Best 5 Iced Coffee Espresso Machines: Perfect For Summertime

Have you been trying to find the best iced coffee espresso machine that provides amazing performance?

Then this post might help you find the perfect one!

Listed below, you can find my reviews of the best models that are currently up for sale. Check out their features, compare their designs and prices, and choose the best one.

The Rundown

What Is An Iced Coffee Espresso Machine?

Since iced coffee refers to cold drink made of espresso, milk and ice, you can use any espresso machine with a steam wand to make it. However, since iced coffee becomes more and more popular, some machines offer a specially designed program just for an “over ice” brew.

Is It The Same As A Cold Brew Espresso Machine?

No, cold brew espresso is made using cold water from the beginning. This type of coffee is usually not made with an espresso machine but rather by combining coffee with cold water and letting it steep overnight. For this reason, it is often made either in a French press or a Mason jar.

What Are The Differences Between The Two?

The difference between the two is not only in the brewing process but also in:

• flavor – brewed iced coffee is much more flavorful as it undergoes the extraction process. On the other hand, the cold brew coffee is much sweeter and has a smoother texture.
• caffeince – generally, cold brew is stronger in caffeine than iced coffee but only about 50 mg.

Benefits Of Having An Iced Espresso Machine?

There are many benefits to having such a machine at home:

• you get to enjoy an iced brew any time you want
• apart from iced brew, you can try making versatile specialized beverages
• you can spare the money you would otherwise spend looking for the perfect coffee shop

When it comes to downsides, there really aren’t any. Basically, you are getting a regular espresso machine that can make versatile beverages.

Features To Think About

Now that you are sure you want an iced espresso brewer, here are some features to think about:

Size And Portability

First things first, consider how important is the machine’s portability. A compact, 9.3 x 16.9 x 13.7.inch machine is made for countertop use. However, if you need a machine that is suitable for travel make sure that the machine is very lightweight and its size makes it easy to carry around (consider portable 8 x 3 x 3 models).

Design Quality

Onto the design, nothing beats stainless steel. This is because of its strength, durability, and high resistance to versatile damages. In case you do opt for a plastic model, make sure that it is entirely made out of food-safe materials.

Powerful Performance

You want to make sure that the machine you buy is very powerful. Models with a 1000 Watt power rating or higher are a great choice as they also meet professional standards. The ones with a lower wattage rating are still good but only for home use.

Extraction Force

Even for the iced espresso, it is very important that it gets extracted with proper extraction pressure. A 15-bar pressure provides great results as it extracts all the flavors and aromas but there is no risk that it might burn your coffee.

Brewing Options

The amazing thing about these machines is that even though you are buying them especially for iced brews, they provide you with versatile brewing options. You still get to brew regular espresso and make specialized beverages including cappuccino, latte, etc.

Best 5 Iced Coffee Espresso Machines

De’Longhi Dinamica Espresso Machine

This grind and brew coffee maker provides a fully programmable performance. Its simple interface allows you to choose the size of the brew you want to make, set the desired brewing option between the hot and the cold option, etc. Due to its pre-infusion process, it provides a very powerful brew with every single use.

Note that this bean-to-cup brewer provides a very efficient heating process too. It needs about 40 seconds to heat the water that is used to brew a cup. Once it does, it will immediately start the brewing process.

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Gevi Espresso Coffee Machine

The great thing about this machine under $200 is that it comes with 2 separate thermostats. Thanks to this feature you can control the temperature of both the brewing water and the steam that is dispensed out from the steam wand.

Another thing worth knowing is that it has a specially designed overheat protection system. This feature makes it much safer to use as you never have to worry that the machine might reach too high of a temperature level at any point.

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Mr. Coffee Espresso Maker

While this machine is a semi-automatic model, it comes with a fully automatic milk frothing system. This means that the machine automatically dispenses the perfect amount of milk froth into your espresso cup, depending on the set brewing parameters.

Although it does offer pre-set parameters for a single and double shot of espresso, cappuccino, and latte, it also allows you to customize each setting to your liking. You can even control the density of the froth inside the milk carafe.

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Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine

This super-automatic machine features a very simple touch screen control panel. It provides you with multiple pre-set brewing recipes you can choose from with a touch of a finger. It also provides additional customizable profiles so you can adjust the recipes to your liking.

It is worth knowing that this brewer uses optimal water pressure throughout the brewing process. As a result, all the delicious flavors and coffee oils are extracted from the coffee grounds inside the filter basket.

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Philips Automatic Espresso Machine

This is another machine under $1000 that comes with a user-friendly control panel. It is split into two halves, one with pre-programmed settings, and one with customizable options. You get to choose the desired brewing strength, cup size, froth texture, etc.

Note that this brewer comes with both a coffee bean grinder and an additional bypass doser. Thanks to this feature you can choose wheter you want to brew coffee using freshly ground beans or store-bought pre-ground coffee. The high, 15-bar extraction pressure ensures you can get amazing results using both.

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Is Espresso Good For Iced Coffee?

Yes, you can easily make a perfect iced brew with an espresso shot as a base. The great thing is that espresso cools down much faster than a regular coffee brew so you do not have to wait a long time to complete the beverage.

However, you can add ice also to coffee. tYou won’t get as strong a brew flavor and your iced beverage will have a much smaller amount of caffeine inside. Also, it’s a great option if you don’t prefer milk so your drink will be made from only coffee, water, and ice.

Other Iced Beverages You Can Make

Apart from a delicious iced espresso, you can also make:

• shakerato – a double shot of espresso combined with a bit of sugar and ice in a shaker
• iced cappuccino – a combination of one espresso shot, cool milk foam, and ice
• iced latte – it is made just like iced cappuccino except there is a double amount of milk inside
• frape – one shot of espresso, 100 ml of milk, and simple syrup are combined in the shaker
• cappuccino fredo – a combination of a double espresso shot, foamed milk, and ice

How To Make Iced Espresso Coffee?

When you have an espresso machine, there is very little work for you to do:

1. Grind your coffee beans freshly before you start the brewing process.
2. Meassure out your grounds to ensure that you get the optimal flavor.
3. Tamp the grounds into the portafilter with enough force to get a firm coffee puck.
4. Now, pull an espresso shot.

Depending on the type of machine you have, you can either turn on the “over ice” function or place a full cup of ice right beneath the portafilter to ensure that the fresh brew drips right over the ice. Additionally, you can steam/froth milk and add it to your brew to get a richer cup.

What Roast Is The Best For Iced Coffee?

To make the most delicious iced brew, you should use a medium to dark roast coffee. This is to ensure that you get the richest flavor possible. Most importantly, make sure that your beans are freshly roasted.

How Do You Make Iced Coffee With Espresso Pods?

Great news for those who prefer pods and capsules, you can use them to make iced brew:

1. Add about 3 ice cubes into your cup.
2. Extract up to 1.35 oz of espresso atop the ice.
3. Finally, add about 3 oz of cold water and stir everything up.

In case you use Nespresso pods, the top-recommended options are Kazzar, Ristretto, and Arpeggio, due to their flavor strength.

Can You Make It Without A Machine?

While you won’t get the most authentic brewing results, yes, you can make an iced espresso without a machine. You can use a Moka pot or an AeroPress brewer to make a shot of espresso. Once you have your shot ready simply pour it over a glass of ice and stir it up. For a latte, simply combine some frothed milk into the cup (to froth milk you can use a French press or a mason jar).