Are you looking for the best cold brew coffee makers? Well, in today’s article we will breakdown the top 4 best cold brew coffee makers that is available on the market.
#1. Filtron: The Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker
What sets the Filtron Cold Water Coffee Concentrate Brewer apart from other brewing systems is its use of a water bowl.
This system evenly saturates the coffee grounds to draw out the flavors of the beans and make delicious coffee.
To use the brewer, you first plug the bottom of the coffee bowl and insert the reusable sealed filter.
For easy cleanup, insert a large coffee filter on top of that and fill it with up to a pound of ground coffee.
Next, place the plastic guard on the coffee and put the water bowl on top.
You then fill the water bowl to the appropriate level and let the coffee steep for 12 to 24 hours.
Lastly, you place the setup over the 1.5-liter carafe and pull the plug.
We admit, the Filtron requires a bit of work, but you’ll be rewarded with great tasting cold-brew coffee for the effort.
The Filtron Brewer comes with two sample paper filters and a measuring cup.
One unique and somewhat irritating feature is that the reusable filter pad must be stored in the refrigerator in water to stave off the mold.
Product reviewers and buyers alike agree that this cold-brew coffee maker is excellent.
CNET says they Filtron Cold Water Coffee Concentrate Brewer because of the rich and delicious quality of the coffee it produces.
As for downsides, the reviewer found that the Filtron was more difficult to use than others because of the multi-chamber filter.
Still, the reviewer recommends it as an affordable, effective cold-brew option.
Of the half-dozen cold-brew systems The Wirecutter tested, the Filtron brewer consistently supplied the best-tasting concentrate.
The reviewer also found that the brewer produced the least expensive cold-brew per cup.
However, the writer noted that it is more cumbersome to replenish its supplies and to store it.
Wired thought the Filtron “makes rich, full-bodied cold-brewed coffee that has the least sediment of any product” it tested, but like CNET’s review, it found the process a bit involved.
Approximately 84% of the customers who reviewed the Filtron Cold Water Coffee Concentrate Brewer on Amazon gave it 4 or 5 stars.
One user commented on how cost-effective and simple at-home cold brewing is with the Filtron system.
He recommended using a whole pound of coarse grounds with 32 ounces of ice water and brewing for 24 hours for a strong concentrate.
Other buyers appreciated that they didn’t need to use Filtron-specific filters.
Standard large coffee filters work well and are only needed for easier cleanup.
#2. Toddy Cold Brew System: Cold Brew Coffee Maker Best
Cornell chemical engineer graduate Todd Simpson developed the Toddy Cold Brew System in 1964.
The system includes a brewing container with a handle, two reusable filters, a rubber stopper, a glass decanter with a lid, a recipe guide, and instructions.
The filters are designed to last for three months or up to 12 uses, whichever comes first.
The process of making cold-brew coffee is essentially the same as that of our top pick.
The only difference is that the Toddy system does not have a separate water bowl.
This may account for why many prefer the smoothness and flavor of the Filtron brewer.
Still, many coffee bloggers who review coffee gear love the Toddy.
Seattle Coffee Gear recommends the Toddy Cold Brew System because of its design and ease of use.
The reviewer found that a single filter did an excellent job of trapping bitter acids for up to a dozen uses and liked the smooth taste of the concentrate.
Coffee Review tested the Toddy, and while the reviewer appreciated the simplicity of the system and the quality of the concentrate is produced, the writer would have liked it if the system came with a lid to keep out oxidation, dust, and more.
The reviewer also found that the filter was prone to clog, but still recommended it as an affordable and dependable option.
More than 2,000 people have left positive reviews of the Toddy Cold Brew System on Amazon.
One buyer had used his Toddy regularly for five years until one morning, the handle gave way and the whole setup crashed onto his floor — sending concentrate and broken glass all over the floor.
Nonetheless, he still had positive things to say about the quality of the coffee.
Another buyer hooked up a vacuum pump to the Toddy to speed up the drip process, which tends to be slow otherwise.
#3. OXO Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Cold Brew Coffee Maker OXO
There are a few features that set the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker apart from the coffee makers we’ve looked at so far.
First, there is a unique perforated “rainmaker” top that helps distribute the water evenly over the coffee grounds, which is key for optimal flavor extraction.
Also, rather than using a stopper or plug at the bottom of the coffee bowl, there is a valve that is easy to turn on and off.
