9 Best Hamilton Beach Cold Brew Coffee Makers for 2026 – Expert Picks

Customer Review: “This the best coffee pot I’ve ever owned, seriously. I appreciate good coffee and regularly buy beans from a local roastery. I am not a barista nor do I claim to be a coffee expert. I enjoy good coffee and a drip coffee maker is good enough for my daily habit. This maker can be used to brew single cups on one side or a full pot on the other side. Typically, I am the only coffee drinker in my house. Sometimes we have guests. This coffee maker allows me to serve both situations easily. To use the single serve side, I fill the cup that I’m planning to use with the correct amount of tap water and add it to the single serve side of the maker. This side is designed to only hold enough water for a single serve amount of water. I don’t use manufactured pods as I prefer fresh grounds but this maker apparently can handle pods too. I grind my beans or use pre-ground coffee and add that to the slide out tray on the single serve side just above the cup location. There is a metallic mesh screen that holds the grounds on the single serve side and I find that I waste less coffee than when I try to make only 1 or 2 cups in a large pot. The single serve side has a nested set of plastic circles that sits under a tall mug when not needed. These little circular risers can be un-nested and stacked to allow a shorter cup to be closer to the dripping coffee (see photos). This allows the maker to accommodate a variety of sizes of cups. The single serve side takes about 2 minutes to brew. I think the coffee tastes great and I can control the strength of the brew based upon how many grounds I add. The full carafe side is much like any basic drip-coffee maker. There’s a small reservoir that holds enough water to brew a full pot of coffee. There’s a flip lid and a basket for coffee grounds. You can use paper filters or buy a separate metallic, re-usable mesh filter that fits inside this basket. I like these baskets as it’s less wasteful than using paper filters daily and I don’t have to remember to constantly purchase filters. I’ve used the same mesh filter for over 7 years now. It doesn’t filter as finely as paper filters do and the last sip of coffee contains a small amount of grit / sediment but this seems normal to me now. If someone doesn’t like this idea than I would warn them not to drink the last sip. It’s pretty easy to avoid. The coffee maker has a very obvious and easy to use manual switch that selects whether you are brewing a full pot or a single serve. Only one side can be used at a time. You simply move the switch to the left or right as the illustrations show to select which side you wish to utilize. I frequently use the timer feature. Prior to work I have one 16 oz metal travel mug filled, warm and waiting for me when I wake up in the morning. The display is bright when you touch a button and dims to normal again after about 30 seconds so it doesn’t light up the kitchen at night like a beacon. There is a single bright green LED light that indicates that the timer is set and ready to go. Personally, I like this feature as it is an obvious acknowledgment that the timer is ready to go at the time that I programmed in. Some might find this too bright but it’s hard to imagine it being a nuisance to most people. Other reviewers have indicated the their carafe broke instantly upon the first use. I’ve used my carafe several times without issues. I also noticed that a new pot is around $10 so if it does break down the road, I can probably replace it easily. Some said that it tastes like plastic, I haven’t experienced this. Some said that it leaks after 3 months – I’ll try to update this review later but so far so good – no leaks. Others say it takes too long to brew. I think it takes about as long to make coffee as every other coffeepot that I have owned and if you set it up the night before, you won’t have to wait for it. It can be ready for you whenever you tell it to be ready. I even read that some people were annoyed that they had to slide the coffee pot out from under a counter in order to add water to the top of the coffee maker. I once added felt pads to the bottom of a coffee maker to make this process easier. Without a dedicated water line and a commercial coffee apparatus, I’m not sure how the manufacturer would avoid this overly burdensome task. You have to add water somehow; that’s how coffee works. I have not had any negative issues at all with this coffee maker and I’ve been using it daily for over 1 month. It’s easy to use, it’s easy to program and I like that I can make a full pot or single cup depending on my needs. I definitely recommend this unit.”

