With all the cold coffee makers available on the market, which ones are the best cold coffee makers?
The differences between cold brew coffee and iced coffee are many. I love cold coffee. It’s an important part of my life. I make my own cold brew at home, and sometimes when I feel lazy, I buy it premade or at a coffee shop.
Iced coffee doesn’t necessarily require any special equipment, but cold brew doesn’t really, either.
With that understood, how do you rate and review the best cold brew coffee makers?
Read on to find out.
Why Should You Make Your Own Cold Coffee at Home?
Making your own cold coffee at home saves money and gives you a massive sense of accomplishment. Your friends will be asked, “You made this?”
And you can proudly say, “Yes!”
It’s like baking your own pie from scratch the first time. I would even go as far as saying it’s one of the pillars of adulthood.
But let’s get back to money. Since we’re talking about adulting, money is an important topic. Making coffee at home is an excellent way to save money.
I rarely get coffee from coffee shops unless I’m treating myself. It’s such a small luxury that can add up so quickly as a drain on your monthly budget.
Let’s look at the math on a premade cold brew from a coffee shop (I’m going to use Starbucks) vs. making it at home.
How Much Does Starbucks Cold Brew Cost?
I adore Starbucks’ wide range of cold brew options. They have a traditional black cold brew or an ever-changing menu of seasonal nitro cold brew drinks.
But I found myself a couple of summers ago in a bit of hot water when B brought up how much I was spending on a cold brew at Starbucks.
I was buying at least one grande cold brew with coconut milk and 3 scoops of vanilla bean powder every day.
Let’s break that down:
- Grande Cold Brew- $3.95
- Add Coconut Milk- $0.50
- Add 3 Scoops Vanilla Bean- $0.50
- Local Tax- $0.09
Grand Total- $5.04
That doesn’t seem like that much, but I was ordering at least once a day.
To keep the math simple, let’s say I ordered 10 a week. That’s $50.40 a week and over $200.00 a month in cold brew coffee.
I knew something had to change. Luckily the universe was on my side and wanted better for me.
At the time, my employer asked me if I would help them develop a cold brew line for their farmer’s market season. I was ecstatic and relieved. If you’ve ever done any product development, you know there’s a lot of trying things out.
In my case, this meant free cold brew for me.
And I learned how to make cold brew at home since that was the ultimate goal at work and for my personal finances.
So, let’s look at what it costs (me) to make a single home cold brew.
How Much Does It Cost to Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home?
I have a basic set up, but like most at home endeavors, there’s a little start-up cost. You’ll need a cold brew set up and a burr grinder.
So, for simplicity’s sake, I’m not going to include the equipment for home cold brew yet. I’ll get to that later.
The breakdown for the cold brew ingredients is simple:
- 1 Pound of Coffee – $15.00 (give or take)
- Vanilla Almond Milk Creamer – $5.49 (local grocery store price for 32 oz.)
- Ice – FREE
- Cold Drink Mug – Varies
- Cold Brewer – Varies
- Burr Coffee Grinder – Varies
- Total Cost of Ingredients – $20.49
- Tax on Ingredients – $1.69
- Total on Ingredients – $22.18
- Servings per Brew – 15
Grand Total per Cold Brew Made at Home- $1.47
If you don’t factor in the cost of a cold brewing set up and a good burr coffee grinder, cold brew made at home will only cost you around $1.50 per serving.
It’s hard to justify going to Starbucks every day (or twice a day) when you can save this much money.
I hope this gives you the motivation to strike out on your own and tackle making cold brew, heck, even iced coffee, at home.
Now let’s talk about different cold brew makers and iced coffee makers that you can purchase for home brewing of your next cup of cold coffee.
The Best Iced Coffee Makers
You can find lots of iced coffee makers out there, but don’t waste your money. If you have a good drip coffee maker and know your ratios, then there’s really no need to spend the money on an iced coffee maker.
In its most basic form, iced coffee is just strong coffee poured over iced — with cream and sweeteners are added. It’s not really necessary to buy a special brewer for iced coffee.
