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Aquach vs Ovalware Side-by-Side Comparison

Updated
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Apr 5, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Apr 5, 2023
The Aquach cold brew coffee maker glass brew carafe resting to the right of its box.
Ovalware Cold Brew Coffee Maker Review
Coffee Makers type
coldBrew
coldBrew

Our Verdict

Overall Verdict

8.1
Overall Score
  • Brew Quality (50%)
    7.2/10
  • Design (15%)
    9.2/10
  • Ease of Use (35%)
    9.0/10
8.5
Overall Score
  • Brew Quality (50%)
    7.8/10
  • Design (15%)
    9.0/10
  • Ease of Use (35%)
    9.3/10

The Aquach and Ovalware are two glass and stainless steel brewers that are defined by their good looks. The lid and stopper design of the Aquach is unique in how it solves the problem of the stopper fitting with and without the filter inserted. Both brews have measuring markers in cups and milliliters and come in two sizes, 34 and 51 ounces.

The key distinguishing feature of the Ovalware is its silicone base that slips onto the bottom of the brewer. The fit of the stopper, however, is not as good as the Aquach. Ultimately, the Ovalware makes a better quality brew because the filter is not as fine as the Aquach and more cross-flow means a stronger brew. 

Apart from a better-quality brew, the Ovalware also has a slightly more slender design. This means that it is potentially a better fit for a refrigerator door. Also, if the fit is particularly tight for your refrigerator door, you can remove the silicone base pad.

Brew Quality

Ovalware Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Brew Quality
7.2
Performance Scores
  • Bouquet (10%)7.0/10
  • Drinkability (70%)7.0/10
  • Sediment (20%)8.0/10
7.8
Performance Scores
  • Bouquet (10%)7.5/10
  • Drinkability (70%)8.0/10
  • Sediment (20%)7.5/10
7.0

Bouquet

7.5

When testing the bouquet, we noted that the steel decanter lip provided the perfect chamber for sampling the coffee’s aroma. The concentrate had an understandably medium-strength bouquet. Notes were not harsh or even roasted. Instead, we detected a light chocolatey note with a sweetish overtone.

The Oval produced a somewhat surprising bouquet, but its medium strength was more or less in line with the brew ratio. The bouquet had distinctly herbie and somewhat earthy, chocolatey notes, and we were keen to see what kind of flavor it produced.

7.0

Drinkability

8.0
A glass filled with coffee in the foreground and a glass cold brew coffee maker carafe behind it.

The final drink, diluted at a one-to-one ratio, was comparatively weak. That’s not to say that it was unsatisfying. It lacked a complex body, but had a sweet overtone. Without dilution, a roasted and nutty flavor came through, but still, the aftertaste was not so rounded.

If you prefer a weaker brew with a milder taste, the drinkability of the Aquach is not bad at all. The brew ratio would suggest the coffee should be drunk as it is and not diluted. You could brew using the hot blooming method, brew at room temperature and for a longer time, or add flavor enhancers for a more robust drink.

The Ovalware cold brew coffee maker with a freshly produced cold brew and an empty glass to the left.

With a one-to-one dilution, the Ovalware cold brew had a mildly roasted and surprisingly sweet taste. It also felt rounded and smooth, but lacked the rich complexity that our top brewer was able to produce. There was a slight bitterness, but overall the taste was very satisfying and not watery at all.

We would recommend less dilution for a more robust flavor - maybe two thirds coffee to a third of water. It may also be worth brewing for longer than our standard 18 hours.

8.0

Sediment

7.5
A view inside a cold brew coffee maker glass carafe showing sediment after the brew has been decanted.

The Aquach, with its super-fine filter, produced little sediment with only fine granules. Although it didn’t measure up to our leading brewer with a bottom tap filter, it was pretty comparable. For an immersion filter, however, this suggested a lack of permeability contributing to a weak brew.

A view of sediment left behind after all coffee has been carefully decanted from a typical cold brew coffee maker.

We brewed the Ovalware undisturbed  for 18 hours in a refrigerator. After allowing the contents to settle, we decanted the brew and the sediment left behind was quite substantial. Decanting the contents a second time, or even filtering through a paper filter, would probably be the best solution. However, we felt the good quality of the brew concentrate was a reasonable compromise on the filter.

