Our recommendations are made independently through Research & Testing. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links.

Coffee Gator vs Coffee Bear Side-by-Side Comparison

Updated
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 18, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 18, 2023
Coffee Gator Cold Brew Coffee Maker Review
Coffee Bear Cold Brew Coffee Maker Review
Coffee Makers type
coldBrew
coldBrew

Our Verdict

Overall Verdict

8.2
Overall Score
  • Brew Quality (50%)
    7.2/10
  • Design (15%)
    8.9/10
  • Ease of Use (35%)
    9.2/10
8.0
Overall Score
  • Brew Quality (50%)
    7.2/10
  • Design (15%)
    8.8/10
  • Ease of Use (35%)
    8.7/10

Coffee Gator and Coffee Bear are virtually identical cold brew coffee makers. Which is the original product is hard to tell since the manufacturers would only confirm that there is no relationship between the two. Regardless, Coffee Gator is the better value product, while Coffee Bear appears to be a generic copy. 

The convenient twist-to-pour lid is the same for each brewer. So too is the filter design except the Coffee Gator filter has a white plastic frame. This makes it easier to see coffee oils during cleaning compared to the black filter of the Coffee Bear. 

The Coffee Bear has a silicone base pad, but the fit is somewhat uneven and the bulk makes it difficult to fit in the door bin of a small refrigerator. The Coffee Gator, in contrast, offers a better deal with an included stainless steel measuring spoon and a very useful silicone funnel.

Brew Quality

Coffee Gator Cold Brew Coffee Maker

Coffee Bear 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
7.2
Performance Scores
  • Bouquet (10%)7.0/10
  • Drinkability (70%)7.0/10
  • Sediment (20%)8.0/10
7.0

Bouquet

7.0

The bouquet of the coffee gator was of a slightly medium strength. We detected a mild roasted note, as well as a definite woodiness. There was a slight hint of caramel. This suggested that the extraction was either average or a little under par.

The Coffee Bear produced a somewhat medium-strength bouquet. It had a slight roasted note and a hint of woodiness. It had none of the complexity that you would get from a brewer that makes a real cold brew concentrate.

7.0

Drinkability

7.0

The Coffee Gator produced a mild to medium strength brew. It had a dominant roasted flavor, but no real complexity. The aftertaste had a very slight sourness with a watery finish. It’s a nice enough brew especially if you prefer a little sweetness added. We don’t recommend diluting it, but the addition of a little milk or mixed as a smoothie or protein drink would work fine. You may want to brew for longer than 18 hours.

The Coffee Bear brew was reasonable. It was of medium strength and we felt it was best to drink undiluted. There was a slight sweetness to the aftertaste, but overall it was not so full-bodied. There was little discernible difference between this brew and that of the almost identical product, the Coffee Gator.

8.0

Sediment

8.0

After decanting the brew, there was a moderate amount of fine granular sediment remaining. This was typical for the type of brewer and filter, or as good as one could expect. If you prefer, you can decant the brew a second time, but there is no grittiness to the final drink.

After allowing the brew to settle and decanting a second time, there was a moderate amount of fine sediment left behind. This was in line with the quality and design of the brewer, but you may want to decant the brew a second time yourself for a smoother drink.

Coffee Gator Cold Brew Design

Coffee Bear Cold Brew: Design
8.9
design Scores
  • Stopper / Lid (30%)10/10
  • Filter (40%)8.0/10
  • Build Quality (30%)9.0/10
8.8
design Scores
  • Stopper / Lid (30%)10/10
  • Filter (40%)8.0/10
  • Build Quality (30%)8.5/10

Coffee Gator Cold Brew Coffee Maker In the Box

Coffee Bear Cold Brew Coffee Maker In the Box
  • Box WDH: 7 x 5.1 x 12.2 inches
  • Borosilicate glass jug brewer
  • Stainless steel measuring spoon
  • Silicone funnel
  • Instruction and message card

Our first impressions of the Coffee Gator cold brew setup were very positive. The carafe has a solid look and feel, the black and white design is very catchy, and it’s not heavy to lift. The stainless steel spoon is something you won’t get with other brewers, and the silicone funnel for pouring in grounds was very thoughtful. 