Customer Review: “Love this coffee machine. It offers one single brew while having a pot option also. Nice design and can fit in a tiny space. I would say this is worth purchasing. Taste was great and brew time is perfect.”

Customer Review: “This machine works great. Brews well and tastes great. Beware, the k-pods that I originally had burst and was a mess to clean up. The manual advises “try another brand.” I did and they worked fine. The adjustable cup capacity has been a life saver and having the large water tank made it easier for day to day use. Great value for the money because I am not tempted to buy coffee.”

Customer Review: “I bought the coffee maker to replace another Hamilton Beach maker. I love the fact that the reservoir works for both single cup and pot. No more separate reservoirs. The water heats instantly which surprised me. The carafe is stainless steel, won’t buy glass. It keeps coffee hot longer. It brewed quickly. It’s slimmer than my old, but it’s longer. Barely fits on my coffee maker rolling board. The selection screen is easy to use. My other Hamilton Beach lasted 4 years. I’m hoping this lasts longer.”

Customer Review: “Super fast, produces very hot coffee, absolutely love the ability to use either grounds or k cups. Like the fact that the lid comes completely off for easy filling and cleaning. It has the capability of brewing sizes, regular or bold as well as iced coffee, has a nice sleek design for space saving area. Really like the product and the results.”

Customer Review: “I have been working a bit on setting up a small kitchen in my room – similar to a dorm room – and this coffee machine fits perfectly. It’s profile is small enough that it fits just where I need it, and it still has a great capacity for its reservoir! It’s price is perfect for what I was looking for, and it is a high quality product. I have had no issues so far. It functions perfectly – though I have yet to try the coffee grinds adapted (I use k-cups mostly). It is also extremely easy to use – I personally just press 1 button after putting my k-cup in and it does everything else on its own; making a great cup of coffee.”

Customer Review: “I love this coffee maker. I had a much older (5+ years) Hamilton Beach model of this style but without the program, brew settings, etc. which still worked just fine when I bought this one. The water reservoir in that one was accessible only from the top, behind the basket. I saw this one in Target but decided not to buy it until I read reviews. The Amazon price was the same as Target but the reviews helped me make my decision easy. I love that the reservoir can be detached. The numbers on it are easy to see in case you forget how much water you poured in. There are also numbers on the other side so you can see how much brewed coffee is left. The program options are awesome – bold, regular, and 1-4 cup settings. I love that you can also brew iced coffee, which turns out perfectly without tasting diluted. That was actually the main thing that attracted my eye to this model. The start time can also be programmed as can the “keep warm” time (1-4 hrs). I was already a fan of the dispensing mechanism from years of using my older model. Compared to a separate carafe, this way just makes sense for keeping the coffee hot without that burned taste you get from the pot sitting on the burner too long. The cons: it’s somewhat cheaply made. The reservoir doesn’t have a great fit against the main body of the system. There is a gap between them that feels like it could be better. The lid also has room for improvement of fit. The drip tray doesn’t fit in as snugly as my older model’s. When I moved the unit back and forth across the counter the tray would sometimes come off easily. I bent the plastic “latch” a little so it would hug the notch a bit better so it’s not really a big problem. It would be a better design if the tray snapped into the main body of the machine. Note: the drip tray is in two pieces and both can be removed for easy cleaning. The last con is that it tends to be noisier than my older model – sort of a hissing noise. It doesn’t bother me but it is noticeable. Even with the cons I’d still recommend it.”

