Best iced coffee makers and accessories to buy

Grind Cold Brew Bottle

Available from Grind (£30)

Best cold brew coffee maker

Pros:

Attractive
Easy to use
Recyclable packaging
Generous capacity

Cons:

No instructions provided

Star rating: 5/5

Wattage: n/a

Providing you're happy to be patient, making your own cold brew is a simple process – and we had a lot of fun using this nifty 1-litre bottle from coffee pod brand Grind. With it you can make up to five cups of cold brew, and the recommended brew time is eight to 24 hours (the longer you leave it, the more intense the flavour will be). Simply add 50g of ground coffee (approximately 7 tbsps) into the filter basket, add up to a litre of water, and leave it to work its magic.

We loved that the bottle came in fully recyclable packaging, and along with the glass bottle you get an integrated filter and silicone stopper, from which you can remove the lid to pour your coffee. No instructions were provided, and we had to dig out a guide on the Grind website to find out how much coffee was needed. Once we'd got the gist, however, we found it a joy to use and the results were worth the wait – our cold brew was light, fruity and refreshing.

Available from:

Grind (£30)

De'Longhi Eletta Explore

Best bean-to-cup coffee machine for cold brew

Pros:

Quality cold brew coffee
Varied functionality
Sleek and stylish
Multiple accessories included

Cons:

Large footprint
More expensive price tag
Lots of non-recyclable packaging

Star rating: 5/5

Wattage: 1450W

The best bean-to-cup machines are versatile, but only a handful – like this newer model from De'Longhi – come with cold brew functionality. The Eletta Explore has hot and cold settings for a number of drink options, including cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos, americanos, espressos, and flat whites, plus space for up to four user profiles so you can save your favourites.

The digital display communicates each part of the coffee-making process so there's little room for error, and there's adjustable grind and temperature settings, too. Bear in mind it's a chunky machine, so better suited to those with larger countertop space.

Jura Z10

Best bean-to-cup coffee machine for versatility

Pros:

Variety of functions
Produces quality espresso
Intuitive digital display
Has a product-recognising grinder

Cons:

Large footprint
More expensive

Star rating: 5/5

Wattage: 1450W

With this attractive bean-to-cup machine, you can customise the brew time, strength and level of milk froth precisely to your liking. The in-built grinder even uses precision technology that automatically adjusts the fineness of the grind, depending on which coffee you've selected.

Among the 32 drink specialities are several cold brew options, including cold brew cappuccino and cold brew latte – both of which we found to be creamy and perfectly chilled in testing. The hopper also has an aroma-locked lid that's designed to keep your coffee beans fresher for longer.

Read our guide to the best bean-to-cup coffee machines.

Breville Iced Coffee Maker

Best single-serve iced coffee maker

Pros:

Lightweight
Intuitive controls
Easy to use
Runs quietly

Cons:

Drips after brewing
Excessive plastic packaging
Needs large ice cubes

Star rating: 4/5

Wattage: 1100W

This single-serve Breville gadget produces solid results for a reasonable price. It's a little plasticky, but its simple controls are doddle to master, with just two buttons to press before the coffee can start brewing (an on-off switch and a start button).

A reusable filter basket, plastic scoop, 600ml tumbler and reusable hard-plastic straw are included, all of which are robust, though it's worth bearing in mind that none of them are dishwasher-safe.

Our first batch of coffee took around four minutes to brew, but was too watery as we used average-sized ice cubes, which quickly melted as the hot water ran over them. For our second batch, we used extra-large cubes and this worked much better: the coffee tasted pleasant with just a touch of bitterness.

We found the machine continued to drip after brewing, even when switched off and with the drip-stop closed, leaving us with a mess on the counter as there's no tray underneath.

These flaws aside, if you're a frequent iced coffee drinker and want a machine with basic functionality, it offers good value in the long-run.

Drew and Cole Barista Ice Cafe

Best budget iced coffee maker

Pros:

Lightweight
Easy-to-use controls
Filter basket is dishwasher-safe
Comprehensive instruction manual

Cons:

Wobbles on worktop
Needs large ice cubes
Materials feel plasticky

Star rating: 4/5

Wattage: 700W

A great pick for students, this is a no-frills coffee machine that – while a little flimsy and wobbly on the worktop – does the job well. It's essentially a drip-coffee maker, and comes with a 600ml double-walled tumbler (with a lid and straw), a scoop, and a reusable filter basket, the latter of which can be popped in the dishwasher afterwards.

