Now that we've been graced with some stunning weather in the UK, it finally feels like summer is on its way. If you're like me, you'll be looking forward to hosting friends and family for delicious al fresco meals in the upcoming months, especially if temperatures keep rising.
There are many appliances out there designed to produce some gorgeous meals, including the best barbecues and best pizza ovens. However, there's not too many in the way of summer beverages and drinks. That's when the new Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker walks in...
If you didn't know, Instant Brands launched a new collection of coffee makers last month. The four machines come with clever customisable features, making it easy to completely personalise brewing and grinding strengths to suit your preferences. The Instant Cold Brewer is included in this, and I've been personally testing it out in order to find out more.
Keep reading to find out my thoughts, and why this machine should be a non-negotiable for ice cold beverages this summer.
Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker review: price and availability
The Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker has an RRP of £79.99 and can be purchased from the Instant website or Amazon.
Instant's Cold Brewer is part of a larger collection, also including the Instant Infusion Brew 12-Cup Coffee Maker and Instant Milk Frother Station.
Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker review: unboxing and set up
The Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker came in a medium sized box, and was extremely easy to put together. Inside was the Cold Brewer base, as well as the glass pitcher. I also came across the brewing basket and a small measuring scoop for the ground coffee.
There was also an instruction manual, but I didn't find this to be particularly useful. It included a QR code which was linked to a set up video, but the rest of it just included safety instructions and T&Cs. I tried to follow a QR code which prompted downloading the Instant Connect app, but I soon discovered that app wasn't able to pair with the Cold Brewer, which felt a little misleading.
That being said, the set up video was really easy to follow, and I felt ready to go once I'd watched it.
Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker review: design and features
The best thing about the Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker is the fact it's able to brew a batch of coffee in about twenty minutes. If you're a fan of cold brew, you'll know that the process traditionally takes 24 hours. Now, this is quite a long time to wait when the sun's out and you're dying for a refreshment, so the Instant Cold Brewer is an ideal solution.
It uses specialised FlashExtract Technology which is designed to agitate the grounds or tea leaves to extract the maximum flavour in an impressively short amount of time. However, depending on how strong you like your brew to be, the time can be amended from 5 to 30 minutes. This is also perfect if you like being in control of your caffeine intake throughout the day.
When it comes to the Cold Brewer's design, it has a 950ml capacity which can make up to four normal servings. It also has a simple control interface and the components are all dishwasher safe.
Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker review: performance
Using the Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker was a simple experience, and I was really happy with its results. After watching another video and browsing the Cold Brewer Recipe Book, I decided to start with brewing a batch of coffee. This meant filling the pitcher up with water (I filled it about half way as it was I was by myself) and putting a few scoops of ground coffee in the brewing basket. Instant recommends using a 14:1 water to coffee ratio, so I just popped in two full scoops and hoped for the best.
I then set the timer to about 15 minutes as I didn't want to to be too strong, and then I let it do its thing. I noticed that the Cold Brewer often started and stopped whilst brewing, but I discovered that this was normal and would let the coffee infuse in between each extraction.
A short time later, my brew was ready. It's as easy as that!
I then poured the cold brew after a few ice cubes and added a shot of caramel syrup, and it was absolutely delicious. I then sat in the garden (excuse the washing - I'm making the most of the sun) and enjoyed my drink. I was sold.
A few days later, I also tried out brewing some tea. I filled the pitcher with water and put a tablespoon of pomegranate loose leaf tea in the brewing basket. Instant recommends not using tea bags or loose leaf tea with larger pieces, so I made sure to steer clear of those.
I set the timer to 20 minutes this time as I wanted a slightly stronger infusion, and it was absolutely perfect. I poured the brew over some ice and few raspberries, and it was delightful. As I plan on hosting a lot this summer, I'll definitely be dishing out a few of these to friends and family who come over.
Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker review: verdict
I absolutely loved using the Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker, and think it would make a wonderful addition to many kitchens this summer. Not only is it incredibly easy to use, but it simplifies the entire cold brewing process by a huge amount. It produced a delicious brew each time I used it, and I loved trying out a variety of recipes. The instruction manual could have had a bit more detail, but once I knew what I was doing, it was smooth-sailing.
Instant Cold Brewer Coffee and Iced Tea Maker review: alternatives to consider
It's certainly a lot more expensive, but if you're looking for a machine that does it all, we'd recommend the Jura Z10. Coming in at £2,450, the Jura Z10 can make up to 30 speciality drinks, and that's just with the cold brew method! Our reviewer said that the cold brew comes out slightly lukewarm, so a lot of ice is needed. However, there’s no denying the Jura Z10 is an extremely accomplished bit of kit.
Anther alternative to consider would be the Breville Iced, which you'll be grateful to hear only costs £39.99. You do get what you pay for, but it's a cheap and cheerful solution to staying cool during the summer with a nice brew. It's also compact and lightweight enough to pack away when the weather changes, which is always a plus.
If you're interested in more, find out what happened when I tested the Instant Brands Milk Frother Station against the ProCook Milk Frother.
