of the most popular beverages available. Thankfully, like traditional pour-over or drip coffee, there is plenty of equipment to brew your own at home.
I spent five years at a company that was well-known for its cold brew and helped its cafes troubleshoot their cold brew systems, delivered truckloads of drinks, and of course, drank it almost every day, so I knew what to look for when testing cold brew makers to determine the best ones. I also spoke with two industry veterans, each with 20+ years of experience — Eileen Rinaldi, founder and CEO of Ritual Coffee; and Ben Helfen, Education Support Specialist from Counter Culture Coffee— about some of the nuances of brewing cold brew, such as grind coarseness, water temperature and which roasts taste as cold brew, which you can read about here.
Regardless of which brewer you use, making cold brew is one of the simplest ways to brew coffee, but it can take up to 24 hours. The increased brew time and lack of heat make the brewing process less volatile and more forgiving than pour over or espresso, which means you don't need complicated techniques or an elaborate machine. The only things you'll really need are good beans, time, and a simple cold brew maker.
The best cold brew makers of 2020
- Best overall: Toddy Cold Brew System
- Best budget brewer: Takeya Cold Brew Maker
- Best automatic brewer: Cuisinart Automatic Cold Brew Coffeemaker
- Best for ready-to-drink cold brew: Coffee Gator Cold Brewer
- Best compact brewer: Toddy Artisan
Prices and links are current as of 11/25/2020. We rewrote this guide after comprehensive testing of our previous picks and new options on the market, as well as consulting two experts. We've also added a thorough testing methodology and FAQs.
SEE ALSO: The best pour-over coffee gear you can buy
The best overall
The Toddy Cold Brew System makes a strong and flavorful concentrate without any learning curve or trial and error, and up to 28 cups of cold brew when diluted.
Pros: Makes large batches of concentrate, offers two styles of filtration, easy to clean, the concentrate is full-flavored and delicious
Cons: Silicone lid doesn't form a perfect seal, contains small parts that can be easily lost, paper and felt filters need replacing
Of all the brewers I tested, the Toddy Cold Brew System was my favorite because of its intuitive design. The first concentrate I brewed turned out perfect without any learning curve or trial and error.
There are two main components to the Toddy Cold Brew System. The brewer itself consists of a plastic brewing container, gray silicone lid, and rubber stopper that fits into the bottom. It also comes with a stylish glass carafe and a plastic lid that seals the carafe tightly. It's the perfect size for storing a full batch of concentrate and fits easily in the fridge. Everything felt sturdy and well designed
The Toddy requires 12 ounces of coffee for brewing, which is a pretty large amount. I ground the coffee to a coarse fineness and covered it with seven cups of water as instructed. After placing the lid on top of the brewing container and leaving it at room temperature for 24 hours, I came back to a perfectly brewed concentrate that tasted almost as rich and full as hot coffee. Every batch of concentrate, including the first I brewed, was full-flavored with no sediment. It had a strong, chocolatey flavor with hints of fruitiness and slight spice.
The required 12 ounces of coffee per batch may seem excessive, but the Toddy makes about seven cups of concentrate, and when diluted to the recommended 1:3 ratio of coffee to water, yields about 28 total cups of cold brew. If you wanted to make less cold brew, just cut the amount of coffee and water in half, keep the grind coarseness and brew time the same, and the concentrate should be the same high quality.
The Toddy system comes with felt filters as well as paper filters. You can use only the felt filter which fits snugly into the bottom of the plastic brewing tank, or pair it with the paper filter for double filtration. When using the paper filter, the coffee grounds are placed in the paper before adding the water; with the felt filter, you put the grounds directly in the tank. I tested both methods and didn't notice an extreme difference between the drinks. The felt filter seemed to filter out more of the particulates than the paper filter, but the paper filter was much easier to clean since you can throw it out. The felt filter needs to be rinsed out, but it was relatively easy and didn't stain after multiple uses. Two filters are included with the brewing system, and Toddy recommends replacing the felt filter after three months of use.
