The Hario Mizudashi Review (Read Before Buying)

The Hario Mizudashi Coffee Pot has changed the cold brew game, making it simple and affordable to brew your own.

I’ve been testing this basic brewer for the past few weeks, and overall, I’m impressed – especially given its low price. But it’s not without its quirks. Read this Hario “Mizudashi” cold brew review for my take on this pitcher before you buy.

The hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot Review

The Mizudashi cold brew bottle is a pitcher-style brewer, the most straightforward design among the best cold brewers. Using it is as easy as adding coffee and water, making this cost-effective coffee maker ideal for beginners.

How We Rated It

• Design
  
• Ease of Use
  
• Coffee Flavor
  
• Capacity
  
• Value for Money
  

Design And Aesthetics

The design is minimalist, which I like aesthetically and for ease of use. With only three pieces in the box, it’s very approachable.  

Hario is a well-known Japanese producer of quality coffee gear specializing in glass products (1). After all, Hario translates as “King of Glass.” So it’s no surprise they’ve crafted a lovely slender pitcher for the Mizudashi. What really stood out to me was the design of the spout. It’s a small thing, but it pours noticeably smoothly – never a drip. 

The glass, though attractive and well-formed, is fragile. It will crack or chip if dropped or, in my case, knocked over on a granite countertop. This is a valid concern because it’s quite top-heavy once the filter basket is full. So tread carefully. The lid and filter basket are plastic and available in brown, red, or black.

My favorite part of this simple design is that it fits easily in my fridge door when brewing. Many of the more complex cold brewers I tested occupied most of a shelf – or wouldn’t fit in the fridge at all. This Mizudashi all-in-one design measures just 4.33” wide by 4.72” deep by 11.81” tall, pretty similar to a wine bottle.

How Do You Use The Mizudashi?

Ease of use is where this brewer shines. If you’re intimidated by the idea of making coffee shop drinks at home, this is the place to start. It’s absolutely foolproof, right from first set-up to final clean-up. 

Here’s a look at the process that has worked for me:

1. Insert the filter basket into the bottle.
2. Add 3 ounces of coarsely ground coffee to the filter.
3. Pour in 34 ounces of cold, filtered water, ensuring the grounds are saturated. Add the lid.
4. Let steep for 8 – 24 hours.
5. Remove the filter full of coffee grounds, letting as much coffee as possible drip into the carafe.
6. Replace the lid on the carafe, and store the cold brew in the fridge.

What is the brew time for the Mizudashi cold brew pot?

The main factor dictating brew time is whether you steep in the fridge or on the counter. Personally, I like to brew in the fridge, which takes about 20-24 hours. It feels more food-safe and makes the timing convenient. I can start it one morning, and it’s ready the next morning. Many recipes recommend brewing on the counter, which takes 8 – 16 hours.

No matter where you brew, always store your cold brew properly because its low acidity leaves it prone to spoilage (2).

Keep it in the fridge in an airtight container.

Clean-up Is Easy

After steeping, I dump the coffee grounds into my compost and rinse the filter with warm, soapy water. Hario claims this brewer is dishwasher safe, but given the fragile glass, I prefer to handwash the carafe. The cold brew doesn’t leave behind anything to scrub, so it takes about ten seconds.

Does The Mizudashi Make Good Cold Brew?

Here’s where I come to my major complaint about this brewer. The basket that holds the grounds only goes halfway down the bottle, so it’s impossible to brew concentrate. I found I could fit at most 3.5 ounces of ground coffee in the filter, and the design forces you to add the maximum volume of water (34 ounces) to ensure they’re submerged – a ratio around 1:11. I usually make cold brew concentrate at a ratio of 1:4, sometimes even 1:3. 

So the Mizudashi cold brew pot yields a relatively weak brew. In fact, some of the milder light roast coffees I tried didn’t really shine the way I’d hoped. 

I also had some success by extending the brew time by a few hours, but that’s a fine balance. Too long a brew time pulls more bitterness from the coffee beans.

Making an unconcentrated brew leaves you with fewer recipe options because you don’t want to dilute it further. You can’t add milk or hot water. Even adding ice made me feel like I needed to drink fast before it melted, so I used a chilled glass instead.

With all that said, the Mizudashi can make delicious cold brew. In my experience, using the right beans was crucial, but quite a few beans fit the definition of “right” in this case.

Choose fresh, high-quality Arabica beans, which have the most flavor, and grind them with a burr grinder just before brewing (3). I particularly enjoyed medium and dark roasts with lots of natural sweetness, including blends and single origins from Latin America and/or East Africa. Look for tasting notes like chocolate, caramel, honey, ripe fruit, and spice for a guaranteed tasty cup.

How Much Cold Brew Can You Make?

This is a relatively low-capacity cold brew coffee maker, best suited to a single person or couple. Cold brew uses a lot of coffee grounds, which absorb a lot of water. I ended up with about 28 ounces of cold brew – around 4 servings – from my 34 ounces of water.

There is also a “Mini” version with a 20-ounce capacity, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you really lack space. In my opinion, the Hario cold brew bottle is a better space-saving option, with a capacity of 25 ounces and a sleeker, handle-free design.

Remember that cold brew doesn’t keep as long in the fridge as coffee concentrate. So I recommend consuming it within a day or two. There is definitely a loss in convenience versus keeping a bit batch of concentrate in the fridge for a few weeks.

Is It Worth Its Price?

It’s hard to argue with the value for money here. This Hario cold brew coffee maker is super affordable, with the quality far surpassing the price. And the reusable mesh filter means there are no added costs like buying paper filters.

It’s a great option for anyone who enjoys cold brew occasionally. It’ll save you money compared to visiting the coffee shop after a couple of brews, and it’s cheap enough that you won’t feel like you’ve wasted money even if it sits in the cupboard most of the year.

On the other hand, I’d suggest dedicated cold brew fans shell out a little more for a more durable design with a higher capacity. I have a few suggestions for you below: check my comparison table or the suggestions in the following section.

			Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker
	All-in-one cold brew pitcher			All-in-one cold brew pitcher	All-in-one cold brew pitcher
	4.72″D x 4.33″W x 11.81″H		9.53″D x 9.53″W x 14.72″H

Don’t Buy The Mizudashi If….

• You want to make a lot of cold brew: If capacity is a priority, there are plenty of larger brewers on the market. I’m a fan of the Toddy Cold Brew System and the Filtron Cold Brewer, both of which can make upwards of 36 ounces of cold brew concentrate. The basic Bodum Bean Cold Brewer is another excellent high-capacity option if you want to keep your budget low.
• You want to make cold brew concentrate: The Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Pot has a similar design to the Mizudashi, but the filter basket extends to the bottom of the brewer. So you can pack in more ground coffee or use less water for a concentrated brew.
• You prefer slow-drip Kyoto-style cold brew: Slow-drip cold brew produces a different flavor profile than immersion brewing – brighter and more complex. I suggest the Yama Glass Tower or Hario Shizuku, but keep in mind that this method is a bit less beginner-friendly.

The Verdict

The Hario Mizudashi Coffee Pot takes the intimidation factor out of making cold brew coffee at home. While it has a few flaws, I think it’s perfect for beginners and occasional users. It’s super easy to use, and you get everything you need to start brewing – all at the cost of a few cups of cold brew at the local cafe.

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