KitchenAid Cold Brew Coffee Maker Review

Review by  Chef Austin 

 

 

KitchenAid isn't the first name you think of when it comes to coffee, but they've hammered out an awesome cold brew coffee maker. Cold brew coffee is the top-shelf whiskey of the coffee world. Enjoy the bold smoothness and rich, complex flavors of cold brew coffee. It has a natural sweetness and highlights different notes from your freshly ground coffee beans compared to those same beans prepared hot. Because of the slow and cold extraction, this chilly counterpart has even more caffeine than a hot shot of espresso. KitchenAid's unique cold brew maker saves you precious time in the morning and you can help save you money when you're not buying expensive iced coffees elsewhere.

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KitchenAid Cold Brew Coffee Maker

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Pros: 

• Compact Size - Easily fits in the refrigerator, brew and dispense from the same container
• Glass & Metal Design - Thick glass sides and metal handle make the KitchenAid feel like a quality piece of equipment
• Paper-Free Filter - Ultra-fine stainless steel filter is washable and reusable, no paper filters to buy
• Built-In Pour Spout - No-drip pour spout makes it even easier to enjoy your cold brew coffee
• Good Directions - KitchenAid's directions produce a coffee bloom and properly extracts all the tasty stuff from your beans
• Portable - The metal handle makes it easy to take in and out of the fridge. Also easy to take out to the picnic table when making cold brew teas.

Cons:

• The stainless steel fine-mesh steeper can leave behind very fine sediment in your cold brew system
• Does not make as much cold brew coffee concentrate as other cold brew machines

Quick Specs: 28oz Capacity | Very fine-mesh stainless steel infusing basket 

 

Best For: People wanting a compact, portable, and stylish cold brew coffee maker that can reside in the fridge while delivering great tasting cold brew coffee.

 

Design & Construction

Out of all the cold brew coffee makers I've used, the KitchenAid is definitely the most compact and attractive model. The cube design features thick glass walls with a heavy duty plastic base surrounded by brushed stainless steel. A no-drip pour spout is at the front of the unit for easy access to your finished cold brew. The base has a removable cover on the bottom to access the pour-spout pipe for deep cleaning which a great plus.

Easy access for deep cleaning the pour spout pipe underneath the Kitchenaid.

 

A branded stainless steel handle makes it easy to take in and out of the fridge between brews. The lid sits on a removable black square of plastic that is nestled on top of the glass walls. This piece functions to hold the lid and also to hold the brew basket while draining your cold brew.  

 

The stainless steel basket has holes so fine it still has a mirror-like finish.

Underneath the lid, you'll find the stainless brewing basket. The brew basket is made of a thin piece of extremely fine mesh metal, so fine that you can see your reflection in the metal basket. The basket has a small handle for easy removal. This permanent basket is what KitchenAid has decided to use instead of a filter you have to periodically replace. 

 

 

Test Drive

Actually making cold brew coffee in the KitchenAid was quite simple. Thankfully the instructions are clear, concise, and contain pictures of each step in the process. The instructions mirrored other cold brew making methods we researched and contained the correct proportions to make an appropriate batch size for the KitchenAid.

KitchenAid's directions created a perfect coffee bloom, but requires you have to have a steady hand and consistent pour of water not to break the bloom. If you break the bloom, that will negatively affect the flavor of your finished cold brew coffee - it won't make the coffee undrinkable, but the maximum flavor from your cold brew won't be there. With some practice and following KitchenAid's direction, the perfect cold brew will be in your future.

Taste Test
I was a bit skeptical at first when filling the KitchenAid with fresh coffee grounds. The design is radically different from the traditional cold brew coffee makers. KitchenAid has made their coffee maker more compact by having the ground beans steep in the same vessel that will dispense your cold brew. The steeping basket is a very fine-mesh stainless steel which is nice because you don't need to buy paper filters. We found some noticeable fine coffee ground sediment after draining our steeped coffee. This sediment is caught by a raised bump pattern on the bottom of the glass which prevents the fine sediment from going into your coffee. KitchenAid gets a pat on the back for seeing this common issue from permanent fine metal coffee filters and taking steps to solve the sediment problem.

The steeping basket easily drains and is finished in about eight minutes. 

But other than that, the cold brew was still smooth and deeply rich in flavor. Our coffee expert, Case from Heroes Coffee, actually picked KitchenAid as having the best flavor cold brew out of all the cold brew coffee makers in a blind taste test. 

I love the compact design with the thick and attractive glass walls and metal handle. The convenience factor of brewing and storing right in the fridge is the best features of the KitchenAid. The metal brewing basket is great because I'll never have to worry about running out of paper filters to make coffee with. Also, its so nice to not have to take the container out to pour - I can use the spout to dispense my coffee concentrate with ease. The finished cold brew was rich, smooth, and complex which kept me plenty caffeinated to write this review. I'd highly recommend the KitchenAid Cold Brew Coffee maker to anyone, beginner or expert, who is interested in making cold brew coffee at home.

 

If you're still deciding on the perfect cold brew coffee maker, we taste tested our top coffee makers to see which machine is best for you. Click here to see the comparison.

 

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Everything you need to know about Cold Brew Coffee

 

• Less Acidic Coffee = Smoother Tasting Coffee - Ever have a sour or bitter cup of coffee that's been sitting on the warmer? Heat brings out the natural acids in coffee, cold brewing can have up to 67% less acid than traditional hot brewing. This is great if you're sensitive to acidic food, cold brew coffee could be a low-acid solution for you. 
• More Time + No Heat = More Caffeine - The slow process of steeping your beans in cold water instead of hot water makes cold brew coffee maintain more caffeine than any other coffee brewing method. It has more caffeine than espresso!
• Cold Brew Concentrate = Coffee for Weeks - Because the cold brew process produces a concentrate, you can drink coffee for weeks with a single brew. One part cold brew coffee concentrate is mixed with 3 parts water (or milk, cream, etc!) to create an undeniably smooth cup of coffee. The concentrate stays fresh in your fridge for up to two weeks. One brewed batch can make up to 32fl oz. of concentrate, which equates to about 128fl oz. of coffee to drink.
• Brew Tea as Well - Not a coffee fan? Use any coffee cold brew system to make a tea concentrate as well! The process is just as easy.
• Great For Recipes - Making tiramisu or a coffee cocktail? Cold brew can be used as a replacement when a recipe calls for espresso or coffee.
  

 

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About the Author:  Chef Austin Merath is Everything Kitchen's Culinary Wizard, Kitchen-Gadget Reviewer, and New-Product Tester. He studied under chefs in College of the Ozarks' Culinary Program. It's his job to make sure you choose the kitchen tools that are right for you by testing the best we have to offer. When not cooking, Austin is tinkering with computers or exploring the Ozarks with his wife Amy. Click here for his full bio.