Breville Iced Coffee Maker Review: For A Classic Cold Brew

Breville’s Iced Coffee Maker is a nifty coffee machine that will attend to all of your cold coffee needs. As the summer approaches – with sweltering temperatures expected across the UK – it’s unlikely you’ll be reaching for your kettle in the morning. For many of you, coffee is a ritual, a philosophy and a way of life – so, when the blistering heat comes, you don’t want to miss out on that old (and reliable) caffeine hit that really gives your morning a boost.

Come July, some of you may be wanting something to cool you down before you head out to work and start the morning run. And – some of you may still reach for the coffee machine, no matter the weather. We’re not here to judge. Not only is this appliance easy to use, but it makes your ice-cold drink in under four minutes. Plus, it's a budget-friendly coffee machine that will save you some money in the long run.

Self-professed iced latte addict, Piper Huxley, put the Breville Iced Coffee Maker through its paces – intent on perfecting coffee-shop iced drinks from the comfort of her kitchen.

Breville Iced Coffee Maker Summary

The Breville Iced Coffee Maker has been nothing short of a dream for me – as I’ve been sipping overpriced coffee shop cold brews for years now. In previous years, I’ve made large batches of hot coffee – which takes a few days to brew and cool down. Though delicious, this method is very time-consuming – not ideal if you fancy a quick cold brew (in under four minutes) every now and then.

Essentially, the Breville Iced Coffee Maker pours freshly-brewed coffee over the ice in the tumbler provided – or into another cup you’re using. With only three simple steps, you’re revolutionising the art of cold coffee. Simply, fill the water reservoir, add ground coffee to the brew basket and press the start button. Don’t forget to add ice to your tumbler beforehand. However, the Breville Iced Coffee Maker only has one setting – for one variety of coffee, so it’s up to you to customise.

Breville has considered many of us who like to customise our coffee beverages. For this reason, they have designed the Coffee Maker to leave a little extra room for milk, cream, sugar and syrups. If you’re looking to add a dash of soy milk or a helping of vanilla syrup, you’re in luck. Even if you prefer a mighty coffee, you can control the strength by how much ground coffee you scoop in.

It’s not the prettiest of appliances, but it’s certainly sleek and won’t take up too much of your kitchen countertop. Using the provided coffee scoop, you’re given a user-friendly to brew your drink. With a press of a button, the filter coffee machine switches on – and prepares for coffee heaven.

Just, make sure you have plenty of ice in the freezer.

Price

Retailing at £45, it’s a mid-range appliance in the cold coffee sector. It’s by no means a luxury appliance, but it’s pretty basic, easy to use and has no frills. It does the job, so to speak. Plus, this Breville Iced Coffee Maker will save you some dosh, If you brew at home, you skip the lines at your favourite coffee spot and save big, too.

At the lower end of the market, coming at just under £40 is the Drew & Cole Barista Ice Café, which is a sleek black appliance, similar to the Breville model. Like the Breville Iced Coffee Maker, it comes complete with a tumbler and coffee scoop. On the other hand, there is the Mr. Coffee Iced and Hot Coffee Maker, which is a single-serve machine, retailing at almost £90. It seems to be a little more versatile than the aforementioned model but is pricier.

And – of course, there is the question of whether an appliance or classic cold brew maker works best. With the appliance, you have an instant supply of cold brew – whereas something like the OXO Brew Cold Coffee Maker which may take some time to cool down and brew your beverage.

Features

The Breville Iced Coffee Maker provides a much-needed solution to your cold brew problems. This nifty appliance is super convenient and super easy to use. With only one button – labelled START – the process of getting an iced coffee at home couldn’t be easier. As for measurements, you’re provided with minimum and maximum fill lines in the water reservoir and a handy coffee scoop.

Easy to clean: The reusable coffee filter and brew basket are dishwasher-safe in the top rack. As for the appliance itself, Breville has an easy-to-follow guide which we summarise in the FAQs.

Straightforward use: I’ve never used a coffee machine that was so user-friendly. It’s a simple three-step process that will revolutionise your coffee-making. Stay tuned for the method…

Room for experimentation: With limitless variations of coffee, there are plenty of ways you can liven an ordinary cold brew – with milk, syrups and toppings. I’ve been sweetening it with agave syrup.

Comes with tumbler: A trusty tumbler with a lid and straw come with this Breville Iced Coffee Maker. Not only is durable but has a water and ice line for guidance when using the machine.

Performance

Breville’s Iced Coffee Maker makes hot, concentrated coffee, which is quickly cooled over ice, meaning the flavour is never watered down. It’s strong, caffeine-abundant, and tasty, too. Perhaps, you’re wondering how to use the Breville Iced Coffee Maker. We’ve had the pleasure of testing this fabulous appliance – and offer insight into the three-step process. How easy is it, really?

