Customer Reviews: Read 26 more reviews...
 Great way to brew tea! Ours is over 10 years old! September 8, 2008
Dr. Larry J. Paden (Tulsa, OK)
We've had one Ice Tea Pot for over ten years. The pitcher still works, so we're surprised to hear about the troubles people have had. We've used it nearly every day and the internal pipes are beginning to clog up with lime from the water! So instead of cleaning its insides, we are thinking to buy another 2-quart! Some helpful notes:
1. The cycle time on ours is 8 minutes.
2. If you want stronger tea, don't add water to the pitcher, just poor in a second batch of water into the heating unit and continue to fill the pitcher! (Two batches of water is all two tea bags are good for!)
3. A 10:1 dilution of household bleach will clean the pitcher and the tea bag holder. This also keeps the tea tasting fresh. Just make enough solution to soak the pitcher in over night and the problem will be dissolved the next morning! The main causes of bad tea in restaurants seem to be containers with built up tea residue and over-brewing.
4. For strong tea, simply place two tea bags flat, side-by-side, over the hole in the holder. The tea should be spread out in the bag, preventing any water to escape without first passing through the tea.
5. Brewing loose tea works great and takes very little tea, if the tea is spread evenly across the entire bottom of a coffee filter. Again, if you want strong tea, just refill the heating unit with water and continue to brew! (Instead of diluting the tea in the pitcher with water.)
6. Our favorite teas are the Bigelow teas, both regular and green teas with the names Constant Comment, Plantation Mint and Earl Grey, in that order. We've tried many competing teas from other manufacturers and like these the best! ;^)
7. Even inexpensive Lipton tea will brew acceptably will in the Iced Tea Pot. However, to remove the residual bitterness, add about 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of lemon juice per pitcher.
8. Sweeten with a tablespoonful of local honey. Not only a good sweetner, but also will make hayfever and sinus problem lessen after a month or so of daily consumption. (Asia honey does no good unless you live in Asia!) ;^)
Great Product July 16, 2008
J. K. McConnell (Lynchburg, VA USA)
This was to replace another tea maker that was getting impossible to clean. I have had several of these and other than not being dishwasher safe they are great. After a while they do get quite stained but the product works great. Probably we make 1 or 2 pitchers every day of the year and the product has not failed.
Great product if you TAKE CARE OF IT July 11, 2008
Victoria L.
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Okay kids, repeat after me-- treat your stuff like junk, and it will all BE junk.
I have read way too many reviews about this iced tea maker which complain about things that can be avoided if the owner of the unit just had a little common sense.
First, take care of the pitcher. As with almost everything, it will break or crack if abused. Yes, that means washing it out by hand (big deal) and not dropping it. You drop it, it breaks. That's what happens.
Second, the warping issue. Yes, the pitcher is not thick, shock-resistant plastic but it is what it is for being part of a $20 unit. When water goes through the tea bags it is very hot. This is why you are supposed to fill the pitcher (up to the marked line) with ice. The ice cools down the hot liquid and the pitcher will not warp. Period. Read the directions.
Third, yes, you have to clean out the used tea bags from the brewing portion of the machine. Again, big deal. You take it off of the pitcher, you dump out the tea bags, place it in the sink and fill it with hot tap water to clean it out. It's not really that difficult. Why would anyone leave the tea bags in it long enough for them to get moldy, anyway?
Fourth, when brewing it leaks onto the counter only if you do not have it positioned under the brewer properly. Do it right, this will not happen.
I bought this because I had to use a gift certificate from BB&B and couldn't find anything else that day to interest me. Really, I wasn't prepared to like this thing as much as I do. We drink a pitcher or two of iced tea every day in the summer months and it saves me a lot of time. This machine has worked flawlessly. I use tea bags (6, our fave currently are 3 bags of Trader Joe's mango-flavored black tea and 3 bags of Lipton's with a scant 1/4 cup of sugar added)but have never used a filter or loose tea.
I do not like the less-than-ergonomic handle on the pitcher, so after the tea is finished brewing I transfer the contents to a 2-quart Rubbermaid pitcher.
In my opinion, this is a great, convenient way to make iced tea and with a less than $20 price tag, it's a great value as well. Take care of it. Read the directions. I plan to be using mine for the next several summers to come.
Fast, Simple, and Good Quality June 18, 2008
Rebecca Vehrenkamp (Florida)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
When I was younger, my father had an older model of this 2 quart Mr Coffee tea maker. He had it for as long as I can remember; at least 10 years. So when I was preparing to move out on my own, I saw this and had to buy one for me and one for my father. The lever and steeping mechanism on his was becoming loose so the tea was draining too fast. This newer model doesn't have that, but it does have a tinier hole in which the tea slowly yet continuously, drips through. My father enjoys it equally as much as the old one and it produces equally good tea.
I love drinking tea, and with just me and my husband in the house, buying a 2 quart model was the right choice. Anything larger would just be a waste of tea and refrigerator space. I enjoy the tea that comes from this tea maker. Everyone has their own way of making tea, but when you buy a new tea maker, it is important to test different ways to make it and find out what works best with that particular unit. My personal way is to use 4 family size Lipton tea bags. Obviously everyone does something different to create their favorite taste.
While I may have little expierence with Hamilton Beach brand; Mr Coffee has always been a standout in both coffee and tea makers. The ease of use of this product is astounding (however my husband tends to disagree) and I can make tea in a flash whenever I like. I have had no problems with the construction of this product and the price just can't be beat.
Best product for Iced Tea June 13, 2008
Faith Brennan
This is the best product for brewing iced tea. Had one previously and the on/off switch finally broke. I think I had it for 8 - 10 years. Wanted exactly the same one because I had extra carafes and they would only fit this make and model. Found just what I wanted on Amazon and ordered it. When I received it, found it exactly the same as my old one. I am just thrilled with how easy it is to make excellent iced tea. Just the way I felt about my old one.
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