Also included is a glass carafe with a cork lid. The carafe lines up perfectly with the base, and the pressure from the weight of the brewer opens the valve, allowing the coffee to flow through into the carafe.
Usage
Unlike hot coffee, you don’t decide you want cold brew and instantly make it. Because of the extended brew times, you usually make the coffee at least the previous day in advance. Fortunately, setting up the brewer takes just minutes.
Brewer setup
Place the filter on the bottom of the brewing container and screw on the base until the marks line up. Ensure the brewer stands with the base on the bottom and is ready to add the ground coffee.
Grind size
Cold brew relies on a much coarser grind than most hot brews. This is because the extraction is happening over a much more extended period. I typically use 30 on my Baratza Burr Grinder for cold brewing.
Amount of beans
Because of the brewer’s size and the cold brewing process, you need much more coffee than you may be used to with a typical hot coffee maker like the Moccamaster. I measure out 175 grams of beans. While my Baratza grinder can take that much in the hopper, the output, especially at the coarser grind size needed for this maker, takes up much of the receiving container. I typically split it into two grinds, pausing in the middle to empty the first portion into the brewing container before completing the grind and loading the last bits into the brewing container.
Adding the water
First, place the rainmaker showerhead on the top of the brewing container. The rainmaker showerhead is designed to evenly distribute water over the coffee grounds, ensuring a consistent extraction. I place the assembled brewer on a scale and tare the weight. I follow this by pouring 700 grams of cold water, and spreading it around the showerhead to get an even distribution. When that is done, add the container lid on top of the showerhead to seal the brewer up.
Let the brewer sit overnight
I just put the brewer on my counter and let it sit for 12 hours. If you want the coffee colder, you can put it in a refrigerator, but you’ll need to let it sit for 24 hours. While this is the “compact” brewer, I find it a bit too big to dedicate the space in my refrigerator, so I stick to using the shorter 12-hour counter recipe.
Transfer the brew to the carafe
After 12 hours of sitting on the counter, the brewing process is done, and you can extract your concentrate. Place the carafe on the counter with the cork lid removed. Place the brewer on top of the carafe, and it will line up correctly, releasing the valve under the filter and letting the concentrated cold brew drain into the carafe.
Serving
The result is a concentrated cold brew you don’t drink straight out of the carafe. While I added about 700 milliliters of water to the brewer, it will extract about 350 milliliters of concentrated cold brew. At that point, it is dripping infrequently. You could let it continue to go, and more will be extracted, but I found the resulting brew wasn’t as good.
Add a 2:1 water ratio to cold brew concentrate when ready to serve. I usually use a small glass on my scale and zero it out. I then pour 60 grams of concentrated cold brew into it. I then add two small ice cubes from my refrigerator’s ice maker and fill the glass until 180 grams of total weight are added. The ice cubes are counted in the weight, which gives me the benefits of brewing in a refrigerator and the convenience of counter brewing. I’ve found two small cubes on my ice maker, about 23-25 grams. They’ll typically entirely melt by the time I finish the coffee, so the ratio still works out as 2:1 water to cold brew concentrate.
With a 2:1 ratio and about 350 milliliters of concentrated cold brew, you get about 1 liter of cold brew coffee out of the brewer. Because the cold brew has a richer flavor profile than hot coffee, I savor it for longer, so this amount lasts a few days.
Cleaning
Since the brewer uses the carafe to store the concentrated brew, you are free to clean the brewer right after you’ve transferred the coffee to the carafe. The brewing container will have a lot of wet grinds in it. Dump them in your trash and unscrew the base, removing the filter. A quick rinse clears any remaining ground coffee from the parts. I like to manually open the valve and rinse it to clear any residue inside the valve.
Evaluation
Pros
Simplicity
The Oxo Compact Cold Brew coffee maker is straightforward. There aren’t a ton of parts to manage.
Quick to setup
Assembling the brewer to make your coffee is swift. You need the brewing container, the filter, and the base with the valve. It’s <1 minute to be ready to add your grinds.
Quick to teardown
You remove the container lid and rainmaker, empty the grinds, remove the base, and filter by unscrewing it. I like cleaning the coffee maker right after extracting the concentrate into the carafe so it’s ready for the next brew.
Easy to clean
A quick rinse will remove the remaining grinds. Put all the parts in your dishwasher to prepare for your next brew. There are no tiny crevices to collect dirt & make it hard to clean.
It is easy to prepare your concentrate
Extracting the concentrate is as simple as placing the brewer on the included glass carafe. This opens the valve, allowing the brewed coffee to pass through the filter and into the carafe.
Fast to prepare your drink after brewing
Once the brew is complete, preparing a drink is as simple as adding some concentrate and mixing it with ice and cold water. It takes less time than brewing hot coffee.
Value for money
The Oxo Compact Cold Brew coffee maker is available on Amazon for <$40. The only moving part is the spring-loaded valve. The durable plastic construction will last for years and be used every day. The glass carafe and cork top are very high quality. The only concern I’ve had but never experienced is dropping and breaking the carafe. There don’t appear to be replacement parts available, so that is my only hesitation. But, given the brewer is <$40, even if you had to replace everything, it’s not a massive outlay.
Cons
Long brew time
This is the fundamental of cold brewing: 12-24 hours of brew time. If you don’t already have some concentrate prepared, you can’t quickly have a cold brew. If you prep it in the evening, it will always be ready for you in the morning.
Forgetting to add the filter when assembling
In your first few times, you are using it where you may forget to put the filter into the brewer. Then, when you release the concentrate, some of the grounds can come through into the carafe. They can also hold the valve open if they get stuck. If you ensure you have the filter in place before you screw on the base, this issue never happens.
Compact, but not tiny
While you can easily find a space to fit the carafe on a shelf in your refrigerator, the brewer’s height does limit its placement. Unless your refrigerator is loaded relatively sparsely, you may need to brew on a counter instead of the fridge.
Wrap up
If you’ve been savoring a cold brew at your local coffee spot and are eager to replicate the experience at home, the Oxo Compact Cold Brew coffee maker is a cost-effective solution. Its compact design ensures it won’t monopolize your counter space, and while it may not fit in your fridge for brewing, I’ve found that the carafe fits perfectly. This means I can enjoy a cold-temperature brew whenever I please, right at home. Cold brew can be an excellent addition if you are starting to build your home brewing setup.
The concentrate from the Oxo Compact Cold Brew coffee maker lasts me several days, making the brew time less of a concern in practical terms. If I find myself running low, I simply set up the brewer in the evening, and a fresh batch is ready for me in the morning. This convenient process ensures I always have a fresh batch of cold brew ready to enjoy, without the need for constant brewing.
Even if you are unsure about cold brewing at home, for less than $40, the Oxo Compact Cold Brew coffee maker is a smart and affordable investment. I enjoy cold brew more often because I own this product, and I’m sure you will, too! I personally recommend this product as it has significantly improved my coffee routine.
