The Best Cold Brew Coffee Makers (2026)

Commonly praised

• + The release switch drains concentrate without the usual dripping-filter mess over the sink
• + The Rainmaker top soaks the grounds evenly, so batches taste balanced rather than patchy
• + One steep supplies diluted drinks for days without brewing again

Common complaints

• − The assembled brewer is tall and needs a fridge shelf with real clearance
• − Waiting most of a day for a batch frustrates owners who decide late
• − The filter and release parts need a rinse after every single batch

Commonly praised

• + The smaller brewer finally fits a crowded fridge shelf that the full-size model could not
• + Automatic draining means there is no switch to time and no separate straining jug
• + A week's worth of concentrate for a small household comes from one quiet steep

Common complaints

• − Two-coffee-a-day households empty it fast and brew more often than expected
• − Concentrate still needs diluting, which catches first-time buyers off guard
• − The carafe and brewer together take more shelf room than a single pitcher

Commonly praised

• + The airtight lid keeps fridge coffee tasting like coffee instead of last night's leftovers
• + The shatterproof jug survives daily handling that would worry a glass owner
• + Pouring straight from the fridge makes the morning routine effortless

Common complaints

• − Lifting the wet filter out drips unless done carefully over a sink
• − Fine grounds sometimes slip through the mesh when the grind is too fine
• − The filter inside eats into the finished volume of each batch

Commonly praised

• + The felt-filtered concentrate tastes noticeably cleaner and smoother than mesh-only batches
• + One large batch supplies a household for days and still tastes fresh
• + Brewing tea in the same system earns the counter space twice over

Common complaints

• − Felt filters need drying and replacing, unlike a mesh filter that simply rinses
• − The draining routine takes attention and a few minutes to get right
• − The two-piece system occupies more space than a single pitcher brewer

Commonly praised

• + The glass pot looks beautiful on the table, not just hidden away in a fridge
• + The reusable basket lifts out cleanly with no paper filters to keep buying
• + A litre is a sensible middle size for several glasses without waste

Common complaints

• − Glass demands care, especially when the pot is full and cold
• − It brews drinking-strength coffee, not the strong concentrate some owners expect
• − Trapped fines in the basket sour the next batch if rinsing is rushed

Commonly praised

• + The borosilicate carafe pours without drips thanks to the silicone gasket
• + Six cups from one steep covers a household without daily brewing
• + The comfort grip makes a full glass carafe easier to handle

Common complaints

• − A full glass carafe is heavy and fragile on a hard kitchen floor
• − The tall shape needs shelf height that a crowded fridge may not offer
• − There is no release switch, so the filter comes out by hand

Commonly praised

• + Coffee stays properly cold hours after leaving the fridge, which no pitcher can match
• + Brewing and carrying in one vessel means one less thing to wash
• + The leakproof seal survives bags and car journeys without a spill

Common complaints

• − Steel hides the level, so judging what is left means opening it
• − Forty ounces serves one or two drinkers, not a family
• − The insulation premium feels wasted for owners who never drink away from home

Commonly praised

• + The wide mouth makes filling and scrubbing out grounds genuinely easy
• + One jar handles cold brew, iced tea, and infused water through the summer
• + The leakproof lid gives confidence for fridge storage and table serving

Common complaints

• − Two quarts of glass are heavy when full and unforgiving if dropped
• − The filter lifts out by hand with the usual drips
• − The wide jar needs shelf width as well as height in the fridge

Commonly praised

• + A single 64 oz steep covers a household for days without daily brewing
• + The simple design has no mechanism to break or learn
• + The fine mesh gives a clean pour with no paper filters to buy

Common complaints

• − A full large brewer is tall and heavy on a fridge shelf
• − Slow drinkers find the last glasses lose brightness before the batch ends
• − The wet filter drips on removal and really needs a sink nearby

Commonly praised

• + The quart size slots into a fridge door where bigger pitchers crowd everything out
• + A smaller batch stays bright because it gets finished before flavour fades
• + First-timers risk little coffee while learning the method

Common complaints

• − Solo daily drinkers can empty it in a couple of days and brew constantly
• − It cannot cover a household or a gathering without a second batch
• − The same dripping filter moment applies, just on a smaller scale