Tea is a refreshing drink that should not require any hard work. Ice tea maker makes the tea-making process easier as you just need to add water and tea leaves and wait for some time. In the market, you will find both electric and manual tea makers that have their own features. The pitchers are made of glass or plastic that makes them suitable to store in the refrigerator.
The filters on the ice tea maker are made of stainless steel with fine cuts that prevent the tea grinds from mixing with the tea. The pitcher comes in different sizes and you need to make sure the quantity can serve the family or guests. The lids need to be leak proof so that the tea doesn't drip while carrying the pitcher. However, a manual tea maker takes more time than an electric tea maker so you need to choose the best iced tea maker that will not keep you waiting for long.Best Pick
The Ovalware Ice Tea Infuser is our best pick on our list as it can contain 1 liter of iced tea and a stainless steel lid to lock up all the flavors. The strainer is long and has precision-cut to bring the flavor not the tea grinds to the brewed ice. The pitcher is made of glass and has a sleek look that will enhance the outlook of any event.
Budget Pick
The Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker is on our best budget pick because it is an electric ice tea maker that will make the refreshing iced tea within minutes. The pitcher has a large capacity to hold the tea and you can set the strength with the strength slider on the machine. Moreover, the brewer has an auto shut-off pitcher that reduces the waste of electricity and is programmed with an auto cleaning cycle.
Quick Comparison: Top 12 Best Iced Tea Maker
| Product | Type | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Ovalware Ice Tea Infuser | Manual | A |
| Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker | Electric | A |
| Takeya Iced Tea Maker | Manual | A- |
| Brentwood Iced Tea Maker | Electric | A |
| Breville Tea Maker | Electric | B+ |
| Coffee Gator Iced Tea Maker | Manual | A |
| Brew To A Tea Iced Tea Maker | Manual | A |
| Primula Press & Go Iced Tea Brewer | Manual | A- |
| Primula The Big Iced Tea Maker | Manual | B+ |
| West Bend Iced Tea Maker | Electric | A |
| Komax Tritan Iced Tea Maker | Manual | A- |
| SAMBANGAN Ice Tea Maker | Manual | A |
1. Ovalware Ice Tea Infuser
The ice tea maker from Ovalware is made of glass, BPA-free silicone, and stainless steel. You can easily pour tea with the carafe as it has an accessible handle to keep the balance. For a great ice tea, you need to put tea bags or loose tea leaves on the filter and then pour the water as required. The stainless steel is of premium quality that will form rust in water. The carafe is easy to refrigerate and in 12 to 24 hours, your tea will be ready to drink.
Moreover, the flavor of the tea will remain intact as the stainless steel cap is enclosed with a silicone seal to prevent any leakage.
The base of the pitcher has a rubber cushion to protect from slipping off when kept on the table. Not only ice tea but also you can enjoy iced coffee or juices with this maker. All the parts are safe to put in the dishwasher but we advise you to carefully handle the carafe as it is made of glass. As the ice tea maker is not electric, you can easily carry it outdoors and enjoy the refreshing tea in the sun.
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Cons
2. Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker
This is another reliable and well-rounded iced tea maker from the renowned brand Mr. Coffee, with a high capacity of being able to make 3 quarts of iced tea at a time. The machine is good for anyone who wants to be able to make iced tea easily and quickly since the pitcher has clear calibrations for both the amount of ice and water, which removes any kind of guesswork, ensuring that you get the perfect iced tea every time, without having to go through trial and error.
If you want to make a smaller quantity of ice tea then you can also choose to make 1 quart or 2 quarts, which gives you flexibility in the amount of tea you want to make.
The heating unit has a reservoir with a window so that you can monitor how much water it has and it has a filter basket where you can put any tea leaves or tea bags that you love and start the brewing process by a single push on the start button. An LED light indicator shows whether the machine is on or off and the machine will turn itself off once the tea is ready, which means you do not have to stand in front of your machine and wait for the tea to be ready.
Another unique feature of this machine is that it has a cleaning cycle for cleaning itself, which ensures that the heating unit, which is usually difficult to clean due to electric components, will be easily cleaned maintaining proper food hygiene.
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3. Takeya Iced Tea Maker
Although electric iced tea makers are great, a manual ones can turn out to be more useful in some situations, for example, if you want to have iced-tea out in your garden, beside your pool on a hot summer day, or at a family picnic or camping, or if you have a family with many young children and you do not want brittle glass pitchers or delicate electric machines near them.
Keeping these situations in mind, the manufacturers have made this clever non-electric iced tea maker which is not only durable and easy to use but is also just as efficient at making iced tea as an electric machine is.
