Review of the Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker

When I was a kid, my grandmother used to put bags of tea and water in a brightly flowered glass jug, set the jug in a window facing the sunshine, and wait at least a day. The final sun-brewed tea was great, but I just don't have time for that! Thanks to Mr. Coffee, I can enjoy high quality iced tea in about ten minutes with their Iced Tea Maker. Available in two or three quart sizes, ($25 for the two-quart; $30 for the three-quart), this appliance is a must-have for those who like their iced tea, but don't have time for the older brewing methods.

The Iced Tea Maker, which comes in a variety of shapes and colors, is built like a large coffee maker. The package includes a water reservoir, a pitcher, a steeping basket, a lid for the steeping basket and a lid for the pitcher. To operate the machine, plug the unit into the wall, fill the pitcher with water, pour the water into the reservoir (just like a coffee maker), fill the pitcher with ice cubes, place tea bags and a filter into the steeping basket, place the pitcher under the reservoir, and press start. The water in the reservoir heats up and steeps through the tea bags, creating a pitcher full of refreshing iced tea in no time.

For variety, try using flavored teas. Blueberry, lemon zinger, orange, even chai taste excellent. You can also place fruits or mint leaves on top of the ice before brewing. Add sugar or honey to the pitcher to make sweet tea. The possibilities are endless, particularly with all of the teas available in the supermarket.

The Iced Tea Maker will also brew coffee. Instead of using tea bags, fill a filter with your favorite grinds and follow the same process. Simply follow the chart in the instruction manual to create the desired darkness of your final product. I like to try flavored coffees with the Iced Tea Maker. I also like to add milk or creamer to my glass, but I would not recommend putting it directly into the pitcher unless you plan to consume the whole amount in one day.

The Iced Tea Maker is easy to clean, but none of its parts dishwasher safe. Like a coffee maker, it must also be delimed after about 80 cycles. Use care when washing the pitcher, in particular, because it is made of plastic that can be scratched.

Iced Tea Makers are available wherever Mr. Coffee products are sold.