But if you ARE really dedicated — like my dad is — you can buy an iced coffee maker.
Here are the best iced coffee makers
Zoku Instant Iced Coffee Maker
This iced coffee maker
would be fantastic for commuters or college students. You simply pour your hot coffee of choice in the prechilled tumblers and go. No need for ice or special equipment.
The tumbler holds 11 oz, and none of that space is lost to ice. One drawback is you need to be careful with how strong your coffee is because there’s no required ice to cool your hot brewed coffee down. The Zoku Instant Iced Coffee Makers comes with a lid and straw and is completely dishwasher safe.
This iced coffee maker would also be a fantastic gift for an iced coffee enthusiast who loves going camping. They could simply throw the tumbler in their cooler and make some of the groundbreaking instant coffee out there these days.
You can buy the Zoku Instant Iced Coffee Maker at Amazon for under $40.00 the last time I checked. If you’re a Prime member, you also qualify for free shipping.
Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Maker with Reusable Tumbler and Coffee Filter Black
Mr. Coffee makes this iced coffee maker. The brewing system gives users a step by step guide to making iced coffee at home. It boasts a rapid cooling system that chills the brewed coffee to a pleasing temp for iced coffee.
The Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Maker includes a measuring scoop and reusable tumbler with a straw. This makes it easy to take your home brewed iced coffee with you on the go.
Another great feature is the compact design. This iced coffee maker will fit in on even the tiniest kitchen counter.
My only complaint with this iced coffee maker is the price. It’s a little expensive for what it does. This is especially true considering (if you manage your time a little) you can simply brew a regular (strong) pot of coffee and chill in your fridge with no need for any additional equipment. This iced coffee maker ranges from $99.00 all the way up to almost $200.00. That’s a steep price tag when you most likely have the right brewing gear in your kitchen right now.
I saw this at Target when it first came out for around $45.00. I’m guessing the high price tag is due to a supply and demand issue. We (me and you) love our cold coffee, and so does everyone else. The retailers saw an opportunity and jumped on it. Maybe keep an eye on this one and see if there’s a price drop.
You can buy the Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Maker at Walmart with free shipping. This iced coffee maker starts at $122.00.
Bodum Chambord French Press
This is not an iced coffee maker specifically but bearwith me. I’ve talked about how you don’t need special brew gear to make iced coffee. The Bodum Chambord French Press is something you should have at home, and if you don’t, buy one. A French press is going to be my go-to for when I make iced coffee.
Let’s talk about why.
A French press coffee maker will give you a lot of range, and it’s perfect for iced coffee. It gives you the ability to brew a strong coffee and simply chill in a mason jar.
But for now, this is your best bet for homemade iced coffee. All you need for iced or hot coffee at home is this French press.
You can also use this to make tea at home too. The options are almost limitless. I have a friend that uses this for her cold brew coffee too.
The Bodum doesn’t take up a lot of space in your kitchen. My mom has 4 of varying sizes, and her kitchen is smaller than my closet.
Bodum made its name in the coffee world by bringing this style of brew to home coffee brewers. It’s sturdy, machine washable, and easy to use. The model I chose is 32 oz. and has a copper finish. I like the copper one because it’s a little different and pretty to look at.
You can buy the Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker at Amazon in various sizes and options in finishes. I think this the ultimate iced coffee maker for its ease of use and versatility.
The Best Cold Brew Coffee Makers
Just like iced coffee makers, there are a lot of different cold brew makers on the market. They vary in ease of use and price.
I stick with my basic set up, but you may want something more modern. If you really want to get down to basics, all you need is a good grinder and a large mason jar.
I think coffee should be attainable for those who want it. A cold brew set up shouldn’t cost hundreds of dollars. We started this journey because I was looking to make cold brew at home to save money.
Let’s take a look at my picks for the 3 best cold brew coffee makers.