Customer Review: “When we moved into our new home, our coffee maker didn’t make it. I quickly realized how hard it is to find a carafe-free coffee maker, so I grabbed a standard (brand name) coffee maker off the shelf at Costco. Big mistake. I quickly realized I really don’t like having a carafe, and on top of that, the machine was awkward and frustrating to use. Within days, I was determined to return it. I went on Amazon and, after some searching, I luckily found the exact carafe-free coffee maker I had purchased back in 2022—the one that broke during the move. I ordered it immediately and couldn’t wait for it to arrive. As soon as it was delivered, I set it up in my new coffee bar and instantly smiled. It fit perfectly, looked so much better, and felt right. One feature I especially love is the removable water reservoir—I don’t have to lug water across the kitchen to the coffee bar or drag the entire coffee maker to the sink just to fill it. Setup was refreshingly easy. Setting the time, brew schedule, and preferences was so intuitive that I didn’t need the manual—or a PhD—to figure it out. The very next morning, the coffee brewed right on time, and both my husband and I commented that it even tasted better than the coffee from the machine now sitting on the counter waiting to be returned. I honestly couldn’t be happier with this purchase. If you’re on the fence about buying a carafe-free coffee maker, take the leap—you won’t regret it. Quick highlights:–Carafe-free (no messy pouring or cleanup)–Removable water reservoir (no lifting or hauling)–Extremely easy setup and programming–Great-looking and compact on the counter–Consistently great-tasting coffee”

Customer Review: “I once owned a Hamilton Beach coffeemaker 50 years ago when I first married my wife. I remember how the coffee brewing smelled just like it tastes, wonderful! Over the years, as a coffee enthusiast, I’ve tried many different brew methods, electric percolator, pourover single cup, Italian Mika brewer, and they all price exceptional tasting cup of coffee. The negative aspect with some of these is cleanup and maintenance. I wanted to get back to a 12 cup brewer because of my need for my coffee and simplified brewing method. This coffeemaker fills that need. It has simplified buttons easy for a senior to operate. Even though it is mostly plastic, like most items we use today, it is adequately durable with proper care. The 12 cup size meets my requirements, and it functions as advertised. Water flow has two speeds, normal, and measured /timed. Meaning, the choice for regular brew or bold. I tried a regular pot with 1 cup of ground coffee. It came out slightly weak tasting. Next, I tried the bold setting, same measures. It came out strong and a bit bitter tasting. So, following a suggestion from the owners sheet and reviews, I next tried a pot with 3/4 cup of coffee. Voila! A perfect pot of coffee! Now, my personal suggestions for making that pot last all day without getting blacker and Muddy tasting. (1) Immediately after brewing is finished, turn the unit off. As you pour a cup during the course of your day, put it in the microwave and reheat it. My wife always did this, and would even drink a cup of this coffee the next morning, using it all before making a fresh batch. I thought she was nuts, but, it does taste pretty good, and, it saves a LOT on rapidly rising coffee prices! (2) Once brewing is completely finished and dripping is done, remove the carafe, open the lid and gently stir the coffee for 5 seconds to mix it. Really? Well , while brewing, stronger coffee settles in the bottom of the pot while toward the end the water coming out is almost clear. It’s stratified. So stir before serving, you’ll enjoy your coffee all day long with these tips. Give a thumbs up if these worked for you. 😎 PS: After a couple months use, I’ve learned a thing or two about the brew cycle. Choosing the Bold cycle allows you to use much less coffee, but it takes experimentation to accomplish your expected results. I began experiencing acid stomach from this process, so I switched to regular brew, put in half cup of coffee plus one tablespoon and brewed on regular cycle and got a perfect pot. Folks had claimed that either the coffee was weak, or the brew basket would overflow. You just need to break in this coffeemaker. Overall, it’s a darn fine product, and once you make friends with it, I believe you’ll like it. 😎”

Customer Review: “This has everything I was looking for: 2 hour automatic shut-off, a bold brew option (meaning you use less coffee yet get maximum effect), easy-pour, easy-clean, no-nonsense (meaning you don’t need to be a computer programmer to operate this), and it looks great. You can set it to turn on, but if that’s not your preference, this is basically a push-one-button operation. I prefer to set my coffee up the night before, then when getting up I push the ON button. There are 3 options: bold, not bold, and 1-4 cup setting), plus if you’re impatient, you can grab a cup early. “Perkatory” is the time waiting for coffee to brew! Some people complain that their coffee makers are too loud. If that’s you, this one if pretty quiet. The only improvement I’d like to see is the lettering for the cups, not on the carafe but on the maker itself. They are hard to read, and I drew a line to the point I normally make. We got the white one, which is quite attractive. I suppose you could spend twice as much for a coffee-maker, but I can’t imagine it being any better than this one. *Update: I like bold coffee, but even when coffee-makers have that feature I usually end up having to add extra coffee. On this one, I’m adding less, and getting a full, rich, bold cup. So I’m saving on coffee and getting a better cup!”

