Overall, the Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot scored highest. This sleek, sophisticated and streamlined carafe produces 1 liter (about 4 1/4 cups) of rich, robust brew in just eight hours.

Cold-brew coffee is all the rage during a summer heatwave. If you're not in the know, cold-brew coffee isn't the same thing as iced coffee. And for some people, these differences can be unpleasant.

Overall, the Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot scored highest. This sleek, sophisticated and streamlined carafe produces 1 liter (about 4 1/4 cups) of rich, robust brew in just eight hours.

Image: Getty Images. To find out just how to make the perfect cold brew at home, I turned to coffee expert Christopher Feran, director of coffee at Phoenix Coffee Company in Cleveland, Ohio. Feran ...

You can make cold brewed coffee in your blender but it does have a bitter aftertaste. ... The full guide has step-by-step instructions and photos you can check out.

The ratio of coffee grounds to water is subjective and depends on personal taste. A good place to start is to grind 3/4 cup beans for 4 cups of cold water — the size of a 32-ounce French press.

The 32-ounce container makes 12 cups of coffee for $8.99 ($0.75/serving), so it was the cheapest cold brew of the bunch. It was pleasant but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it again.

ToddyCafe, which developed their Toddy Cold Brew system in 1964, estimated that 20% to 30% of their customers were coffee lovers who couldn't quite swallow the traditional stuff.