Cold brew coffee has grown tremendously in popularity over the last decade with the introduction of bottled concentrates, new cold brew coffee makers and coffee shops serving up classic and nitrogen-infused cold brew (a.k.a. nitro cold brew). I’ve been making, purchasing and enjoying cold brew coffee for years because I find it to be less acidic and smoother in taste than traditional iced coffee. I’ve also grown accustomed to nitro cold brew because of its velvety, creamy and rich consistency, but it’s usually only a coffee shop treat at around $5–7 a cup.
I’ve been a reviews analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab since 2021 and have tested hundreds of kitchen appliances, including many coffee makers and dozens of coffee products. And my team has been testing every type of coffee maker for decades. When I was first introduced to the Cumulus Cold Brew Coffee Machine, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but was quickly wowed by the quality of the cold brew that was produced. As soon as this appliance came to market, I started testing it out regularly at home and in our Lab. We also had eight consumer testers use this coffee maker and share their findings.
TL;DR: You should buy the Cumulus Cold Brew Coffee Machine if you drink primarily cold brew coffee, especially nitro, and you’re already spending a lot of money for it at coffee shops. In fact, we found this machine’s nitro cold brew to taste even better than some coffee shops.
Read on for testing notes and findings after almost three months of testing.
What is the Cumulus Cold Brew Coffee Machine?
Former Starbucks executive and CEO of Cumulus, Mesh Gelman, invented Cumulus following the “cold wave” explosion of cold coffee consumption in the United States. Cumulus is the first of its kind, an appliance that produces cold brew coffee with a push of a button. It utilizes proprietary coffee capsules (which according to the brand hold highly concentrated 100% arabica coffee and water) to make either still (10-ounce), nitro (10-ounce) or espresso-style (2-ounce) cold brew.
Unlike traditional coffee machines, this coffee maker only produces cold coffee, never hot. The appliance houses a compressor that will chill room temperature water within 15 minutes of being added to the tank, and patent-pending technology that pulls nitrogen from the air for perfectly frothy nitro cold brews and cold espresso shots with a luxurious layer of crema. That means you don’t need to add ice to your cold brew (it’s already perfectly chilled) or worry about replacing nitrogen cartridges.
Cumulus coffee capsules
12-pack coffee sampler
The Cumulus cold brew coffee machine only operates with their own coffee capsules, which you can purchase on the Cumulus website or at Williams Sonoma. No matter the setting that you select on the machine (still, nitro or espresso) you can use any of their capsules. None of the capsules are designated for a specific style of cold brew; instead they are differentiated by roast and blend of coffee beans. Cumulus currently sells eight different capsules on their website — including light, medium, dark and decaf roasts.
Most coffee shops only sell one type of nitro cold brew with a roast they think works best, but with Cumulus you can decide on your ideal cold brew roast, or mix it up with a different blend or roast each day. The capsules range in price from $25–$29 for 10 capsules or $2.50–$2.90 each. They also offer a variety of capsule bundles that range anywhere from $70 for 30 capsules to $187 for 80 capsules. And after each capsule is used, the machine automatically rinses out the capsule so you can throw out the clean, fully recyclable, aluminum capsule into your recycling bin.
Ritual Medium Roast Decaf
Initial thoughts
Full disclosure: I set up four (yes, four) Cumulus models and found it to be quite a lengthy process; I only got the hang of it after installing my fourth model. I set up four machines because two early models that we received in our Lab were faulty (the brand did reassure me that this was only an early-stage issue). The manual wasn’t as intuitive as competitors’ either.
Once I had two fully functioning models in my home and the Lab, I found them easy to use. They consistently dispensed the correct amount of coffee (10 or 2 ounces), with a consistent temperature of 44°F and no more than a minute from the push of the button to last drop of liquid. While the machine is rather tall, it still fit under my kitchen cupboards and was rather slender and not too bulky on my countertop. It’s very sleek in design and comes in two different colorways.
