Kowa vs Steiner:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Kowa had more branded searches than Steiner among binocular brands in New Zealand. Kowa had about 50 branded searches, while Steiner had 30. Kowa made up 0.27% of all binocular brand searches we track, and Steiner accounted for 0.16%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about binocular brands, Kowa appeared in two of the five answers and Steiner in one. Kowa was mentioned before Steiner in two out of three answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Kowa, about 67% more searches than Steiner
Who does AI mention more?
Kowa, mentioned in 2 of 5 answers, Steiner in 1
Who does AI recommend more?
Kowa, named ahead of Steiner in 2 of 3 answers
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Top binocular brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Kowa was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Steiner was mentioned in one out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Kowa was listed before Steiner in two out of three answers that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Vortex5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Swarovski4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Nikon4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Bushnell3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Zeiss3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Kowa2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Steiner1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Canon0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about binocular brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which binocular brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best binocular brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best binocular brand in New Zealand for birdwatching?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“binoculars nz”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“bird watching binoculars”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 20, 2026.
Is Kowa or Steiner more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Kowa and Steiner by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight binocular brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Kowa, Steiner. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Swarovski | Canon | Nikon | Bushnell | Vortex | Kowa | Zeiss | Steiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 58.2% | 24.3% | 14.1% | 1.5% | 1.1% | 0.27% | 0.22% | 0.27% |
| Nov 2025 | 69.3% | 17.6% | 9.8% | 1.5% | 1.2% | 0.18% | 0.14% | 0.22% |
| Dec 2025 | 73.1% | 15.2% | 8.9% | 1.5% | 0.87% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.19% |
| Jan 2026 | 60.7% | 23% | 12.6% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 0.24% | 0.19% | 0.24% |
| Feb 2026 | 60.9% | 21.7% | 13.1% | 2% | 1.5% | 0.29% | 0.23% | 0.29% |
| Mar 2026 | 57.2% | 24.2% | 13.6% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 0.27% | 0.27% | 0.27% |
| Apr 2026 | 59.5% | 20.9% | 14.9% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 0.22% | 0.22% | 0.22% |
| May 2026 | 62.4% | 22% | 12.1% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 0.29% | 0.19% | 0.24% |
| Jun 2026 | 59.2% | 23.3% | 13.1% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 0.33% | 0.28% | 0.22% |
| Jul 2026 | 58.5% | 24.4% | 13% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 0.27% | 0.38% | 0.22% |
| Aug 2026 | 55.9% | 25.5% | 14.2% | 2% | 1.7% | 0.26% | 0.26% | 0.26% |
| Sep 2026 | 57.7% | 22.7% | 15.5% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 0.27% | 0.22% | 0.16% |
How has the Kowa and Steiner comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands once in the 12 months ending September 2026: Kowa took it in May 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Kowa’s share of searches among binocular brands in New Zealand held steady at 0.27%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 50.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Steiner’s share of searches among binocular brands in New Zealand moved from 0.27% to 0.16%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 50 to 30.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand binocular brands in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, Steiner fell from 7th to 8th among binocular brands in New Zealand.
How are branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Kowa’s and Steiner’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among binocular brands
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