Who this is for / not for
For: You want to try cold brew before spending money on a dedicated device, or you just don’t see the point of a single-purpose gadget for something this simple.
Not for: You already make cold brew often and are tired of straining by hand — a dedicated maker’s built-in filter is solving a real annoyance for you at that point, not selling you something you don’t need.
What you actually need
| Item | Substitute you probably already own |
|---|---|
| A steeping vessel | Any large jar or pitcher with a lid |
| A way to strain grounds out | A fine-mesh strainer, or cheesecloth/a clean kitchen towel over a strainer |
| Coarse-ground coffee | See our grind size chart — cold brew sits at the coarsest end |
| Refrigerator space | The fridge you already have |
That’s the entire kit. A dedicated cold brew maker’s only real advantage is a built-in filter that saves you the straining step — it doesn’t make the coffee itself any different from what a jar and a strainer produce.
The basic method
Combine coarse-ground coffee with cold or room-temperature water in your jar, stir to make sure all the grounds are wet, and refrigerate. Cold brew uses a long steep time — many hours, typically overnight — instead of heat to extract, which is why the grind needs to be coarse: a fine grind over that many hours would over-extract into bitterness. Strain through your mesh strainer (doubling with cheesecloth catches more fine sediment) once steeping is done, and dilute to taste before drinking — cold brew concentrate is typically stronger than you’ll want to drink straight.
We’re not publishing an exact ratio or steep-time number as a fixed rule — both vary by bean and personal taste; start with roughly equal-feeling parts strong and adjust from there, the same way you’d dial in any other method.
What we refuse on this page
- Recommending a dedicated cold brew maker as necessary — it isn’t, and this page exists specifically to say so honestly.
- A fixed ratio or steep-time as gospel — treat it as a starting point, not a rule.
FAQ
Does cold brew need a burr grinder specifically? A consistent coarse grind helps avoid over-extraction and sediment — see our budget burr grinder picks if you don’t have one yet, though a coarse pre-ground coffee can work as a starting point too.
How long does cold brew concentrate keep in the fridge? It keeps notably longer than hot-brewed coffee, but treat any specific shelf-life number with your own judgment and food-safety sense rather than an internet rule.
Is cold brew just iced coffee? No — iced coffee is hot-brewed coffee cooled down; cold brew is steeped cold from the start, which produces a different, generally less acidic flavor.
Update log
| Date (ET) | Change |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-19 | Initial publish. |