I would strongly recommend setting the Toddy somewhere it won't easily be knocked over. The silicone lid doesn't create a perfectly tight seal, so the cold brew will spill if the unit is tipped over. Thankfully, this didn't happen to me, but I had a few close calls. I also noticed that the silicone lid can create a seal that prevents the coffee from draining properly once I began filtering, so I'd removed the lid while filtering to avoid that.
The best budget brewer
Despite the low price, the build quality of the Takeya is solid — the plastic is durable (though prone to staining after many uses)‚ and the seals are tight so there was no leaking even when brewing on its side.
Pros: Affordable, available in 1-quart and 2-quart sizes, easy to use and clean, did not leak
Cons: Clear plastic can become stained after extended use, too tall to fit upright in most refrigerators, grounds can get caught in the lid and make a mess during cleaning
The Takeya is similar to the Coffee Gator brewer but more affordable, and it uses a plastic pitcher instead of glass. When it comes to coffee, plastic and glass don't make a difference in flavor, but glass tends to hold up better over time whereas plastic can become permanently stained after multiple uses — which may not be a dealbreaker.
The filter basket and cap on the Takeya screw together and then screw onto the pitcher — all impressively tightly for the price. However, one drawback to this design is that it's hard to make sure all of the grounds are properly steeped if the brewer isn't placed sideways per the instructions (the 2-quart size I tested was too tall for my standard refrigerator) or shaken throughout the brewing time. There is about an inch of space between the filter and the lid where grounds may become stuck and not exposed to the water for brewing. While brewing, the Takeya didn't leak at all, but the grounds settled in the top of the lid and fell out of the lid when I tried to clean the brewer which made a bit of a mess.
The Takeya comes as a 1- or 2-qt pitcher and they function the same way; I tested the larger of the two sizes. The instructions call for about two cups of coarsely ground coffee and filling the pitcher three-quarters of the way with water, which by my measurements, was about 50 ounces or 1400 ml. The 2-qt Takeya was taller than the other brewers I tested and taller than my refrigerator allowed, so I brewed it on its side according to the instructions. Even if you have the space available, I would still recommend storing it sideways while brewing so that all of the grounds are properly saturated through the brewing process.
The results were very similar to other ready-to-drink immersion brewers. I followed the directions and brewed for 12 hours in my refrigerator, producing a tea-like drink. I brewed it for 24 hours and the results were much stronger, but not quite the same level as the concentrate produced from the Toddy. Overall, the finished cold brew was very well-rounded and balanced with a sweet, chocolatey flavor on the forefront. The Takeya could easily be used to make a stronger concentrate if left to brew at room temperature as well.
If you're looking to save a little money and don't mind making more batches, the 1-qt Takeya is a good alternative to the Coffee Gator. The 2-quart model is about the same price as Coffee Gator but can brew significantly more coffee without a noticeable drop in quality.
The best automatic brewer
The Cuisinart Automatic Cold Brew Coffeemaker provides brew times much quicker than any immersion cold brew maker. This brewer is perfect for anyone who values convenience and quickness and doesn't mind sacrificing a bit of flavor.
Pros: Extremely quick brew time, sturdy build, easy to use, easily disassembled for cleaning
Cons: Even at the longest brew time, the coffee lacks the depth of a longer immersion brewing process; more large and expensive than simpler brew coffee makers; requires electricity to work
With the Cuisinart Automatic Cold Brew Coffeemaker, the filter basket spins inside the water at regular intervals every few seconds to agitate the grounds and cut the brewing time down to minutes.
The device is built similarly to a standard electric coffee maker, and it's closer to a high-end kitchen appliance. This coffee maker is made from high-quality plastic and glass and has a sturdy base that holds the water reservoir and filter basket above a carafe, which is used to collect the finished coffee. It's bigger, heavier, and, unlike any of the other cold brew makers I tested, it requires electricity. The filter basket sits inside the water tank, and both can be removed from the base for easy cleaning. The filters are also all-metal, so there is less need for replacements.
It might seem a bit complicated when you first encounter this coffeemaker, but it's easy to use and the instructions are clear. Cuisinart recommends a medium to coarse grind size, but I found that anything coarser than medium led to a weaker flavor. The machine has filters in both the grind basket and the lid of the carafe, so the finished coffee is light and free of sediment.
