The Best Cold Coffee at Home: Cumulus Coffee Machine Review

We love iced coffee, but we never make it at home. We look forward to our Sunday mornings when we take our dogs for a walk and make a point to stop by our Farmers Market to get our cold coffees. We often comment on the flavor and quality of the coffee, and we dream of making such a delicious drink at home. When we were offered the opportunity to review the Cumulus Coffee machine, we jumped at the chance.

Hi, I’m Karl, Alison's husband. For those who are long time readers you probably know me as “K” on Wardrobe Oxygen. If you are a relatively new reader I have been behind the scenes as Alison’s photographer and collaborator for over 20 years. I would not say that I am a true coffee connoisseur but I love a good cup of coffee and consume up to three coffee beverages a day. There are not too many places that offer a nitro cold brew and to be able to have that at home is truly a unique experience.

Cumulus Coffee Machine Review

I waited to do this Cumulus coffee machine review until I had used it for a few months and placed an order for replacement coffee capsules as a standard paying customer. I wanted time to see how to machine held up with regular use, and the customer service before sharing with.

To be honest, we were initially hesitant to get a Cumulus Coffee machine because we did not know if we had counter space for it. We live in a historic row home with a galley kitchen, and counter space is minimal.

After checking the dimensions online, I noticed it had a smaller footprint than our KitchenAid standing mixer, which I only use occasionally, so I moved that to storage to make room. Once we received the Cumulus Coffee machine, we saw it didn’t take up more width than our Nespresso machine did. 

I didn’t think I would love the Cumulus Coffee machine as much as I do. I have made my own cold brew, I have bought gallons of iced coffee and bottles of iced coffee concentrate, and have spent way too much money at coffee shops and our neighborhood farmers market on iced coffee but never had the customization, taste quality, and convenience that comes with Cumulus, all while reducing waste. Let me share why I am now a big fan:

Customization

With the Cumulus Coffee machine, you can choose if you want a traditional iced coffee (still), a nitro brew, or an espresso. You do this by easily turning the selector ring on top. A light indicates which selection is chosen. This option, as well as being able to have different roasts of coffee, allows one to curate their morning coffee experience. 

Yes, you could premake your iced coffee the night before and have it ready in the refrigerator when you wake up but the above mentioned options are nice if you only want one or two servings of coffee in different ways and flavors or roasts. 

Elevated Flavors and Ingredients

Cumulus coffee has elevated flavors and ingredients that makes it enjoyable to create a custom beverage experience. On top of this, all of the ingredients are specifically crafted for a cold coffee experience, meaning they blend well and are balanced at a colder temperature. Details about the options of coffee for the Cumulus Coffee machine:

• Cumulus offers a Medium-Dark roast that has notes of dark cocoa and cedar. This is known as their Valor line.
• The Lucid option is a light medium roast with notes of crisp citrus, cherry, and honey nectar.
• You can get the Sospeso brew in a light or medium roast and it has notes of fragrant toast, gentle vanilla, and brown sugar.
• The Ritual line is available in a medium, dark, or decaf option and that has notes of chocolate, caramel, and roasted nuts.
• The Delve is a medium roast with notes of cherries, chocolate, and creamy caramel.
• Cumulus has crafted a light-medium line of coffee as well known as Gilded. It has notes of sangria, fruit, liquor lift, and has a sweet finale.

Cumulus Syrups

For those who truly appreciate a craft brew, Cumulus has a line of syrups that are made with cane sugar and all natural ingredients to elevate your coffee in a decadent way. 

• Their Yuzu Limoncello is crisp and refreshing. This syrup combines the floral sharpness of yuzu with the mellow sun-soaked sweetness of limoncello. 
• The Orange Piloncillo syrup is crafted with raw cane sugar and orange zest, finished with a hint of cinnamon for subtle spice. 
• Crafted with Madagascan vanilla pods and warm sugar using culinary infusion techniques, the Madagascar Vanilla syrup complements every brew. 
• The Cinnamon Demerara syrup is warm and sweet, pairing the spice of whole cinnamon sticks with the caramel notes of Demerara sugar. 
• Created using South American semi-sweet dark chocolate the Dark Chocolate syrup has a complex flavor with notes of juicy blackberry. 

These syrups definitely elevate your cold brew coffee, allowing you to experiment and indulge in a variety of delicious ways. If you get the artisanal syrup sampler, it comes with a recipe card for different iced coffee concoctions. My favorite is the Cold Brew Palmer, which is a Lucid capsule, 1-2 tablespoons of the Yuzu Limoncello syrup, and ice. It is a very refreshing way to start my day and the citrus flavors truly complement the coffee itself.

Environmentally Friendly 

The Cumulus cold coffee capsules are aluminum and do not have a plastic puncture seal. They are very small, half the size of a capsule for other types of coffee machines and no residue left once used The capsules can go directly into the regular recycling which is nice in that there is no need for bags to ship used capsules like Nespresso has.

Quality Manufacturing and Design

When you are done with coffee for the day the machine has a button on the back of the unit that allows you to put the unit in sleep mode. This is a convenient feature in that the machine can easily be turned on by pressing the brew button on the front of the machine when ready to brew again.   

The machine itself is well thought out and easy to use. For example, the machine surfaces are pleasant to touch, and all the fixtures snap or operate with a sophisticated feel. The concentrated liquid coffee capsules are easy to install and remove, and because they are made from aluminum, they are recyclable.

The packaging that Cumulus uses for delivering its coffee capsules is minimal as well. I have ordered multiple 10-capsule boxes, and it came in a box that fit exactly with no extra paper or cardboard fillers. Since the capsules are aluminum canisters, there is very little risk of having the delivery contents damaged.   

You also minimize any PFAS exposure because the water container has a filter, and there are no plastic puncturable films on the coffee capsule itself. We were gifted the Cumulus Cold Coffee glasses, which are perfect for drinking a cold beverage in that they have a hollow glass blown interior, preventing the warmth of one’s hand from affecting the temperature of the beverage. If you truly enjoy coffee and you want the convenience of choice, the Cumulus Coffee machine is worth the space it takes on your counter.       

Negatives About Cumulus Coffee Machine

The Cumulus Coffee machine is only for cold brews. When the machine is turned on, it does take about 15 minutes to chill the water to the optimal temperature but once achieved, the machine maintains that temperature for the remainder of the time. This allows you to enjoy an iced coffee throughout the day. The machine is a big ticket item and for the casual coffee drinker would seem expensive. That being said, the price point is perfect for a special person's holiday, birthday or even a graduation gift.

About Cumulus Coffee

Cumulus coffee was started by Mesh Gelman. He is a native New Yorker and became interested in the impact that coffee was having on people’s routines and what they were willing to do for a great cup of coffee. He noticed how Starbucks was influencing the market and joined their executive team. He quickly noticed the preference for cold brew coffee and the desire to provide the same quality and consistency of the cold brew experience at home inspired Cumulus.

Gelman's focus on the cold brew provides the consumer with an exceptionally home crafted cold brew that is elevated in texture and flavor. He states, “It’s astonishing how challenging it is to craft premium cold brew at home. We’re here to change that.”

In my opinion, Cumulus coffee is an elevated experience and I thoroughly enjoy the myriad of delicious brews that they offer. I start my day with a Cumulus cold brew and this premium experience sets the tone for the rest of the day.