Design

Ovalware rj3 Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Design
9.2
design Scores
  • Stopper / Lid (30%)10/10
  • Filter (40%)8.0/10
  • Build Quality (30%)10/10
9.0
design Scores
  • Stopper / Lid (30%)9.0/10
  • Filter (40%)9.0/10
  • Build Quality (30%)9.0/10

In the Box

Ovalware Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker In the Box
The unboxed Aquuach cold brew coffee maker. On the far left is the box, the user manual, and then the assembled brewer.
  • Fully assembled unit
  • Brew guide & manual leaflet

The Aquach comes in a nice box with key parts labeled on the side.The box is double layered, but we felt the decanter was a little overpackaged with three layers of plastic bubble wrap. The brew guide and manual were inside the decanter, and there were instructions for brewing tea as well as cold brew coffee.

The unboxed contents of the Ovalware RJ3 cold brew coffee maker: the box, the glass carafe with the filter, and user manual.
  • Assembled brewer
  • Promotional card
  • User manual and warranty

The Ovalware comes neatly packaged in a custom box, but a little over packaged with plastic bubble wrap. The user manual was inside the carafe which is common but annoying because it bends. You should register your warranty on their website and there’s a handy QR code link for non-English instructions in most major languages.

Decanter

Ovalware rj3 Cold Brew Decanter
The Aquach cold brew coffee maker glass carafe with the stopper lid resting besides it.
The Aquach cold brew coffee maker glass carafe with the stopper lid resting besides it.
A short video showing how the Aquach cold brew coffee maker comes apart into components.
  • Height With Stopper Lid:
    8.5 in (215 mm|)
  • Base Diameter:
    5.5 in (140 mm)
  • Width:
    6.3 in (160 mm)
  • Weight:
    borosilicate glass
  • Material:
    18.5 oz (526 g)

One way in which a cold brew coffee maker can distinguish itself is with a stylish decanter. Aquach does pretty well here. On the side is a measurement scale in milliliters and cups. The base, however, is a little wide, so it may not fit some fridge doors.

The flattish handle is very nice to grip, and the stainless steel lip and stopper are also very pleasing. Although the black silicone seal looks like any others, it’s better quality than we’ve seen on most brewers.

Ovalware RJ3 cold brew coffee maker empty glass carafe with no filter and the stopper resting to the right on the countertop.
  • Height With Stopper Lid:
    8
  • Base Diameter:
    4.7
  • Width:
    5.5" (14.0 cm)
  • Weight:
    17.3 oz (490 g)
  • Material:
    borosilicate glass

The decanter is very attractive and the markings in cups and milliliters are very useful. The handle was comfortable and the flat edge easy to grip. The carafe poured well with the small lip, a nice feature that means less chance of accidental chipping.

We particularly liked the base’s silicone stand. There’s a hole to let out air and you can easily hook it off for cleaning. Overall, the carafe design is excellent.

10

Stopper / Lid

9.0
Aquach Cold Brew Stopper / Lid
  • Diameter:
    3.1 in (80 mm)
  • Material:
    stainless steel & polyurethane
  • Additional Features:
    silicone seal

The nice thing about this brew decanter is the filter which simply lifts out of the container and its resting base remains as it is. This means there’s little difference in how the stopper fits with or without the filter present. The silicone seal is better quality than what we’ve seen on other brewers.

The stainless steel stopper with a rubber silicone ring resting on its side on a wooden countertop.
  • Diameter:
    3
  • Material:
    stainless steel
  • Additional Features:
    silicone seal

The stainless steel stopper is a nice complement to the glass design. Our only qualm was the quality and fit of the silicone seal. Without the filter, the stopper was not so tight and required a little turning to get a more airtight fit.

8.0

Filter

9.0
A close up side angle view of a stainless steel brew filter for a cold brew coffee maker.
  • Length:
    5.9 in (150 hmm)
  • Diameter:
    2.6 in (65 mm)
  • Material:
    fine stainless steel
  • Additional Features:
    lifting handle

The Aquach filter design is quite unique. For one, the filter has a convenient handle. It rests on the stainless steel lip so you can simply lift it up. The filter is smooth with no sharp edges. There are also holes on the bottom of the filter.

What surprised us, however, is how finely it filters. The tiny laser-cut holes are arranged in small rectangles. Our brew tests showed that the high quality filter design was a little too fine to allow a good brew to develop.

