I purchased this product in hopes it would make the process of ice tea easier. However truly I find that it is just as easy to use my kettle to boil the water and steep the tea in the pitcher that normally holds my tea. The machine it's self is huge when you add the pitcher to it.. it takes up such space on the counter that I find myself putting it away more than using it. Which is another issue, since the machine stays wet for a long time after the brewing process. I have used mine a total of three times and the other times it is merely collecting dust beneath my counter top. The tea you brew can be loose or bagged, three bags will be the prefect if you are losing any tea other than black. I have never had any luck in brewing atop the ice to make the correct 3 quarts it marketed it's self as producing. So for me, three tea bags and the interior tank filled to the point that it will hold it's max. When you add the ice to the pitcher it merely just cools the water.. not truly making and additional tea. In the end.. save your money and just buy an electric kettle.

TheClassicDame

USA

This is the best way to make iced tea! It is super fast and easy! I love how it make it instantly cold! You don't have to wait for the hot tea to cool down before you can enjoy some. The only thing I caution about is to make sure you remove the part that holds the tea bags before adding the water. I made this mistake one time and that was enough to never do that again! If you forget to take it out all of the water you poured into the canister will come gushing out everywhere! Other than that this is the perfect product for tea drinkers everywhere.

slprettyeyes

USA

I am a tea addict and being able to make caffeine free tea at home helps me save money, cut down on the caffeine, and I can add the amount of sweetener and other flavors that I want (pink lemonade). I can set the tea maker and walk away knowing that when it's done it will shut off on it's own. The parts are plastic so I have some qualms about it breaking.

Chansgram

USA

It works great for me. I had absolutely no problems with anything leaking or overflowing. I have given one to a family member last Christmas, and they love it. I will probably give another to a family member this Christmas. Others who have had problems with leaking or overflowing must be doing it wrong or they must have a defective unit. You can only pour in so much water before it starts over flowing out of the front of the unit. Periodically, you will want to soak the pitcher and cup thing that holds the tea in bleach water to clean them up as they do get stained, but that is expected. It doesn't hurt to run some diluted bleach water through it after a year or so to make sure the internal portions are clean. My method is to use 3 or 4 family size tea bags or 5-7 individual size tea bags. I do not use ice. I just fill it up to the proper level and once it is done, I top off the pitcher with water and give it a stir. I then place the pitcher in the fridge. It is simple to use, easy to clean, and it makes great tea. Tea is a cheap alternative to soft drinks, and I try to limit my intake of soda. I have never tried it with loose tea and a filter, but I am sure it will work fine doing so. If mine ever quits working, I would definitely replace it with the exact same thing if it is still in production at that time.

Totengraeber

USA

Filmsy compared to my old Mr. Coffee iced tea maker. They need to go back to the old design. I have one of the older iced tea makers with the hard plastic pitcher, it still works great but I won a new one. I was excited to get the new one... until I tried it. It is really flimsy & if you don't get the pitcher exactly right it leaks. I liked the design of the pitcher but not the thin and flimsy plastic. the pitcher didn't actually fit the brewer very well like my old one. So I gave the new one away and kept my stained up old one that works so much better. The new one is also louder than the old one. I will never understand why companies make things flimsier and more likely to break.. Oh wait yes I do so you have to buy another one quicker. I have had my old one for over 10 years now and will keep that one until I can't use it anymore. then unless they come up with a newer better design I will go back to making my iced tea the old way.

unicorn0827

Atlanta, MI

Decent ice tea but it is very messy. I find it quite hard to clean. Even after the cycle is complete and you remove the pitcher, ice tea will continue to slowly drip out the front creating a mess. The inside where you put the tea gets messy. If you do not wash it right away it will get sticky and very hard to clean. Works relatively well as far as the brewing goes, and has two different brew strengths. It does take a little bit if you put it on the stronger setting, but its still not to long. The pitcher is heavy duty and has lines on it telling you how much ice to put in depending on how much you are making. The lid that comes with the pitcher is nice as well. Comes with a few recipes which are nice as well. Personally I feel that I have had to put in a lot more tea than what there recipes call for or else I think it tastes too watered down. It is nice to be able to make iced teas in a larger batch. I got mine on clearance and I am happy with it considering what I paid. If I had paid full price though, I think I would be a little disappointed.

mamafish80

Salt Lake City, UT

Being from the south part of the United States, iced tea is a daily drink in our home. Instead of using the stove or coffee pot to brew tea, I decided to try out this product and see if it worked just as well. As far as the brewing speed, ease of setup, and taste of the tea, I am completely satisfied. The model I purchased also came with two pitchers (one regular and one bonus), so I can have a sweet tea and an unsweet tea option at the same time in the refrigerator. On the other hand, cleanup for this product is not really that easy. The machine portion that heats the water creates steam that makes a mess on the counter and the pitchers became stained after just a few times having tea in them. The pitchers are also not dishwasher safe so they have to be washed by hand in the sink. Overall, I do not think this is a bad product, just that is might could be designed with better cleanup options.

JenniFoster

USA

There are some great and less than great features about this product. I bought it because my husband drinks a lot of iced tea. The usage of the product was pretty self explanatory, but there were downfalls too. The product itself makes wonderful tea. It's easy to use, and it works quickly. The machine is sturdy; the pitcher is not. Downsides are as follows. The lines on the pitcher that tell you how much water to put in fade or come off after a few months of use and washing. I had to use a marker to put them back on. The machine itself can be a little hard to clean, and if you overfill it even a little (after those pitcher marks come off), you end up with water everywhere. I also find that while the machine is durable, and the pitcher needs to be replaced about once every 6 months to a year depending on how heavily you use it. We took care of ours and the pitcher cracks after so long. Replacement pitchers can be trouble to find, but they aren't expensive.

angelcross

Nashville, TN

I was very disappointed in my purchase of the mr coffee iced tea maker! I purchased this for a Father's Day gift for my husband since he loves iced tea. First off the whole thing is plastic and very cheaply made, second the pitcher that comes with it is such a weird shape (short and wide) that it takes up a TON of room in the refrigerator. The few times I tried to use it, it leaked everywhere, and just made a huge mess in my kitchen. I have found that I can make a much better batch of iced tea by just boiling water on the stove and making a batch the old fashioned way without the fuss and muss of this appliance. I was hoping for something that would simplify the tea making process, but this just wasn't it. I have to admit, it quickly found its way to our nearest value village after all the mishaps we had. Mr coffee make a great simple run of the mill coffee maker, but iced tea maker....not so much!

gymnastjen78

Seattle, WA

I've had the same ice tea maker for years and love it! It's so durable and simple to use especially on those summer days. You can make the tea just the way you like and it's value for money since you can make pitchers full. I've even made ice coffee in mine which also turned out pretty good. This machine has been around for a while but I can still see why it's so popular!

mel91284

Bound Brook, NJ