How to Make Iced Coffee Fast (With and Without a Brewer)

A delicious cup of iced coffee on a summer afternoon is a refreshing way to boost your energy levels and cool yourself down. But how do you make iced coffee fast when you are pressed for time or you immediately need a cup of iced coffee?

The fastest way to make iced coffee without a brewer is the instant iced coffee method.

Instant iced coffee takes less than two minutes and does not need any special equipment.

We prefer using warm water because it dissolves instant coffee granules much faster than cold water. Similarly, sugar syrup dissolves much easier than solid sugar in cold drinks.

When using solid sugar, add it to the granules before adding the warm water. If you desire to have black iced coffee without milk or milk substitutes, just fill your cup with chilled water.

Although most coffee enthusiasts do not like the idea of instant coffee, instant iced coffee is a great way to get some caffeine when you are pressed for time.

Can You Make Instant Coffee With Cold Water?

Yes, you can make instant coffee with cold water or room temperature water. Simply add 2-3 tablespoonfuls of granules into a cup and add the desired amount of cold water.

However, you may need to stir the coffee granules longer as instant coffee is less soluble at lower temperatures.

Warm water is an excellent choice for instant coffee because it saves you a couple of seconds when you need to make iced coffee fast.

How To Make Ice Coffee Fast Using A Coffee Maker

Here are the fastest coffee makers when making iced coffee quickly:

1. Aeropress iced coffee
2. Drip machine method
3. Pour-over cone iced coffee

1. How To Make Iced Coffee Quickly With An AeroPress

Iced coffee with an AeroPress is the fastest method of making ice coffee with a coffee brewer. It takes 2-3 minutes to brew an iced cup of coffee in an AeroPress.

Materials and Equipment:

AeroPress brewer, AeroPress filter, AeroPress scoop, coffee beans, burr grinder, a kettle, a stove, a teaspoon or paddle, a mug with ice, filtered water, and optional milk and sweetening syrup

Method: Traditional/Normal method

Instructions:

1. Add 300 ml water into the kettle and bring it to a boil. Set the kettle with the water aside
2. Grab the AeroPress and remove the plunger
3. Open the filter cap, place a filter on the cap and rinse both the cap and filter under a tap of running water
4. Place the cap with the filter on the brewer
5. Add ice cubes into a mug
6. Place the brewer on the mug of ice
7. Grind one scoop of coffee beans to an espresso grind size and add the grounds into the brewer. One scoop is equivalent to one point on the AeroPress markings
8. Add hot water into the AeroPress in a back n forth motion to fill up to the second marking
9. Use a teaspoon or paddle to gently agitate the grounds for about 30 seconds to even water coverage
10. Place the plunger in the brewer and wait for a few seconds as the coffee brews
11. Gently press the plunger until you hear a hissing sound
12. Remove the brewer and discard the grounds
13. Add chilled milk and sweeteners to drink

2. How To Make iced Coffee Fast With a Drip Machine

A drip machine such as Keurig takes 3-5 minutes from switching on to getting a cup of coffee.

Materials and Equipment:

Keurig or any drip coffee maker, a coffee pod, mug, cold milk, your choice of syrup, ice cubes, filtered water.

Instructions:

1. Add water to the water tank
2. Power the brewer
3. Add ice into the mug and place the mug on the drip plate
4. Lift the handle, place a pod in the pod holder and lower the handle
5. Press the cup size and the brew button. Select the cold brew or strong brew option if your brewer has this feature, otherwise, brew a regular cup
6. Add syrup and milk/cream to the iced coffee

Swapping the pods with coffee grounds in your Keurig or any drip coffee maker can lead to a stronger brew for your iced coffee.

Some drip coffee makers have an iced coffee feature that allows you to brew stronger coffee so that your brew is not watered down by the ice.

Here is our article about the best Keurig coffee maker for iced coffee.