The Breville Iced Coffee Maker, when filled to the max water line, makes 300ml worth of coffee. My only niggle: there is no drip tray, but the 625ml tumbler slots perfectly under the tap. Having said that, there is a drip-stop switch to prevent any coffee droplets from staining your worktop.

When in search of the water reservoir, the brew basket comes off very easily – and the minimum and maximum fill lines are visible. We’d recommend using 1-2 scoops of ground coffee for your cup. Any more than two scoops could damage the machine and your morning cup may be full of coffee grounds. And – we don’t want that, do we? This goes into the easy-to-clean brew basket.

When programming the appliance, it just takes a press of the button, which lights up when in use. Despite an easy setup, the coffee machine does make a fair amount of noise. It’s not too loud to be annoying, but it’s by no means quiet. Often, coffee machines are just louder. Within four minutes, the coffee will have brewed and been dripped over the ice sitting in your tumbler or chosen cup.

Build

Getting to know my new iced coffee maker was very easy. It came put together, so I didn’t need to assemble the appliance. I did refer to the handy instructions manual when figuring out how the use the machine. But, in fact, the easy three-step method is on the box and that is why this maker is so great.

In this unusual grey colour, the coffee maker stands upright, steady and very self-explanatory. As mentioned before, the coffee brew basket comes off surprisingly easy when you want to access the water reservoir. And the lid drops down neatly. The little coffee filter features a little handle, so it’s easy to remove when needing a wash. Plus, it’s safe for the dishwasher – which is a result.

OUR VERDICT: Breville Iced Coffee Maker

Score: 4/5

All-in-all, this is a very simple and straightforward appliance. It comes with an easy-to-follow process that feels rather too good to be true… It’s safe to say that I feel like a barista when I’m heaping a scoop of ground coffee into the appliance for my morning fix. If anything, the manual felt redundant, and I managed to work out the method myself. As for functionality, this appliance is average.

It doesn’t make anything else, but it offers the space for milk, sugars, and syrups to be added to your cup – just as you’d order it at your local coffee shop. For example, I mix in a drop of soy milk and – occasionally – agave syrup if I need a hit of natural sweetness. However, I can foresee even more experimentation from you coffee connoisseurs out there… why not try frothing your milk or adding some whipped cream and chai latte powder to make some sort of dirty chai frappe hybrid?

Just a thought…

Overall, Breville has made a simple filter-coffee appliance, perfect for those of us who ditch the hot cup during the summer – or are year-round iced coffee enthusiasts. I know, I am. You’re able to tackle the seemingly impossible task of iced coffee at home with a sleek, user-friendly appliance.

Be prepared to use a lot of ice, though.

FAQs

What coffee to use in Breville Iced Coffee Maker?

Breville does note on choosing the right coffee for this machine: “too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew”.

How do I clean the Breville Iced Coffee Maker?

Keeping your Breville appliance in tip-top shape ensures it provides the best coffee for when you need it most, free of any unwanted mineral deposits in your tumbler. Especially if you live in an area of hard water, it’s important to regularly decalcify the appliance for peak performance and taste.

Luckily, Breville has a step-by-step guide on how to clean your iced coffee maker in the instructions booklet. To save money on any pricey descaling products, Breville recommends using undiluted, white household vinegar in its place and running a brewing cycle with the natural cleaner. After rinsing the brew basket, coffee filter and tumbler, repeat the brewing cycle with water, and filled up the tumbler marking. Make sure to rinse again and repeat with water once more.

How does an iced coffee maker work?

The Breville Iced Coffee Maker brews concentrated coffee over ice to guarantee the best (and freshest) flavour for your ice-cold brew. By using the correct ratios of coffee, water and ice, the iced coffee still tastes great even as the ice melts in the cup. Iced coffee: brewed to a high standard.

Perhaps, you’re wondering: can you make iced coffee with a coffee machine?

In short, yes. Any coffee maker should be able to make cold coffee. However, the key to the best-tasting iced coffee is rapidly cooling it over ice. Luckily, Breville’s Iced Coffee Maker has a filter, which allows for efficient brewing; it can be simply poured over ice for a refreshing hit of caffeine.

If you need help with which coffee machine to grab, our editor – Natalie Corner – has written a fantastic (and in-depth) guide. You will need to consider budget, counter-space, lifestyle and more.

Piper Huxley is a Homes, Gardens and Wellness Product Writer for A Modern Kitchen, specialising in cookware. When she’s not cooking up a storm in the kitchen, Piper is re-watching a TV show or listening to a podcast.