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I have had 2 other machines. The Zarfina and the TriniTea, neither was truly impressive. This machine blew my socks off.
First the construction. Stainless steel, glass, black rubber, and plexiglass for the kettle handle.
Second totally customizable brew temperature (160 degrees 212 degrees, 5 degree increments), customizable brew time (1:00 to 10:00 in 0:30 increments).
Third amazing magnetically suspended tea basket moves in and out of the tea during brewing.
Fourth keep warm feature, timed start feature, it also keeps track of the time since you brewed the tea so you can track its freshness.
Fifth can operate as an electric kettle, and just heat water if you leave out the basket.
One thing to consider is that the kettle cannot be placed in the dishwasher. To clean you boil water or vinegar for 3:00.
The one thing I feel is that I have gotten every bit of my money's worth from this item. Nothing about it feels cheaply made. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves tea.
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After hearing about this tea maker during a recent visit to a tea shop, I logged in to Amazon to read the reviews, and scoured the web for videos of this tea maker in action. The reviews are correct this is an incredible appliance.PROS:
effortless to make perfect tea
tea comes out exactly right
tea prepared at the proper temperature
water temperature is held while tea is steeped
can be set to brew tea at a programmed time
can also function to just make hot water
keeps tea hot for 1 hour after brewing
includes a tea scoop
CONS:
pricy, but worth the money
carafe cannot be washed under running water
electric cord is a little shorter than I would like (would've preferred 4-6 inches longer)
After unpacking the tea maker, all that's needed is a quick rinse of the basket, and running the tea maker on the hot water cycle with a full pitcher of water, and then you're good to go.
I'm primarily an herbal tea fan, so I grabbed one of my favorite loose teas and gave it a shot. The recommended setting for a strong brew was 5 minutes at 212 degrees. After putting the tea in the basket and hitting the button, the water quickly reached its steeping temperature, and then like magic, the tea basket was gracefully lowered into the water. After the set amount of time, the basket was raised back up, and the tea was ready to drink. A few bits of the loose tea escaped the basket, but a well-designed pour spout features a mesh screen to prevent these bits from making it to your cup.
The device comes preprogrammed for herbal, black, white, green, and oolong teas, but also has a custom mode where you can set your brewing temperature and steeping time. For each of the preprogrammed teas, you can select a brew strength of strong, medium, or mild. I prefer my tea strong, and with the strong setting, the tea came out perfect. If you wanted to make iced tea, you would probably need to set it to custom.
The steel look of the base is sleek and modern, and the illuminated buttons (when pressed) make it easy to determine which cycle the tea maker is using for preparing the tea. The backlit LED display also indicates the selected temperature and steeping time. Once the tea cycle begins, it indicates the current water temperate, then counts down the steeping time once steeping has begun. After steeping completes. the LED displays the amount of time since the tea was brewed, up to 1 hour.
Tea making really could not be any easier than using this product. I was a little unsure of spending this much money on a tea maker, but the tea comes out amazing better than when I've brewed/steeped it manually. I'm seriously considering purchasing a second for my office.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program It's easy to mistake this brewer as fine German engineering, but it's "designed in Australia" and "manufactured in China"--frankly, I have no idea where Germany comes into play or why it's written in the logo on the carafe.With that said, I've waited a couple of months to write my review because I wanted the "ooh, shiny!" effect to wear off; that way there would be more objectivity based on experience and the gremlins hiding in the gears could be flushed out.
When I first opened the package the instruction manual intimidated me because it was the size of a small novel, but after a few minutes it became clear that operation would be much simpler than I anticipated (and it was), and I marveled at the brewer's sleek brushed metal style (it's one kitchen appliance that can be displayed on the counter without embarrassment).
While setting it up I took note of the carafe's weight--it's on the hefty side. Since I generally only make 2-4 cups at a time, it's not a big problem, but when making a full pot or cleaning it, two hands are usually necessary for stability.
