We've been using ice tea makers for a long time. Mr. Coffee is our favorite brand as they make the simplest construction. When we first use it, we run many (5-8)cycles without tea to get rid of the plastic smell/taste. We go through 3 qts a day (if not more) so it sees a ton of use. The plastic will conform; you just have to get it hot enough by running consecutive cycles.

Fortunately, we've been using the same model since 1994 and haven't had to do that in a long time.

What brand did you get? The reason we like the one we have is because it makes 3 qt without a strength control. You can let the last bit of hot water steep for stronger tea. They made one with a strength control dial that just didn't do the trick.

I bought a Mr Coffee iced tea maker last year as I found out it's not a good idea to make sun tea and it's harder to make when there's no sun. I washed it real good with baking soda and suds and it tastes fine to me. Actually tastes a lot fresher than the sun tea. We had one at the office but I always thought it looked complicated to use and only one of the office girls made tea, she was the one who suggested we get one. She always said it was so easy, we were just afraid or too lazy to try it. I gave it to her when we closed our business. It's nice to have as we can make quite a bit of tea for a large group without much fuss. It doesn't have a strength control but I would just need to add extra tea bags for a stronger tea, what's so hard about that? Only problem is that it seems to take up a lot of room to keep in my kitchen so I keep it in the box in the garage as I don't use it every day only when the weather is very hot or I have company.

A loud timer is the best solution. Whenever I put water on to boil on the stove and leave the kitchen, I set the timer for 5 minutes. It's too easy to get distracted and forget what I'm doing. I do the same thing when I add water to the pond - I set the kitchen timer for 5 or 10 minutes so that I will remember to go back into the back yard to turn off the hose. I've flushed the pond out several times before I starting doing that. A couple of the times I think it was good for the pond because the water was a lot clearer afterwards, and it didn't hurt the fish.

I only like ice tea when it is brewed in a glass or ceramic pot - plastic simply will not do. Get a digital timer that has multiple settings - they're cheap. Or get several timers - they make them now with vibrating settings, so that you can put them in your pocket and forget about it.

Lars

I don't have an iced tea maker but I wanted to suggest an electric tea kettle instead. I have had one in various forms all my life. They shut off automatically and usually last forever! I don't know that brands are that important as I have had a Krups, Bodum and Capresso in the past.
So many things taste like plastic these days. I wonder if we are all getting more sensitive or they are using more chemicals to make the plastics. I am personally trying to avoid anything in a hard plastic containers. I stopped buying bottled water in plastic because I could taste and smell the chemicals.
Good luck!

I have one but rarely use unless its the dead of summer and DH asks :) Its a Mr Coffee no auto shut off but its done us well.

I also have the Mr. Coffee brand iced tea maker and I use it all summer. I don't use tea bags, I use loose tea and a coffee filter, but I really like it and I drink a lot of iced tea in the summer.

Mine never tastes badly, though, so I don't know what is up with yours.

Annie

If you didn't already have it I'd have suggested an electric tea kettle too. They're great and as said, they have automatic shutoffs.

I've had a water machine since we had a very bad bout of iron water a few years ago. We fixed that with an ionzer but kept the water machine since we both drink much more water having it cold on tap [it's too hard to set up our fridge with the water and ice maker]. The past year we needed a new one and our water guy got us one with a hot water tap. That thing actually makes water hot enough to make great tea! I was so surprised. I guess I shouldn't be since if any electic appliance can make hot water why not the water machine. This one does make the water hotter than even the coffee machine does so we use that for making pots of tea or for iced tea.

I have a small kitchen timer that I wear on a cord around my neck. It's wonderful. I can't tell you how many times I've set a kitchen timer, then gone outside and forgotten all about it. This way the timer goes with me, so I don't have to worry about not being around to hear it go off.

I got mine from King Arthur Flour, if you are interested. I actually used some for stocking stuffers at Christmas this year.

