Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker: OXO vs. Takeya vs. County Line Kitchen
Filters, grit, capacity and fridge fit: which cold brew coffee makers make a clean, smooth concentrate, plus the ratio, grind and steep time that work.
Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold or room-temperature water for many hours instead of brewed hot. The result is smoother, rounder and noticeably less acidic than iced hot coffee, and it's usually made as a concentrate you dilute with water or milk. A batch keeps for about a week in the fridge, so one session of brewing covers most of a week of iced coffee.
You can make cold brew in any jar, but a purpose-built maker takes the mess out of filtering, and the filter design is what separates a clean, smooth cup from a silty one. This guide covers what matters, the styles to skip, and the makers worth buying.
Quick verdict
- Best for a clean cup in a small kitchen: the OXO Brew Compact Cold Brew Coffee Maker. A rain-shower lid that soaks the grounds evenly, a spring-loaded drain into its own carafe, and a size that suits one or two drinkers.
- Easiest to use: the Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker. Just four parts, a fine-mesh filter that keeps the coffee clean, and you brew and store in the same airtight pitcher.
- Best for big batches and fridge storage: the County Line Kitchen Cold Brew Mason Jar, a glass mason jar with a stainless filter and pour-spout lid, in 1- and 2-quart sizes.
The cold brew makers side by side
| Cold brew maker | Shop | Style | Filter | Brew and store | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OXO Brew Compact Cold Brew Coffee Maker |  View on Amazon
| Drain-down, about 24 oz of concentrate | Fine stainless mesh | Brews in a chamber, drains into a stoppered glass carafe | A clean cup, small kitchens |
| Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker |  View on Amazon
| Infuser pitcher, 1 or 2 qt | Fine mesh basket | Same airtight pitcher | Simplicity, fridge doors |
| County Line Kitchen Cold Brew Mason Jar |  View on Amazon
| Infuser jar, 1 or 2 qt | Stainless mesh basket | Same glass jar with pour spout | Big batches, glass, swapping jars |
Cleanest cup, small kitchens
OXO Brew Compact Cold Brew Coffee Maker
A rain-shower lid that soaks the grounds evenly with no stirring, a fine stainless filter and a spring-loaded drain into its own glass carafe.
- About 24 oz concentrate
- Rainmaker lid
- Glass carafe
Good for
- One or two drinkers
- Small kitchens
Skip it if
- Big batches (about 24 oz of concentrate)
What to look for in a cold brew maker
The filter decides how clean it tastes
Cold brew grounds shed very fine particles, called fines. If they get into the concentrate, the coffee turns cloudy, slightly gritty and heavy, with a sludge at the bottom of the glass. The cleanest cups come from double filtration: a metal mesh plus a paper filter. A single fine mesh is close behind, with a little more body. In a side-by-side tasting of two concentrates brewed with the same coffee and recipe, the one that passed through a paper filter tasted noticeably cleaner, while the all-metal brewer left suspended fines and a softer, almost velvety texture that not everyone likes. If your brewer only has mesh and you want a cleaner cup, pour the finished concentrate through a paper coffee filter.
Room for the grounds to soak
The grounds need to be fully saturated. Infuser baskets packed too tightly can leave pockets of dry coffee, which wastes beans and weakens the brew. Give the slurry a gentle stir after adding the water, add the water slowly, or use a maker with a perforated rain-style lid that spreads water evenly over the bed. Don't overfill the basket; leave about an inch of space at the top.
Capacity, shape and where it lives
Think about where the coffee will be stored. Tall brewing towers make a lot of concentrate but take up real counter space and often can't fit in the fridge while brewing. Pitchers and jars that brew and store in one container go straight into the fridge door. A smaller maker makes sense if you drink a glass a day; a 2-quart jar suits a household of cold brew drinkers.
Styles to skip
- Electric "fast" cold brew machines. Machines that spin or agitate grounds for a few minutes to skip the long steep produced coffee that was both weak and gritty: not enough time to extract flavor, but enough agitation to pull out fines and oils.
- Tall, narrow, top-heavy drain-down brewers. Lifting a full, heavy brewing chamber onto a narrow carafe is awkward, and some tip over. Look for a wide, stable base.
- Single-filter makers with a coarse mesh. Without a fine mesh or a second filter, the concentrate comes out silty.
The picks in detail
OXO Brew Compact Cold Brew Coffee Maker: best for a clean cup in a small kitchen
The Compact makes about 24 ounces of concentrate, the right amount for one or two people drinking a glass a day through the week. Its perforated "rainmaker" lid spreads water evenly over the grounds, so there's no need to stir. A removable fine stainless mesh filter screws into the base with an O-ring to prevent leaks. When the steep is done, you set the brewer on the included glass carafe and a spring-loaded valve drains it automatically; lift it off and it doesn't drip on the counter. The carafe has a marker for 12 ounces of water, so measuring is easy, and a stopper for the fridge.
OXO's larger Cold Brew Coffee Maker uses the same rain lid and adds a paper filter for an exceptionally clean cup, but it's tall and bulky, and it's often low on stock. For most kitchens the Compact is the easier fit.
Cleanest cup, small kitchens
OXO Brew Compact Cold Brew Coffee Maker
A rain-shower lid that soaks the grounds evenly with no stirring, a fine stainless filter and a spring-loaded drain into its own glass carafe.