Using the Barista Iced Cafe is simple: just add three scoops of ground coffee to the filter basket, fill the water tank, place the tumbler filled with ice cubes underneath the spout, and press start. The coffee brews in roughly four minutes, after which you can close the drip stop.

Our iced coffee had a touch of bitterness and good flavour overall, though we had to switch to extra-large ice cubes for a second batch – the first used average-sized cubes, which melted too quickly and made the coffee watery. The insulation around the tumbler also kept our coffee ice-cold, even when we drank it slowly.

If you're particular about how you like your coffee, the basic functionality of the Barista Iced Cafe probably won't win you over. But for those who want a cold caffeine fix quickly, easily, and for a fraction of the cost found in most coffee shops, it's worth considering.

Oliver's Kitchen 4-pack ice cube trays

Available from Amazon (£9.99)

Best ice cube tray for making large quantities

If you're making a few iced coffees at home each day, it's helpful to have plenty of ice stocked up in the freezer. This pack of four trays makes up to 56 ice cubes, which is more than enough to keep you going – plus they're handy for parties or large families too. Each tray comes with a lid so you can stack them, plus flexible frames that allow you to remove the ice easily.

Read our guide to the best ice cube trays.

Available from:

Amazon (£9.99)

Kikkerland reusable ice cubes

Available from Amazon (£11.66)

Best clear plastic reusable ice cubes

Cold drinks taste all the better when served with ice, but when it comes to coffee, you risk diluting the taste as it melts – particularly on a hot day. This is where reusable ice cubes, like these clear, plastic ones from Kikkerland, can be a handy option. There's no risk of them melting and they freeze more quickly than ice, which is helpful if you've forgotten to stock your freezer. They also offer good value for money, as you can use them again and again.

Find the best reusable ice cubes over on our sister site, olive magazine.

Available from:

Amazon (£7.98)

Monin flavoured coffee syrups set

Available from Amazon (£9.40)

Prefer your iced coffee sweet? Coffee syrups are a great way to elevate your morning cup of java, and this set from Monin includes caramel, hazelnut, gingerbread and vanilla. Each bottle is 250ml and Monin advises adding 20-30ml to your cup when making a frappe.

Available from:

Amazon (£9.40)

Klean Kanteen insulated TK wide

Available from Amazon (£27.95)

Best travel cup for insulation

Travel mugs are a great way to enjoy coffee on the go without the need for a single-use cup. This stainless steel option, available in five sizes, is designed to keep drinks at the optimum temperature for up to 11 hours, so you don't need to worry about your cold brew turning lukewarm while on the move. It's lightweight and robust, and comes with a matt surface for easy gripping. The lid is simple to screw on, too, and doesn’t allow any liquid to escape.

Read our guide to the best reusable travel cups.

Available from:

Amazon (£27.95)

What’s the difference between iced coffee and cold brew?

Making iced coffee isn't too dissimilar to that of hot coffee: simply pour hot water over the grounds, but then leave the liquid to cool, using ice cubes if you wish. This allows the coffee oxidise and degrade quickly and intensely, and can result in a more acidic, bitter taste compared to cold brew coffee.

Cold brew coffee, on the other hand, involves steeping coffee grounds in cold or room-temperature water. It's a slower process than making iced coffee and usually takes several hours, but because you're increasing the period over which you're 'brewing' or 'extracting', you're maximising the solubility of the coffee grounds. The coffee is also generally higher in caffeine.

How we tested iced coffee makers and accessories

When testing iced coffee makers, we scored them on the below criteria using our testing matrix, then marked them out of five before deciding on the product's overall star rating:

Ease of use: We looked at how simple the gadget or accessory was to use, and if a manual was included, how helpful and easy it was to follow.
Value for money: Does the iced coffee maker or accessory offer a good return on investment?
Quality of materials: We assessed the overall standard of the product, how well it was made, and whether it's built to last.
Ease of assembly and packaging: How easy were the machines put together? Was excessive packaging, including non-recyclable materials, used?
Quality of results: We considered whether the product achieved what it was designed to do. For coffee makers, we looked at the taste and consistency of the coffee, including freshness, strength and temperature.

Coffee recipes and tips

How to make cold brew coffee
How to make iced coffee
Coffee types explained

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This review was last updated in May 2024. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.

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