The best cold brew coffee makers for home

For most people, the best cold brew coffee maker is a simple pitcher with a fine mesh filter that sits in the fridge, such as the Takeya: add coarse coffee and water at night, pull out the filter in the morning and pour. If you drink a lot of cold brew, the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker makes a larger batch of concentrate and filters it more cleanly. The Hario Mizudashi is the neatest-looking option and makes coffee you drink as it is, without diluting.

You do not need a special maker to make cold brew; a jar and a sieve work, as our cold brew coffee in a jar recipe shows. A dedicated maker just makes it tidier and easier to repeat every week.

Cold brew concentrate or ready to drink

Cold brew makers fall into two groups.

• Concentrate brewers use a lot of coffee for the water and make a strong base you dilute with water, milk or ice. They make more drinks per batch and keep well.
• Ready-to-drink pitchers use less coffee and make coffee at drinking strength. They are simpler but the pitcher takes up more fridge space for the number of cups.

Concentrate is more flexible. Ready to drink is more convenient. Many people with a pitcher maker simply add more coffee to get a stronger brew.

What to look for

• Filter. Fine stainless steel mesh is reusable and easy to rinse; paper or cloth filters give cleaner, less silty coffee but need replacing. A filter that lifts out with the grounds inside keeps clean-up quick.
• Capacity. One litre lasts one person several days. Go larger for a household or if you like concentrate.
• Fridge fit. A slim pitcher fits in a door shelf. Countertop brewers with a stand need more room and you move the coffee to a carafe.
• Material. Glass does not hold smells; BPA-free plastic is lighter and less fragile.
• Seal. An airtight lid keeps the coffee from picking up fridge smells and lets you lay the pitcher on its side in some models.

How we chose

We looked at filter design, batch size, how easy each is to clean, materials and the long-term reputation of each maker. We have not run our own tests or measured caffeine. Prices change often, so check before you buy.

Best overall: Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker

Around $25

The easy, low-cost way to make cold brew every week. Fill the filter with coarse coffee, add water, leave it overnight and lift the filter out. It comes in more than one size; the larger one suits two coffee drinkers.

What we like

• Inexpensive
• Fine mesh filter lifts out cleanly
• Airtight lid
• Slim shape fits most fridge doors

Keep in mind

• Plastic pitcher
• Some fine sediment at the bottom
• Small batch for a large household

Check price at Amazon

Best for concentrate: OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker

Around $50

The pick if cold brew is your daily coffee through the summer. You brew on the counter, then flip a switch to drain the concentrate into the glass carafe, which goes in the fridge. Dilute it to taste with water or milk.

What we like

• Makes a large batch of concentrate
• Paper filters give very clean coffee
• Rainmaker lid spreads water evenly over the grounds
• Glass carafe for storage

Keep in mind

• Takes counter space while brewing
• Needs replacement filters for the cleanest result
• More parts to wash

Check price at Amazon

Best ready to drink: Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot

Around $25

A small, good-looking pot that makes cold brew you pour straight over ice. It works just as well for cold brewing tea, such as Korean barley tea or green tea.

What we like

• Simple and elegant glass pot
• Fine mesh filter
• Fits in a fridge door
• Makes coffee at drinking strength

Keep in mind

• Glass is breakable
• Smaller capacity
• Not designed for strong concentrate

Check price at Amazon

At a glance

Getting good cold brew from any maker

1. Use a coarse grind, like rough sea salt. Fine coffee clogs filters and tastes muddy. Our burr grinder guide covers grinders that do coarse grinds evenly.
2. Steep in the fridge for 12 to 18 hours, or on the counter for less time.
3. Remove the grounds once it is done so the coffee does not turn bitter.
4. Keep cold brew in the fridge and drink it within about a week.

Questions people ask

Does cold brew have more caffeine?

It depends on the ratio. Concentrate is strong, but you usually dilute it. A glass of diluted cold brew can be similar to a mug of hot filter coffee. See how much caffeine is too much for daily limits.

Is cold brew less acidic?

Cold brew tastes smoother and less sharp to many people, because cold water extracts some flavour compounds more slowly. Measured acidity differences are smaller than the taste suggests, so it may or may not suit a sensitive stomach better.

Can I use any coffee?

Yes. Medium and darker roasts give the classic chocolatey cold brew taste; light roasts make a fruitier, tea-like brew.

Photograph: AI-generated image

Filed under cold brew, coffee maker, iced coffee, kitchen.