Lookalikes: Cork Topped Carafes — The Design Edit

Last week I was out on the market hitting up my favourite well-priced design destinations. It was a fun assignment as styling advisor to a local designer. My task was to round up some great stuff and install and style at the client's home in time for a reveal. Cool. While out sourcing I discovered a funny thing that I wanted to share with you.

Quite a resemblance, don't you think? This happens a lot. But usually it's a mass market company ripping off an iconic design from the past or present at a fraction of the price. But here's the twist: pretty sure the less expensive of these was first to market. Do you know this product? If you read my blog you might remember one of these from this post. Friends, one of these is heat-resistant glass, one sells for $3.99 and one sells for $29.95. That means one COSTS 7.9 TIMES MORE than the other. The good news is they are both cheap as chips and fantastic. The other interesting revelation is that the cheaper one is the one made of heat-resistant glass, meaning you can make your tea in it and put it in a window to make a small batch of sun tea. Totally doing that in a week. OK so here's the reveal:

This one (on the left in the previous photo) is the IKEA 365+ cork topped pitcher. It's made of heat resistant glass and holds 34 ounces. It measures 3.5 inches diameter and 11 inches high. It costs $3.99.

This one is the Corked Pitcher from CB2. It is 3.5 inches diameter by 11 inches high and holds 38 ounces. Given its dimensions are almost identical to the IKEA one I'm not sure where those extra 4 ounces of volume are hiding. Hmmm, mysterious. This one is priced at $29.95.

Which begs the question, what the actual...? Is the slightly more refined profile of the CB2 piece worth that much more money? Is it just that IKEA is a retail behemoth and CB2 isn't? Interesting. Also, wouldn't you think heat-resistant glass would be more costly? Anyhoo, I've got a few of those IKEA babies and I'll be making some yummy bevvies in them when I hit summer vacay at the end of this week. Cheers pals!