Customer Review: “Very cool and practical coffee maker! We love the convenience of easy to fill coffee and maintaining the coffee warm for up to four hours with no evaporation due to its lock in thermal design. Requires understanding how to clean and program for consistently good coffee.”

Customer Review: “Pump Stopped Working // Prior Model was AMAZING I have used this coffee pot from end of May to early Aug. The pump stopped working today. Honestly, this coffee maker has been horrible since it arrived. It has leaked a few time. It’s not easy to clean. It’s kind of a pain. I was looking forward to setting this up for my coffee routine… The setup isn’t easy but you can figure it out with the directions. I did this as a treat for myself and ended up getting frustrated instead. Bummer. I loved the prior model that didn’t have a pump and didn’t have a glass holding area. I used it for many many years. I actually donated it because I was moving and didn’t want to pack it up. I spent a lot of money on this and am totally disappointed. FIRST REVIEW I was excited to get this coffee maker because I had the past model. It almost completely different. Pros>> I do like the fact that the coffee is stored in glass. >> You can program to brew in the AM and it works. >> Looks nice. >> Doesn’t drip. Cons>> I don’t like that the coffee isn’t warm & is kinda cold when put on the warmer. The other one was way better. I may return it because of this…. Main reason I loved this coffee maker. << Trying again to see if it was me/user error. >> There is a pump the dispenses the coffee. The old was was gravity feed and didn’t need a pump. >> Wondering how long this pump will actually last. >> Pump to get coffee into your cup is kinda loud. If you are trying to be quiet in the AM and get a cup of coffee, you can’t. >> You need to read the instruction in order to use this & they are a little confusing. >> Doesn’t come with a reusable filter as shown in the directions. Nor does it tell you which ones to buy in the instructions. >> Complicated to clean unlike the old model. >> The flavor from the past machine was a little bit better. Debating if I will keep it. I really wanted to love it. Will try it a few more times & see.”