But with a faster brewing time, there are tradeoffs. The Cuisinart offers preset timing selections with the mild, medium, and bold buttons, which correspond to 25-, 35-, and 45-minute brew times respectively. I tried batches at each length of time and found the best results came with the longest brew time, but even then, the finished cold brew is not as full-flavored or developed as the cold brew you'd get from an 8- to 24-hour immersion brew. That's not to say it was bad, it was just different. The coffee was bright and more tea-like in color and taste than the coffee produced from the other brewers I tested. The flavor notes were more fruity and less chocolatey and robust.
One thing to note is that the instruction manual doesn't list measurements for coffee by weight, so you have to rely on the provided scoop for measurements. Traditionally, whole bean coffee is measured by weight before grinding, so this was a bit frustrating, as I was using freshly ground coffee. If you're using whole bean coffee, I recommend grinding your coffee first and then using the included scoop to measure.
The machine disassembles easily for cleaning. Since it doesn't use hot water, not as much residue is left behind, so all it needs is a quick rinse.
If you want a quick and easy solution to brewing cold brew, it doesn't get much quicker than this. With a 45-minute maximum brew time, it brews cold brew significantly faster than any other product I tested. The Cuisinart Automatic Cold Brew Coffeemaker is priced favorably compared to other automatic cold brew machines on the market, but it's more expensive than most manual cold brew devices because of the mechanics involved. If you have the budget, it's a great tool for people who want cold brew without having to plan ahead or wait.
The best for ready-to-drink cold brew
The Coffee Gator Cold Brewer is a great immersion brewer for cold brew. Its no-frills design makes it accessible and easy to use while allowing for customization.
Pros: Very easy to use, easy to clean up, fits easily in the fridge, drinks can be customized to your preference depending on brew time
Cons: Makes less cold brew than other brewers, the metal filter allows more sediment than paper or felt filters
The Coffee Gator has a pretty standard design as far as immersion brewers go, and makes a ready-to-drink cold brew instead of a concentrate for convenience. The design is a glass pitcher with a detachable and reusable filter basket that doubles as a brewer and serving vessel. I was impressed by how sturdy and well-made this brewer is, and how tightly-fitted all the pieces were, which helped prevent any leaks.
It's a bit smaller than comparable products and fits perfectly in the fridge, unlike the Takeya cold brewer (our budget pick), which is so tall it needs to be stored on its side. It disassembles easily and the bottom of the filter basket screws off for easy rinsing, though you want to be a little careful with the thin filter; thorough rinsing and light scrubbing with a sponge did the trick for me. There was no discoloration after testing the brewer three times.
It's also easy to use. Ground coffee goes into the filter basket, then water is poured over the top of the coffee through the hole in the lid. The instructions call for about 2.5 oz (75g) of coffee to 1.1 liters of water, which almost completely fills the brewer. Cold brew isn't an exact science so you can eyeball the water here.
The instructions call for a minimum brew time of eight hours, but that wasn't nearly enough time for a strong brew. I sampled a bit of the coffee after the recommended eight hours and found it to be quite weak and more similar to tea. I tried it again after 12 hours and was more pleased with the stronger coffee it produced. It was better developed and some more of the fruity flavor notes came through. For my second round of tests, I let the coffee brew for a full 24 hours in the fridge, and it was much stronger, but still smooth. The strongest batch was brewed for 12 hours at room temperature. This yielded a well-rounded, sweet and chocolatey cup of cold brew, almost as strong as a concentrate. I did notice slightly more sediment in the cold brew after longer brew times, so I'd avoid drinking until the very bottom of the batch.
The best compact brewer
If space is at a premium in your apartment or fridge, the Toddy Artisan can make great cold brew without taking up much space. The brewer also serves as a carafe for serving.
Pros: Compact, fits in small fridges, can make concentrate or ready-to-drink cold brew, very easy cleanup
Cons: Requires single-use paper filters, thin glass, easily tipped over, silicone lid doesn't form a perfect seal
The Toddy Artisan is a smaller alternative to the full-sized Toddy Cold Brew System, but it's just as easy to use. Like its larger counterpart, it made great coffee right away with very little need for any adjustment.
