The Best Cold Brew Makers for Home

Cold brew is about the lowest-effort great coffee you can make: coarse coffee, cold water, and time. The hard part isn’t brewing — it’s straining a big pile of wet grounds without making a mess, and storing the result in a fridge that’s already full.

That’s what cold brew makers solve. They fall into two camps: batch concentrate systems (OXO, Toddy) that brew a lot of strong coffee you dilute later, and pitchers (Hario, Takeya) that brew ready-to-drink coffee and live in your fridge. Below are the most widely recommended options in each group, based on design, owner feedback and reputation.

The best cold brew makers

Best Overall

1.OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker

A well-designed batch cold brew system with an easy drain switch.

Best for

Making big batches of concentrate

Price range

Mid-range ($$)

The OXO is the most thought-through batch brewer for home. Its perforated “Rainmaker” lid showers water evenly across the grounds, so you don’t get dry pockets. When the steep is done, you set the brewing container on its glass carafe and flip a switch to drain — no lifting, pouring or squeezing a bag of wet grounds.

It makes a large batch of concentrate, enough for a week or more of iced coffee for most people. The trade-off is space: the brewing tower sits on the counter during the steep, and the whole setup is bulky. If you drink cold brew daily and want the least messy batch process, this is the one to get.

What we like

• Rainmaker lid distributes water evenly
• Easy drain switch
• Makes a large batch

Keep in mind

• Takes up counter space while brewing

Check price on Amazon

Best for Smooth Concentrate

2.Toddy Cold Brew System

The original home cold brew system, known for smooth, low-acid concentrate.

Best for

Classic, smooth cold brew concentrate

Price range

Budget ($)

Toddy popularized home cold brew, and its simple design is still widely used. You steep coffee in a plastic brewing container with a thick felt filter and a rubber stopper in the bottom, then pull the stopper and let it drain into the glass decanter.

That felt filter is the reason for its reputation: it traps a lot of fine particles and some oils, producing concentrate that’s known for being especially smooth and low in bitterness. The catch is maintenance — felt filters need to be rinsed well, kept moist in the fridge between uses, and replaced periodically — and pulling the stopper can drip if you’re not careful. If smoothness is your top priority and you don’t mind a bit of care, it’s excellent value.

What we like

• Proven design
• Produces smooth concentrate
• Affordable

Keep in mind

• Felt filters need care and replacement
• Draining can be messy

Check price on Amazon

Best for Small Fridges

3.Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Pot

A simple pitcher with a fine mesh filter that fits in the fridge door.

Best for

Small batches of ready-to-drink cold brew

Price range

Budget ($)

The Mizudashi is the simplest way to have cold brew on hand. It’s a slim glass pitcher with a fine mesh filter basket inside. Add grounds to the basket, fill with water, put it in the fridge, and pull the basket out the next day. The pitcher then becomes your serving jug, and its tall, narrow shape fits in most fridge doors.

Because it brews ready-to-drink strength rather than concentrate, batches are smaller and you’ll brew more often. The mesh lets through some fines, so the last pour can be a little cloudy. For one or two people who want a jug of cold brew always waiting, it’s hard to beat.

What we like

• Very simple
• Fits in most fridges
• Inexpensive

Keep in mind

• Smaller batch size
• Mesh lets through some fines

Check price on Amazon

Best Budget

4.Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker

An airtight pitcher with a removable filter core — cold brew on a budget.

Best for

Budget cold brew that lives in the fridge

Price range

Budget ($)

The Takeya is a durable plastic pitcher with a removable mesh filter core and an airtight, locking lid. You fill the core with grounds, screw it in, add water, and steep in the fridge. The airtight lid keeps cold brew tasting fresh and stops it picking up fridge odors.

It’s affordable and very easy to use. The most common complaints are that the filter core is fiddly to clean and some fine sediment makes it into the pitcher. If you want cold brew in the fridge for the least money, it’s the easy recommendation.

What we like

• Airtight lid
• Affordable
• Easy to use

Keep in mind

• Filter core is harder to clean
• Some fines in the cup

Check price on Amazon

How to choose a cold brew maker

Concentrate or ready-to-drink?

