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Hario Mizudashi vs Coffee Bear Side-by-Side Comparison
Our 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%)8.8/10
- Ease of Use (35%)8.7/10
The Hario Mizudashi, due to its poor design and brew quality, is a brewer we do not recommend. The Coffee Bear is an average performer but not without its own design issues.
For the Coffee Bear, the plastic and nylon filter is not the best. It’s a little too fine thus limiting the cross-flow needed for a good brew to develop. Design-wise, it tries to offer more value with a silicone base stand but it’s poorly designed with an unbalanced feel.
Likewise, the Hario Mizudashi has a nylon and plastic filter. Additionally, the brew ratio is insubstantial, the filter too short, and the vessel not airtight. The Hario is a better fit for a small refrigerator door bin, however, there are other small brewers that do a much better job.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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%)8.5/10
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: 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.
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: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.
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: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.
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: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.
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.
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.
Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Review
- Brewing (45%)10/10
- Decanting (35%)10/10
- Cleaning and Storage (20%)8.5/10
- Brewing (45%)8.5/10
- Decanting (35%)9.0/10
- Cleaning and Storage (20%)8.5/10
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.