The brewer is essentially a glass jar with a silicone lid and it comes with 12 paper filter bags, a metal filter basket, and tongs. The brewer itself doubles as a small carafe for easy storage after brewing; it's the smallest brewer I reviewed. At 6.5 inches tall and 3.5 inches wide, it's slightly smaller than a standard Mason jar and can fit easily in a kitchen cabinet or in the fridge. Unlike the full-sized Toddy, this brewer can only be used with paper filters, which are not reusable.
The Toddy Artisan is simple and easy to use but isn't the sturdiest product. The glass is a little thin and the silicone lid doesn't form a perfect seal, so be careful not to knock it over while it's brewing.
This brewer offers the option to brew a concentrate or a ready-to-drink cold brew. For concentrate, use 50 g of coffee to 400 ml (13.5 oz) of water. This yields just under 400 ml of concentrate that can be diluted 1:3 with water to produce about 54 oz or about five cups of cold brew. The ready-to-drink recipe uses slightly less coffee (35 g), more water (500 ml), and less steeping time — which is entirely going to depend on personal preference.
Like the full-sized Toddy, the instructions were easy to follow and the brewing process was intuitive — I was able to achieve great results on my first test. I brewed my first batch of concentrate according to the instructions for 24 hours at room temperature. It was balanced and slightly chocolatey with low acidity, very similar in flavor to the full-sized Toddy. I also brewed it for eight hours to try the ready-to-drink version, and it also tasted great. It wasn't as sweet and was a bit lighter than the concentrate.
Cleanup couldn't be easier since the grounds are neatly contained in the paper filter bag. Once the coffee is allowed to drip from the bag, you just dump out the filter bag with the grounds, rinse off the metal basket, and serve or store the coffee in the glass brewer itself.
Needing to buy replacement filters is a bit inconvenient, but I think the paper filter leads to a noticeably higher quality cup of cold brew. If you're short on space and don't mind buying extra filters, I highly recommend the Toddy Artisan.
What else we recommend
OXO Compact Cold Brew Coffee Maker ($29.95): The OXO Compact is an affordable alternative to the more expensive Toddy Artisan. It makes a well-developed concentrate that tasted a bit brighter and had slightly more grit. It also has a built-in reusable metal filter, so if replacement filters are a dealbreaker, this is a great alternative. The Toddy Artisan slightly edged this one out due to better flavor (it tasted truer to how the coffee was supposed to taste), but this is a perfectly capable alternative if you're able to compromise a bit.
OXO Good Grips 32 Ounce Cold Brew Coffee Maker ($39.99): The OXO Good Grips Cold Brew provides a slightly more affordable alternative to the Toddy Cold Brew System. It's made of plastic and feels sturdier than the full-sized Toddy, makes a concentrate, and uses a built-in metal filter just like the OXO Compact. But due to the metal filter, the concentrate that it produced was not quite as clean-tasting as that produced with paper or felt filters, and the coffee was just a bit more gritty. It was very easy to use and clean, and with a capacity similar to the Toddy, the OXO is great for large batches.
What I look forward to testing
Cold Bruer Drip Coffee Maker ($79.99): This brewer uses the drip process to make cold brew which is not common in at-home cold brewers, so I'd like to see how a drip cold brew maker works in the kitchen.
Filtron Concentrate Brewer ($39.95, currently unavailable): The Filtron is similar to our favorite overall cold brew maker, so I'd love to see how they compare head to head.
Bodum Bean 12 Cup Cold Brew Black Iced Coffee Maker ($12.88): Bodum has an excellent track record with its home coffee products, so I would love to see if that quality extends to its cold brewer as well. However, this one didn't arrive in time for me to test this time around.
Hario Mizudashi ($20.50): Hario is one of my favorite producers of home coffee products. I'm really looking forward to testing this one and seeing how it stacks up against the Coffee Gator and Takeya.
Soma Brew Bottle ($31.89): The Soma came highly recommended by Eileen Rinaldi of Ritual Coffee. I'm curious how it compares to our favorite compact brewer, the Toddy Artisan.
Presto Dorothy ($67.89): The Presto Dorothy is another automatic cold brew maker that advertises a 15-minute brew time, but this is another one that didn't come in time for me to test.
