I'm so glad I found this tea brewer. I had the Bodum Ceylon brewer for about a year and I would imagine that it's one of the main alternatives to the Takeya.
I'll do a quick comparison:
Durability - honestly, i've only had it for about a month but it's obviously made of better quality, or at least, more durable material. i'm not overly concerned about it breaking. the bodum ceylon i had cracked after using it for about a year and with relatively light usage - as in not every day or even every week of the year. time will tell, but i don't think this is gonna break so easily. the quality feels better in the hand. doesn't feel cheap. Infuser/Filtering ability - the holes on the bodum are large and so smallish leaf or the "dust" gets through quite easily into the brewed tea. the filter on the takeya is very fine and so far i've had clear cups of iced tea. i've been making white tea which has a larger leaf though. i'm thinking that it would do okay with japanese teas which tend have a very fine, almost ground up, leaf. i think takeya is a japanese brand so i would imagine they'd make a brewer that would do a reasonable job on their teas.
the infuser on the bodum though extends the length of the pitcher and so you don't need to fill it up. you would need to fill up the takeya to at least where the tea leaves are in the filter in order to make the tea. you may not want that much and you don't have the option of choosing.Looks - the bodum was nice to look at but the material easily took on a cloudy, not so new looking appearance. it looked old after the first usage. i like the takeya - i like green top since that's my fave color. this particular takeya model is tall so you should take measurements in your fridge to make sure it'll fit wherever you plan to put it. the bodum model is slender which is nice. it slides in easily to narrow areas.Ease of use - the takeya filter/infuser twists into the top/lid. that's very cool. it's very easy. the bodum slides into grooves/tracks on the side of the pitcher. you just have to make sure you get into the grooves; they are easily missed. you also flip this thing at the handle to open the top. the air can also easily access the tea because it's not really closed off. the takeya has a twist open top that will allow you to pour, without excess spillage. and tea stays fresher.BPA - if you care, takeya says it is bpa free. i don't know about bodum. it's not on the description.so, obviously i prefer this one. it's a nice product. i'm looking forward to making more iced tea. i use the cold (no heat) brewing method by the way.
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Takeya Iced Tea Maker with Silicone Handle, Avocado/Olive, 66-OunceProduct Description: Perfect for brewing and serving your iced tea, this Takeya Iced Tea Maker pitcher features a fresh design with a clear AcraGlass body that is BPA-free, as well as stain and odor proof. AcraGlass is lightweight and features glass-like clarity, yet is more durable than glass. The removable rotating lid-infuser fully extracts the tea flavors while steeping, and makes clean-up easy. The airtight avocado colored twist-top lid locks in freshness, while the silicone soft grip handle, accented in an olive color, allows for easy pouring or transporting. This Iced Tea Maker is great for brewing hot or cold tea, or for sun brewing, and holds 66 ounce (8 cups).
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I wanted an elegant, solid, well-proportioned, good-sized water jug for dinner parties, and this fits the bill. It's a little pricey, but it looks good, feels good, handles well and pours well, and holds enough water for 6. This was a good buy for me. I bought a much cheaper pitcher before this, and it cracked the second time I used it -- I think the glass was too thick. This jug, however, is much more robust.