All you need to do, is to fill up the infuser with your favorite blend of tea, which can be in bags or as loose leaves, half fill the pitcher with hot water, let the tea brew, remove the infuser easily, fill it up with ice and let it chill and voila! If you are worried about the freshly brewed tea taking a long while to cool down, you can set your worries aside since this iced tea maker comes with a patented technology that can cool down your tea so fast that once you have added the ice, it will be ready to be served in only 30 seconds. The pitcher is made of a special plastic called Tritan, which is highly durable, shatter resistant, is able to withstand high and low temperatures, is free of odor, staining or clouding, and more importantly is free of BPA, which makes it a plastic that is safe to your and your family’s health.
The pitcher is also great for storing the tea that you have prepared for a longer period of time, if you wish to have it later, due to its airtight lid which will prevent the flavors from getting lost, and has a handle that is made of silicone to provide you with a secure and comfortable grip. The lid of the pitcher also has a handle at its top, which makes it easy for you to remove it from the pitcher. Another handy thing that comes with this product is an infuser holder where you can place your infuser after the brewing process is complete, which prevents any kind of spilling or dripping and keeps your kitchen counter clean and mess-free. Compared to electric machines, this product is also easier to clean, since it is safe to be washed in a dishwasher.Pros
Cons
4. Brentwood Iced Tea Maker
Iced teas are famous in summer in cafes and people also want refills of iced teas. The pitcher from this ice tea maker will give you the comfort to hold and serve the teas comfortably. The machine is easy to operate as a single on and off button will start to brew the tea. Moreover, you can set the brew strength on this maker. Whatever strength you prefer, you will have the option to select with a strength selector dial.
Though it has an auto shut-off pitcher, you need to wait until the whole brewing process is completed. You cannot pour yourself a cup of ice tea without dripping. The water tank has a label mentioned up to which you can fill the water.
The brand has not mentioned if the pitcher is safe to put in the dishwasher. We advise washing it with your hand and wipe the machine with a damp cloth.
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5. Breville Tea Maker
Are you a serious tea connoisseur who has about a dozen different blends of tea that you drink on different occasions and who knows that each type of tea has to be brewed at different temperatures and for different periods of time? Are you looking for a way to craft tea artfully but are not able to do so due to the scarcity of time that you can dedicate into making the perfect glass of iced tea with your favorite exotic tea leaves?
If you are, then this iced tea maker would be the perfect solution to your problems. Unlike the more robust tea makers that do not allow you to customize the brewing time and temperatures, this tea maker is one of its kind, which is your perfect tea sommelier that is automated.
All you have to do is put the amount of water you desire into the carafe, add the tea leaves into the infuser, place the carafe on the base of the machine and choose different settings according to your preferences and the tea maker will craft your tea wonderfully by automatically lowering and raising the infuser into the water, which allows a precise brewing according to the type of tea you are using.
The machine allows you to choose from different settings, for example, you can choose different settings for black, green, white or herbal tea, choose how strong you want it to be,monitor the brewing time and temperature through the clear LCD on the base and so much more. If you prefer to drink hot tea instead of having it iced, for example on a rainy day, you can set it to a mode where the machine will keep the tea warm after it has been brewed.
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6. Coffee Gator Iced Tea Maker
The iced tea maker from Coffee Gator brews the perfect refreshing tea with its ultra-fine mesh filter. This filter provides the flavor and locks the mini-sized tea grounds from mixing. Put the loose tea leaves or the tea bags on the filter and pour the water on the pitcher.
Put the pitcher in the freezer for 8 to 24 hours to get the perfect aromatic iced tea. The measuring scoop that comes with the maker helps to determine the quantity of loose tea you want to put on the filter.
As it is a manual tea maker, you can easily carry it anywhere you want but it takes a lot of time to prepare the tea. There is no instruction regarding the cleaning of the ice tea maker. As the parts are easy to dismount, we recommend hand washing the maker for longer use.
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7. Brew To A Tea Iced Tea Maker
If you are looking for a large ice tea maker, the Brew To A Tea is suitable to serve more than 4 people at a time. The pitcher comes in a sleek design that can be easily placed inside the refrigerator. The ice maker is capable of making hot and iced tea as thermal borosilicate glass is used for making it. The handle that is attached to the side is wide enough to get a good grip on the pitcher.
As it is a manual ice tea maker, it will take 8 hours to prepare the tea but the airtight lid will protect all the flavor. The stainless steel lid has a silicone that keeps the flavors intact. Moreover, the dual fine mesh filters keep the tea grinds away from mixing with the brew. The filter is capable of brewing loose tea leaves or tea bags. All the components of the ice tea maker are dishwasher safe.
