SHOP $69, amazon.com
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I’m not proud to admit it, but I definitely drink more iced coffee than I do water. I’m a coffee person through and through, and even in the coldest winter months I can be found sipping an iced beverage. An iced oat latte is always a favorite, an iced Americano never fails. But a cold brew? A really damn good cold brew takes the cake.
If you’re a true coffee snob, you’re willing to sacrifice coin (and, these days, lots of it) in favor of getting a satisfactory drink. There was a time when only coffeeshops operated by hipster baristas could provide a high-quality drink. Then came the age of at-home espresso set-ups to rival even the most luxe of professional machines. That solved the problem of making hot coffee and iced espresso pretty quickly. But even with all my gadgets and gizmos, I never quite found a method to make cold brew at home that was to my liking. That is, until, I found the Sio Cold-Infusion Pitcher by Ohom. Now, I’m drinking more cold brew (and spending less money on it) than ever.
It Has Fancy, Functional Design
When you really think about it, making cold brew at home should be easy. Easier than espresso, anyway. You don’t need all the bells and whistles of an espresso machine to make cold brew, and you can actually DIY it with home products (coffee grounds, water, and a working refrigerator will do it). Whenever I’ve tried this method at home, though, it’s only been met with disappointment: Cold brew that was too acidic, cold brew that was too watery, cold brew that tasted the way people who hate coffee think it tastes.
The Sio takes all of the guesswork and error out of making cold brew at home. I cannot stress that it could not be easier. It’s so easy to make cold brew that I’m never out of it. The pitcher holds up to 54 ounces of liquid, and is made from lab-grade borosilicate glass (it feels fragile and glass-y, but is actually mighty strong). Inside the pitcher is a micro-fine mesh strainer, which is made from nine-inch stainless steel. It goes all the way down the pitcher, so you don’t have to worry about parts of your drink being more or less flavored than others. The Sio also comes with a rose-gold measuring scoop, which is really just a classy, elegant touch that helps you out when it comes to portioning your grounds, and a convenient copper plated lid that sits atop the rim of the jar, allowing the lip to pour cold brew without removing the lid.
It looks good on any countertop, better in any fridge. It isn’t the tacky, clunky cold brew infuser that you can pickup anywhere (a giant, random jug, if you’re lucky). No matter what aesthetic your kitchen provides, the gradient glass of the Sio fits right in. It’s sleek, modern, and garners more than one impressed “Ooh” from guests. Simply put, it brings the luxury of going to get a cold brew straight to your kitchen.
SHOP $69, amazon.com
It’s Super Easy to Use
As the owner of multiple coffee machines, I’m simply not interested in adding yet another one to my kitchen that requires more than five minutes to set up and use every day. The Sio, being manual, is probably the easiest thing to operate in my home. Like...easier than using a toaster or a microwave. A child could make your cold brew, if you were feeling particularly lazy.
Getting the hang of making the perfect cold brew takes no time at all; do it once, and you've got it down. All you do is add coffee grounds to the stainless steel scoop provided with the pitcher, pour ‘em into the strainer, and add your desired amount of cold water to the outer part of the pitcher. If you don’t know how much water to add, fear not; there are markers on the Sio to indicate how much you should fill, from two to seven glasses (each scoop of coffee grounds is equivalent to a six ounce glass of cold brew).
Then, you just pop the copper lid on to seal in the flavor, stick it in your fridge for 12 hours (I make mine at night and enjoy it fresh in the morning), and voila—cold brew! Made with whatever specific coffee grounds you like, however strong you like it. Plus, the Sio is only 70 bucks—that's less than two weeks worth of buying a daily cold brew, and you'll use this for ages. Sorry, Starbucks, but it’s kind of over for you.
SHOP $69, amazon.com
It Does More Than Just Cold Brew
Once I became comfortable using the Sio, I started getting experimental with it. I went from making a plain cold brew to infusing it with different flavors. I let cinnamon sticks and vanilla seep in the infuser alongside the coffee grounds. I tested my barista skills by home-making cold foam to go on top. I even put an orange peel inside it once for a citrusy cold brew (and it was incredible). That’s all easy and fun, but when I realized you could use the Sio for all sorts of beverages, my world turned upside down.
The mechanism of the Sio—an ultra-fine mesh infuser surrounded by a different liquid—makes it versatile enough to make many, many cold beverages. Cold brew is my favorite thing to make in it, but you can also make iced teas and fruit-infused water. If you put loose leaf tea in the mesh strainer and add cold water, you can have a delicious iced tea the next day; my favorite recipe consists of Earl Grey loose leaf, perfect for an iced London Fog latte. My roommate is a fan of putting cucumbers, strawberries, or lemons in it, and enjoying cold, refreshing flavored water all day the next day. All you have to do to clean it is a simple hand-wash; if you’re anything like me, you’ll be enjoying a new iced beverage every day.
SHOP $69, amazon.com