After long-term testing
After testing the Cumulus for almost three months, I’m still very impressed. I have found all of the different capsules to be delicious, flavorful and consistent. I tend to use the nitro setting the most since it’s so smooth and creamy but have found the cold espresso great for espresso martinis and iced lattes (goodbye diluted lattes!), while I barely use the still option. My husband uses the Cumulus almost every day, sometimes twice a day — our household has gone through close to 80 capsules since mid-October. Our only gripe: If the machine isn’t left on or if you need to refill it with water, you do have to wait 15 minutes before you can dispense a cup of cold brew. And the cleaning cycle is lengthy and slightly confusing like the initial setup.
Lab notes and tester feedback
I wasn’t the only home tester on my team. Additional machines were tested at three of my peers’ homes, and eight of my colleagues tested the Cumulus in our Lab. Here are some of the takeaways from our testing:
- Many enjoyed the taste of the cold brew: “If you told me that drink was $9 or $10 at a coffee shop, I’d believe it and think it was more than worth the cost. I loved how smooth it tasted; it felt ‘artisanal’ for lack of a better word,” said one tester. Another said, “I am so impressed by the delicious foam the machine creates. I was able to enjoy the medium roast without oat milk added, but found it to be a little less bitter with some milk.”
- Decaf drinkers rejoiced: Decaf nitro cold brew is extremely rare. “As someone who cannot have caffeine, I haven’t been able to try decaf nitro until now — and it’s delicious, a bit sweeter and less bitter than traditional coffee,” said one tester.
- Cutting-edge innovation: “I look forward to using it in the mornings, and it feels like such a luxury to be able to drink nitro cold brew that was made in my own home rather than a coffee shop or from a can. It’s fun to show off to friends and family and is such a cool kitchen gadget,” said one tester. Another said, “The design is really nice and it’s very innovating and unique.”
- Consistency in multiple aspects: All testers gave this machine a top score in consistency. One tester who shared it with her family over the holidays said, “My entire family used it (four of us in a row and then one who used it about 20 minutes later), and the machine was able to keep up! We were all equally impressed by it, and my sister and brother-in-law who normally don’t drink black coffee were willing to sip this coffee straight from the cup without any added milk or sweetener.“
- It’s niche: This machine is designed for a specific group of people: It’s truly for nitro cold brew lovers, and not for someone who likes ice, lots of milk and syrups in their drinks — it’s truly worth it for nitro purists. “This would be a great coffee machine for people who regularly purchase nitro cold brew. However, as someone who regularly drinks regular cold brew, I don’t necessarily think it would be worth the investment,” said one tester.
- Time is money: Many testers were concerned with how long it took to set up, but also how long they had to wait for the system to cool the internal water tank. “It was hard to set up, even when trying to follow the instructions,” said one person, while another said, “The 15-minute startup time was often a deterrent to using it.”
The bottom line: Is the Cumulus Cold Brew Coffee Machine worth it?
Overall, I found the pros to outweigh the cons in our testing. For the right person, this coffee maker can be a serious game changer; but that person really has to love nitro cold brew to appreciate this machine in its entirety. This is not an appliance I would recommend for someone who just enjoys cold brew coffee. In that case, I would recommend simply buying one of our best cold brew coffee makers. For me? My Cumulus cold brew coffee machine isn’t leaving my kitchen countertop anytime soon.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Since 2021, Eva Bleyer has tested a wide range of kitchen gear and appliances in the Good Housekeeping Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, including gas ranges, microwaves, kitchen scales and blenders. She holds a B.S. in Food Studies, Nutrition and Public Health from New York University and is a trained chef from the Natural Gourmet Institute. As the lead on coffee testing for the GH Coffee Awards and an avid coffee gear tester, Eva conducted the testing for this story.
Eva (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she tests kitchen gear, home appliances and culinary innovations. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor of science in food studies, nutrition and public health and is a trained chef through the Natural Gourmet Institute. Eva has more than 10 years of experience in the food industry, working as a food stylist, personal chef and marketing manager.