- About 24 oz concentrate
- Rainmaker lid
- Glass carafe
Good for
- One or two drinkers
- Small kitchens
Skip it if
- Big batches (about 24 oz of concentrate)
Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker: easiest to use
The Takeya is the most popular cold brew maker on Amazon for good reason. It's a BPA-free Tritan pitcher with an airtight, leakproof lid, a removable fine-mesh filter basket that attaches to the lid, and a silicone handle that comes off. That's it: four parts. You fill the basket with grounds, add water, and it steeps and stores in the same pitcher. The mesh does a good job of keeping the coffee clean, and in a tasting of a specialty light roast it produced a bright, fruity, chocolatey cold brew with no grit. It's forgiving, too: any medium-coarse to coarse grind works, and you don't need precise ratios to get a good cup. The lid can be loosened slightly to pour without removing it.
The one thing to watch: as an infuser-style brewer, the basket can pack tightly, so add water slowly and give it a stir so no grounds stay dry. It comes in 1- and 2-quart sizes, and the slim pitcher fits in most fridge doors.
Easiest to use
Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Four parts: an airtight Tritan pitcher, a fine-mesh filter basket and a removable handle, brewing and storing in the same pitcher with no grit.
- 4 parts
- Airtight lid
- BPA-free Tritan
Good for
- Forgiving brewing (any medium-coarse grind)
- Brew-and-store in one pitcher
Skip it if
- Glass containers (it's Tritan plastic)
County Line Kitchen Cold Brew Mason Jar: best for big batches and fridge storage
The County Line is a sturdy glass mason jar with a fine stainless-steel filter basket, a gasket that seals the filter to the rim, and a lid with a handle and pour spout. Glass doesn't hold odors, and every part is dishwasher-safe. You fill the filter about an inch from the top, pour the water slowly over the grounds, top it off after a minute or two as it settles, then steep at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours or in the fridge for 24 to 48. After brewing, you lift the filter out and pour from the spout.
A smart trick: since the concentrate is stored in a standard wide-mouth jar, you can move the filter and lid to a second jar and start another batch while the first sits in the fridge with a plain canning lid. The handle feels slightly flimsy, and you'll use more coffee per cup than with hot brewing, as with any cold brew. It comes in 1-quart and 2-quart sizes.
Best for big batches
County Line Kitchen Cold Brew Mason Jar
A sturdy glass mason jar with a fine stainless filter, a sealing gasket and a pour-spout lid; every part is dishwasher-safe and glass holds no odors.
- 1 or 2 quart
- Stainless filter
- Dishwasher-safe
Good for
- Big batches
- Fridge storage in a standard wide-mouth jar
Skip it if
- A drain-down system
How to make cold brew concentrate
- Grind coarse, about like coarse sea salt. Finer grinds make a muddier, more bitter brew and clog filters. Pre-ground drip coffee works in a pinch.
- Use about 1 part coffee to 4 or 5 parts water by weight for concentrate. For a ready-to-drink brew, go closer to 1:8.
- Steep 12 to 24 hours at room temperature, or 24 to 48 in the fridge. Around 16 hours is a good starting point.
- Dilute to taste. One part concentrate to one or two parts water or milk is typical. For hot coffee, mix the concentrate with boiling water.
- Store it in the fridge in a sealed container and drink it within about a week.
- Choose a coffee you like hot. Medium roasts are a common choice; chocolatey, nutty coffees taste especially good cold.
Easiest to use
Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Four parts: an airtight Tritan pitcher, a fine-mesh filter basket and a removable handle, brewing and storing in the same pitcher with no grit.
- 4 parts
- Airtight lid
- BPA-free Tritan
Good for
- Forgiving brewing (any medium-coarse grind)
- Brew-and-store in one pitcher
Skip it if
- Glass containers (it's Tritan plastic)
Other cold brew makers worth knowing
- Toddy Cold Brew System. The classic drain-down system used in many cafes, with a felt filter plus an optional paper filter for a very clean concentrate and a glass decanter for the fridge. A great brewer when you can find it sold new.
- KitchenAid Cold Brew Coffee Maker. A glass and stainless-steel jar with a tap that sits in the fridge and dispenses concentrate. It looks great and feels well made, but its all-metal filter leaves more fines than a paper-filtered brewer.
Prefer hot coffee most of the time? See the drip coffee maker guide or which Keurig to buy.
How to choose
- Want the cleanest cup in the least space? The OXO Brew Compact.
- Want the simplest brewer that still makes great cold brew? The Takeya Deluxe.
- Want glass, big batches or a rotating supply of jars? The County Line Kitchen Cold Brew Mason Jar.
- Bothered by any grit? Pour the concentrate through a paper coffee filter, whichever maker you choose.
Posted by Kristopher Larson
Frequently asked questions
Is a cold brew maker worth it?
If you drink iced coffee regularly, yes. One batch makes several days of concentrate for a fraction of coffee-shop prices, and a purpose-built maker makes filtering clean and easy. A simple pitcher-style maker like the Takeya pays for itself quickly.
What is the best coffee to water ratio for cold brew?
For concentrate, about 1 part coarsely ground coffee to 4 or 5 parts water by weight, then dilute it 1:1 or 1:2 with water or milk. For a brew you can drink straight, use about 1:8. Adjust to taste; cold brew is forgiving.
How long should cold brew steep?
12 to 24 hours at room temperature, or 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator. Around 16 hours is a good place to start. Much longer can taste flat or woody.
What grind should I use for cold brew?
Coarse, about the texture of coarse sea salt. Finer grinds over-extract, turn bitter and leave silt in the coffee. Pre-ground drip coffee works if that's what you have, but expect a cloudier brew.
Why is my cold brew gritty or cloudy?
Fine coffee particles are getting through the filter. Grind coarser, don't stir hard at the end, and pour the finished concentrate through a paper coffee filter. Makers that pair a metal mesh with a paper filter give the cleanest cup.
How long does cold brew last in the fridge?
About a week as concentrate in a sealed container. Diluted cold brew is best within a couple of days. Keep it covered so it doesn't pick up fridge odors.
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