On my first few go 'rounds, I used the preset options until my comfort level improved and with a string of great results under my belt I decided to try some of the custom settings. My favorite so far is the automatic brewing--it's like a personal tea butler. You put in the water and tea, set the timer, go to bed and wake up to hot freshly brewed tea. Now if only it could figure out a way to pour itself, add milk and sugar to my liking, and shuttle itself to my bed.... The only quirk is that if you suffer a power surge or outage lasting more than a few seconds, you'll need to reset the clock.
The variable settings, such as changing the brew times in 30 second increments and water temp. in 5 degree increments, allow you to brew tea to suit just about any palate. And once you've found your perfect balance for varietals it remembers your last-used setting so all you need to do is hit the brew tea button.
Another bonus is that, in a pinch, it works with tea bags. Typically you'd boil the water (this thing boils 2 cups of water in under a minute, by the way) and then soak the tea bags in the cup. Instead, pluck the strings, pop the bags into the tea basket, press the tea type button, brew time, and brew. While it doesn't match the taste of loose leaf tea, it's still delicious. (Personal tip: Brew the tea bags for a minute longer than you normally would for loose leaf. Your mileage may vary.)
Cleaning is easy enough--you fill it up with water or a vinegar dilution, click the hot water button, pour it out and wipe it down--but for someone with large hands, getting into the crannies (i.e. behind the rod which lowers the basket) of the carafe when wiping it down can be difficult.
One gremlin I ran into, though, happened when the carafe's lid slipped off the counter and the plastic edge which secures the rubber seal cracked in two places. I was able to jerryrig the plastic back into its holding (still cracked) without harm to the rubber seal, but one would expect a sturdier lid, a lid which could manage a short tumble--less than four feet to the tile floor--unscathed. For me, this was annoying, but minor since it didn't affect the brewer's ability to function.
Overall, I'm happy. This brewer has spoiled me more than I expected--a lesson learned while traveling--and if it were a man, I'd seriously consider marriage.
Honest reviews on Breville BTM800XL One-Touch Tea Maker
I've had tea every morning since my late teens (that was a long time ago). Fairly quickly I learned that tea from bags isn't as full flavored as loose leaf. Water boiled in a saucepan is water useless for a good cup of tea. No one should EVER drink tea from a styrofoam cup. A Thermos makes a better tea pot than a tea pot because it keeps the tea hot and ready. And the milk should go into the cup first, but I understand that's a point of contention so let's table that talk for another time.For now I will say, I really enjoy my morning tea, but have been increasingly annoyed by the process. The older I get, the more I find myself making breakfast for others, the more I don't want to also gather the Thermos and kettle and infuser and tea and sugar, and fill and plug in and wait and unplug and rinse, two, three, four, blah blah blah. I just want the convenience that coffee lovers enjoy. Fill pot, insert tea into infuser, go get the newspaper from the driveway. I just want the convenience of prepping my tea in the evening and having it hot and ready when I wake up!
That was the tipping point. Tea, ready.
Yes, it's yet another appliance, and not cheap, either. But tea is my every day beverage. Every single day, multiple cups in the morning. So I tipped.
There is minimal plastic in the infuser. I wish there wasn't any. One star off because at this price point, there shouldn't be any plastic at all, but it's barely there. I am sensitive to the flavor adulteration that plastic could insert, but it wasn't noticeable even in the very first cup of light, herbal tea.
The One-Touch is engineered in Australia, but made in China for those who are curious. It's solidly built with what appears to be excellent quality control. It boasts a simple, elegant design, understated on the counter and with a small footprint. The controls are straight-forward. It also boils plain water faster than a kettle on the stove, if that's what's required. The lid and infuser are easily removed for cleaning by hand or dishwasher. Occasionally boil water to clean the pot (with an electrical conduit at the base, it's obviously not any more dishwasher safe than any electric kettle).
This is a good find, great technology. And the manual system of Thermos with infuser and electric kettle from my past? We'll take it on the road during travels so whether at home or away, I'll be ready with my morning cuppa.
