The Osma Pro promises to make cold brew in just 90 seconds — but how?

Osma Pro cold brew coffee maker
(Image credit: Osma)

The Osma Pro is the latest countertop coffee maker claiming to offer super fast cold brew, with the sleek device pledging a premium brew in just 90 seconds. How? Through San-Francisco startup Osma's patent-pending harmonic microcavitation process. 

Essentially, your iced water is recirculated through a highly pressurized portafilter, concentrating your coffee through several cycles in just 90 seconds. 

There's another layer, though - harmonics use controlled acoustic vibrations throughout the process to pull even more flavor through. The two systems together manage to bring out flavor compounds that would have previously been lost during longer brew periods. 

All of that works to create a mighty fast cold brew, and in style as well. Built to mimic the classic espresso machine, the first run of the Osma Pro sports a simple, almost brutalist design. Users simply drop the intake wand into a cup of ice cold water and sit back as the machine draws the liquid through the portafilter and back into the cup repeatedly. With just a filter, intake wand and a power button there's no confusing menus and settings to fiddle with.

Osma Pro cold brew coffee maker

(Image credit: Osma)

Speedy cold brew - but at a price

That lack of extra features may prove disadvantageous, with a $695 price tag the Osma Pro isn't exactly catering to the everyday crowd here. As such, its specialist audience may be looking for more control over brew times and strength, but in a world where an at-home brewer can make everything from a chai tea to a macciato, it's also refreshing to see focus on quality over quantity.

This is certainly one for the cold brew enthusiasts, but if you're an over-ice connoisseur you'll need to move fast. The Osma Pro is in its first limited run, with pre-orders open for the first 1,000 units.

Osma Pro cold brew coffee maker

(Image credit: Osma)

Whether or not we're in a new age of lightning fast cold brew remains to be seen. That's still a pretty high price tag for the everyday sipper, especially seeing as the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker comes in at under $50, but if the early adopters approve we'd recommend keeping a close eye on Osma for more wacky science projects turned high end coffee makers - and hopefully a drop in price.

While we wait for the future to hit a cost that won't break the bank, then, we'd recommend checking out the cheaper options just below.

A cheaper cold brew alternative

If you're looking for a cheaper cold brew machine, we'd recommend checking out the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew coffee maker. You're getting nowhere near that 90 second brew time, but the showerhead design offers a premium water dispersal technique that will leave you with evenly balanced flavors at a great price.

We're showing you how to make cold brew at home if you want to forego any mechanical help, or take a look at the best espresso machines for something a little stronger. You'll also find plenty of Cuisinart coffee makers offering a wide range of brew settings and the best Nespresso machines have you covered for speedy brews as well.

Tabitha Baker

Tabs is a deals editor on our sister site TechRadar. She spends most of her time searching for the best prices on top consumer tech, but has also written about everything from flower delivery to mattresses. Happiest with a DualSense controller in her hand, she's also contributed to GamesRadar and T3 and specializes in gaming hardware and computing.