The 5 Best Iced Coffee Tools for At-Home Brewing

If there’s one thing I look forward to daily, it’s a smooth, frosty cup of iced coffee. It may seem small, but indulging in this daily habit has carried me through moments big and small over the years; long days toughing it out as a magazine intern, the daunting 20-block walk to the subway from my first apartment; those sleepless first few months with a newborn. My morning iced coffee has become more than a habit — it’s a comforting ritual. 

And a pricey one at that. With the cost of, well, everything on the rise, I recently decided to switch my iced coffee habit from one that took me out of the house and to my local coffee shop (still a worthy indulgence, albeit a less frequent one) into one that I could successfully replicate in my own home. The first order of business? Stocking up on the right coffee gear. After much trial and error (and a few cups of iced coffee that tasted like an ashtray), I’ve finally landed on a roster of products that help me achieve barista-worthy iced coffee at home. Don’t worry, I’m spilling the tea (well, coffee!) below. Here’s the gear I use to make delicious iced coffee at home.

Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker

The trick to making a great batch of iced coffee is to use the right pitcher. A quick lesson: Instead of warming grinds with hot water to extract flavor (and caffeine), cold brewing requires steeping them for several hours, resulting in a smoother, more flavorful pour. This cold brew coffee maker from Takeya may seem simple, but it works just as well as any of the fancy, high-end iced coffee brewers I’ve tried. Available in 1- and 2-quart capacities, this pitcher has blessedly few parts (less washing, yay!), a fine mesh sieve (no residual sediment in your coffee mug), and is so straightforward to use. Simply fill the sieve with course coffee grounds, add cold water, shake it, and allow it to sit overnight in your refrigerator.

W&P Pebble Ice Tray

I’m a pebble ice girlie. There’s something about those small nuggets and the satisfying sound they make whenever you swirl your coffee that’s so perfect. That said, I’m not willing to fork over the funds for a countertop nugget ice maker, so this ice cube tray from W&P is the next best option. Made from BPA-free silicone, it freezes up to 100 mini cubes per batch. I love that the cubes easily pop out of the mold due to the flexible silicone construction. The slim tray freezes fast and takes up very little space in my freezer.

Tronco Glass Tumbler 

There’s more than meets the eye with this aesthetic travel coffee mug, even though it is also super cute. I find the 20-ounce capacity to be the right size for a perfect iced coffee pour with ice, and the silicone sleeve ensures it doesn’t slip from my hand due to condensation (or distraction from the 150 things on my to-do list). The bamboo lid and included straw are also a worthy combo, and I’ve never had to worry about any leaks with either, even if my glass tips a bit in the car cup holder. 

Sonoma Syrup Vanilla Bean Simple Syrup

If I had one gripe about my beloved iced coffee, it’s that it’s tough to sweeten your brew without sucking up the inevitable undissolved sugar crystals nestled at the bottom of your drinking glass with each sip. For this reason (and honestly, just pure enjoyment), a great flavored syrup is a must-have on my at-home coffee station. This vanilla bean syrup from Sonoma Syrup is the best I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a lot). It’s not cloyingly sweet, and the vanilla flavor has no hint of artificiality. There are even real vanilla bean seeds floating in the syrup. If you love Starbucks iced coffee, I recommend you add this syrup to your at-home iced coffee. 

ElitaPro Powerful Milk Frother Wand

On the days when I want to step up my game, I turn to my handy milk frother to whip up some cold foam for the top of my iced coffee. It’s an easy step that makes it feel like you’ve gone the extra mile for yourself, which is the cornerstone of any self-care ritual, coffee included. This battery-powered ElitaPro frother is a Food & Wine Fave and the key to transforming your dash of whole milk into a rich, velvety addition to your iced coffee.