Let's be clear.
I don't like this. I freakin' LOVE it.
This product does what it says, works like it should, and is all-around fabulous.
I considered many versions of a cold brew coffee maker before deciding on this one.
Admittedly, I was worried about my clumsiness and the fact this one has a glass carafe. But' I'll say that this one has held up and is thick enough glass that it's not crapping out at the slightest bump or bang against the sink. I'm not saying that it's shatterproof or that if I dropped it to the floor it wouldn't break, but I've banged it in the sink plenty, against the fridge shelves too and no cracks… So I'm considering it ‘me-proof’ and that's really all I ask of any product.
The filter is super easy to empty – the bottom unscrews and I just do that directly over the trash can, give it a few whacks against the side and darn near all the grounds fall out. then rinse it and – Done.. About once a week, I've used a very soft brush against the filter screen to give it a more thorough cleaning and keep my coffee tasting extra fresh…
I'll say that the collapsible funnel they include is perfect and such a time saver too; nice addition they could probably sell in a different configuration for $3-5 more if people realized just how awesome it is in keeping things clean… because there are those days I forget it and I'm like “Whoa! WTF is with this mess?” And it doesn't take a genius (just a look around) to realize I'm getting coffee grounds all over the top of the brewer and my counter bc I'm not using my super-awesome funnel (shoulda had more of my recently brewed yummy coffee before I started making more, I guess).
My only tip is grind your own. Doesn't matter if you have a cheap-o grinder or a ‘one-month-salary-guideline’ model (that's for engagement rings, you say? Well, some of those grinders are so expensive, you're marrying them so the analogy fits). Just take notes – yep, like in school – of how coarse or fine you grind your beans, and the flavor that it produces plus the clarity of the coffee you get from that… And then adjust to your specific taste.
There are somewhere between a dozen and a full-on bazillion U-tubes videos (or articles, if u like reading more crap like this) of advise on making cold brew. Watch/read as many as it will take to make you an “expert” or at the least confident enough to get going.
But step one, no matter what, is: BUY THIS COLD BREW MAKER.
My only request would be that Coffee Gator make one that produces enough coffee to handle my daily needs – which is more like 60-70 oz. And no, mom, I don't want or need a lecture on my coffee consumption, I only want/need a larger Coffee Gator brewer.
Update: I’ve now had this thing for 3+ years and it’s still AWESOME! It does every batch with the same high quality. Coffee Gator rules!
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