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Bean Envy vs Willow & Everett Side-by-Side Comparison

Updated
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 18, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 18, 2023
Bean Envy Cold Brew Coffee Maker Review
Willow & Everett Cold Brew Coffee Maker Review
Coffee Makers type
coldBrew
coldBrew

Our Verdict

8.5
Overall Score
  • Brew Quality (50%)
    7.9/10
  • Design (15%)
    9.3/10
  • Ease of Use (35%)
    9.1/10
8.2
Overall Score
  • Brew Quality (50%)
    8.4/10
  • Design (15%)
    7.4/10
  • Ease of Use (35%)
    8.3/10

Bean Envy is a cold brew coffee maker that goes the extra mile. The silicone base pad is one of the best designed and it comes with two stoppers — one for brewing and the other, a pop silicone stopper, for after decanting the filter. The pop-up stopper doesn’t facilitate such a smooth pour, but everything else is first class.

Bean Envy, for its small size and carafe style design, has a typical brew ratio of around 1:12, and the quality of the brew is relatively good. Willow & Everett is more for making large batches of cold brew coffee. Its brew quality and strength, from a ratio of 1:9, is one of the best for any immersion filter brewer. 

Willow & Everett, on the other hand, is a generic product and similar brewers are available under different names. The design quality is rather average, and while the spigot is a good idea, it doesn’t work so smoothly in practice. Moreover, at least 20% of the brew still needs to be dispensed from the top of the container.

Brew Quality

Bean Envy Cold Brew Coffee Maker

Willow & Everett Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Brew Quality
7.9
Performance Scores
  • Bouquet (10%)8.0/10
  • Drinkability (70%)8.0/10
  • Sediment (20%)7.5/10
8.4
Performance Scores
  • Bouquet (10%)8.5/10
  • Drinkability (70%)8.5/10
  • Sediment (20%)8.0/10
8.0

Bouquet

8.5

The Bean Envy produced a medium to strong bouquet. It had a distinctive roasted note, but there was some complexity to it. We also detected woody and herby notes, with a slight underlying hint of chocolate.

The Willow & Everett’s coffee presented a strong aroma with a degree of complexity. The bouquet was defined by a deep roasted note and a distinct herby edge. There was also a light underlying chocolatey or caramel note.

8.0

Drinkability

8.5

Bean Envy presented a strong roasted flavor with a semi-full-bodied experience. Overall, the brew was a little bitter with not so much of a sweet aftertaste. We liked it as it was, but you could even dilute it a little. All things considered, it was a good brew for mixing. We have found that a brewer with a thin neck and wider base tends to get better results, and Bean Envy fits this design.

We first tasted the brew without diluting and it was quite strong. It had a bold character and trended more towards a deep-roasted to bitter flavor with a sweetish aftertaste. When diluted, it was a lot smoother to drink. We were quite impressed with the strength and quality of the brew.

7.5

Sediment

8.0

After allowing the brew to settle, we decanted the contents to see how much sediment remained at the bottom. The Bean Envy produced a moderate amount of sediment as a fine sludge. Considering that it’s best to stir the brew before pouring to drink, we would recommend a second decanting. The sediment produced, however, was a good compromise for the quality of the brew.

Given the design of the Willow and Everett, we did two sediment tests. First, we decanted the contents into a separate vessel via the tap. We noted what sediment remained behind in the main vessel. We again allowed the decanted liquid to settle before decanting back into the original vessel so we could evaluate how much sediment ended up in the decanted brew. 

A moderate amount of sediment, mostly a fine sludge, was left behind in the brew jug. The amount was comparable to what we got with the similar County Line filter as well as the laser-cut stainless steel filters of some of our top ranking brewers. Very little sediment ended up in the decanted brew.

Design

Bean Envy Cold Brew

Willow & Everett Cold Brew: Design
9.3
design Scores
  • Stopper / Lid (30%)9.5/10
  • Filter (40%)9.0/10
  • Build Quality (30%)9.5/10
7.4
design Scores
  • Stopper / Lid (30%)7.0/10
  • Filter (40%)8.0/10
  • Build Quality (30%)7.0/10

Bean Envy Cold Brew Coffee Maker In the Box

Willow & Everett Cold Brew Coffee Maker In the Box
  • Box WDH: 5.3 x 5.1 x 8.7 inches
  • Assembled brew carafe 
  • Extra silicone lid
  • Brew guide and manual
  • Warranty tag and promotional card

Bean Envy is a high-quality craft product. The first thing you see in the box is the VIP card which invites you to scan the QR code to register your warranty, gain exclusive offers, and more — except our code didn’t work. Their only website is on Amazon and there’s no way to find the registration page. There is, however, a tag with a warranty on any broken glass, a support email, and toll-free number. 