The OXO cold-brew maker features a fine, stainless steel mesh filter that you can reuse, though you may still want to use a paper filter for easier cleanup.
The carafe is made of borosilicate glass, which is quite resilient since it does not expand or contract like normal glass.
The carafe is shaped like an Erlenmeyer flask, which is sure to appeal to chemists.
Lastly, this OXO gadget can produce up to 32 ounces of cold brew at a time.
Insider Picks Senior Editor Malarie Gokey uses the OXO cold-brew maker in her own kitchen every day during the hot summer months when hot coffee just isn’t appealing.
It’s incredibly easy to use because you don’t have to worry about any filters or small parts.
The simple design is incredibly smart.
You just ensure that the release valve is locked, add the amount of coffee you want to use, pop the rainmaker top on, and pour the right amount of water over the grounds in a circular motion.
The water will rain down on the grounds and get brewing.
In our tests, we let it brew for 12 to 24 hours, depending on the flavor we wanted.
When it’s done brewing, you just flip the release valve and watch the coffee pour down into the carafe.
Perhaps best of all, OXO includes a secure stopper for the top of the carafe, so you can just pop it on and put the entire carafe in the fridge.
The machine turned out an excellent cold-brew every time we used it.
It does take some trial and error to get the flavor you want, but OXO’s guidelines give you a good idea of where to get started.
We recommend experimenting with different kinds of coffee to see which flavors and strengths you like.
We were particularly fond of a fruity Colombian blend a family friend gifted us because it almost tasted like chocolate milk when we made cold-brew with it.
The machine is remarkably easy to clean after, too.
You just scoop the grounds into the trash and rinse it out.
The OXO cold-brew machine makes brewing coffee an incredibly simple and effortless experience.
Other expert reviewers also rate the OXO machine highly.
Wired, CNET, and The Wirecutter all recommend it.
About 74% of the customer who reviewed the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker on Amazon gave it 4 or 5 stars.
One Amazon customer compared the OXO to the Toddy, which he used for a decade before trying out the OXO.
Overall, he found the OXO brewer is superior because of the pouring valve, which allows him to pull a cup and let it brew a little bit longer.
With the stopper of the Toddy, it’s hard to “recork” it.
Plus, you could potentially lose the stopper.
#4. Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Although the Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker relies on the same cold brewing principles as the other models we’ve covered, there are some basic differences.
Up to 8 ounces of coffee grounds are added to the filter, which is then screwed into the pitcher, which holds 32 ounces of water.
Rather than removing a plug or opening a valve to release the cold brew, you remove the filter and grounds from the water.
This leaves you with a pitcher of cold brew concentrate.
Since the Takeya brewer uses half the grounds to produce the same amount of cold brew as the makers we’ve already mentioned, the resulting concentrate is decidedly weaker.
Yet, this may not be a problem since most people dilute their cold brew anyway.
CNET tested the Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker and gave it high marks because it’s easy to maintain, well-designed, and it performed well.
The reviewer recommended this model for buyers who don’t mind a weaker coffee.
The Takeya coffee maker is also recommended by Consumer Search, Heavy, and Life Hacker.
The Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker is the preferred cold-brew maker of Insider Picks Guides Editor Les Shu.
He likes the price, but it’s the convenience that he appreciates: Simply dump the coffee grounds into the filter, add cold water from a Brita, place in the fridge overnight, and you have cold-brew coffee waiting the next morning.
To counter the weakness that many reviewers mentioned, he strongly shakes the bottle for 30 seconds before placing in the fridge — this is where the leak-proof cap comes in handy which leads to a much stronger-tasting concentrate; let it brew for at least 12 hours.
The fine mesh of the built-in filter does a good job of keeping the grounds from getting into the concentrate.
The pitcher also makes it handy for pouring (try making coffee ice cubes).
The filter can be a bit difficult to clean and over time, it will discolor and could take on the taste of a particular coffee.
It’s not a real issue for most people, and Takeya sells replacement filters.
More than 2,500 Amazon buyers have given the Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker 4 or 5 stars.
One customer purchased the Takeya cold brewer to avoid having to constantly go to the local coffee shop for a pricey cold brew and to save money; the customer found this model
to be easy to use, and even without using a paper filter, few grounds made their way into the concentrate.
Another buyer really tossed the coffee maker around and found it to be incredibly durable.
Buyers recommend using filtered water and a medium or dark roast ground coarse.
Conclusion
So that sums up the top 4 best cold brew coffee makers.
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