Best Commercial Cold Brew Coffee Makers for Cafes

For most cafes, the best commercial cold brew maker is the Toddy Commercial Model with Lift (at least 2.5 gallons of extract per batch, per Toddy); step up to Toddy’s 10-gallon Pro Series or the Wilbur Curtis TC-7HK as volume grows, and add a Yama tower only as a front-counter showpiece. The equipment decision hinges on how much concentrate you need per day and how long each batch takes to brew. This guide sizes commercial cold brew makers by batch, separates bulk systems from showcase towers, and accounts for filters and brew schedules.

Use each maker’s model-specific recipe to plan coffee, water, filters and brew time. Amazon product cards and maker or dealer options below identify where to buy the systems and consumables.

How to size a cold brew system by daily volume

Start with servings, not gallons. Forecast your daily cold brew cups, then convert to concentrate using your dilution ratio and cup size. As a quick check, 2.5 gallons is 320 ounces of concentrate; divide that by the concentrate you use per drink to estimate servings. Toddy’s Commercial Model yields at least 2.5 gallons of extract per batch, but tank capacity and water input are different measures. Toddy’s Lift and original Pro Series recipes steep for 8 to 24 hours; Curtis specifies 12 to 16 hours, and Filtron 12 to 24 hours followed by draining. Match batch size and scheduling to demand: a larger vessel, staggered vessels or brewing ahead may suit your program. Overnight brewing is an option, not a production limit.

System	Type	Coffee per batch	Water	Concentrate per batch (maker)	Steep or drip time	Material	Best for
Toddy Commercial Model with Lift (CMLTCM)	Immersion	5 lb	13 qt (Lift recipe)	At least 2.5 gal	8 to 24 hrs	BPA-free plastic, NSF certified	Small-cafe daily batch
Toddy Pro Series 10 (TPS10US)	Immersion	10 lb	7 gal	Not published for this model	8 to 24 hrs	304 stainless platform	Higher volume
Wilbur Curtis TC-7HK	Immersion	5 lb	4 gal	Not stated separately (7.0 gal system)	12 to 16 hrs	Heavy-gauge stainless	Mid-volume
Filtron 30L (home unit)	Immersion, drains through a felt pad	1 lb	64 oz	About 32 oz	12 to 24 hrs, then 45 to 60 min drain	Plastic, wool felt pad	Testing a recipe
Yama 25-cup tower	Slow drip	1/2 to 1 lb	Ice and water, reservoir filled twice	100 oz capacity	About 12 hrs (Yama manual)	Borosilicate glass, wood frame	Front-counter showpiece
Hario Water Dripper (WDCR-6)	Slow drip	Not published	Not published	780 mL capacity	Not published	Borosilicate glass, acrylic resin stand	Small single-origin showpiece

Tank size, water charge, and concentrate yield are different numbers; size off the concentrate column, noting that the tower entries give capacity rather than a separate concentrate yield.

The picks: bulk, large-batch immersion systems

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Small-cafe daily batch

Toddy Commercial Model Cold Brew System with Lift (CMLTCM)

Yield

At least 2.5 gal of extract per batch (Toddy)

Recipe

5 lb coffee + 13 qt water (Lift guide); 8-24 hr steep

Method

Immersion; Lift supports the filter bag during brewing, feet down

Material and certification

BPA-free plastic; NSF certified (NSF/ANSI 18 listing)

Filter

Paper or Tree Free filters, one per batch

A commercial immersion system with a documented extract yield to help plan daily batches. Tradeoff: a plastic body and a manual drain-and-filter routine each batch. Choose your dilution ratio and cup size before translating concentrate into servings.

Specs: Toddy spec sheet and Lift brewing guide

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Replacement filters (the recurring cost)

Toddy Commercial Model Tree Free Filters (50 Pack)

Part and pack

TCMTF50, 50 filters

Compatibility

Fits Toddy Commercial Model

Use

One filter per batch; Toddy: Strainer is reusable; filter bag is not reusable

Toddy also sells TCMPF50 paper filters and a reusable TCMST nylon strainer. Match the filter to your brewer: Pro Series 10 uses TPS10TF50 single-use compostable filters.

Specs: Toddy filter catalog and strainer guide

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The picks: slow-drip showcase towers

Small single-origin front-counter showpiece

Hario Water Dripper Clear (WDCR-6)

Capacity

780 mL, 2-6 cups (Hario)

Method

Slow drip with an adjustable spout

Filter

Stainless steel metal filter

Material

Borosilicate glass; acrylic (methacrylate) resin stand

Height

About 17.9 in. (455 mm)

A small-capacity option for single-origin presentation alongside a bulk brewer. Hario also sells CF-WDC-6 paper filters for the earlier WDC-6, so do not count on zero consumables. Hario does not publish a drip time or recipe for WDCR-6; confirm the model's instructions before building a service schedule around it.

Specs: Hario USA product page and Hario catalogs

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Matching the system to your program

Work in this order. Estimate your daily cold brew servings, convert to a concentrate target, and require a batch-and-schedule plan that clears it given the steep time; that decides your vessel size and whether you need one or two. Choose immersion for the bulk supply, and add a slow-drip tower only if you want a craft showcase, not because it will carry your volume. Check certification and cleaning requirements for the specific model; the plastic Toddy Commercial Model is NSF certified. Account for reusable-filter cleaning and single-use filter replacement. Once you’ve brewed it, serve it from a cold brew concentrate dispenser or put it on nitro.

Cold brew sits inside a fuller equipping decision, so pair this with our full coffee shop equipment list and the commercial coffee brewers guide for the hot side of the menu. If you are outfitting a smaller mobile setup, see the coffee cart equipment list.

For iced coffee service, our coffee shop ice machine sizing guide explains how to compare daily production with bin storage.