Primula Burke vs Coffee Bear Side-by-Side Comparison
Primula Burke cold brew coffee maker vs Coffee Bear. Two less than ideal brewers. Find out which one has at least an average brew.
Specifications
Design
The Primula cold brew coffee maker boasts a couple of design features to really appreciate. One is the plastic jacket which also includes a base cushion, the other is the practical lid design. The height is comparatively low which allows you to brew easily on a refrigerator shelf, or in the door.
On the other hand, the 1.6 qt size and the thick glass make it a bit heavy when full. Additionally, even though the filter is high quality, our testing revealed it lacks sufficient permeability to make a good cold brew coffee.
There’s nothing to fault about the quality of the glass carafe and the lid design. The silicone base pad, on the other hand, is not the best quality and the handle is a little small.
Usability Comparison
The Primula certainly can’t be faulted for its easy-to-use design. Parts are minimal, with only a couple of silicone gaskets to keep an eye on. They fit well, are high quality, and the double lid design is an excellent feature. You can easily remove the inner lid to stir the contents, and also close the spout by turning it.
Using the Coffee Bear is quite simple and straightforward. The most practical aspect is the lid, but besides that, the product doesn’t offer any added value. It’s easy to miss spots when cleaning the black-framed filter, but the detachable filter base does make a difference.
Brew Quality
With its unique and practical design, the Primula was a pleasure to brew with. As such, we expected better results. However, the Primula failed to deliver a worthy cold brew coffee concentrate even when compared to brewers using a similar brew ratio. The design of the filter is fundamentally flawed, and the brew quality ranks as one of the lowest we have tested.
The brew quality of the Coffee Bear corresponded with its brew ratio and the functionality of its filter. The brew was decidedly average and lacked complexity with a watery aftertaste.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Detachable filter base
- Protective plastic jacket
- Lid design
- Easy to clean
- Thick glass
- Glass decanter
- Lid design
- Twist to pour
- No measurement markings
- A little heavy
- Weak brew strength
- Silicone base not top quality
- Handle not so comfortable
- Appears to be a generic copy
Conclusion
Neither the Primula Burke nor the Coffee Bear are the most ideal cold brew coffee makers. To its credit, the Primula Burke has an original and quality design. In particular, the lid and how the filter attaches are very well-designed.
The filter, however, is too fine, resulting in a poor-quality brew. The Primula Burke is not a brewer we recommend. The plastic and nylon filters of both the Primula Burke and Coffee Gator are not ideal for hot brewing, and have limited versatility or added value.
The brew quality of Coffee Bear is somewhat below average. Its black plastic filter makes it difficult to see or remove coffee oils. The twist-to-pour lid is a bonus, but the silicone base stand is poorly designed. Coffee Bear appears to be a copy of the better-value product, Coffee Gator.
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.
