The best cold brew coffee makers yield rich, smooth glasses of java with just the right flavor and intensity—and more than that, they’re easy to use, clean and store. After all, if you’re determined to kick your $5 iced coffee habit, you need an intuitive, reliable maker you actually want to reach for. Our top pick overall is the streamlined, mess-free OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker, which extracts concentrate that’s full-bodied and complex, though we also recommend models from Hario, Toddy and KitchenAid.
Three of the best cold brew coffee makers come from Hario, Cumulus Coffee and KitchenAid.
Illustration: Forbes / Image: Retailer
“When choosing a cold brew coffee maker for home use, the most important factors are ease of use, filtration quality and capacity,” says Michael Phillips, an award-winning barista and Blue Bottle Coffee’s director of culture & omotenashi (hospitality). “A good model should have a straightforward brewing process with minimal steps to ensure consistency.” With those qualities in mind, here are the very best coffee makers designed for cold brew to keep you cool and caffeinated.
Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker Overall: OXO Good Grips 32-Ounce Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Best Upgrade Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Cumulus Coffee The Cumulus Machine
Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker For Large Batches: Toddy Cold Brew System
Best Cold Brew Coffee Dispenser: KitchenAid Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Size: 9.5 x 9.5 x 14.7 inches | Capacity: 32 ounces
Pros:
Makes little mess
Yields bold, low-acid concentrate
Easy to use
Cons:
Pieces must be hand washed
OXO Good Grips 32-Ounce Cold Brew Coffee Maker has an intuitive, mess-free design and makes rich concentrate, earning it the top spot on this list. Though it has a handful of parts, using it is simple: After you fill the plastic reservoir with coffee grounds and pour water over the perforated lid, which ensures all the grounds get saturated, you let the mixture steep for 12 to 24 hours. After enough time has passed, the concentrate filters through a mesh metal sieve into the carafe, which can catch up to 32 ounces of liquid. And the resulting concentrate couldn’t have a better flavor: It’s full-bodied with low acidity. When it’s time to clean up, the pieces come apart easily, so you can hand-wash them individually.
Size: 4.8 x 11.8 x 4.4 inches | Capacity: 34 ounces
Pros:
Intuitive design
Affordable
Dishwasher safe
Cons:
Tall pitcher might be too large for some fridges
If you’re looking for something affordable yet reliable, Hario’s popular Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Maker makes truly delicious concentrate—and thanks to its uncomplicated design, it’s a breeze to use. Available in two sizes, the maker is made up of three parts: a sleek heatproof glass pitcher with measurement lines, a plastic lid and a fine mesh basket that screws into the top. To get brewing, all you have to do is add water to the pitcher and grounds to the filter basket, then let the coffee sit for either 12 hours at room temperature or 24 hours in the fridge. When time’s up, simply unscrew the filter, discard the grounds and get to enjoying your pitcher.
Cumulus Coffee
Cumulus Coffee The Cumulus Machine
Size: 19 x 6 x 16 inches | Capacity: 80 ounces
Pros:
One-of-a-kind machine for speciality cold coffee drinks
Impressively quick operation
Comes with coffee sample, cleaning solution and more
Cons:
The Cumulus Machine is a truly innovative machine for those who are serious about their iced coffee. Not only can this device make a 10-ounce cup cold brew with just the touch of a button, and in less than a minute—it can also prepare smooth, frothy nitro cold brew and chilled espresso, and just as easily and quickly. (The latter is ideal for espresso Martinis, iced lattes and affogatos.)
Similar to Nespresso and Kuerig coffee makers, this machine relies on recyclable, single-use capsules that can be purchased at Williams Sonoma or directly from the brand. But instead of containing coffee grounds, the capsules—which cost around $2.50 each—hold ultra-strong concentrated liquid that comes in a variety of flavors, such Lucid (a light-medium pick that’s crisp and fruity) and Valor (a medium-dark option with notes of cocoa and cedar). The main drawback of this machine is that it’s expensive, with a list price of nearly $700, and it requires more counter space than most cold brew coffee makers on this list. That said, it does so much more than the average maker, and we think it’s worth the investment.
