This Is My Secret for Making Cold Brew as Good as a Coffee Shop — and It Only Takes 10 Minutes

In college, I was a regular at the coffee shop on campus. Beyond its close proximity to the library, I didn’t have a great machine at home that could brew iced coffee — my year-round preference — so I forked over more cash than I should have to get my fix over the years. In the year and a half since graduating, however, I’m proud to say that — even though my caffeine dependence hasn’t gone anywhere — I rarely make the trip to my local shop anymore. In turn, I’ve saved a ton of money.

That’s because I’ve started beefing up my coffee gear at home, something I should’ve got around to doing long ago. Several have even come from the same budget-friendly brand: Mr. Coffee. First, I added its four-in-one machine to my kitchen, which makes my beloved iced coffee, lattes, cappuccinos, and hot coffee with ease. Then, I got my hands on its frappuccino maker — which also makes regular iced and hot coffee — and never needed to go to the coffee shop again. 

Well, for the most part. I’ve still been making the trip when the cold brew craving strikes, since I don’t want to spend hours waiting for it to be ready at home. However, I’ve finally rounded out my Mr. Coffee collection with the brand’s latest release: the Express Cold Brew Coffee Maker. Now, I can make it in just 10 minutes. See you never, coffee shop!

Instead of waiting overnight for your cold brew to be ready to drink, this nifty gadget makes quick work of it. It uses a vacuum-powered system instead, which brews a bold cup in 10 minutes. Measuring about 10″ x 6″ 13″, the machine does it all in a compact package, too. The detachable carafe portion holds 32 ounces, so you can store leftover cold brew easily in the fridge once capped with the included lid. All of the parts nest together, so it saves even more space if you don’t want to leave it out on your counter.

It’s as easy as plugging the machine in — it reaches full charge in two hours and can handle fifteen 13 oz. servings until the battery dies — adding coffee grounds, ice, and water to the indicated fill lines, pressing the power button, then letting it do its thing. Afterwards, all of the pieces can be separated and washed by hand.

Since it has a higher caffeine amount and is easier on my stomach than regular coffee, I’ve always been a fan of cold brew, but I always shied away from making it at home due to the lengthy prep time. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover this new Mr. Coffee gadget, after becoming a fan of the brand over the past year. 

Like the other two items I’ve tried, the Express machine has an intuitive design that I got the hang of after checking the directions only once or twice. It really is as easy and simple to use as it looks, guided by the lines on the outside. In total, there are only four sections to keep track of: one for the coffee grounds, another for ice, the main piece housing the vacuum system (which runs fairly quietly), and the main carafe. All together, it takes up hardly any space on my countertop, which is a huge benefit in my tiny kitchen. The carafe stores well on the shelf inside of my fridge door, too.

It’s so easy to move around that I’m tempted to bring it into the office. In fact, I already brought it over from my place to my friend’s apartment to show how fast it worked, tossing it in my tote bag effortlessly. Like me, she was impressed by the end result: It’s smooth and flavorful, on par with what I’ve ordered at Starbucks. Pro tip, though: Make sure to twist and tighten all of the pieces enough so there isn’t any water or coffee ground leakage.

At a sale price of just $70, the convenience and quality this machine offers is totally worth it. And, due to its compact size, it makes for an excellent gift for your cold brew-loving friends and family!

Buy: Mr. Coffee Express Cold Brew Coffee Maker, $69.99 (normally $109.99)