We liked the personalized message card and instruction card too. The box had a seal saying ‘This product is not dishwasher safe’. The box also says if you register for a Platinum Membership, you get an additional year’s warranty, priority access to new products, discount codes, and coffee masterclass brew videos. They have full social media profiles and you can view their videos on Youtube.

  • Box WDH: 6.7 x 4.7 x 9.2 inches
  • Assembled glass brewer
  • Instruction leaflet in Brewer
  • Product message card

Coffee Bear is a good-looking cold brew coffee maker. We liked its handy size and solid design. The design, as well as the box packaging, is almost identical to Coffee Gator. There are no other extras in the package except the brew guide and care manual all on one leaflet. The greeting card by ‘the founders’ seemed a little contrived.

Coffee Gator Cold Brew Decanter

The Coffee Bear Cold Brew Decanter
  • Height With Stopper Lid:
    10.2
  • Base Diameter:
    3.9
  • Width:
    6.7" (17.0 cm)
  • Weight:
    19.3 oz (547 g)
  • Material:
     borosilicate glass

The decanter is of excellent quality and the glass is quite thick, but not heavy. The full capacity is 1.2 liters. The plastic neck handle screws on tightly and the only fault is the handle. It’s a little short and uncomfortable while the grip is not so secure.

  • Height With Stopper Lid:
    10
  • Base Diameter:
    3.9
  • Width:
    6.7" (17.0 cm)
  • Weight:
    30.0 oz (850 g)
  • Material:
    borosilicate glass, silicone

The brew decanter is quite solid and appears well-made. The silicone base, although non-slip, was not the most perfectly level. On careful examination, the Coffee Bear carafe, without the silicone base, is slightly shorter than the Coffee Gator.

10

Stopper / Lid

10
  • Diameter:
    4.3
  • Material:
    BPA-free plastic
  • Additional Features:
    2 white silicone gaskets

We loved the design of the Coffee Gator lid. It’s made of clear see-through plastic with a silicone gasket around the inner rim. It fits very neatly into the hole of the screw-on handle rim. The rim handle has an additional silicone gasket for proper air-tight sealing. If you turn the lid slightly to one side, the spout opens up to pour.

The lid design is very practical,  however, it’s practically identical to that of the Coffee Bear. Upon reaching out, we confirmed that there is no relationship between the two coffee brands.

  • Diameter:
     4.3 in (110 mm)
  • Material:
    BPA-free plastic
  • Additional Features:
    2 white silicone gaskets

The screw-on plastic rim and lid are a very practical design. There are two silicone gaskets, but in comparison, it doesn’t screw on as easily as the Coffee Gator’s. The handle is likewise somewhat small and uncomfortable to grip.

8.0

Filter

8.0
  • Length:
    7.8" (19.8 cm)
  • Diameter:
    2.5
  • Material:
    White plastic & nylon mesh
  • Additional Features:
     Detachable base

We loved the refreshing white design of the filter, and how it clips securely into the rim. The base of the filter unscrews and comes off for cleaning. Since the brew ratio is only 1:14, and the filter had a fair amount of solid plastic, we wondered how well it would actually brew. The mesh filter seemed porous enough on first inspection.

  • Length:
     7.5 in (190 mm)
  • Diameter:
    2.5 in (65 mm)
  • Material:
    Black plastic, nylon mesh
  • Additional Features:
    Detachable base

The detachable base of the filter is not unique since we’ve encountered this design before. One drawback is it takes time to drain out all the liquid. Furthermore, a permeable base could possibly help in developing a better brew quality. We were eager to see what our test results would bring.

