There have been a lot of exciting espresso machine releases in the past couple of years, and a lot of them have one new feature in common: cold brew settings.
As you'll have read in any of my reviews of these machines, you can't make authentic cold brew in a couple of minutes. The process of making cold brew concentrate involves steeping your grounds at least overnight, and gently infusing cold water the way you'd make an iced tea.
However, if you don't have a domestic cold brewer to hand or you simply don't have the time to make your own concentrate, I've always thought that the machine alternatives are pretty decent. Typical tasting notes will be fruity, light and fragrant.
I love an iced latte, so I was convinced that I'd be making cold brew as the base for these drinks every morning throughout the summer months. But in reality? After a few uses, I defaulted back to the good stuff: proper, piping hot espresso.
Here's why I wouldn't bother looking for an espresso machine with a cold brew setting if I were in the market for a new coffee maker, and what I'd buy instead.
It tastes different, but rarely better
Don't get me wrong, cold brew can taste really lovely, even when you make it in a machine over the course of a couple of minutes. When I made cold brew in the Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro, for example, I found that the notes were more mellow and fruity than if I'd made an espresso.
When I paired it with milk though, this flavor was totally washed out. And if you're someone who wants to add a syrup to your iced coffee, a cold brew shot really won't bring much punchy flavor to your latte.
When espresso machine manufacturers add a cold brew setting to their machine, they're picking up on a growing trend for making iced lattes from home. But let me tell you a little secret: when you order an iced latte in a coffee shop, 99% of the time they're using good old-fashioned espresso.
That's what I want in my iced drink: a rich punch of ideally dark-roasted espresso that can hold its own with a hefty pour of milk and some fast-melting ice cubes.
But Millie, I hear you ask, what if I don't want an iced latte? Well, a cold brew setting could be a worthwhile feature on your machine, especially if you do genuinely enjoy buying cold brew out and about, but don't want to commit to making your own concentrate.
Many espresso machines' cold brew settings will typically take around 3 minutes and brew at roughly 35°C / 95°F, which isn't actually cold, but it's not hot either. Now, heat plays an important role when brewing in an espresso machine, creating the pressure to extract a deep and aromatic brew. It's the sort of taste 99% of people expect from their morning coffee. Without that, you're left with a sweeter, more mellow drink.
And look, I do very occasionally enjoy a cold brew. But you know what I think is better than a cold brew? A tasty, punchy iced americano. And I've totally mastered the iced americano this year, thanks to one cheap kitchen gadget that I used all through the summer.
Instead, I brew espresso and hyperchill it
I ditched cold brew settings for the humble iced americano this summer, and I won't be going back. It's all down to the Hyperchiller, a $25 gadget that sandwiches your hot brew between two sealed ice chambers to bring that temperature down to frosty in minutes. Then, you just pour it directly over ice, and you're left with a super refreshing iced americano that won't turn your cubes to puddles in seconds.
Alternatively, you could use the Hyperchiller to make yourself an iced latte. Simply brew a piping hot espresso, mix it with some syrup so it dissolves evenly, and then hyperchill it before pouring over ice and milk for a divine iced latte that's never watered down.
So, while there's nothing technically wrong with the cold brew settings you'll find on more recent machines like the Ninja Luxe Café or the Breville Oracle Jet, I personally wouldn't rush out to buy one because of this feature, or use a lack of cold brew settings as a reason not to buy a machine. Simply put, the flavor you'll get with these settings will never compete with an espresso that's been extracted at high pressure and temperatures. That's where you get the dark, rich notes and gorgeous crema you're looking for in a great brew.
So when you extract a hot coffee the way it's meant to be brewed and then chill it, you'll get all the great flavors, but none of the hot temperatures that can hamper the taste of your iced coffee. See you never, cold brew settings.
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More from Tom's Guide
- I've got a $1,500 coffee maker with a cold brew setting, but I always go back to this cheap gadget to make my iced coffee
- I'm in caffeine overload after pitting OXO's Rapid Brewer vs AeroPress — here's what happened
- I'm an ex-barista and I tested a $150 De'Longhi espresso machine and a $500 Breville — here's what I learned