Unperturbed, we unpacked the rest of the box. The side of the box promises a microdot precision laser fitter, a silicone base, and an extra strong borosilicate glass decanter. This product comes with two lids: one for brewing and one for post-decanting. The final item was a very high-quality product booklet, brew guide, and care manual all in one.

  • Box WDH: 9 x 7.3 x  10.2 inches 
  • Assembled brewer only

The first brewer we received was broken when it arrived. The package had styrofoam packing at the bottom and top, but the glass around the tap was completely broken — thus indicating a clear weak point. At the very least, we think this product needs better packaging. However, we promptly received a replacement via Amazon at no extra cost to us.

Bean Envy Glass Cold Brew Decanter

Willow & Everett Cold Brew Glass Decanter
  • Height With Stopper Lid:
    7.9
  • Base Diameter:
    4.7
  • Width:
    5.9" (15.0 cm)
  • Weight:
    16.5 oz (468 g)
  • Material:
    Borosilicate glass, stainless steel, silicone

The decanter is well-made and specifically, we liked the thick rim. The extended and rounded handle is also very easy to grip. Likewise, the silicone base is neither too thick nor too thin and effortlessly slips on and off. This is something that not every brewer using a silicone base gets right. The base of the glass carafe is actually slightly indented for the fit and Bean Envy are awaiting patent approval for this design.

  • Height With Stopper Lid:
    7.9
  • Base Diameter:
    5.1
  • Width:
    7.1" (18.0 cm)
  • Weight:
    NaN lbs (NaN kg)
  • Material:
    Glass and stainless steel

The glass of the decanter is quite thick. However, as detailed in the unboxing section, we remain concerned by its fragility around the spout. Initially, the tap’s valve was rather tight, but once you run some water through, it loosens up. There’s a screw on the top if you need to adjust it at any point. 

We recommend caution when turning the valve. Since the lever started out tight, we worried that applying too much pressure might break the glass. 

Also of note is the wire handle, which is practical, easy to grip, and gives the unit a down-home, country feel.

9.5

Stopper / Lid

7.0
  • Diameter:
    3.3 & 2.7 in (85 & 70 mm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel, silicone
  • Additional Features:
    Silicone seal

The Bean Envy doesn’t stop with its unique carafe design. The stainless steel brew lid is quite similar to other designs, however, the additional all-silicone lid for post-decanting is quite unique. 

This lid makes up for the disparity between the fit of the lid with the filter and that without. Not only that, the silicone lid has a unique pop function. You just lift the lid slightly to pour from two different open positions, or you can twist the lid to a sealed position. However, we found the carafe doesn’t pour so well with the silicone lid extended.

  • Diameter:
    4.3
  • Material:
    Aluminum
  • Additional Features:
    None

The Willow & Everett brewer is similar to a mason jar. The lid appears to be aluminum and is somewhat cheaply made with low-quality threads. More to the point, it doesn’t even have a silicone seal. Also, we noticed rust-like markings that refused to come off even after cleaning. The lid fitted tightly enough, though.

9.0

Filter

8.0
  • Length:
    6.9 in (175 mm)
  • Diameter:
    2.7 in (70 mm)
  • Material:
    Lasered stainless steel
  • Additional Features:
    Silicone seal

The Bean Envy filter is well-machined and made from fine laser-cut stainless steel. There are no sharp edges, but unfortunately, the bottom of the filter is solid. We have found that the presence of holes at the bottom makes it easier for decanting all the liquid, and may contribute to developing a better brew.

Also, from our extensive testing experience, fine-cut laser filters tend not to be the best. This is because they lack sufficient permeability for a good brew to develop. The Bean Envy filter, on the other hand, proved not to be the case as the brew quality was relatively good — also evidenced by the amount of sediment produced.

  • Length:
    6.9 in (175 mm)
  • Diameter:
    4.1 in (105 mm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Additional Features:
    Additional tap filter

The filter is quite different from others we have tested. It is made of a flexible gauze-like type of mesh. During cleaning and on closer inspection, we noticed that the cut of the mesh is rough and uneven, and the seam is haphazard. You could easily prick your finger if you’re not careful. 

The filter’s flexibility, however, allows it to easily bend and fit behind the tap at the base. And in terms of brew quality and sediment containment, we were very happy with the filter’s performance.

9.5

Build Quality

7.0

Overall, we were very satisfied with the quality of the Bean Envy cold coffee brewer. The extra thought put into the base and lid designs was much appreciated. The only improvement would be with an upgrade to the filter and the pour with the silicone stopper.