Customer Review: “This the best coffee pot I’ve ever owned, seriously. I appreciate good coffee and regularly buy beans from a local roastery. I am not a barista nor do I claim to be a coffee expert. I enjoy good coffee and a drip coffee maker is good enough for my daily habit. This maker can be used to brew single cups on one side or a full pot on the other side. Typically, I am the only coffee drinker in my house. Sometimes we have guests. This coffee maker allows me to serve both situations easily. To use the single serve side, I fill the cup that I’m planning to use with the correct amount of tap water and add it to the single serve side of the maker. This side is designed to only hold enough water for a single serve amount of water. I don’t use manufactured pods as I prefer fresh grounds but this maker apparently can handle pods too. I grind my beans or use pre-ground coffee and add that to the slide out tray on the single serve side just above the cup location. There is a metallic mesh screen that holds the grounds on the single serve side and I find that I waste less coffee than when I try to make only 1 or 2 cups in a large pot. The single serve side has a nested set of plastic circles that sits under a tall mug when not needed. These little circular risers can be un-nested and stacked to allow a shorter cup to be closer to the dripping coffee (see photos). This allows the maker to accommodate a variety of sizes of cups. The single serve side takes about 2 minutes to brew. I think the coffee tastes great and I can control the strength of the brew based upon how many grounds I add. The full carafe side is much like any basic drip-coffee maker. There’s a small reservoir that holds enough water to brew a full pot of coffee. There’s a flip lid and a basket for coffee grounds. You can use paper filters or buy a separate metallic, re-usable mesh filter that fits inside this basket. I like these baskets as it’s less wasteful than using paper filters daily and I don’t have to remember to constantly purchase filters. I’ve used the same mesh filter for over 7 years now. It doesn’t filter as finely as paper filters do and the last sip of coffee contains a small amount of grit / sediment but this seems normal to me now. If someone doesn’t like this idea than I would warn them not to drink the last sip. It’s pretty easy to avoid. The coffee maker has a very obvious and easy to use manual switch that selects whether you are brewing a full pot or a single serve. Only one side can be used at a time. You simply move the switch to the left or right as the illustrations show to select which side you wish to utilize. I frequently use the timer feature. Prior to work I have one 16 oz metal travel mug filled, warm and waiting for me when I wake up in the morning. The display is bright when you touch a button and dims to normal again after about 30 seconds so it doesn’t light up the kitchen at night like a beacon. There is a single bright green LED light that indicates that the timer is set and ready to go. Personally, I like this feature as it is an obvious acknowledgment that the timer is ready to go at the time that I programmed in. Some might find this too bright but it’s hard to imagine it being a nuisance to most people. Other reviewers have indicated the their carafe broke instantly upon the first use. I’ve used my carafe several times without issues. I also noticed that a new pot is around $10 so if it does break down the road, I can probably replace it easily. Some said that it tastes like plastic, I haven’t experienced this. Some said that it leaks after 3 months – I’ll try to update this review later but so far so good – no leaks. Others say it takes too long to brew. I think it takes about as long to make coffee as every other coffeepot that I have owned and if you set it up the night before, you won’t have to wait for it. It can be ready for you whenever you tell it to be ready. I even read that some people were annoyed that they had to slide the coffee pot out from under a counter in order to add water to the top of the coffee maker. I once added felt pads to the bottom of a coffee maker to make this process easier. Without a dedicated water line and a commercial coffee apparatus, I’m not sure how the manufacturer would avoid this overly burdensome task. You have to add water somehow; that’s how coffee works. I have not had any negative issues at all with this coffee maker and I’ve been using it daily for over 1 month. It’s easy to use, it’s easy to program and I like that I can make a full pot or single cup depending on my needs. I definitely recommend this unit.”

Customer Review: “Love this coffee machine. It offers one single brew while having a pot option also. Nice design and can fit in a tiny space. I would say this is worth purchasing. Taste was great and brew time is perfect.”

Customer Review: “I purchased this coffee maker after owning the stainless steel version. This was less expensive but works pretty much the same. I like the fact that you put the amount of water in for the size cup you want instead of relying on the machine to get it right. I say this because of previous experience with much more expensive machines that never worked properly. The more expensive machines didn’t hold up well either. You can use any coffee you want without spending a lot on K-cups. The coffee is always hot and brewed perfectly. It has a coffee strainer basket and a secondary mesh filter and both must be rinsed between each cup to prevent a backup that might cause it to run over, a simple easy process. It shuts off automatically after each use. It will also shut off if you forget to put water in it. It has cup trays on two levels, one to accommodate a tall cup then one that folds out at a higher level for a small cup to prevent splashing. This is a well designed inexpensive single serve coffee maker. It’s attractive enough and fits anywhere. You get a great cup of coffee every time. Note; I don’t just scoop with the strainer, I measure with a tablespoon for consistent strength and flavor. You don’t want to dip the wet scoop in your ground coffee after you rinse it anyway.”

Customer Review: “Convenient like a Kuerig but without the waste. The grounds go into the garden and no coffee filters. Good quality coffee.”

Customer Review: “I love the quick brewing and the fact that I can use my own ground coffee without pods. The white finish looks great on my counter and the adjustable cup stand is very convenient.”

Customer Review: “This coffee maker is perfect for my single cup needs. It brews quickly and the permanent filter is easy to clean. I appreciate that it doesn’t use pods, which helps reduce waste.”