9.0

Build Quality

8.5

The overall build quality is really good. The carafe is solid and the lid an excellent design. On the downside, the handle lacks a solid grip and feels uncomfortable. The silicone gaskets seem good quality, and the stainless steel measuring spoon and silicone funnel add excellent value to the product.

Overall we were satisfied with the build quality. The silicone base, however, seemed less than the best. Compared to the almost identical Coffee Gator, the thread quality of the lid seemed not as good nor the filter assembly as smooth. Zoopolitics aside, we felt that the build quality of the Coffee Bear was not quite up to that of the contending Coffee Gator. Not a lion’s roar of a difference, but Coffee Bear also has fewer value-added extras.

Ease of Use

Coffee Gator Cold Brew Review

Coffee Bear Cold Brew Review: Ease of Use
9.2
usability Scores
  • Brewing (45%)9.5/10
  • Decanting (35%)9.0/10
  • Cleaning and Storage (20%)9.0/10
8.7
usability Scores
  • Brewing (45%)8.5/10
  • Decanting (35%)9.0/10
  • Cleaning and Storage (20%)8.5/10
9.5

Brewing

8.5

The addition of the silicone funnel and the measuring spoon made brewing practically effortless. The recommended amount of grounds is 75 g or 2.6 oz, however, we put in eight spoons to top off some of the space. One level spoon is 11 g, so the total weight was 88 g or 3.1 oz.

The silicone funnel was also perfect for pouring water around the edges so the flow was more gentle and gradual. If you pour too fast, liquid and grounds will move up the funnel, so be careful when you take the funnel out. You can use a teaspoon to push any grounds around the edges into the filter. The lid also made for a perfect air-tight fit.

Brewing was a simple process of attaching the filter to the ring neck and then pouring in the grounds. The recommended amount of grounds is 95 g (3.3 oz) which is just below the mesh line.

You can pour in the grounds, but the last few inches may require a spoon. We used the silicon funnel and stainless steel measuring spoon from the similar Coffee Gator brewer. It was a lot easier but the Coffee Bear does not come with these useful little extras. 

We also found that for a small refrigerator, we had to remove the silicone base for the Coffee Bear to fit in the door. Furthermore, the base is cumbersome to reattach especially if the carafe is full.

9.0

Decanting

 Decanting

Like any immersion filter brew, decanting was effortless. All you need to do is pop off the lid and carefully twist loose the neck ring. We detached the filter immediately and left it to rest in a jar to collect the last few drips. After rinsing the screw-on neck ring, we immediately resealed the carafe to protect the flavor and aroma. We returned the brew to the refrigerator to await our brew score testing.

We experienced no issues with decanting. After slowly removing the neck ring, we checked the filter and it was still securely attached. It’s best to detach the filter immediately and leave the remaining liquid to drain into another container. We rinsed the neck ring, resealed the carafe, and refrigerated again. Our next step was to do our brew score testing for bouquet, drinkability, and sediment.

9.0

Cleaning and Storage

8.5

To clean the filter, you need to rinse out the grounds and then gently clean with a bottle brush and a small amount of liquid soap. We noticed a fair amount of coffee oil that required soap for cleaning. Also, the filter lost its pearly white appeal after the first brew. However, you can see the residue oil to wash off more easily than with a black-colored filter.

The carafe itself also cleans easily. We had no problem getting our hands inside, but larger hands may be a problem. You can put the glass carafe in a dishwasher, but Coffee Gator recommends hand washing.

Cleaning is about as straightforward as decanting. We detached the base of the filter, shook out the grounds, and rinsed thoroughly. Afterward, we gently cleaned inside with a bottle brush and outside with a non-abrasive sponge. The black plastic containing the mesh filter makes it hard to see where the coffee oils are. The carafe can be cleaned by hand, but larger hands may not fit inside. 

The instructions say all parts are dishwasher friendly. We, however, disagree, feeling only the glass carafe should be put in a dishwasher.