KitchenAid ($59.99): The KitchenAid also didn't arrive in time to make it into this round of testing. It comes with a built-in tap to make serving easy.
Testing methodology
I worked in specialty coffee for almost a decade and handled countless tasks behind the scenes and behind the bar. I also helped develop the menu for a local coffee shop in my town of Warsaw, Indiana, and I also consulted Eileen Rinaldi, founder and CEO of Ritual Coffee, and Ben Helfen, Education Support Specialist from Counter Culture Coffee.
When testing cold brew makers, I tried to keep the variables consistent between brewers. To do this, I tested each coffee maker with Ritual Coffee's Featherweight Blend, a bright, juicy blend with a well-developed, roasted sweetness that's suited for cold brew. Using the same coffee ensures that any differences in the finished coffee are a result of differences between the products and brewing processes.
I carefully weighed all the coffee and water using a digital kitchen scale according to the manufacturer's instructions and ground beans with my Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder. To ensure I was using the right amount of beans, I weighed the coffee before grinding based on the amount recommended by each manufacturer. I used coarsely ground coffee for each test unless instructed otherwise by the manufacturer, and tap water filtered with a generic Brita pitcher.
I used each brewer three times and noted the following:
Ease of use: For the first round of tests, I followed the directions from each brewer and noted the results. I looked at how easy each brewer was to set up, how easy the instructions were to follow, and how intuitive each product was to use. After the initial test, I tried minor differences in brewing to see if I could achieve better results — longer brewing time, brewing temperature (refrigerator or room temp), and coarser grinds. Part of what makes brewing coffee at home so rewarding is that you can make it exactly how you want, so I wanted to see how each coffee maker handled customization.
Quality: While testing, I made sure to note how well-made each brewer was or wasn't. I noted the materials, whether the brewers felt durable enough to withstand extended use, and I paid attention to the filtration method in each brewer, taking into account if they were reusable and easy to clean. For the brewers that screwed shut, I checked for leaks. I paid close attention to nuances in the design that would lead to any inconsistencies in brewing or possible spills or accidents. I also noted how easy each brewer was to clean after use and whether there was any discoloration in the filters, pitchers, or carafes.
Taste: Most important in my testing was the quality of the cold brew produced. Taste is subjective, of course, and the specific flavors in each batch depend on what kind of coffee you prefer to use. Because of that, I looked at how well-extracted or developed each batch turned out, meaning how deep, strong, and complex the flavor was. The Ritual beans I used responded well to a wide spectrum of tests that yielded coffee of different strengths. Both lighter batches of ready-to-drink cold brew, and darker, more robust concentrates had very similar flavor profiles, with slightly different notes highlighted in each batch. I also looked at whether any sediment was left behind in the carafes after each batch was done.
FAQs
What is cold brew?
Cold brew is coffee brewed cold or at room temperature, instead of with hot water. Rinaldi said making a batch of cold brew can take 12 to 24 hours, depending on your recipe. That is, of course, significantly slower than any hot water method. But in the absence of heat, it takes much longer for all of those delicious organic compounds and oils to become fully extracted from the ground coffee.
This process slightly changes the flavor too. Helfen said, "Oftentimes, the nuance of the coffee is lost in cold brew, but because the sugars in coffee take longer to extract, the extra brew time can increase sweetness." According to Rinaldi, some of the more volatile organic compounds aren't extracted as readily so cold brew can produce a really clean and less acidic flavor profile.
Why should I buy a cold brew maker?
Cold brew is easy and possible to make at home, but having a specialized cold brew maker certainly makes the process easier. All of the brewers I tested are designed to make the brewing process easier and are tailor-made for cold brew. Most importantly, they all provide a dedicated mode of filtration that is geared toward brewing a more clear and refreshing cup of coffee.
What's the difference between a cold brew concentrate and a cold brew that's ready to drink?
Cold brew makers can produce a cold brew concentrate or cold brew that is ready to drink. The concentrate is usually a much stronger extraction with higher caffeine content and must be diluted at a coffee to water ratio of 1:3 or 1:2. Ready-to-drink cold brew doesn't require any dilution and can be consumed right away. It's usually lighter in color, and the strength and flavor are more reminiscent of tea. It's a more bright and refreshing drink, whereas concentrate offers a more full-flavored, dark, intense product. Most cold brew devices are advertised as producing either concentrate or ready-to-drink, but some are flexible enough to do both. In those instances, you can increase the strength of the coffee and create a concentrate by using less water and steeping for longer.
