The Shine Rapid Cold Brew machine is a summertime must-have if you love a daily cold coffee

Real talk: I live for my little treats, and on my lunch breaks that usually means hot girl walks to the closest Starbucks. Since we're being honest, I'll also confess that I spend an embarrassing amount on my sweet, syrupy cold brew drinks, and I regularly sit at home daydreaming and craving an iced chai, refreshing tea, or coffee with sweet cream cold foam. So, I thought it might be smart to invest in a cold brew coffee maker to make my own at home this summer. And I am officially obsessed.

If you're like me and are sick of spending your paychecks on those salted caramel cold brews, then you need to get to know the Shine Rapid Cold Brew. It's def an investment worth making, and you're going to have so much fun creating the perfect drinks and enjoying your little treats at home for the price you'd probs spend within two or three months at your fave coffee shop.

What I thought of the Shine Rapid Cold Brew

I love how versatile the cold brew machine is, and that I can make both coffee and herbal tea infusions to enjoy over the warmer months. Traditional cold brew takes 12 to 24 hours, and there's also a risk of over-brewing. For a novice like me, this machine is perfect for creating Starbies-worthy drinks at home.

However, cold brew coffees and teas are both strong, and personally, I prefer them with some oat milk and honey (or homemade sweet cream cold foam made using my French press). The cold brew process itself takes 10 to 45 minutes, so if you're looking for a quick drink ready with just the push of a button, it's important to keep in mind that this machine requires patience and advanced planning before you enjoy your bevs.

Testing the Shine Rapid Cold Brew

Nishaa Sharma

Hi! I'm Nishaa and I have an herbal tea obsession. I grew up with my dad mixing his own chai spice blend every morning, and with a newfound love of coffee (hello, Starbucks!), I've been having the best time exploring the different notes and subtle flavors of hot and cold drinks. This is my second appliance review, and it was tested in the kitchen of my one-bedroom apartment.

The important stuff

• Model name: Shine Kitchen Co. Rapid Cold Brew Coffee & Tea Machine with Vacuum Extraction Technology 
• Dimensions (in.): H13 x W11 x D7.4
• Carafe capacity: 8 cups/40 fl. oz.
• Weight of machine: 3.7 lbs.

Unboxing and setup

@realhomesofficial

♬ original sound - Real Homes

When my Shine Rapid Cold Brew arrived, I was super excited about how lightweight and compact it was. Upon unboxing, I found a sleek, minimal design and was also happy to see that the filter is totally reusable. However, every element was individually wrapped in plastic, and the machine arrived encased in a styrofoam-style material. The exterior was recyclable, but the extra packaging sadly wasn't. 

With that being said, setting up the machine was a breeze. It's super intuitive, and with the help of the manual, my cold brew was in progress within a few minutes (after cleaning the water chamber and carafe, ofc). The Shine Rapid Cold Brew is minimal enough to tuck away in a kitchen corner and only needs the push of a button to start up.

Making coffee and tea

@realhomesofficial

♬ original sound - CAPCUT TEMPLATE TRENDS

Fill the water up to your desired number of cups as marked on the water chamber. I personally use giant mugs at home, so I opted to fill the chamber using two of my full cups. The instructions say to allow for one scoop per cup of your cold brew, but I've really enjoyed experimenting with this and found that a little less tea creates the perfect cup for me.

Then came the cold brewing process with vacuum seal technology, and besties, this is where I discovered the machine's biggest drawback. This thing is loud, and it's loud for a long time. We're talking my puppy's head tilting back and forth growling at this machine, Netflix volume on blast to distract from the noise — and since I opted for a medium-strength brew, the sound lasted for 15 minutes.

Cleaning the Shine Rapid Cold Brew

Listen: I'm a certified, self-confessed lazy girl, so anything that involves easy and minimal cleanup automatically wins major points in my book. The Shine Rapid Cold Brew is beyond easy to take apart, and after shaking out excess coffee grounds, tea leaves, or spices, it's just a simple hand-wash of the water chamber, carafe, and filters. 

The exterior of the machine can be wiped down with cleaning wipes like these ones from Method as needed, and it even comes with a little brush to dislodge any stubborn pieces from your drink blend from the filters. 

Lay the components out to air dry on a drying rack like this gorgeous one from Urban Outfitters, and you're ready to reassemble and tuck the machine away — easy peasy.

Is the Shine Rapid Cold Brew right for you?

Aspiring baristas, listen up. Having a carafe full of cold brew in your fridge and ready for the mornings ahead is amazing, and you can also pre-make your syrups or your very own Starbucks cold foam dupe if you want. The Shine Rapid Cold Brew cuts down on brewing time, meaning you can enjoy your tea or coffee in under an hour instead of the process taking a day, and it's super-easy to use with clearly marked measurements, simple buttons and mechanisms, and quick cleanup. 

But TBH, if you're in need of a quick boost of caffeine and aren't trying to put the work in with adding and frothing your own syrup, milk, or cold foams, then this isn't really going to be your vibe. Also, due to the noise, this might need a bit of a discussion with your roomies before you bring it to your dorm room or apartment.

Where to buy the Shine Rapid Cold Brew

How we tested the Shine Rapid Cold Brew

The Shine Rapid Cold Brew was sent to me free of charge, and I've had the opportunity to keep the appliance for testing on a long-term basis. So far, I've tried out the vacuum seal technology to cold brew coffee, herbal tea, and chai at home over the past four weeks, and will continue to update this review regularly as I get to see the machine's durability, pros, and cons long-term.