UPDATE: After using the One-Touch for the week, I realize that one feature isn't entirely straight-forward. After lifting the pot to pour, the "Keep Warm" feature turns off, although it keeps track of how long since the tea was brewed. It's simple enough to get in the habit of replacing the pot and then pressing "Keep Warm" to continue the warming feature.
Also, as others have pointed out, the Keep Warm feature, at 60 minutes, isn't always long enough. For me, it's fine. But if you find yourself in the mood for another cuppa, the Keep Warm has completed, and the remaining tea is rapidly cooling, just top off the fluid level to reach the minimum waterline, then brew for the shortest period using the leaves already in the infuser from the first brew. Better than using the microwave, still delicious. Enjoy!
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Breville BTM800XL One-Touch Tea Maker
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The The Breville One-Touch Tea Maker is a tea lover's dream!I am a tea lover who for the sake of convenience most usually uses tea bags. I very much prefer loose leaf tea prepared correctly but confess to resorting to the easiest and quickest method most often, that is the dismal tea bag.
But now I have theThe Breville One-Touch Tea Maker and proper tea brewing could not be easier or quicker! This is a beautiful electric tea kettle with a movable infusion basket which is fully programmable to brew perfect tea every time, for all types of loose tea~ black, green, white or herbal, and for every taste preference ~ strong, medium, mild or custom.
It is also possible to use the kettle for simply heating or boiling water and it is amazing how quickly it heats to boiling temperature. It is faster than my stove top, so if I still want to brew a cup of tea with a tea bag or make a coffee with my drip cone or French Press, the water is heated to the proper temperature that I desire, in a flash!
Furthermore, it is programmable for automatically starting the tea brewing cycle or simple water heating at any desirable time, as well as providing a keep-warm feature for up to 60 minutes. I have experimented with both having tea or hot water for coffee ready when I wake up in the morning and the results were fantastic!
Most importantly, I need to remark about the quality of taste. The different teas I have brewed with my Breville have a flavor that is out of this world! I have made black, green, mate and herbal, each with different strengths, and all perfect. There can be no comparison between the Breville brew and the tea bag, no matter how fancy or expensive the tea bag might be! With all of its remarkable qualities, there is no reason for me to ever go back to my old ways of making tea. I can now retire my old stove top tea kettle.
The Breville's design is smart and doesn't take up any more kitchen space than a regular tea kettle or coffee butler. It does have a short power cord (with a very clever finger hole in the plug) and I had to get an extension cord to reach the nearest outlet. The power base is easy to program and doesn't take long to perfect according to one's taste or needs. Both the power base and glass jug are well built and the materials are highest quality. (The tea maker is regrettably manufactured in China but I am not going to detract from its rating for that factor).
Special care needs to be taken when cleaning and the jug is most definitely NOT dishwasher safe but I have no problem with that. It's actually a pleasure to take special care of such a high quality appliance.
This tea maker is not cheap by any stretch but I say it is worth every penny for the high quality it provides. I love my Breville and would purchase it again if I had to.
My recommendation for some excellent loose leaf teas:
Octavia Tea Organic Calming Chamomile Caffeine-Free Herbal Tea, Loose Tea, 1.62-Ounce Tins (Pack of 2)
Octavia Tea Organic Lime Blossom Green Tea, Loose Tea, 2.57-Ounce Tins (Pack of 2)
Octavia Tea Winter Mint Caffeine-Free Red Tea/Rooibos, Loose Tea, 4.06-Ounce Tins (Pack of 2)
Octavia Tea Ginger Peach (Organic White Tea) Loose Tea, 1.23-Ounce Tins (Pack of 2)
Octavia Tea Apricot Oolong (Organic Oolong Tea), 1.76-Ounce Tin
Octavia Tea French Breakfast (Organic And Fair Trade Black Tea) Loose Tea, 3-Ounce Tins (Pack of 2)
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