Decide this first, because it shapes everything else.

	Concentrate	Ready-to-drink
Typical ratio	About 1:4 to 1:5	About 1:8
How you serve it	Dilute 1:1 (or to taste) with water, milk or ice	Pour straight over ice
Best makers	OXO, Toddy	Hario Mizudashi, Takeya
Fridge space per serving	Less — it’s concentrated	More
Flexibility	High — use it for iced lattes, hot coffee, cocktails	Lower — strength is fixed
Effort	Brew once a week or so	Brew every few days

Concentrate is more flexible and space-efficient: one bottle can become iced coffee, an iced latte or even a hot cup (add hot water). Ready-to-drink is simpler: no mixing, just pour. Use our cold brew calculator to work out coffee and water for either style.

Batch size

Think about how much you actually drink in a week:

• One person, a glass a day: a pitcher (about 1 liter) or a small concentrate batch is plenty.
• Two or more people, or daily large drinks: a batch system like the OXO or Toddy saves you brewing constantly.
• Occasional drinker: a mason jar is enough.

Remember that grounds absorb water, so you’ll get noticeably less coffee out than the water you put in — especially at concentrate strength.

Filter type: felt, paper or mesh

The filter decides how clean your cold brew tastes and how much upkeep it needs.

Filter	Clarity	Upkeep	Found in
Felt	Very clean, smooth	Rinse well, store damp in the fridge, replace periodically	Toddy
Paper	Cleanest	Disposable, ongoing cost	Optional add-on for OXO, DIY jars
Stainless / fine mesh	Some fines, fuller body	Rinse and scrub; reusable forever	OXO, Hario, Takeya

If sediment bothers you, you can pour mesh-filtered cold brew through a paper filter as a second step. It’s slow, but it works.

Fridge fit and storage

This is the most overlooked factor. Before buying, measure your fridge:

• Pitchers like the Hario and Takeya are designed to live in the fridge; check height for the door shelf.
• Batch systems usually steep on the counter, then the concentrate goes into a separate carafe for the fridge.
• Airtight lids keep flavor fresher and stop the coffee absorbing smells.

Cold brew concentrate generally tastes best within about a week to 10 days; diluted coffee, within a few days.

Ease of cleaning

Wet cold brew grounds are heavy and messy. Look for wide openings, filters you can rinse from the outside in, and dishwasher-safe parts where the manufacturer allows. A filter that’s hard to clean is a common reason people stop making cold brew, and it’s one of the most frequent complaints in owner reviews.

Getting great cold brew from any maker

The maker matters less than these basics:

1. Grind extra coarse. Like cracked peppercorns or coarse sea salt — the same as or slightly coarser than French press. Too fine makes straining slow and the coffee muddy. See our grind size chart.
2. Use a starting ratio. 1:5 for concentrate, about 1:8 for ready-to-drink.
3. Wet all the grounds. Stir gently or pour slowly so there are no dry clumps.
4. Steep 12–18 hours in the fridge (16–18 for the fullest flavor) for a cleaner taste, or 12–16 hours at room temperature for a slightly fuller one.
5. Strain, then refrigerate. Don’t leave cold brew sitting on grounds indefinitely; it turns woody.
6. Dilute to taste. Start concentrate at 1:1 with water or milk and adjust.

Medium and dark roasts are the classic choice for chocolatey, low-acid cold brew, but a fruity light roast can make a surprisingly bright, refreshing glass. Our light vs dark roast guide explains the differences.

Who doesn’t need a cold brew maker

Skip the dedicated gadget if:

• You make cold brew once or twice a month. A jar and a filter is fine.
• You already own a French press. It makes decent small batches of cold brew — just expect a bit more sediment.
• You actually prefer iced coffee. Brewing hot coffee strong and pouring it over ice (sometimes called Japanese-style iced coffee) is faster and brighter. It’s a different drink, not a worse one.

Next steps

• Follow our step-by-step how to make cold brew guide.
• Get exact amounts with the cold brew calculator.
• A coarse, even grind makes cold brew cleaner — see our best burr coffee grinders.
• Prefer hot coffee with body? See our best French press picks.