Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker Reviews and Buying Guide

With summer in full swing, cold brew coffee continues to be a popular choice.

Don’t confuse this type of coffee, also known as cold drip coffee, with simply pouring some ice over a hot beverage.

It’s all about the extraction…

Cold brew uses a different steeping technique that has 3 effects:

Today, we’ll walk you through 12 of the best brew coffee makers so you can get the best set-up for your needs.

After that, we’ll show you why using cold brew makers makes sense if you want the best iced drinks in town.

I. Our Pick Of The Best Coffee Makers

1) Our Top Pick: County Line

When we sift through all the products we test to deliver our top pick, price and convenience need to enter the equation so we don’t only focus on the most expensive. Indeed, generally the priciest piece of kit disqualifies itself as the top pick because it’s not suitable for everyone.

Overall, the County Line Cold Brew Coffee Maker earns our top spot for a combination of its simplicity, durability, keen price and versatility. The Mason jar design, glass and stainless steel build along with the ability to make a range of iced infusions beyond a cold brew coffee makes this the best all-rounder.

How about that costly model we mentioned, though?

2. Runner-Up 1: Takeya Patented Deluxe

Resembling a cafetière in pitcher format, Takeya make a rock-solid 4-cup brew maker that snags our first runner-up spot.

With the all-important glass construction combined with an ultra-fine mesh filter to fully extract the concentrate from your fresh beans, making cold brew coffee is simplified without compromising the end result.

The proprietary FreshLok system maximizes flavor retention and the design in place guards again any sudden temperature changes.

For an affordable and minimalist cold brew coffee maker that fits in the door of most fridges and can be safely popped in the dishwasher, look no further than the Takeya.

3. Runner-Up 2: OXO

Narrowly missing out on second place, the OXO cold brew coffee maker comes out a worthy third.

One of the reasons it loses out is because it’s not exactly cheap but then the best things in life seldom are.

Fashioned from borosilicate glass with the requisite stainless steel mesh filtering your coffee, water is perfectly and evenly dispersed over your grounds thanks to the perforated rainmaker.

The OXO is fairly compact anyway and breaks down for even easier storage. Cleaning is a breeze and all you need to do is flick a single switch for a golden cup of cold brew coffee every time.

4. Best Budget Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Mason Jar

We appreciate here at Fourth Estate that many readers are operating on a tighter budget but don’t want to dip out on top-notch coffee. For this reason, we always try to review a broad spread of coffee makers at all price points.

Our no-questions winner for the best budget cold brew coffee maker is this Mason jar affair from Simple Life Cycle.

You’ll get a choice of sizes depending on whether or not you like your morning coffee super-sized and you can opt for a lid to co-ordinate with your kitchen.

Making your cold brew couldn’t possibly get any simpler. Add beans to taste then top up with water and pop it in the refrigerator overnight. You won’t need to revisit it and agitate this true set-and-forget solution to the best cold brew coffee every time.

And the best news? It costs less than a round of drinks at your local coffee shop but it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

5. Make it by French Press: Secura Stainless Steel French Press

While using a French press gives you an undeniably great cup of hot coffee, how about using it to make cold brew instead?

The great news is that it couldn’t be easier. The procedure is precisely the same as making hot coffee except you skew the ratio slightly so it’s 1:7 coffee to cold water.

If you don’t already own a French press, we’d point you in the direction of this stainless steel beauty from Secura. More robust than the standard glass variant, you’ll get a cafetière built to last for years.

With a triple filter to enhance the taste of your coffee, a cool touch handle to avoid any nasty burns and a dishwasher-safe design all at a price you’ll love, the Secura is well worth investing in for both hot coffee and cold brew when the weather heats up and you fancy a refreshing change.

Read More: Best French Press

6. For Large Mount: KitchenAid

If you have a more fluid budget and the space to accommodate it, our tip for a cold brew coffee maker on a grander scale is this beast from KitchenAid finished in a brushed stainless steel.

While the picture shows what looks like a bulky unit, this coffee maker is expressly designed to fit inside a regular refrigerator. It even has an integrated tap so you can draw yourself off a coffee straight from the fridge without needing to move it onto the counter.

Using the KitchenAid is a breeze. All you need to do is pop in some freshly ground coffee and chilled water then sit back and allow 12 hours before enjoying a fantastic brew without standing on ceremony.

A cakewalk to use and equally easy to clean, this coffee maker has the looks to grace any kitchen and the performance to match.

7. The Best High-End Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Yama Glass 6-8 Cup Cold Drip Maker

If money is no object – and let’s face it, for some people it isn’t – we can’t recommend Yama’s beautiful glass cold drip coffee maker highly enough.

Looking more like a contraption from a science lab than kitchen ware, the Yama is nevertheless super-simple to use.

With a mixture of glass and ceramic where it counts for functionality along with a highly attractive wood finish for the sake of form, if you want a coffee maker that looks as great as the coffee it infuses, consider the Yama an investment rather than an expense.

Were it not for the stiff price tag and bulky dimensions, this would displace the County Line as our top pick.

8) Toddy T2N Cold Brew System

The Toddy T2N Cold Brew System is an electricity-free way to enjoy iced coffee.

The beauty of cold brew coffee makers is that they do all the hard work for you. Simply measure out your coffee, add water and steep for 12-24 hours.

You’ll get a highly concentrate coffee you can enjoy without the acidity you’d find with a hot brewing process.

If coffee isn’t to your taste, you can make tea. As with the coffee, you can drink this concentrate hot or cold.

There are 2 reusable filters thrown in.

Although it’s not the cheapest option, with Toddy you get great brand heritage and a stylish, durable piece of kit that’s built to stay the distance.

9) Hario Mizudashi Iced Coffee Maker