I've always been a big iced tea drinker, so I was pleasantly surprised and very happy to get a Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker as a wedding gift last summer. My husband was also happy-- he rarely drinks iced tea, but as the kitchen pro (as opposed to kitchen klutz me) of our duo, he generally ended up making tea for me when I'd beg and plead for it. We both were satisfied with this thoughtful gift from a good friend of ours, and after just less than a year, the iced tea maker gets lots of use and high ratings from both of us.
About the Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker...
The iced tea maker I own is the 2 Quart Iced Tea Maker. It features a 2 Quart 'easy-to-pour' pitcher with lid that has an clear opening and a filtered opening, on/off light, automatic shut-off, removable brew basket and, and 10-minute brew cycle. The appliance is made up of two main parts: the electronic brewing system with water reservoir (standing about one foot tall), and the pitcher. There is a steeping basket and lid, as well as the 'easy-to-pour' pitcher lid.
To brew two quarts of iced tea (or iced coffee) you fill the pitcher with water to the line indicated on the pitcher, then pour the water in the reservoir. Then, fill the ice to the line (also indicated on the pitcher). Put the specified number of tea bags, loose leaf tea, or coffee (suggested amounts are listed in the instruction book for both 2 quarts and 1 quart) in the brewing or steeping basket, then place the steeping lid on top. The brewing basket has a small switch or valve to open the basket-- it needs to be open or tea will overflow... (see below for details on that!). Push the pitcher up against the brewing machine, then push the on button. Brewing will begin; when finished, switch the brewing basket and lid with the regular pitcher lid.
My Experience...
The instructions suggest washing the pitcher, lid, and brewing basket and lid before use, which I did to avoid plastic and dust flavored iced tea. The instructions include a tea and coffee measurement chart for both one and two quarts, and being an iced tea lover, I stuck with the two quart path. The instructions suggest anywhere from 6-10 regular sized tea bags, and I went with 6 bags because I'm thrifty; 5 regular Lipton tea bags, and one Tazo Chai flavored bag (what a delicious mix for iced tea!). I placed the bags in the brewing basket, then placed the lid on the basket. I put the specified amount of filtered water into the brewer's reservoir and then filled to the ice line. I put the brewing basket and lid on, slid it under the machine, then pushed the on button and waited excitedly for my tea. I heard it brewing, but nothing seemed to be coming out, and I scanned through to the bottom of the instructions to see if I missed something, which I hadn't. Turning the page in the instruction book, I see that the 'instructional illustrations' include captions which say to open a steeping valve to let the tea from the brewing basket down to the pitcher... had I not done this, hot tea would have come seeping out the sides of the lid and surely would have moistened the power cord attached and possibly fried my brand new machine. Nice. Anyway, the ice melted as the pitcher filled up with delicious-smelling iced tea, and sure enough, in less than 10 minutes I had a pitcher of 2 quarts of fresh iced tea. I let it cool for a few extra minutes, put a few ice cubes in a glass, and tasted my brew... which indeed was delicious. It just so happened that I was having a small get together later in the evening, and the 2 quarts of tea was enough to satisfy the tea drinkers, but didn't leave too much excess... just enough for me to have a few glasses the next few days. Success.
A few days later when the tea was gone I washed the plastic pitcher in the dishwasher, and washed the brewing basket and its lid as well as the regular pitcher lid by hand. The instructions say to store the pitcher upside-down over the machine, and the whole shebang fit nicely under my kitchen counter with the rest of my small appliances.
I use this ice tea maker off and on in frequency, and in the past year I've definitely gotten some quality use out of it. I love the convenience of the machine: it's easy to use for the most part, and it's very fast. I haven't made iced coffee, but plan to at some point just to give it a try. The brewing basket cleans nicely after using bags or loose tea, so I imagine the coffee will clean just as easily. I'm glad the storage of the main big parts doesn't take up too much room, but having to store a pitcher lid, brewing basket, and brewing lid as well ends up making the device take up more room than I thought it would-- a minor issue. Because the pitcher is plastic, I don't have to worry about hot tea and ice cracking glass, like I always had to watch for with a coffee pot... also, I can keep coffee and tea separated (until and only if I decide to make iced coffee) between this and my BrewStation, so neither appliance makes my drink taste like the other, a major plus for me. I love (and so does my husband) that this appliance is easy enough for a ditz like me to use, and the brewing is so quick that when I start having a hankering for iced tea I don't chase the desire away-- it's a quick brew, and I can do it myself. The pouring lid fits snugly into the pitcher and I've never had a problem with it loosening and coming out during a pour. I also like that there is a regular opening and a straining/filtered opening so that ice can either come out or not. When I put the tea away I twist the lid slightly so no dust or other stuff can get in.
I'm a major klutz in the kitchen (well, anywhere I go, really) so I always make sure to read through directions before as I use a new appliance... I was pretty irritated when the written instructions didn't include anything about opening a steeping valve, and I've seen my husband almost make the same mistake I did the first time I made tea. For the instructions not to mention this little valve until the next page, in the not-so-detailed, illustrated instruction section no less was a foul on Mr. Coffee's part, and as this is an electrical appliance, it's a pretty big foul. This is one of my biggest complaints about this iced tea maker. The other complaint is that the pitcher is fairly cheap plastic, and if you leave tea in it long enough it can lightly stain the plastic, leaving it kind of dingy. I've only had this iced tea maker for just under a year, and I can imagine how unsightly the pitcher will be a few years down the road. Also, cheap plastic warps and cracks easily, so I'm just waiting to see how long it will be before I'll start seeing this type of damage. Another very slight complaint is that when snugging the pitcher up to the brewing machine you must adjust the brewing basket on top of the pitcher so that the pitcher's spout and handle don't get in the way. Also, because there's no sort of locking mechanism between the brewing machine and the pitcher, if you bump the machine slightly while it's in action, the pitcher can slide away from the machine and a spill can occur. I have been careful enough for this not to happen, but again, if it does happen the electrical cord + liquid could lead to a nasty outcome.
The instructions included say that no parts of the Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker are dishwasher safe; I recommend hand-washing as well, though I'm lazy and sometimes just toss the pitcher in the dishwasher. If/when my pitcher starts cracking I'm sure this could be a cause, so I don't do this often. There are guidelines included for deliming the unit, but mine hasn't gotten enough use for this to be a problem, plus I use filtered water. Of course, Mr. Coffee has his own brand of cleaner which probably would be best to use on this machine, but I don't want to spend the money on it, as a vinegar brew cycle will likely work as well as it always has with other appliances for me.
Overall I love my Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker. There are only very minor flaws with the system, and I can and do deal with the slight issues I have with the system; if I can and do, anyone else can and should. This appliance makes up to two quarts of iced tea at a time, which is usually a perfect amount for me for entertaining, or for lasting me for a few days. The pros of this appliance far outweigh the few cons I can think of, and I look forward to getting much more use out of my iced tea maker.
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