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8. Primula Press & Go Iced Tea Brewer
For those who have little time to prepare tea in the morning, the Primula Iced Tea brewer can solve their problem. With this tea brewer, you just only need to put the loose tea leaves on the outer chamber and wait for a few minutes to finish the brewing. Then fill the outer chamber with ice and some fruits like lime or changes if you want to enhance the flavor of the ice tea.
The lid is leakage proof so you will easily carry the tea while traveling or hiking. It is very light in weight and BPA-free materials are used in manufacturing the tea brewer. You can use loose tea or tea bags to make the iced tea.
It is also easy to maintain and can be cleaned with the dishwasher. For those who like bottles with handles, this one will not be a good option due to the absence of a handle.
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9. Primula The Big Iced Tea Maker
During scorching summer, iced tea is the one that keeps you refreshed, and this ice tea maker from Primula will satisfy your thirst. From the name, you can see it can produce large quantities of ice tea. It has a capacity of 1 gallon and takes 4 to 10 hours to brew the iced tea. You can put the tea leaves on the filter, add some water, and put it in the freezer to cool down. You can easily enjoy the refreshing iced tea the next day.
The fine mesh of the filter does not let the tea grinds mix with the brewed tea and the airtight lid keeps the tea fresh for a long time. The ergonomic handle provides a balance while pouring from this big jug.
You can easily take the filter out and add some ice along with some citric fruits to enhance the flavor. Moreover, you do not have to worry about cleaning as it is a dishwasher-safe tea maker.
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10. West Bend Iced Tea Maker
This ice tea maker is an electric tea maker that will make the tea within a few minutes. A single push button will start the operation and produce refreshing iced tea for you. You can select the strength of your ice tea as you prefer. It has an option of 7 tea strengths and you can add fruits to add some flavors to the tea.
The infusion tube doesn't have fine mesh to keep the grinds separate from the brew. Using tea bags would be a better option if you do not want any residue. The carafe is dishwasher safe but you need to avoid putting it on a hot plate or in the oven.
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11. Komax Tritan Iced Tea Maker
The iced tea maker from Komax Tritan is designed in a square shape so that it can be easily stored in the refrigerator. The maker can tolerate heat and cold and it is made of BPA-free plastic that will not cause any risk to health. The handle is strong to provide a compatible grip and helps to carry around without any leakage.
However, the strainer is not long compared to other brands but wide enough to pour water through it. Directly pouring water through the strainer makes the tea leaves wet and brings the flavor out easily. The strainer is made of plastic and it can get some stain marks of tea due to regular use. It is also mentioned that the ice maker is safe to use in the dishwasher and oven.
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12. SAMBANGAN Ice Tea Maker
The SAMBANGAN Ice tea maker is compactly designed so that you can easily refrigerate the tea. The most important thing about a tea maker is the strainer which is made of stainless steel and has a double mesh to make the tea fresh and flavorful. Loose tea leaves or tea bags can be used and its mini holes will keep the grinds from mixing with the brewed ice.
The pitcher has the capacity to provide ice tea for 5 cups and is made of borosilicate thick glass that keeps the tea cold for longer.
The airtight lid keeps the flavor intact so that you can enjoy the perfect flavored tea every time. However, there is no specific instruction regarding cleaning the tea maker so we advise you to clean it with your hand as the pitcher is made of glass.
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Now that you are familiar with some of the top iced tea makers that are available on the market, you must have come across at least one product that you found to be highly attractive, but before you make your final decision, we suggest that you read the next section of our article where we give a quick description of a few factors that are essential to know before buying an iced tea maker because these factors will help you find the iced tea maker that is not only attractive but also is the right one that completely matches your needs and preferences.
Things To Consider Before Buying An Iced Tea Maker
Are you having trouble deciding which iced tea maker to buy? There are a lot of features to consider before choosing one but the tea maker should be made of food-grade material so that you can enjoy the tea for a long time. Moreover, as ice teas take time to brew it is better to choose the one that has the capacity to hold a large quantity of fluid.
Electric or manual
When it comes to iced tea makers, most users might prefer the electric ones since they are faster and also involves less work. But the manual ones also have their own advantage such as not requiring electricity, which means they can be easily carried outside for picnics or camping, and also the fact that they are a lot easier to clean.
