Even when the weather is this chilly, for some of us iced coffee is non-negotiable. Thankfully, brewing your own from home has never been easier, with searches for the “how to make iced coffee” up by 5% in the last 12 months according to Google Trends.
With this in mind, we’ve compiled a guide to everything you need to make barista-quality iced coffee from home – from the best iced coffee makers, to the nice-to-have accessories that will elevate your morning cup of joe.
For even more on coffee, you can also check out our guides to the best coffee machines for your budget, plus top picks of the best bean-to-cup machines, best espresso machines, best coffee pod machines best filter coffee machines, and cafetières. Plus, we bring you the best coffee grinders and our favourite reusable coffee cups.
Best iced coffee makers and accessories at a glance
- Best cold brew maker: Grind cold brew bottle, £30
- Best bean-to-cup coffee machine for cold brew: De’Longhi Eletta Explore, £999.99
- Best iced coffee maker: Breville Iced Coffee Maker, £24.99
- Best ice cube tray for making large quantities: Oliver’s Kitchen 4-pack ice cube trays, £10.99
- Best clear plastic reusable ice cubes: Kikkerland reusable ice cubes, £9.99
- Best coffee syrup set: Monin flavoured coffee syrups set, £12.49
- Best travel cup for insulation: Klean Kanteen Insulated TK Wide, £31.53
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How we tested iced coffee makers and accessories
When testing iced coffee makers, we scored them on the below criteria using our testing matrix, then marked them out of five before deciding on the product’s overall star rating:
- Ease of use: We looked at how simple the gadget or accessory was to use, and if a manual was included, how helpful and easy it was to follow.
- Value for money: Does the iced coffee maker or accessory offer a good return on investment?
- Quality of materials: We assessed the overall standard of the product, how well it was made, and whether it’s built to last.
- Ease of assembly and packaging: How easy were the machines put together? Was excessive packaging, including non-recyclable materials, used?
- Quality of results: We considered whether the product achieved what it was designed to do. For coffee makers, we looked at the taste and consistency of the coffee, including freshness, strength and temperature.
Best iced coffee makers and accessories to buy in 2026
Grind Cold Brew Bottle
Available from Grind (£30)
Best cold brew coffee maker
Pros:
- Attractive
- Easy to use
- Recyclable packaging
- Generous capacity
Cons:
Star rating: 5/5
Wattage: n/a
Providing you’re happy to be patient, making your own cold brew is a simple process – and we had a lot of fun using this nifty 1-litre bottle from coffee pod brand Grind. With it you can make up to five cups of cold brew, and the recommended brew time is eight to 24 hours (the longer you leave it, the more intense the flavour will be). Simply add 50g of ground coffee (approximately 7 tbsps) into the filter basket, add up to a litre of water, and leave it to work its magic.
We loved that the bottle came in fully recyclable packaging, and along with the glass bottle you get an integrated filter and silicone stopper, from which you can remove the lid to pour your coffee. No instructions were provided, and we had to dig out a guide on the Grind website to find out how much coffee was needed. Once we’d got the gist, however, we found it a joy to use and the results were worth the wait – our cold brew was light, fruity and refreshing.
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De’Longhi Eletta Explore
Available from Amazon (£949.99), Currys (£999), AO (£899), Lakeland (£999.99)
Best bean-to-cup coffee machine for cold brew
Star rating: 5/5
Wattage: 1450W
The best bean-to-cup machines are versatile, but only a handful – like this model from De’Longhi – come with cold brew functionality. The Eletta Explore has hot and cold settings for a number of drink options, including cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos, americanos, espressos, and flat whites, plus space for up to four user profiles so you can save your favourites.
The digital display communicates each part of the coffee-making process so there’s little room for error, and there’s adjustable grind and temperature settings, too. Bear in mind it’s a chunky machine, so better suited to those with larger countertop space.
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Breville Iced Coffee Maker
Available from Amazon (£24.99), Very (£29)
Best iced coffee maker
Star rating: 4/5
Wattage: 1100W
This single-serve Breville gadget produces solid results for a reasonable price. It’s a little plasticky, but its simple controls are doddle to master, with just two buttons to press before the coffee can start brewing (an on-off switch and a start button).
A reusable filter basket, plastic scoop, 600ml tumbler and reusable hard-plastic straw are included, all of which are robust, though it’s worth bearing in mind that none of them are dishwasher-safe.
Our first batch of coffee took around four minutes to brew, but was too watery as we used average-sized ice cubes, which quickly melted as the hot water ran over them. For our second batch, we used extra-large cubes and this worked much better: the coffee tasted pleasant with just a touch of bitterness.
We found the machine continued to drip after brewing, even when switched off and with the drip-stop closed, leaving us with a mess on the counter as there’s no tray underneath.
These flaws aside, if you’re a frequent iced coffee drinker and want a machine with basic functionality, it offers good value in the long-run.
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Oliver’s Kitchen 4-pack ice cube trays
Available from Amazon (£10.99), B&Q (£11.99)
Best ice cube tray for making large quantities
If you’re making a few iced coffees at home each day, it’s helpful to have plenty of ice stocked up in the freezer. This pack of four trays makes up to 56 ice cubes, which is more than enough to keep you going – plus they’re handy for parties or large families too. Each tray comes with a lid so you can stack them, plus flexible frames that allow you to remove the ice easily.
Read our guide to the best ice cube trays.
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Kikkerland reusable ice cubes
Available from Tesco (£9.99), Amazon (£9.99)
Best clear plastic reusable ice cubes
Cold drinks taste all the better when served with ice, but when it comes to coffee, you risk diluting the taste as it melts – particularly on a hot day. This is where reusable ice cubes, like these clear, plastic ones from Kikkerland, can be a handy option. There’s no risk of them melting and they freeze more quickly than ice, which is helpful if you’ve forgotten to stock your freezer. They also offer good value for money, as you can use them again and again.
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Monin flavoured coffee syrups set
Available from Selfridges (£12.49)
Prefer your iced coffee sweet? Coffee syrups are a great way to elevate your morning cup of java, and this set from Monin includes caramel, hazelnut, gingerbread and vanilla. Each bottle is 250ml and Monin advises adding 20-30ml to your cup when making a frappe.
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Klean Kanteen insulated TK wide
Available from Amazon (£31.53)
Best travel cup for insulation
Travel mugs are a great way to enjoy coffee on the go without the need for a single-use cup. This stainless steel option, available in five sizes, is designed to keep drinks at the optimum temperature for up to 11 hours, so you don’t need to worry about your cold brew turning lukewarm while on the move. It’s lightweight and robust, and comes with a matt surface for easy gripping. The lid is simple to screw on, too, and doesn’t allow any liquid to escape.
Read our guide to the best reusable travel cups.
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What’s the difference between iced coffee and cold brew?
Making iced coffee isn’t too dissimilar to that of hot coffee: simply pour hot water over the grounds, but then leave the liquid to cool, using ice cubes if you wish. This allows the coffee oxidise and degrade quickly and intensely, and can result in a more acidic, bitter taste compared to cold brew coffee.
Cold brew coffee, on the other hand, involves steeping coffee grounds in cold or room-temperature water. It’s a slower process than making iced coffee and usually takes several hours, but because you’re increasing the period over which you’re ‘brewing’ or ‘extracting’, you’re maximising the solubility of the coffee grounds. The coffee is also generally higher in caffeine.
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