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Takeya vs Coffee Bear Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
- Brew Quality (50%)7.8/10
- Design (15%)8.9/10
- Ease of Use (35%)8.8/10
- Brew Quality (50%)7.2/10
- Design (15%)8.8/10
- Ease of Use (35%)8.7/10
The Takeya cold brew coffee maker and Coffee Bear are two immersion filter brewers that stand in the door of your refrigerator. Coffee Bear, however, is almost identical in design to Coffee Gator. The Coffee Bear tries to be different by incorporating a silicone base stand into its design. However, the poor quality gives it an unstable feel and also makes the brewer too wide to fit in the door of a small refrigerator.
The Takeya, although slightly large for a small refrigerator door, can also lay on its side while brewing. It has a unique filter that screws into the lid and which is also completely spill-proof. The Takeya also has a more favorable brew ratio and brews a much better quality brew than Coffee Bear.
Coffee Bear is made from glass while the Takeya is made in the USA from high-grade Tritan plastic. Coffee Bear is more suited for a small refrigerator. However, the similar Coffee Gator is an all-round better choice as it comes with a stainless steel measuring spoon and a very handy silicone funnel for pouring in coffee grounds and water.
Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker
- Bouquet (10%)8.5/10
- Drinkability (70%)8.0/10
- Sediment (20%)7.0/10
- Bouquet (10%)7.0/10
- Drinkability (70%)7.0/10
- Sediment (20%)8.0/10
Bouquet
The Takeya cold brew coffee maker produced a moderately strong bouquet and one of the better ones we’ve sampled. Crisper and sweeter notes were present, but somewhat subdued. Earthy notes, with acidic overtones, tended to be more prominent.
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
We diluted the Takeya concentrate 1:1 with filtered water. While the Takeya had a complex flavor profile, it was more medium-bodied. Deep earthy or chocolatey flavors came through the most with a strong roasted flavor. A tinge of sweetness made for a light aftertaste and overall it was smooth and enjoyable to drink. Adding cream to the water dilution resulted in a more finished taste.
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
With repeated testing, we found that the Takeya has a tendency to produce quite a bit of sediment depending on how you handle it. You have to screw the filter tightly into the lid, and avoid shaking too vigorously. Though you can technically brew with the Takeya on its side, it’s probably best to brew standing up. We allowed the concentrate to settle, decanted into another container, and discarded the sediment left behind.
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.
Takeya Cold Brew
- Stopper / Lid (30%)10/10
- Filter (40%)8.0/10
- Build Quality (30%)9.0/10
- Stopper / Lid (30%)10/10
- Filter (40%)8.0/10
- Build Quality (30%)8.5/10
Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker In the Box
- Assembled brew decanter
- Inlay leaflet
- User guide
The Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker comes fully assembled. Both the inlay leaflet and the user guide are placed in the brew decanter. The User Guide has a product description, brewing instructions, five suggested drink recipes, and a 1-Year Limited Warranty notification.
- 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.
Takeya Cold Brew Decanter
- Height With Stopper Lid:12.2 in (310 mm)
- Base Diameter:4.3 x 3.7 in oblong (110 x 95 mm)
- Width:5.9 in (150 mm)
- Weight:12.0 oz (340 g)
- Material:BPA-free Tritan plastic
The Takeya has a slightly oblong base which tapers up to a round top. It therefore tends to fit most refrigerator doors. The brew decanter has a screw-on frame with a handle and a screwable lid that also attaches to the filter. The high-quality Tritan plastic looks very clean and is also stain, odor, and shatter resistant. The decanter is made in the USA while the filter is made in China.
- 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:6.3 in with handle (160 mm)
- Material:Tritan plastic
- Additional Features:silicone gasket
We tested the decanter vessel and were happy to find it did not leak. The product is very secure and tight. The lid partially unscrews for pouring, and then further unscrews to remove completely. The container can also hold hot liquids, but you should not fully seal the lid while still hot.
- 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:0.4 in (265 mm)
- Diameter:2.7 in (70 mm)
- Material:nylon & polypropylene
- Additional Features:detachable extender
A key feature of the Takeya cold coffee brewer seems to be the full-length filter that maximizes contact with grounds. The grounds fill the filter and go part way up into the extender.
It comes in two parts, and the upper extender detaches for easy cleaning, which seems to be its key function. However, we found it a bit cumbersome to attach the extender to the filter. The filter is a porous nylon polyester and allows for a relatively good brew to develop. A filter replacement is also available as a separate purchase.
- 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
9The Tritan plastic brew decanter is a high-class piece of equipment and the airtight screw top is well-designed. The long filter, however, requires more effort for cleaning. The way the filter assembles is also a little cumbersome. Additionally, the sediment test shows that the filter is not so effective if you’re careless when putting it together or if you shake the vessel too vigorously. While overall of good quality, there are more parts than we’d prefer.
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.
Takeya Cold Brew Review
- Brewing (45%)8.5/10
- Decanting (35%)9.5/10
- Cleaning and Storage (20%)8.0/10
- Brewing (45%)8.5/10
- Decanting (35%)9.0/10
- Cleaning and Storage (20%)8.5/10
Brewing
The Takeya cold brew coffee maker doesn’t require any gradual wetting of the grounds. Just put 170g of grounds in the filter (it should come to 2 inches from the extender rim) and you’re ready to go.
Then, you screw on the lid and immerse it into the pitcher with 7 cups of cold water. If you prefer metric, that’s roughly 1,680 ml — about an inch from the top of the vessel.
After inserting the filter with the grounds, we shook the container and let it sit for 10 minutes. The brewer was shaken thoroughly once again before going into the refrigerator on its side. We shook the container periodically another four times over the 18 hours of brewing. This device therefore takes a little more attention than other methods, but overall it’s quite straightforward.
A key selling point for this brewer is its airtight seal. This means coffee odors will not contaminate your refrigerator while brewing. There is also less oxidative stress, so you can store your coffee longer.
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 the Takeya simply means unscrewing the lid and taking out the attached filter. Next, unscrew the filter from the lid and then screw the air-tight lid back onto the pitcher.In this sense, it’s one of the most convenient immersion brewer designs.
After removing the filter, the manufacturer recommends you place it in a tall glass for 45 min to catch remaining concentrate. You should also clean the lid of any grounds before screwing it back onto the decanter. These tips are only found on the product homepage.
As pointed out, if you fail to attach the filter extender securely, or shake the vessel too vigorously, you may have to decant the contents a second time.
When you need to decant some coffee to drink, partially unscrew the lid to align the gap to the spout. It’s safe to pick up the container by the lid handle because the lid ring remains securely attached.
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
In total, the Takeya separates into seven cleanable parts. The online instructions state that all parts, including the filter, are dishwasher safe. We presume, however, that it would be better to not put the rubber gasket for the screwable lid into the dishwasher. For hand washing, it’s very easy to reach inside the brew vessel.
The filter itself is quite long, and was difficult to clean without a bottle brush. Without proper cleaning, over time coffee oils can clog the fine holes and produce a stale smell. For deep cleaning, you should soak in a 50/50 solution of water and white vinegar.
Cleaning was not as straightforward as it seemed like it should be. The handle has a nice silicone sleeve for comfortable gripping. It took a little effort to remove that for cleaning and to replace it again.
Storage is easy enough because all parts screw together and you are unlikely to misplace any parts if you reassemble properly. Replacement filters can also be purchased online.
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.