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Hario Mizudashi vs Aquach Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
Overall Verdict
- Brew Quality (50%)6.5/10
- Design (15%)7.2/10
- Ease of Use (35%)9.7/10
- Brew Quality (50%)7.2/10
- Design (15%)9.2/10
- Ease of Use (35%)9.0/10
The Hario Mizudashi is a tall and slender glass carafe brewer. It’s quite attractive and is a great fit for any refrigerator door. It is a little more challenging to clean than other brewers, except for the filter which has a removable base. When tested for overall performance, the Hario Mizudashi failed to make a worthwhile cold brew since the filter is too short, the vessel is not airtight, and the brew ratio is unfavorable.
The Aquach, likewise, is also an attractive glass carafe brewer. However, its finely lasered stainless steel filter restricts cross-flow, resulting in below-average brew. It’s a versatile brewer, nonetheless, and can hot-brew other types of beverages. The carafe has a unique insertable stainless steel neck and a well-fitting stopper.
Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Maker
- Bouquet (10%)7.0/10
- Drinkability (70%)6.0/10
- Sediment (20%)8.0/10
- Bouquet (10%)7.0/10
- Drinkability (70%)7.0/10
- Sediment (20%)8.0/10
Bouquet
After 18 hours of brewing, the bouquet produced by the Hario Mizudashi can best be described as medium strength. The brew brought out a dominant nuttiness, but with underlying bitter and resinous notes. Sweet notes were very understated.
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.
Drinkability
Compared to other cold brew coffee makers we tested, the Hario output tasted like a low-grade coffee. There was no real distinction to it and the texture was not smooth. We detected a mild woodiness indicating an under-extracted brew. With dilution, it tasted somewhat watery and sour with a bitter aftertaste.
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.
Sediment
The Hario produced noticeable sediment, but most of it is relatively fine with only a few large granules present. The filter worked well, but at the same time its design may be a compromise for the poor quality of the brew.
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.
Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot Design
- Stopper / Lid (30%)7.0/10
- Filter (40%)6.0/10
- Build Quality (30%)9.0/10
- Stopper / Lid (30%)10/10
- Filter (40%)8.0/10
- Build Quality (30%)10/10
Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Maker In the Box
- Box WDH: 4.9 x 4.3 x 11.8 in
- Brew decanter
- Detachable filter
- Manual
The Hario Mizudashi comes in a very nice box. On the side are simple instructions highlighting its key features. There is no unnecessary plastic covering, and inside you find the decanter, detachable filter, and a handy instruction manual.
- Box WDH: 2.1 x 2.1 x 9.6 inches
- 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.
Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot Decanter
- Height With Stopper Lid:11.5
- Base Diameter:3.7
- Width:5.4" (13.7 cm)
- Weight:15.0 oz (425 g)
- Material:heat-resistant glass, polypropylene plastic
The Hario Mizudashi brew decanter is quite attractive in its design and this is a key reason why people choose to buy it. It fits easily into the door of even a small refrigerator and looks good on the table. The handle is fixed to the glass and cannot detach and there are a number of colors to choose from.
- 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.
Stopper / Lid
- Diameter:3.7 in (95 mm)
- Material:polypropylene plastic
- Additional Features:N/A
While we liked the slender and practical design of the Hario Mizudashi decanter, the lid design is not completely airtight. This we thought to be a fundamental design flaw especially for odor contamination in the refrigerator and excess oxidation while brewing. The lid itself has a snap mechanism so it doesn’t slip off accidentally.
- 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.
Filter
- Length:6.5 in (165 mm)
- Diameter:3.3 in (85 m)
- Material:polypropylene frame, polyester resin
- Additional Features:detachable base
The best thing about the filter is the removable bottom which makes it easy to clean. Additionally, it’s small, stores away easily, and appears to be of high quality. However, the relatively short length of the filter and its lack of porousness created a weak and rather sourish brew.
- 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.
Build Quality
The Hario Mizudashi is well built. The brew decanter is elegant and the plastic parts fit well. The filter is also easy to clean thanks to its removable end cap. However, the design is flawed in the short length of the filter and the non-airtight lid.
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.
Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Review
- Brewing (45%)10/10
- Decanting (35%)10/10
- Cleaning and Storage (20%)8.5/10
- Brewing (45%)9.0/10
- Decanting (35%)9.0/10
- Cleaning and Storage (20%)9.0/10
Brewing
Brewing with the Hario Mizudashi is very straightforward. You don’t immerse the filter into water, but instead gradually pour water over the grounds once the filter is put in place. After pouring, you mix the grounds around a little.
There’s no real need for measuring. The prescribed 80g of coffee more or less reaches the top of the visible portion of the filter. You then add water until it reaches the level of the plastic neck.
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.
Decanting
Decanting is about as effortless as brewing. You simply pop the lid off and remove the filter. You may want to leave the filter at an angle in a glass to catch any remaining concentrate as it drips out.
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.
Cleaning and Storage
One thing the Hario Mizudashi has going for it is the practical filter design. The bottom comes off so it was very easy to clean. The slender brew decanter is too narrow and long for hand cleaning, but you can use a brush. All parts are also dishwasher safe. Once everything’s dry, store it fully assembled. Its height is the main concern when it comes to storage.
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.