3. How To Make Iced Coffee Fast With A Pour-Over Cone

Time: 4-6 minutes

Materials and Equipment:

Instructions:

1. Place the filter on the cone
2. Boil water in the kettle and let it rest for about 45 seconds for the temperature to drop to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit
3. Measure about 30 grams of coffee beans for 500 ml of coffee and grind the beans to a medium-fine size. Alternatively, use 2-3 tablespoonfuls of grounds.
4. Pour some hot water on the paper filter to cleanse any papery taste
5. Add about 8 pieces of ice cubes into the decanter and place the cone with the filter on top of the decanter
6. Place the decanter on the scale and reset the scale to zero
7. Add the grounds on the filter
8. Pour hot water on the grounds for about 30 seconds and stop for 30-45 seconds to allow for blooming
9. Continue pouring in a circular motion while ensuring an even level for about 1 minute and stop
10. Use a spoon to gently agitate the grounds until the coffee has dripped into the decanter
11. Pour the rest of the water evenly over the grounds
12. Remove the cone and discard the filter into a garbage box.
13. Pour the coffee into a mug and add milk and syrup to taste

Recap

Instant iced coffee is the quickest method of making cold coffee. Instant iced coffee needs no brewer, is convenient, and takes less than 2 minutes. You can use cold water to dissolve the instant coffee granules, however, warm water dissolves the granules much faster.

When using a brewer, Aeropress makes iced coffee faster than the other brewers. An Aeropress is portable and yields a strong espresso-style shot of coffee that is suitable for iced coffee.

A drip brewer requires less effort: add water, drop a pod, plug, and go. A drip brewer that is capable of brewing with a carafe is suitable when you are brewing larger amounts of iced coffee.

If your iced coffee is unpleasant or too astringent, read our post on how to reduce the bitter flavor in iced coffee.

Related Questions

Can You Just Put Ice in Coffee to Make Iced Coffee

Yes, you add ice to a cup of freshly brewed coffee to make iced coffee. Adding a flavoring syrup and cold milk will enrich the coffee.

However, depending on how the coffee was prepared, you risk watering it down, especially, if the hot brew was not meant for iced coffee. For example, adding a lot of ice to a single-shot espresso makes it watery.

How Do You Make Iced Coffee Without Watering it Down

We recommend these four ways of making iced coffee without watering it down:

1. Make hot coffee, wait for it to cool down before refrigerating it. Later, use the chilled coffee to make your iced coffee by adding ice, cold milk, and sweeteners. The refrigerated coffee will not melt the ice quickly, hence your iced coffee will not be watered down
2. Use coffee ice cubes. Make regular coffee and freeze it to make ice cubes. You can enrich the frozen coffee by mixing different flavored syrups such as chocolate and vanilla before freezing.
3. Reduce the amount of ice. Adding excessive pieces of ice cubes can lead to watery coffee. Also, avoid blending your iced coffee to slow down the rate at which the ice cubes melt
4. Use coffee beans that have been specially formulated for making iced coffee
5. Use an iced coffee maker that makes a strong brew for your iced coffee

Is it Safe to Pour Hot Coffee over Ice?

Pouring hot coffee over ice creates a nice appearance as the coffee melts and cuts through the ice. You can pour hot coffee over ice or add ice to the hot coffee when making iced coffee. Either method gives the same result.

How Long Does it take to Make Iced Coffee?

It takes between 2 minutes to about 30 minutes to make iced coffee depending on the method that you elect to use. The fasted method is using instant coffee. An AeroPress takes 3-4 minutes to make iced coffee.

Making iced coffee with an espresso machine that has been shut off can take up to 30 minutes depending on the amount of time that the espresso maker needs to fully preheat and build up sufficient pressure.

Can You Make Iced Coffee With Hot Coffee?

To make iced coffee, you brew hot coffee and add ice cubes to cool it rapidly.

Is Iced Coffee Just Cold Coffee?

Iced coffee is not just cold coffee but rather a hot brewed coffee that is cooled quickly by adding ice and sweetened with sugar or other flavors of your choise. You can also add cream or milk to enrich the iced coffee.

Is Iced Coffee Bad for Your Stomach?

Iced coffee has the same level of acidity as regular coffee. If you have acid reflux issues, you are better off drinking cold brew coffee that is less acidic, less bitter, and much smoother than both iced and regular coffee.

It’s also advisable that you consult your doctor about the best type of coffee for you.

Can I Get Iced Coffee With no Ice?

Yes, you can order an iced coffee with no ice. The barista will use chilled coffee and add your choice of flavors and chilled milk without ice to make your drink.