County Line Kitchen Mason Jar Cold Brew Maker
I’m biased toward this cold brew set up because it’s the one I use, and I LOVE it. It’s about as low tech as you can get and incredibly affordable. The County Line Kitchen Cold Brew Maker is simply a mason jar, a pour spout lid, and a fine mesh sieve.
Making cold brew with this set up is simple. Grind your coffee. Fill strainer. Fill the mason jar with cold water. Wait 18 hours. That’s it. No batteries, no extra equipment, no fuss.
I have a toddler and work full time, so this set up speaks to me on a very personal level. I can spend about 20 minutes on a Sunday making a week’s worth of cold brew.
This minimalist approach also makes this a great travel cold brew maker. We went on a week trip to Austin, and I was able to start the brewing process before we left, and we were enjoying cold brew with my parents the next morning.
Low tech is a good thing.
It’s also dishwasher safe and easy to clean. The biggest mess with any cold brew set up is the used coffee grounds. I add mine to my compost in my garden.
This is also the cold brew technique we used at my previous employer when we looked at launching a cold brew line for the farmer’s market. As long as you follow the right ratios, you’ll be sipping on the best cold brew in less than 24 hours.
You can buy the County Line Mason Jar Cold Brew Maker on Amazon with free shipping for Prime members.
OXO Good Grips 32 Ounce Cold Brew Coffee Maker
The OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker is rated an 8/10 on Wired Magazine’s site. That’s saying a lot. If you know anything about the tech industry, you know that they run on coffee. And the colder, the better.
The brew is perfect if you’re looking for a low sediment cold brew coffee maker. Many cold brew coffee set ups leave behind sediment and sludge that can be displeasing to some cold brew lovers. I’ve even noticed some sediment in the bottled cold brew that Starbucks sells in stores.
What makes this set up revolutionary is how it “brews.” The cold water drips slowly over the ground coffee beans, giving them time to bloom before releasing the cold brew into the serving beaker below. This gives a cleaner brew with a richer flavor.
The only drawback with those cold brew coffee maker is you’ll have to fine tune your recipe to achieve the perfect cold brew coffee. I find that fiddling with a recipe (food or coffee) can be part of the fun.
Depending on your desired strength, you can be enjoying your own cold brew coffee in as little as 12 hours. Almost all of the parts of the OXO cold brew maker are dishwasher safe.
This set up takes up minimal space, so you can proudly display this maker on your countertop. Being able to see the brewer keeps me motivated to keep making my own cold brew coffee instead of forking over $5.00 whenever I want one from Starbucks.
This cold brew coffee maker is also affordable. You’ll be able to buy one of your own for under $50.00. Not bad in my book. You can buy the OXO Good Grips 32 oz. Cold Brew Coffee Maker on Amazon with free shipping for Prime members.
Cuisinart DCB-10 Automatic Cold Brew Coffee Maker
I love my burr coffee grinder by Cuisinart. They consistently produce some of the most reliable coffee gear on the market. And their products are also affordable. This is the most expensive cold brew coffee maker on this list, though.
The Cuisinart DCB-10 is best for those who are looking for a faster cold brew process. You’re going to pay a higher price tag for the convenience. This machine brews cold brew coffee in under an hour.
It has 3 settings ranging from mild all the way up to bold. I found the bold the most satisfying as it tasted as close to classic overnight cold brew coffee.
The Cuisinart cold brew maker is automatic and only requires 3 steps. Grind, fill, add water. You just press the brew button and wait 20-45 minutes, depending on the brew strength.
You can buy the Cuisinart DCB-10 Automatic Cold Brew Coffee Maker at Amazon. They offer free shipping. Last I checked, this cold brew coffee maker was going for around $80.00.
Conclusion
I hope you better understand what is needed to make your own iced coffee or cold brew at home. It really should be a money saver. Let’s stop paying $5.00 a day for our coveted cold coffee drinks and start making it home.
Let me know if you have any cold coffee makers I might have missed. There are so many choices out there. Coffee should be affordable, easy to make, and uncomplicated.
I hope you enjoyed my list of the 6 best cold coffee makers.