Bean Envy vs Toddy System Side-by-Side Comparison
Bean Envy cold brew coffee maker and Toddy System. Different brew styles and outcomes, but two top-quality products well recommended.
Specifications
Design
Bean Envy is an all-round top-quality product and it makes a fairly good brew. The silicone base and the two-lid design are particularly nice, and the stainless steel filter was well-machined. Unfortunately, pouring with the silicone lid popped up was not so smooth.
Overall, the Toddy Cold Brew System is a high-quality product. It’s well thought out from eco-friendliness to aesthetic appeal to the practicalities of brewing and storage. The only feature we found lacking was the temperamental filter.
Usability Comparison
Brewing and decanting required minimal effort. Additionally, the volume markings on the carafe are great for telling how much yield is produced and how much coffee you have remaining during use. For hand-washing, you will need a bottle brush and a little extra care is required so as not to misplace either of the lids in storage.
Making cold brew coffee can be messy. The purpose of a cold brew coffee maker is to make brewing and decanting as easy as possible. There are more steps to the Toddy system than you’ll find in a simple immersion filter brewer. However, it produced superior results and the whole process can be made easier if you use a paper filter bag.
Brew Quality
For an immersion filter brewer, the Bean Envy ranks very competitively and the brew quality is relatively good. The brew is strong, flavorful, and smooth but not as complex as a cold brew can be. We found it brewed more towards the bitter flavors rather than the sweeter ones.
The test of any cold brew coffee maker is ultimately the coffee it produces. Our repeated testing found that the Toddy makes the best cold brew coffee. Specifically, it’s the most rounded, full-bodied, and complex brew with a balance towards sweeter flavors. Its filtration system, although not the most convenient, is highly effective.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Two lid design
- Silicone base
- Handle design
- Measuring markers
- Minimal parts
- No over-packaging
- Eco-friendliness
- Ergonomic components
- Attractive carafe
- Included paper filter bags
- Cold or hot brewing
- Filter bottom
- Pouring with silicone lid
- Felt filter tends to clog
- No brew vessel markings
Conclusion
The Bean Envy and Toddy System are both products from manufacturers which make every effort to go the extra mile. The Bean Envy is a typical kind of glass carafe brewer with an immersion filter. Its silicone base, however, is one of the best we’ve seen and it comes with two lids. One lid is for brewing, and the additional silicone pop-up lid is used for pouring. It’s a great fit except that it doesn’t pour so smoothly, which is only a minor fault.
Although the Bean Envy does not make a cold brew concentrate like the Toddy, the Bean Envy can be used for hot brewing. The Toddy is versatile in that you can use it to brew cold tea with the paper filter bags that are included. With the Toddy, however, you have to commit to future purchases of the felt filter or new brew bags depending on which you use.
Both products, however, come highly recommended, especially for their product care and development. Additionally, the Toddy comes in an eco-friendly package and the brew vessel is BPA-free and made from recyclable high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
Behind the Comparison
Roger Shitaki is a writer, author, and editor. His niches are household appliances, health & wellness, and travel. He’s a freelance contributor to a Tokyo lifestyle website and a leading ophthalmology magazine in Asia.