Size: 7.3 x 7.3 x 12.5 inches |Capacity: 2.1 liters
Pros:
Higher capacity
Separate maker and cold brew carafe
Customizable output
Cons:
Transfer to carafe can be messy
If your whole household drinks cold brew, you want a maker that can prepare large batches, and the Toddy Cold Brew System does just that. Featuring a similar though slightly less advanced design as the OXO model that tops this list, the Toddy Cold Brew System—which has been around the 1960s—can brew up to an entire pound of coffee grounds at once. And the resulting concentrate is especially bright and strong. “For those who prefer a stronger cold brew that pairs well with milk, the Toddy Cold Brew System is a great choice, as it allows for a higher-strength extraction that holds up against added dairy or alternative milks,” says Phillips. (If you use 12 ounces of coffee grounds, you should end up with approximately 36 to 38 ounces of concentrate.)
Here’s how it works: You mix coffee grounds and water in a plastic brew bucket, which requires paper liners and filter pads, then let the mixture sit for around 24 hours. Next, you remove a rubber stopper, filtering the coffee into a glass pitcher. If this process sounds a little messy and hands-on, it’s because it is to an extent—but the tradeoff is full-bodied cold brew in large quantities.
Size: 7 x 8 x 6.9 inches| Capacity: 28 ounces
Pros:
Spigot for easy access
Fits nicely on fridge shelf
Superfine filter for smoother, cleaner coffee
Cons:
If you’re drawn to the convenience of pitcher-style brewers but want something that makes it even easier to access your ready-to-drink cold brew, this popular model from KitchenAid has a handy spigot attached to the carafe, which can make up to 28 ounces of concentrate at once. (If you use 2 ounces for each cup of cold brew, which is standard, this pick yields approximately 14 servings.) And the spigot isn’t the only part of this pick that we appreciate—the whole design, which features glass and stainless steel components, is sleek and easy to clean. In other respects, this maker is pretty similar to others on this list; coffee grounds get immersed in cold water before being filtered out. But devotees of this maker rave about its superfine filter, which is effective at preventing grit from getting in your cup.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
The Forbes Vetted home and kitchen team has a wide range of experience when it comes to the coveted caffeinated beverage. For example, we’ve tested and reviewed the best espresso machines, drip coffee makers and more. Simply put, we know what qualities to look for when it comes to finding the best cold brew coffee makers.
The home and kitchen section is overseen by four editors: deputy editor Rebekah Lowin, senior editor Amanda Arnold and editors Sholeen Damarwala and Kelly O’Sullivan.
For this story, we consulted Michael Phillips, an award-winning barista and Blue Bottle Coffee’s director of culture & omotenashi (hospitality).
To ensure accuracy, we regularly update this article. Most recently, we refreshed it in March 2025.
How We Chose The Best Cold Brew Coffee Makers
To select the absolute best cold brew coffee makers on the market, we first searched for picks from top-rated brands like KitchenAid, OXO, Hario and more.
For each cold brew coffee maker, we considered the capacity, ease of use and cleaning and design. We also took customer reviews into account to get a better idea of how these makers have performed for countless households.
Once we took a closer look at each model’s features, we narrowed down the list to find the best options for various cold brew drinkers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Is The Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker?
While we recommend a handful of models, our top pick overall is the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker. Not only does this pick yield wonderfully rich concentrate, but its streamlined design makes it mess-free and easy to use. It’s also relatively affordable—it costs around $50.
Do You Need A Special Machine To Make Cold Brew Coffee?
“A dedicated cold brew coffee maker isn’t essential, but it can make the process more convenient,” says Phillips. It’s true, you can use a French press or even a jar with a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to make cold brew, though they come with drawbacks. “Dedicated cold brew systems often offer better filtration and easier storage, making them a worthwhile investment for those who brew frequently,” he adds.
What Kind Of Coffee Is Best For Cold Brew?
This comes down to personal preference, but most people enjoy using medium or dark roasts for cold brew. While there’s nothing wrong with lighter roasts, the latter tend to be more robust and lower in acidity, so they yield especially rich, complex cold brew.
