Both the Toddy Cold Brew System and the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker are among the most recommended cold brew makers on the market — but they serve different drinkers. The Toddy wins on batch size and flavor richness; the OXO wins on clarity, convenience, and ease of use. Read on to find out which one belongs in your kitchen.
What Is Cold Brew Coffee?
Cold brew coffee is a brewing method that steeps coarse coffee grounds in cold or room-temperature water (35–70°F) for 12–24 hours, rather than using heat. The result is a smooth, low-acid concentrate with up to 67% less acidity than hot-brewed coffee, typically diluted before drinking. Unlike iced coffee — which is simply hot-brewed coffee poured over ice — cold brew uses full immersion brewing to extract flavor slowly, producing a sweeter, more complex concentrate with significantly reduced chlorogenic acid and quinic acid content.
What Is the Toddy Cold Brew System?
The Toddy Cold Brew System is a full immersion cold brew maker produced by Toddy LLC, one of the original manufacturers in the category. Designed for home and commercial use, it produces up to 2.5 quarts of cold brew concentrate per batch using a combination of felt filter pads and optional paper filter bags. It is primarily used by cold brew enthusiasts, large households, and anyone who wants a rich, complex concentrate with maximum batch yield at an affordable entry price.
What Is the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker?
The OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker is a full immersion cold brew system made by OXO, known for its thoughtfully engineered kitchen tools. Its standout feature is the Rainmaker™ perforated lid, which distributes water evenly over the grounds during setup for consistent saturation. Built from Tritan BPA-free copolyester with a borosilicate glass carafe, it produces approximately 1 quart of concentrate per batch. It is primarily used by smaller households, precision-focused brewers, and beginners who want a clean, approachable cold brew experience.
Toddy vs OXO Cold Brew Maker: Quick Verdict
If you want large batches, deep flavor complexity, and don’t mind a bit more hands-on filter management, buy the Toddy. If you want a cleaner-tasting cup, fridge-friendly design, and an easier setup experience, buy the OXO.
Here’s a side-by-side summary of the key differences:
- Capacity: Toddy produces up to 2.5 qt of concentrate per batch; OXO produces approximately 1 qt
- Filter system: Toddy uses felt filter pads plus optional paper bags; OXO uses the Rainmaker™ lid plus a paper filter
- Flavor profile: Toddy delivers richer, more complex concentrate; OXO produces a cleaner, brighter brew with less sediment
- Price range: Toddy is the more budget-friendly option; OXO sits in the mid-range tier
- Materials: Both are BPA-free; OXO uses Tritan copolyester and borosilicate glass; Toddy uses BPA-free plastic and glass
- Ease of cleaning: OXO is easier to clean with dishwasher-safe components; Toddy requires more attention to felt filter maintenance
- Best for: Toddy suits large households and flavor-focused brewers; OXO suits small households, beginners, and clarity-seekers
Toddy Cold Brew System — Full Review
What Comes in the Toddy Box?
The Toddy Cold Brew System ships with a BPA-free plastic brewing container, two reusable felt filter pads, a glass decanter with a handle, a rubber stopper that controls draining, and a set of paper filter bags as an optional insert. The glass decanter doubles as a storage vessel in the refrigerator, so no separate container is needed after brewing. The total footprint is relatively compact for the volume it produces, though the brewing container is taller than most competing systems due to its large-batch design.
How Does the Toddy Brew and What Does It Taste Like?
The Toddy operates on full immersion brewing: coarse coffee grounds sit in direct contact with cold water for 12–24 hours, allowing gradual, even extraction. The typical coffee-to-water ratio for Toddy cold brew concentrate is 1:4 to 1:5 (one part coffee to four or five parts water by weight), which produces a strong concentrate meant to be diluted before drinking.
The resulting cold brew is notably rich and complex. Because the felt filter pads allow some fine particles and oils to pass through — unlike paper-only systems — the Toddy concentrate has a heavier body and higher total dissolved solids (TDS) than what the OXO produces. This translates to a rounder, more chocolatey, and deeply flavored cup. Coffee enthusiasts who want their cold brew to stand up to milk, cream, or oat milk without losing character often prefer the Toddy’s profile. The 2.5 qt yield means a single batch can last a household of two to three people well over a week when stored sealed in the refrigerator.
