Blue Steam Coffee vs. Jazz Kissa Coltrane
Nakameguro, February. A saxophone and a bidet walked into the same bracket. Only one had a heated seat.
Blue Steam Coffee
Blue Steam's debut in this publication was marked by the lid's unprompted ascent and a soap that smelled of something specific. The Aquarius NX-2 was, at that point, unfamiliar to the reviewing panel. It would not remain so.
Jazz Kissa Coltrane
Jazz Kissa Coltrane brought its usual nothing — no washlet, no heated seat, no scented soap — and its usual everything: a room that has been cleaned with the same discipline for forty-eight years, and a saxophone audible through the wall.
Scorecard
The verdict
Blue Steam wins by four points, and four of those points are the Aquarius NX-2. Jazz Kissa Coltrane matched or exceeded in every other category. The panel's conscience is noted in the margin.