The Toddy Cold Brew System, called the Toddy Home Cold Brew System on the maker's store, is a non-electric cold brew maker. You steep 12 oz of coarse coffee in 8 cups of water for 8 to 24 hours, then pull a stopper and the concentrate drains through a felt filter into a glass decanter. Toddy sells it for $49 on its own US store, and says it has been selling since 1964.
What is the Toddy Cold Brew System?
Toddy calls it the original cold brew pioneer: a nonelectrical coffee maker that makes a liquid concentrate you dilute into iced or hot coffee. The company says more than 1 million Toddy Cold Brew Systems have been sold at retail since 1964, all with a money-back guarantee. It is made in the United States, in Loveland, Colorado, according to the maker's spec sheet.
The design is a plastic brewing container with a handle that sits on top of a glass decanter. A silicone stopper seals the bottom while the coffee steeps, and a reusable felt filter in the base of the container does the straining when you open it. It is a slow, hands-off method, and that is the point of the product.
Toddy Cold Brew System specs
| Type | Non-electric cold brew immersion system |
|---|---|
| Brew container | Designed for 12 oz (340 g) of coffee with 8 cups (1.9 L) of water |
| Concentrate | About 36 to 38 oz per batch from 12 oz of coffee, per the store page |
| Brew time | 8 to 24 hours at room temperature |
| Filters | Two reusable felt filters, plus three paper filter bags |
| Materials | Glass, BPA-free plastic, natural rubber, polyester |
| Dishwasher | Can be cleaned in a commercial dishwasher |
| Weight | 2.45 lb (1.111 kg) on the store page, 2.2 lb on the spec sheet |
| Warranty | One year |
| Made in | United States of America |
The maker's own pages disagree with each other on a few numbers. The yield is 36 to 38 oz on the store page and 40 oz in the brewing instructions, with 48 oz named as the maximum on the spec sheet, and the item dimensions differ between the store page and the sheet. This page quotes the store page unless it says otherwise.
How the Toddy Cold Brew System works
You insert the stopper into the bottom of the brewing container, dampen the disc-shaped felt filter and seat it inside, then add the grounds and cold water. Toddy's instructions give two methods. The first uses a paper filter bag in the container, and you stir the grounds gently once. The second skips the bag and has you add the water in stages, pouring slowly in a circle. The maker says stirring is not recommended with the felt filter alone, because fine particles can settle and clog it.
The brew sits at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours. Then you take out the stopper and the concentrate flows into the glass decanter. The maker says the concentrate keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To drink it, Toddy suggests starting at 1 part concentrate to 2 parts water or milk, and diluting it with hot water for a hot cup.
Toddy Cold Brew System filters and cleaning
Two filters do the work together. The felt filter is reusable: Toddy says it can be used up to 10 times and discarded after 3 months, and recommends freezing it in a sealed bag between brews. The paper bags are single use, and Toddy recommends using the felt filter together with the paper for double filtration. The system takes only Toddy's own felt and paper filters, not ordinary paper filters, and replacement parts are sold on ToddyCafe.com.
The container is listed as food-safe and BPA-free, and the stopper and lid are food-safe silicone. Toddy says the system can be cleaned in a commercial dishwasher, and also recommends hand washing the reusable parts for the longest life.
Toddy Cold Brew System vs OXO Good Grips Cold Brew 32oz
The OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker is listed on this site at $59.97, with a borosilicate glass carafe, a plastic brewing container and a 946 ml capacity. It uses a stainless steel mesh filter, with paper filters also supported, and a switch that releases the brew. The Toddy publishes a larger water volume, 1.9 to 2.13 L, and uses felt and paper instead of mesh. The OXO is the more expensive of the two by about $11, on listed prices.
Toddy Cold Brew System vs Ovalware RJ3
The Ovalware RJ3 is a 1.5 L airtight borosilicate glass maker with a stainless steel mesh filter, listed here at $46.99. It is a simpler jar with a filter insert: you brew, lift the filter out and pour. The Toddy has more parts and drains through a stopper into a decanter, and it carries a one-year warranty where the Ovalware lists three months.
Toddy Cold Brew System vs Takeya Deluxe 1 Quart
The Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Maker is a 946 ml Tritan pitcher with a permanent fine mesh filter and an airtight lid, made in the United States. Like the Toddy, it is made in the USA. Unlike the Toddy, it has one part to wash and no consumable filters, and no maker price is listed for it here.
Toddy Cold Brew System vs Hario Mizudashi
The Hario Mizudashi is a 600 ml glass pot with a mesh strainer basket, listed at $22.50 and sized for a refrigerator door. It makes a ready-to-drink brew rather than a concentrate and costs less than half the Toddy. The Toddy makes a larger batch and a concentrate, and needs felt and paper filters.
Is the Toddy Cold Brew System worth it?
Nobody tested the Toddy for this page, so there is no claim about the taste of the concentrate or how fast it drains. What the maker states is a $49 price, a long history, a one-year warranty, US manufacture, filters that need replacing and a batch that makes about a week or two of iced coffee. It is a hands-off, slow system with a few parts, built around concentrate. If you drink iced coffee every day, a batch that lasts two weeks in the fridge is the kind of thing that justifies a dedicated brewer.
The ongoing cost is the filters. The felt filter is rated for up to 10 uses and paper bags are single use, so a regular brewer will buy replacements.
Who should buy the Toddy Cold Brew System (and who should not)
It suits somebody who wants a concentrate to dilute into iced coffee, has fridge space for the decanter and does not mind planning a day ahead. It also suits a person who wants a non-electric brewer made in the United States with a one-year warranty.
It does not suit anybody who wants a single mug-size cold brew quickly, or who wants a brewer with no consumable filters. The Takeya and the Ovalware skip the felt and paper entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the Toddy Cold Brew System take to brew?
Toddy says to steep the grounds at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours.
How much coffee do I use in the Toddy?
Toddy recommends starting with 12 oz (340 g) of coarsely ground coffee and 8 cups (1.9 L) of water. It says you can brew a full pound with 9 cups of water, or 8 oz with 4.5 cups.
How long does Toddy concentrate last?
The maker says the concentrate stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Can I use regular paper filters in the Toddy?
No. Toddy says the system requires its specially designed felt and paper filters.
Can I make tea in the Toddy?
Yes. The maker says it brews tea, using 8 oz of tea leaves with 9 cups of water, steeped 6 to 12 hours.
What is the Toddy Staycation Edition?
It is a separate edition that Toddy's page links to for people who want more cold brew at home. This page covers the standard Toddy Cold Brew System, and the maker's page does not describe the Staycation contents in the text read here.