Is the Toddy Easy to Use Day-to-Day?
Setup is straightforward: plug the stopper into the bottom of the brewing container, place the felt filter pad (with or without the optional paper bag insert), add coffee and water in layers, and let the whole assembly steep in the refrigerator or at room temperature. After steeping, the container is placed over the glass decanter, the stopper is removed, and the concentrate drains through the filter by gravity. Draining takes approximately 20–30 minutes.
The main friction point is felt filter maintenance. The reusable felt pads must be rinsed thoroughly after every use, stored in water in the refrigerator between batches to prevent mildew, and replaced every two to three months depending on use frequency. Using the paper bag inserts simplifies cleanup significantly — the bag catches most grounds and can simply be discarded — but adds a recurring consumable cost. For buyers who prioritize zero-waste brewing, the felt-only method works well with disciplined cleaning habits.
Toddy Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Largest batch yield of any comparable home system at 2.5 qt concentrate per batch
- Richer, fuller-bodied flavor from felt filtration and high-volume immersion
- Lower upfront price point compared to OXO
- Glass decanter doubles as a storage vessel
- Optional paper bags allow easier, mess-free cleanup
Cons:
- Felt filter pads require consistent maintenance and periodic replacement
- Less beginner-friendly — draining, stopper management, and filter care have a learning curve
- Larger footprint may be harder to store in smaller refrigerators
- Not all components are dishwasher-safe
- Without paper bag inserts, cleanup is more involved than competing systems
OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker — Full Review
What Makes the OXO’s Rainmaker™ Design Different?
The OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker is built around the Rainmaker™ — a perforated lid that fits over the top of the brewing vessel and distributes water evenly across the coffee bed when you fill it. Rather than pouring directly onto grounds and risking uneven saturation, the Rainmaker™ disperses water in a fine, even pattern that mimics the coverage of a commercial percolator. This ensures that all of the grounds are fully saturated at the start of the steep, which contributes to a more uniform extraction and a consistent batch-to-batch result.
The brewing vessel is made from Tritan BPA-free copolyester — the same food-safe, shatter-resistant material used in high-end water bottles — and the included carafe is borosilicate glass, which is temperature-resistant and dishwasher-safe. The entire assembly has a compact footprint designed to stand upright in most refrigerator doors or on a single refrigerator shelf without rearranging other items.
How Does the OXO Brew and What Does It Taste Like?
Like the Toddy, the OXO uses full immersion brewing: grounds steep in contact with cold water for 12–24 hours. OXO recommends a 1:4 dilution ratio when serving (one part concentrate to four parts water or milk), though many users adjust this based on preferred strength. The paper filter used in the OXO system produces a noticeably cleaner cup than felt-filtered alternatives: sediment is minimal, and the resulting concentrate has lower total dissolved solids (TDS) compared to Toddy output.
What you trade for that clarity is some depth. The OXO’s cold brew tends to be brighter and more defined — individual flavor notes from the coffee bean are easier to detect — but it lacks the heavy body and oil-driven richness of a Toddy batch. For single-origin specialty coffee where you want the origin characteristics to be recognizable, the OXO’s cleaner profile is often the better showcase. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Golden Cup Standard focuses on balanced extraction and clarity, and the OXO’s approach aligns more closely with that philosophy.
Is the OXO Easier to Clean Than the Toddy?
Yes, by a meaningful margin. The OXO’s brewing vessel, Rainmaker™ lid, and glass carafe are all dishwasher-safe. After draining, the paper filter — along with the spent grounds — can be lifted out and composted or discarded. No felt pads to rinse, no stopper mechanics to manage, and no storage-in-water routine between batches. The entire system can be broken down and put in the dishwasher in under five minutes.
Fridge storage between brew sessions is also simpler. The OXO’s compact, upright design fits into a refrigerator door or on a standard shelf without the height-related challenges that the Toddy can present. For households with limited refrigerator space or for anyone who brews cold brew infrequently, the OXO’s clean storage profile is a meaningful practical advantage.