What are the differences between automatic, immersion, and drip cold brew?
There are a few ways cold brew makers work. Each method has its pros and cons, but immersion brewing is the standard style, and the most common, accessible, and affordable. Here, the grounds are submerged in room-temperature water for an extended period of time. The ground coffee can be contained in a filter basket, a paper filter, or hang loose in the water and be filtered later.
Drip cold brew, also known as the Kyoto Method, is made by slowly dripping cold water over a bed of ground coffee, which is then filtered. Like immersion brewing, this process can take 12 or more hours. Drip cold brewers tend to be a bit more complex and expensive, and aren't as common as immersion or automatic makers.
Automatic cold brew makers are a newer entry in the market that use different methods to speed up the brewing process. For example, the Cuisinart Automatic uses a motor to spin the filter basket around in the water tank, agitating the grounds and creating a batch of cold brew in 25 to 45 minutes.
What is the best kind of coffee to use for cold brew?
There is no "correct" coffee when it comes to cold brew — feel free to use any coffee you like. I used blends for my tests, but single-origin roasts are also commonly used. Rinaldi said, "Darker roasted coffee is more extractable, so you see a lot of espresso roasts being prepared as a cold brew." I've also seen many cafes rotating single-origin blends to provide a variety and different choices to their customers. Ultimately, like many aspects of home brewing coffee, it all comes down to personal taste.
What's the best grind coarseness for cold brew?
Coarse grind size — similar to what you'd use for a French press — is usually recommended for cold brew, and what I used in testing.
The major factor to consider with the grind size is filtration. A finer grind can turn muddy over a long brew time, making it more difficult for the water to pass through the grounds during filtration. Helfen said, "Most folks grind coarser for cold brew because of the long brew time and because filtering the liquid out of the grounds doesn't take as long."
Paper and felt filters tend to filter out more of the fine solids than metal or mesh filters, and a finer grind will pass through more than a coarse one. Too much sediment makes a silty, cloudy cup of coffee, which is not desirable with cold brew.
Of course, there are exceptions. Some brewers I tested, like the Cuisinart Automatic, respond well to a finer grind because of the shorter extraction time needed.
What is the proper ratio of coffee to water for cold brew?
The ratio of coffee to water will vary slightly depending on whether you're brewing concentrate or ready-to-drink cold brew, and which coffee maker you use. The ratios I tend to prefer are about 1 part coffee to 5 parts water, or a 1:5 ratio, for concentrate and 1:7 for something that's ready to drink. I recommend following the instructions included in your brewer and adjusting the ratio to taste. The one thing that's consistent across all brewers is that cold brew uses way more ground coffee than traditional brewing, so be prepared with your beans.
Should I steep my cold brew in the refrigerator or at room temperature?
Water temperature is one of the most important things to consider when brewing coffee. Since cold brew is extracted over such a long period of time, there's a bit more leeway with the temperature than with hot brewing methods. Warmer water leads to a quicker and more complete extraction, which usually makes a more complex and deep flavored coffee. Once again, I recommend following the instructions of your coffee maker and adjusting to taste from there.
From all of my testing, I found that letting the coffee steep at room temperature produces a much better flavor than leaving it in the fridge for an extended period of time. But Helfen does add one caveat. "I find brewing at room temp quite risky. Unless you're very meticulously sanitizing your brewing equipment, the bacterial growth of coffee brewing at room temp can get out of control pretty easy." If this is a concern, most cold brew devices are dishwasher safe or have removable components that can be cleaned in a dishwasher.
How long does cold brew stay fresh?
Unlike hot coffee, cold brew can maintain its flavor in the fridge for a while. If stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator, it should stay fresh for up to two weeks. It may start to taste more stale, sour or bitter after a few days, which is fine if you can tolerate it but unlike traditionally brewed coffee, cold brew will maintain freshness for longer than a few minutes.
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