A typical stainless steel immersion filter used in a cold brew coffee maker or tea infuser.
  • Length:
    6.9" (17.5 cm)
  • Diameter:
    2.7
  • Material:
    lasered stainless steel
  • Additional Features:
    silicone seal

The filter appeared well-made and there were no sharp edges. We noticed the holes on the bottom seemed finer than on the sides. The silicone seal for the filter, and for the stopper, was not the best quality. In our testing, we have come across better quality designs, so this was a little disappointing considering the Ovalware brand status. Our brew quality test showed that the paucity of the filter allowed for a good brew to develop.

10

Build Quality

9.0
The Aquach cold brew coffee maker disassembled into its 6 components.

The Aquatch Cold Brew Coffee Maker is a really well-designed product. It looks very stylish, the handle is easy to grip, and the filter design is practical. The stainless steel lip and lid work well together and the silicone seals are of good quality too. We also loved that there are no plastic parts except for the knob on the lid. However, as our tests revealed, the fundamental flaw comes from the actual design of the filter rather than the overall quality of the build.

The Ovalware JR3 cold brew coffee maker completely disassembled. There are 6 parts in total.

Except for the compromise on the silicone stoppers, the overall design quality of the Ovalware is excellent. The filter is well-machined and the silicone cushion is an extra that you don’t often find on other cold brew coffee makers.

Ease of Use

Ovalware Cold Brew Review: Ease of Use
9.0
usability Scores
  • Brewing (45%)9.0/10
  • Decanting (35%)9.0/10
  • Cleaning and Storage (20%)9.0/10
9.3
usability Scores
  • Brewing (45%)10/10
  • Decanting (35%)9.0/10
  • Cleaning and Storage (20%)8.5/10
9.0

Brewing

10

The brew filter takes around 80 g of coarse-ground coffee (14-16 tablespoons). We had to weigh the grounds, but they filled the filter to about an inch from the top. First, however, you should fill the decanter with water to the 600 ml mark — a third of the way up. Then, you insert the filter filled with grounds and continue pouring water until the water rises to the ‘Max’ marking. 

We found it best to pour slowly and to leave the filter handle up until the pour is complete. The base of the brew decanter may be a little wide for some refrigerator doors, but it fits well in a standard crisper box or on a roomier shelf.

The Ovalware RJ3 cold brew coffee maker set up to brew with the filter on a scale and a carafe of filtered to the far right.

Brewing steps are clearly outlined in the manual. They recommend weighing 85 g (3 oz) of medium to coarse ground coffee which is a little more than 80% of the filter volume. Then pour room temperature filtered water slowly over the grounds. You should stir and mix the grounds a little. Like any immersion brewer, we found brewing simple and effortless.

9.0

Decanting

9.0

As with any immersion filter brewer, decanting is as simple as removing the filter. The Aquach brewer has a really comfortable design. The high-grade stainless steel filter has a little flip-up handle so you can pull it out.

Not all immersion filters have holes on the bottom. We found this design quite favorable to brewing and faster at decanting. After decanting, you should rinse any grounds from the filter lip before inserting it again with the stopper.

Like brewing, decanting was straightforward. As with any immersion filter, you simply lift it out of the carafe and place it in a small cup to catch the remaining liquid. The holes on the bottom of the filter make decanting fast and effortless. After decanting, we rinsed off the stopper even though there were no granules present.

Due to the amount of sediment left behind, we recommend a second decanting at the expense of a little extra work. The more health conscious may want to use a paper filter at the same time.

9.0

Cleaning and Storage

8.5

The Aquach has a total of six parts. Including two silicone seals. The filter was a little long for hand cleaning, so we recommend a non-abrasive bottle brush. Because the filter is very fine, you’ll periodically need to descale it. This you can do by soaking it in a solution of water and baking soda, vinegar, or citric acid.

For the decanter, we were able to reach inside and hand wash it comfortably. However, all parts except the silicone seals can go in the dishwasher. It stores fully assembled, but check the complete dimensions to make sure you have space for it.

The shape of the Ovalware carafe means that you need to clean it with a bottle brush. Although slightly more effort is needed than other brewers, it’s a small compromise on a design that works comparatively well. The filter requires a bottle brush too, however, all parts can go in the dishwasher.

The Ovalware cold brew coffee maker simply stores as it is. We noted that the silicone base is an excellent design feature for safer storage. The glass doesn’t bang and the sides are protected from scratching.