OXO Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Rainmaker™ ensures even saturation for consistent, repeatable results
- Cleaner, brighter flavor profile with minimal sediment
- Fully dishwasher-safe components make cleanup fast and easy
- Compact, fridge-friendly footprint fits most refrigerator configurations
- Excellent beginner-friendly design with minimal learning curve
Cons:
- Smaller yield at 1 qt concentrate — may require more frequent brewing for larger households
- Higher upfront price than the Toddy
- Paper filter adds a recurring consumable cost
- Less body and oil content compared to felt-filtered systems like the Toddy
- Limited capacity makes it less cost-efficient per batch for heavy cold brew consumers
Toddy vs OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Maker: Detailed Comparison
Brew Quality and Flavor: Which Tastes Better?
The honest answer is that “better” depends entirely on what you value in a cup. The Toddy produces a richer, heavier, more complex concentrate because its felt filter pads allow coffee oils and fine particles to pass through during extraction. This results in higher total dissolved solids (TDS) and a body that holds up well under dilution with milk or cream. Many cold brew enthusiasts describe Toddy batches as having a chocolatey, almost velvety character that feels distinctly different from drip or pour-over coffee.
The OXO produces a cleaner, more defined concentrate. Its paper filter removes more oils and fine sediment, resulting in lower TDS and a cup where individual origin notes — fruit, floral, nut — are easier to identify. For specialty coffee drinkers who want cold brew that showcases the bean rather than the process, the OXO wins. For those who want cold brew that tastes like the richest, smoothest version of traditional coffee, the Toddy wins. Neither is objectively superior; they represent two distinct filtration philosophies with measurably different outcomes.
Capacity and Batch Size: Which Makes More Cold Brew?
This category is not close. The Toddy produces up to 2.5 quarts (approximately 80 oz) of cold brew concentrate per batch. The OXO produces approximately 1 quart (32 oz). If a household of two drinks one 8 oz serving of diluted cold brew per person per day, a Toddy batch lasts roughly 8–10 days. An OXO batch lasts approximately 3–4 days for the same household before requiring a fresh brew.
For large households, cold brew drinkers who consume multiple servings per day, or anyone who wants to brew once and forget it for a week, the Toddy is the clear winner. For a single person or a two-person household where cold brew is a weekend treat rather than a daily ritual, the OXO’s 1 qt yield is perfectly proportionate and avoids the risk of concentrate sitting too long in the refrigerator before use.
Ease of Use: Which Is Simpler to Brew With?
The OXO edges ahead for beginners. The Rainmaker™ lid eliminates the most common error in immersion brewing — uneven saturation — by handling water distribution for you. The drain mechanism is simple, the paper filter requires no maintenance, and the dishwasher-safe components mean cleanup is genuinely effortless. First-time cold brew makers who follow OXO’s included instructions are very likely to produce a good batch on their first attempt.
The Toddy has a slightly steeper learning curve. Managing the rubber stopper, understanding felt filter maintenance, and deciding whether to use paper bag inserts all require some upfront research. That said, experienced cold brew brewers who have worked through the Toddy’s setup process consistently report that it becomes second-nature quickly. The system’s simplicity — no moving parts, no electronics, no complicated assembly — means there is very little that can go wrong once the fundamentals are understood.
Price and Value: Is the Price Difference Between Toddy and OXO Justified?
The Toddy Cold Brew System retails for approximately $35–$45, making it one of the most affordable dedicated cold brew systems available. Replacement felt filter pads cost approximately $6–$8 for a two-pack, with each pad lasting roughly 10–15 brews before performance declines. Paper filter bags, if used, cost approximately $8–$10 for a pack of 10. A conservative estimate for consumables over 12 months of weekly brewing: $15–$25.
The OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker retails for approximately $45–$55. Its paper filters are sold in packs of 100 for approximately $12–$15, making the per-filter cost negligible. Over 12 months of weekly brewing, consumable costs are roughly $12–$15.