Size
Your iced tea maker is going to be placed on your home kitchen counter or on a table at your office when it is going to be used, and hence it should not be too big that it takes up a lot of space on your table. But you also have to remember that iced tea makers have the capacity to make a large quantity of tea at once, for example, 3 quarts, which can justify the fact they are a little bigger compared to other kitchen appliances. Depending on how much tea you and your family consume and how much space you have on your kitchen counter, you can decide on the size of your iced tea maker.
Design
Since iced tea makers are used in areas that are easily visible, not only should they be able to perform efficiently but should also look great and suit your interiors. There are plastic iced tea makers that appear more homely but there are also the ones that look elegant and sleek, which are perfect for office settings.
The pitcher
As you have seen, most iced tea makers come with a pitcher, in which the iced tea that has been brewed by the machine and the ice cubes are held, ready to be poured into your glass. Hence, the pitcher is one of the most crucial aspects that can determine which iced tea maker will be the perfect one for you. If you have children at home and do not want a glass pitcher, then you could go for the plastic ones that are not brittle. Also, if you want to avoid any risks of spillage, then you can go for pitchers that have airtight lids, which have an added advantage of being able to preserve the flavor of your tea for a longer time. The pitcher's holding capacity also determines the amount of iced tea you can make at a time so it is important to assess what type of pitcher you are looking for and then go for the appropriate product.
Auto shut off feature
In case you are planning to buy an electric iced tea maker, it is better to look for the auto turn-off feature. Electric tea makers reduce the time required to process the tea and serve the refreshing tea within minutes. As it works fast, it needs to have the feature to turn off automatically, so that you can enjoy the flavor of the tea as you like. If it does not turn off automatically, it will keep on brewing making the strength of the tea stronger.
Airtight lid
Tea is known as a refreshing drink and flavors enhance the taste of the drink to a hundred times better. To keep the flavors intact, an airtight lid on the pitcher is necessary. Moreover, the manual iced tea makers need airtight pictures most as they are kept in the freezer for a long time and the smell from other foods on the freeze can enter the drink. To protect the aroma of the tea as well as to prevent dripping, airtight and leak proof lids should be given.
Plastic strainer or stainless strainer
Most of the brands we mentioned use stainless steel strainers to make them durable. The strainer has a fine mesh that keeps the grinds from mixing with the brewed iced tea and prevents it from creating any residue. Stainless steel strainers are better as they are easy to clean and will not form any tea stains. However, plastic strainers are not durable and stains will develop after a few uses.
FAQ
For how long can I store ice tea in the refrigerator?
Brewed ice tea can be kept for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator if they are unopened. Airtight bottles will keep the flavor of the tea intact and ready to serve anytime you want.
Are glass pitchers better than plastic pitchers?
Both glass pitchers and plastic pitchers have their benefits. Plastic pitchers are easy to maintain as they will not break easily if mishandled but the plastic needs to be food graded. Toxic chemicals can be released when the plastic pitchers are heated that causes various harms to health.
On the other hand, glass pitchers are heavy to carry around and are easily breakable when mishandled. It completely depends on your preference and usage to decide on the type of pitcher.
Do loose tea leaves make more flavorful tea than tea bags?
Loose tea leaves usually are of high quality and the grinds are visible to you to determine if they are small or not. Whereas, tea bags usually contain tea dust that makes strong-strength tea but not as flavorful as loose tea leaves. Teabags are easy to clean and create less mess but loose tea leaves provide flavorful tea.
Conclusion
Iced tea is a must in summer whether it's a picnic or any official event. Also, you won't want to go out just for an ice tea. With ice tea makers you can enjoy the restaurant iced tea at home within a few minutes. Electric tea makers take less time to brew tea whereas manual tea makers take at least 8 to 10 hours to brew time. Some tea makers are capable of making both hot or cold teas.
Moreover, people like to add fruits like lemon, oranges to their teas to enhance the flavor and for that, the filter needs to be big. As the pitchers are made of whether glass or plastics, they are easy to clean. All in all, we have discussed the features of every mentioned tea maker to help you choose the best-iced tea makers for your refreshing summer drink.
I made my first pitcher of cold brew coffee and I am totally in love with Takeya adorable pitcher. I ground my extra dark organic roast coarsely and let it brew overnight and I have the smoothest cold brew for pennies. No more risking the chance of watered-down iced coffee anymore. It is easy to use and fun too!
I love the Breville machine! My absolute favorite appliance in the kitchen. It works so well, it is quite, easy to use, makes fantastic tea, and really is a tea lovers dream. I’m primarily a black tea drinker and for that, the variable temp control is less useful as one can boil water in many other ways, but the constant temperature during steeping and the convenience of setting it and walking away til it is done is great. I have especially felt this convenience when making tea for guests.