Valuemom’s History of Iced Tea

I absolutely love iced tea and have tried many types over the years. Back in the dark ages, tea was made by brewing hot tea and then cooling it in the refrigerator. This took several hours, although the tea was excellent! Then, in the 70’s, “sun tea” became the rage. You plunked your teabags in a glass container and set it in the sun to “brew” for the afternoon. Now this method saved energy (being solar), but it took a long time. Not only that, if the sun did not cooperate, your tea could turn out weak and disappointing. Even more worrisome, there have been some reports of the tea being a breeding ground for bacteria since it took so long to “brew” prior to refrigeration. So, it was with great anticipation that I purchased my first Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker. The ads stated that it would brew real iced tea in only 10 minutes! Now that was what I called progress!

Progress, Progress, Progress

I must say that the original model lived up to my expectations. The machine was simple to use and produced tea as good as any I have ever had. Tea would actually be ready to drink in the 10 minutes advertised! What more could I ask for you say? Well, as the years past, Mr. Coffee has offered several improved models. First they began to offer an “extra” pitcher with some sets. This was a great idea because you could be using one pitcher while the other was being washed, or you could make up two pitchers at a time for a big event. They then began to offer a 3 quart model. The 3 quart model was also offered with an extra pitcher in some cases.

There were other improvements in the brewing mechanisms as well. The original model worked by passing the heated water through the brew basket into the pitcher. Some of the water passed through directly, but some of it was retained in the basket until you released it with a slide button at your desired strength. Now this did allow one to brew stronger or weaker tea, but the downfall was that you might forget to release it and the resulting tea was almost strong enough to eat its way completely through the pitcher! The new models have a slide switch which allow you to pre-select a strength and it is done automatically by allowing the water to pass through more or less slowly.

Tragedy

Alas, after many years of service, tragedy struck. The handle on my pot’s pitcher broke! “No problem,” I thought, “I will just buy a replacement.” I checked out the local house ware stores. I checked the manufacturer. I scoured the internet. No luck! The changes in models resulted in the fact that my old pitcher was no longer available. So, in spite of the fact that the tea maker still worked fine, I had to replace the entire unit. But, I did use it for approximately 8 years, so I guess I got my money’s worth.

So, How Does It Work?

So, on to the details of the Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Pot Model TM14. Using the tea maker is very simple. You fill the pitcher to a marked point with cold water depending on the quantity of tea you desire (1, 2 or 3 quarts). Remove the “brew basket” from the main unit. Pour the water into a reservoir in the unit below the “brew basket”. Replace the “brew basket”. Place into the basket a paper filter (although I confess that if I use tea bags I skip this), and the desired amount of loose tea or tea bags. I generally use 7 tea bags for 3 quarts. You can use flavored teas, decaf tea, or herb teas as well. Fill the pitcher with ice to the designated point. Place the pitcher snugly against the unit (there is a bump on the unit which fits into a notch on the pitcher, so you know you have it right). Push the power button and you are done. In a matter of minutes, tea will begin to pour into the pitcher. After it is done brewing, either refrigerate or enjoy. The appliance will shut off automatically. If you don't have enough ice, you can still use the machine with just water, although your tea will have to chill in the fridge which sort of negates the whole purpose.


The Only Thing I Don’t Like

I guess no product is perfect. The biggest downfall of this product is that it is not dishwasher safe. Now, of course, the tea maker itself would not be suitable to place in a dishwasher...but I think that it would be a lot more convenient if the components such as the pitcher, lid and brew basket could be washed in the dishwasher. Being plastic, the manufacturer does not recommend this. I will confess that I have washed those components of my older model in the dishwasher on the top rack. However, you will remember that the pitcher did eventually crack and that might have had something to do with it. The lid to this newer model does not look dishwasher safe to me.

Other Details

I think it is important to note that with this iced tea maker you can make fresh, healthful tea for just pennies. Iced tea has become more and more popular recently. The tea sold ready made in stores is far more expensive and also contributes more waste to the environment.

As with other coffee and tea makers, the manufacturer recommends de-liming the unit every 40 to 80 brew cycles by running vinegar through it. I suppose this would be a prudent thing to do, although I used my previous unit for 8 years quite successfully without ever having to do this. If you have lots of minerals in your water, though, you might want to follow their recommendation.

The unit has a 1 year warranty. Service can be obtained by calling 1-800-672-6333 or contacting the company at:

Sunbeam Service Center
c/o Warranty Center
117 Central Industrial Road
Purvis, MS 39475







Recommended: Yes

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