Real cost of ownership over one year (upfront + consumables, assuming weekly batches):
- Toddy: approximately $50–$70 total
- OXO: approximately $57–$70 total
The gap narrows significantly when consumables are factored in. The Toddy’s cost advantage is real but modest over a 12-month ownership window. Where the Toddy pulls clearly ahead on value is cost-per-batch: because it produces 2.5x more concentrate per brew cycle, the cost per ounce of cold brew produced over time is substantially lower with the Toddy — particularly relevant for high-volume households.
Who Should Buy the Toddy?
The Toddy Cold Brew System is the right choice for:
- Large households or heavy cold brew drinkers who need more than 1 qt of concentrate per batch and don’t want to brew every few days
- Flavor-first enthusiasts who prefer a rich, heavy-bodied, complex concentrate over a clean, light-bodied cup
- Budget-conscious buyers who want the best large-batch cold brew performance at the lowest entry price
- Experienced home coffee brewers who are comfortable with a bit of filter maintenance and don’t mind the rubber stopper drain mechanic
- Anyone making cold brew cocktails or milk-based drinks where a bold, high-TDS concentrate holds up better under dilution
Who Should Buy the OXO?
The OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker is the right choice for:
- Small households or solo drinkers for whom 1 qt of concentrate is the right batch size
- Beginners who want a foolproof system with even saturation and easy cleanup right out of the box
- Specialty coffee enthusiasts who want a cleaner, brighter concentrate that showcases the origin character of their beans
- Anyone with limited refrigerator space who needs a compact, upright brewer that doesn’t require rearranging shelves
- Convenience-focused brewers who want dishwasher-safe components and the lowest possible maintenance burden
Cold Brew Brewing Tips for Both Systems
Whether you’re using the Toddy or the OXO, the following numbered steps will help you produce the best possible cold brew concentrate:
1. Start with coarse-ground coffee. Use a grind size similar to French press — coarse and consistent. Fine grinds over-extract, producing bitterness, and can clog Toddy’s felt filter pads or the OXO’s paper filter prematurely.
2. Use the correct coffee-to-water ratio. For concentrate, target 1 part coffee to 5 parts water by weight (1:5). For a ready-to-drink brew, use 1:7. The Toddy can support a slightly richer 1:4 ratio if you want a more intense concentrate for milk-based drinks.
3. Layer coffee and water gradually. Add coffee and water in alternating layers rather than dumping everything in at once. This improves saturation and reduces dry pockets at the top of the grounds bed. For the OXO, the Rainmaker™ lid handles this automatically when filling.
4. Steep for 12–24 hours. Most cold brew reaches its best extraction window between 14–18 hours. Steeping for the full 24 hours produces a stronger but occasionally over-extracted batch, depending on your grind size and coffee variety. Start at 12–16 hours and adjust from there.
5. Steep in the refrigerator for a cleaner flavor. Room-temperature steeping (up to 70°F) speeds up extraction but can introduce more bitterness and a higher risk of microbial growth. Cold-steep (35–40°F) produces a cleaner, sweeter result, though it may require the full 24-hour window to fully develop.
6. Drain slowly and don’t press the grounds. For the Toddy, allow gravity to do the work through the stopper — don’t squeeze or press the filter. For the OXO, simply lift the brew basket and allow it to drain fully into the carafe. Pressing speeds up drainage but introduces more bitterness and fine particles.
7. Store sealed in the refrigerator. Both the Toddy’s glass decanter and the OXO’s borosilicate glass carafe seal well for refrigerator storage. Cold brew concentrate keeps for up to two weeks refrigerated. Diluted cold brew should be consumed within one week.
8. Experiment with coffee variety. According to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), cold extraction at low temperatures suppresses certain acidic compounds — specifically chlorogenic acid and quinic acid — while preserving sweetness and aroma. Medium and dark roasts tend to produce the richest cold brew; light roasts can produce interesting, fruit-forward results when extracted for the full 24-hour window.
Alternatives Worth Considering
If neither the Toddy nor the OXO feels like the right fit, there are a few other options worth a quick look.
The Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Maker is the go-to recommendation for space-limited kitchens and budget-conscious buyers. It uses a stainless steel mesh filter basket rather than paper or felt, which means zero recurring filter costs, and its slender pitcher design fits easily in most refrigerator doors. Flavor clarity sits between the Toddy and OXO — better than felt, less refined than paper.
The Filtron Cold Brew Maker is widely regarded as the superior filtration option in the full-immersion category. Its two-filter system (felt pad plus paper filter) produces exceptionally clean concentrate while still retaining reasonable body. It’s a favorite among coffee professionals and enthusiasts who want the body of felt filtration with significantly reduced sediment.
For the most budget-conscious option of all, a mason jar combined with a stainless steel mesh filter or cheesecloth produces surprisingly decent cold brew with zero equipment investment beyond what most kitchens already contain. Consistency is harder to control than with a dedicated maker, but for casual drinkers testing cold brew before committing to a purchase, it’s a legitimate starting point.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose the Toddy Cold Brew System if:
You brew cold brew regularly for two or more people, prioritize a rich and deeply flavored concentrate, are comfortable with basic filter maintenance, and want the best large-batch yield per dollar spent. The Toddy is also the better choice for anyone making cold brew-based cocktails, lattes, or concentrated coffee drinks where a bold, high-body profile is a deliberate feature rather than a compromise.
Choose the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker if:
You live alone or with one other person, value ease of use and minimal cleanup above all else, want a compact design that fits neatly in your refrigerator, or are new to cold brew and want a system that reliably produces a great first batch. The OXO is also the better fit for specialty coffee enthusiasts who want their cold brew to taste distinctly like the coffee they paid for, rather than a generic cold brew profile.
For most first-time cold brew buyers, the OXO is the safer and more approachable recommendation. For experienced cold brew drinkers or anyone brewing for a family, the Toddy is hard to beat at its price point.
Conclusion
The Toddy Cold Brew System and the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker are both excellent tools — they simply serve different needs. The Toddy delivers an unmatched combination of batch size, flavor richness, and value for large-volume cold brew drinkers who don’t mind managing felt filters. The OXO delivers a cleaner, more beginner-friendly experience with dishwasher-safe components and a compact design ideal for smaller households. If you want rich, bold cold brew in large quantities, buy the Toddy. If you want clean, convenient cold brew with minimal fuss, buy the OXO. Either way, you’ll produce a far better cup than any store-bought bottle can deliver.
FAQ
Can you make cold brew without a special maker like the Toddy or OXO?
Yes. A mason jar, coarse-ground coffee, and a stainless mesh filter or cheesecloth produce drinkable cold brew without any dedicated equipment. Steep for 12–24 hours, then strain into a clean jar. Dedicated makers like the Toddy and OXO improve consistency, reduce mess, and make draining significantly easier.
What is the best coffee-to-water ratio for cold brew?
Use a 1:5 ratio (one part coffee to five parts water by weight) for cold brew concentrate, then dilute before drinking. For ready-to-drink cold brew, use 1:7. The Toddy can support a slightly richer 1:4 ratio for bold concentrate, while OXO recommends a 1:4 dilution when serving the finished concentrate.
How long does cold brew last in the refrigerator?
Cold brew concentrate stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator keeps for up to two weeks. Once diluted with water or milk, consume within one week. Both the Toddy glass decanter and the OXO borosilicate glass carafe seal adequately for full two-week refrigerator storage.
Is cold brew coffee healthier than regular hot coffee?
Cold brew has up to 67% less acidity than hot-brewed coffee, according to research published in Scientific Reports, due to lower extraction of chlorogenic acid and quinic acid. This makes it gentler on the stomach for acid-sensitive drinkers. It contains similar antioxidants to hot coffee and potentially more caffeine per ounce as a concentrate, but is not inherently “healthier” for the general population.
What grind size should I use for Toddy or OXO cold brew?
Use a coarse grind — similar to French press grind size. Fine grinds over-extract, producing bitterness, and can clog the Toddy’s felt filter pad or the OXO’s paper filter. Pre-ground grocery store coffee works adequately, but freshly ground coarse coffee produces noticeably better flavor clarity and consistency in both systems.