Thanks for the ideas. My tea maker is a Mr. Coffee with adjustable brew strength control. I kind of want it to work out because it comes with a nice big pitcher... my only other pitcher is 1 quart and I have to make tea all the time. The 3 quart pitcher that came with the appliance holds a lot of tea and has a comfortable handle as well. But, it's going to be a pain to find room to store, and if it's going to make the tea taste like plastic every time it just may go back. I will look into electric kettles. I know Target has several attractive models to choose from, some of them even cordless!

Though I haven't made another test batch, I've run 7 cycles of plain water now in an effort to get rid of the plastic taste. I've only overfilled it and flooded the counter 5 of those seven times... not too bad, huh?

Good heavens.

I had one years ago and was never crazy about all of the cleaning and the plastic pitcher etc.

A while ago, I read a Cooks Illustrated (or America'a Test Kitchen) article on the best iced tea. It sounded crazy, but it works!!! Delicious tea everytime.... in the microwave!! Now I'm an oldfashioned tea lover from the south who loves her tea and consider myself pretty picky so I was shocked that it works!

Basically you put the tea bags (or loose tea if you prefer) with water in the microwave. If I'm making 10 cups of tea, I might use 6 cups of water and about 4 family size bags, but I'm very flexible on all this. You heat the water (and tea) on high until bubbles begin to form along the edges of the top of the water and it sort of "moves" a little. NOT to boiling. Let steep for exactly 3 minutes and remove bags or strain. Adjust strength by adding more water.

After a few times, you get to know your microwave and water temp and can just set the microwave and not be watching it. I do have to set a timer though to remind myself to go back and remove the bags.

Grace

Yet one more person who will suggest an electric kettle. They heat water quicker and more efficiently than a stove-top kettle because the water is in contact with the heating element AND as already mentioned, they automatically shut off when the water comes to a complete boil. I have 2 in my kitchen and even use an electric kettle to heat water for washing up a few dishes (using a small plastic tub - NOT a huge sink full of water) or clean-up after a meal.

-Grainlady

I love my Mr. Coffe iced tea maker -- have been using it for over a year now.

I just wish I new how to clean it. The plastic pitcher is all stained -- makes me wonder what tea does to your teeth!

stir fry, I put my plastic pitcher in the dishwasher, along with the plastic basket. The basket goes on the top rack, the pitcher on the bottom.

It always comes out fine, no stains, but I think that dishwashing detergent has bleach in it.

I do know that I have tea stains in some cups and I put a bit of bleach in them, then fill with water and soak and it gets those out.

Annie

I was given an electric teapot by T-Fal and I love it. I would have never bought one for myself but this was a Christmas gift. I can heat 1 cup or 2 liters. I turns itself off when it gets hot.

I put tea bags in a coffee mug and nuke them. From there I pour it into an old 1/2 gallon juice jug, add honey, fill mostly full with cold water... and shake until the honey is disolved. I like the screw on cap as I take these to work... nuke a cup for hot tea and on ice for cold tea.

If I need a more automated process I hang a couple tea bags in my coffee pot and let the drip coffee maker heat the water. Not as fast as the microwave but automated so I can be doing other things.

If you find marbles that work let me know... I seem to have misplaced a few of my own. A couple times I've come home from work and my tea was still in the microwave. Tea is $1.25 for a little bottle in the vending machine at work so I really pay for those mistakes.

: )
lyra

That microwave tea idea is great, may try it when I need to make me a small batch of iced tea. I read on a tea site that you should not boil water for making tea, nor reboil, just until you see bubbles starting to crawl up the side of the kettle or pan, my GD says when it starts to make music. I have an electric teapot but I have to watch it, otherwise I'll come back and it's stopped boiling and gotten too cold. I keep my iced tea in the fridge as DH is not an iced tea drinker. And, haven't you noticed that some tea drinkers do have stained teeth?

I found and used this today and thought of you-Bobby.

If you have a pc in your kitchen area, this is perfect. I have my laptop at the kitchen desk so this worked fine because I could see it and hear it clearly when the timer went off.

For a long time I have used the timer on a rope that Peppi gave me. That way I can leave the kitchen and still be reeled back with the timer goes off.

Here is a link that might be useful: On-Line Full Screen Egg Timer