County Line Kitchen vs Willow & Everett Side-by-Side Comparison
County Line Kitchen vs Willow & Everett mason jar cold brew coffee makers. Two takes on the mason jar concept using the same brew ratio.
Specifications
Design
The County Line Kitchen cold brew coffee maker is a practical design which captures the aesthetic of a traditional homestead. The screw-top lid can be purchased with or without a handle. The flip lid is very convenient and pours well. The brewer is airtight with a silicone seal, and you can also fit the mason jar with a traditional metal screw cap.
Although the Willow & Everett looks neat and handy, the build quality and design didn’t quite match our expectations. The lid and filter, in particular, are poorly made and the tap mechanism is not well thought out. Cleaning is straightforward, and as long as you handle the jar carefully, you may be perfectly happy with this product.
Usability Comparison
Brewing with the County Line Kitchen is very easy and straightforward. It’s not necessary to weigh or measure either grounds or water. Just fill the filter and jar as described below.
Although decanting is just a question of removing the filter, its lower level of filtration means you may want to refilter or further decant the contents. For the 1-quart jar, we had to use a bottle brush to scrub it out.
Brewing with the Willow & Everett is very straightforward, as is cleaning and storage. Unfortunately, the design makes decanting somewhat cumbersome. The tap does not work so well and leaves about 20% of the liquid behind. That means you must decant it into a smaller vessel, largely negating the value of a tap in the first place.
Brew Quality
We found the brew quality of the County Line Kitchen cold brew coffee maker to be promising. It did well to bring out sweet profiles, but at the same time, the brew lacked complexity. We recommend brewing for longer than our test standard of 18 hours. The amount of sediment indicated that the filter was not so effective, but nonetheless a good compromise on the brew quality.
The Willow & Everett produced a relatively strong and delicious brew. In fact, it was one of the best brews we got out of any immersion-filter cold brew coffee maker. Overall, the taste was defined by a deep roasted flavor and an almost bitter aftertaste. If you enjoy a strong coffee, or are looking for a quality cold brew concentrate to mix into something else, this is one of the better choices.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Versatile product
- Minimal packaging
- Packed and shipped in the US
- Robust and durable
- Airtight silicone gasket
- Funky design
- Brew ratio
- Brew quality
- Tap dispenser
- Brew strength average
- Filter not so effective
- Lid design
- Weak glass around tap
- Tap is temperamental
- No literature
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a mason jar cold brew coffee maker, County Line Kitchen and Willow & Everett are the two choices. County Line Kitchen, however, is by far the better design as it is more true to the robust and durable image of the mason jar.
The unique spigot design on the barrel-shaped Willow & Everett is unfortunately prone to break if handled roughly. The lid also has a slightly rough fit. County Line Kitchen, however, has a plastic lid with an excellent gasket and two practical designs that are available with and without a handle. You can also purchase a normal aluminum lid.
Both brewers use a 1:9 brew ratio, but Willow & Everett produces a much stronger brew while County Line Kitchen tends to brew more for sweeter profiles. The largest County Line Kitchen brewer, the 2-quart, is more of a match for the half gallon (2.4 quart) Willow & Everett.
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.
