I Tried Every Store-Bought Cold Brew I Could Find—These Are The 5 Worth Your Money

No shade to hot coffee, but we want nothing to do with it in the summer. The last thing we need when we’re suffering through scorching-hot temperatures is more heat. There are plenty of ways to serve coffee over ice, but cold brew is by far our favorite method.

For the uninitiated, cold brew is made by slowly steeping coffee grounds in cold water for several hours. There are a lot of benefits to cold brew over traditional iced coffee: it minimizes the bitterness and acidity of the beans, it requires less effort to make, and it has more caffeine. The love for cold brew has grown so much that experts estimate that it will become a billion-dollar industry by 2025.

You can pay a premium for a barista to make your cup of cold brew, or you can save money by making a batch at home. But the best option to balance both convenience and price is buying cold brew from the grocery store. Shoppers can choose between new brands and legacy coffee companies, concentrates and ready-to-drink offerings, light and dark roasts, and even between different flavors. It’s never been easier to enjoy cold brew from the comfort of your own kitchen.

But even the most discerning coffee lovers can struggle to choose the right cold brew. So we tasted dozens of cold brews, from both popular brands and ones that are under the radar, and identified our five favorites. Whether you like things big and bold or light and smooth, there’s a Delish-approved pick that you’ll love.

Best Overall: Slingshot

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At first glance, the packaging of this cold brew was a throwback to when we drank cheap boxed wine in college. But everything about Slingshot’s coffee is elevated and high quality. And since their Fridge Box fits perfectly on the shelves of our refrigerator, it’s one of the most convenient ways to get your caffeine fix.

Our testers loved the concentration level of the coffee and described the taste as bold, smooth, and flavorful. It was one of the best cold brews we’ve had, period (and that’s including ones we’ve had at specialty coffee shops). Buy a box and thank us later.

Best Light Roast: La Colombe

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La Colombe has been selling pre-made cold brew for years. They’ve since rebranded this bottle to be medium roast, but the flavor is still delightfully mild enough to be considered light.

We love how bright and refreshing this cold brew tastes. The way it’s roasted and brewed highlights the natural sweetness of the coffee bean without bringing out too much acidity, and some of our tasters even found it to taste a little nutty (in a good way). If you want an extra refreshing cold brew to cool off on a hot day, this is the bottle for you.

Best Medium Roast: Dunkin’

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Now you can run on Dunkin’ without having to go to the physical location. Their concentrated cold brew has the nostalgic, balanced flavor we know and love from Dunkin’. It’s easy to adjust the strength based on how much you dilute it with water or milk, which gives you infinite possibilities for serving it.

We enjoyed drinking it with water according to the package instructions, but we can also see this making a delicious batch of espresso martinis.

Best Dark Roast: Bizzy Espresso Blend

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If you like your coffee bold and strong, you’ll love Bizzy’s Espresso Blend. Unlike other cold brews that can come with an odd, over-processed aftertaste, this brand is super smooth. Many of our tasters noted that Bizzy tastes like a fresh homemade batch of cold brew.

The deep, nuanced flavors of the dark roast have an almost chocolate-like taste without being overly bitter. This is a cold brew that would taste especially delicious with a flavored creamer—think caramel or vanilla.

Best Flavored: Chameleon Dark Chocolate Mocha

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There are a lot of flavored cold brews out there—some more palatable than others—but our favorite is Chameleon’s Dark Chocolate Mocha. The medium roast beans provide some bitterness and depth to highlight the chocolate with enough brightness and acidity to keep it refreshing.

It’s rich and decadent without weighing us down, which is exactly what we want when we reach for a cup of cold brew.