Overall, we were not too satisfied with the build quality of the Willow & Everett cold coffee maker. The lid is poor in both design and material quality. Additionally, the filter is roughly constructed and could cause slight injury. The tap doesn’t pour very well and is difficult to operate at first. Since the packaging was inadequate, and the first item arrived damaged, we can’t vouch for the long term durability of the glass around the tap outlet. Given that at least 20% of the liquid doesn’t drain through the tap, additional hand pouring and decanting just adds extra inconvenience.

Ease of Use

Bean Envy Glass Cold Brew Review

Willow & Everett Glass Cold Brew Maker Review: Ease of Use
9.1
usability Scores
  • Brewing (45%)9.5/10
  • Decanting (35%)9.0/10
  • Cleaning and Storage (20%)8.5/10
8.3
usability Scores
  • Brewing (45%)9.0/10
  • Decanting (35%)7.0/10
  • Cleaning and Storage (20%)9.0/10
9.5

Brewing

9.0

The nice thing about Bean Envy is their included brew guide. First, they recommend freshly ground beans, and as coarse as you can grind them. They also pay due attention to brew ratio, which other manufacturers don’t generally do.

They recommend a typical 1:4 ratio. In their instructions, they speak of 8 tablespoons of grounds to 32 fl oz (1 L) of water. We carefully measured both water and grounds for testing. The Bean Envy filter takes 3 oz (typical for its size) or 85 g of grounds. The volume of water needed to completely soak the grounds was 1.1 L or 38 fl. oz. This is a typical ratio of 1:12 which matches with a number of other similar brewers.

Because of the type of filter, it took quite some time for the water to pass through. Therefore, you may want to start with at least 20 fl oz (600 ml) of water already added to the carafe.

Initially, we poured around one liter of water into the glass brew jug and then lowered the filter, filled with grounds, into position. We drew on our experience with numerous other brewers and left an inch of unfilled space at the top of the filter. This worked out to be a perfect 7 oz (200 g) of coffee grounds. 

The rest of the water we poured over the grounds cup by cup to measure how much water the brewer could take. After each pour we waited a couple of minutes for the water to soak through the grounds and level out. 

The final water volume was 63.5 fl.oz, or 1,850 ml — a brew ratio of approximately 1:9. The final weight was 105 oz (2,976 g). The full capacity of the jug without the filter and grounds was 68 fl.oz, or 2 liters.

We then sealed the lid and placed it in the refrigerator to brew for 18 hours. Since the soft and bendable mesh filter was a first for us, and considering the favorable brew ratio of 1:9, we were excited about the impending results. It’s worth noting that the County Line cold coffee brewer, a similar type of mason jar design, has the same brew ratio.

9.0

Decanting

7.0

As with most similar immersion filter brewers, decanting requires very little work. It took a little force to pry the filter out because it was tightly bonded—which was not a bad thing. Decanting would be easier though if the filter base had holes for all the liquid to flow out more easily. After decanting, you simply place on the silicone lid, which, apart from creating a different look, was also a very good fit.

We decanted the brew by opening the tap and draining the liquid into another container. Once again, it proved difficult to turn the tap with one hand. After some liquid had flowed through, it loosened up again. We also noticed that it flowed out in a splattery manner until we fully opened the tap.

Given the tap’s position, it's obvious that a good 20% of the liquid remains below the tap line. This means that ultimately you will need to pour the brew out the top of the vessel. This just adds additional inconvenience. As nice as this brewer appears, and as good as its brew tastes, the design is not well executed.

Lastly, the filter is quite large so when you take it out you should allow it to drain into a dish. We left it for 30 min and collected an additional 50 ml of liquid coffee.

8.5

Cleaning and Storage

9.0

We found it best to clean the brewer by hand, but the glass carafe and filter can easily go into a dishwasher. Both the filter and the carafe required the use of a bottle brush. The silicone base is very secure, yet you can slip it off easily and it’s also one of the best designs we have seen. Because there are two lids, you should make sure not to misplace one or the other while in storage.

The Willow & Everett brewer is quite easy to clean. Both the filter and the glass brew jug are big enough for any hand to reach inside. We also recommend cleaning the spout by running clean water through it. We worry that coffee oils might clog the mechanism over time but haven’t run it through enough cycles yet to say. 

While cleaning, we noticed the inside of the mesh filter is a little rough at the seam, so you have to be selective about the kind of sponge you use. Also, take care to avoid pricking your finger while you work with it.

Because there are minimal parts, everything fits together easily as one unit for storage. Take care not to lose the small filter that plugs the rear of the tap assembly.