Oxo Compact vs Bean Envy Side-by-Side Comparison

• Decanter with stopper
• Brew vessel with mesh filter
• Rainshower and lid
• Manual

The contents were well packaged and secure with the decanter neatly placed inside the brew vessel. The ‘rainshower’ dripper was on top. All key components are neatly labeled on the side of the box, so you know exactly what you’re getting. Overall, however, we felt that there was too much disposable plastic in the packaging.

• 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.

The brew vessel appeared well-made and is easy to handle. Its translucent black coloring makes it attractive but also inconspicuous on the countertop. It may be a little tall for some refrigerators, especially those smaller than 90 L, without removing a shelf. However, you may be able to place it in the crisper box.

• Rainmaker: AS resin
• Lid: polypropylene plastic
• BPA-free

The custom ‘rainmaker’ is designed to distribute water evenly over the coffee grounds. The rainmaker comes off very easily, and the lid is also solid, creating an airtight brewing environment.

The glass decanter has a neat aesthetic design with a simple logo and a measuring dot. It did, however, feel somewhat delicate, so we handled it with care.

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.

The silicone seal completely covers the cork stopper making it non-porous. However, the fit of the cork in the decanter is not so tight. The cork slips off easily so you should grip the decanter firmly with your hand.

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.

The detachable base of the OXO Compact is basically the filtration unit. The base is tight, yet easy to unscrew, and sports convenient alignment markers. The mesh filter fits snugly into the base.

Our concern here is the care needed in looking after parts — especially the red gasket. The filter seems durable enough, but it’s hard to judge the durability of the metal spring valve. Most cold brew coffee makers have simpler components.

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.

The OXO Compact is a very well-built product. It’s stylish, high quality, and all parts are certified safe. There are more parts to deal with compared to other cold coffee brewers. Additionally, only time can tell the longevity of the red gasket and the spring decanting valve. The carafe, while attractive, is somewhat delicate and the stopper is not the best.

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.