Bumblebeez-- can you get your hand in them to clean out any tea/fruit residue?

I think that style is perfect for the fridge-- but I would like something pretty for when I am sitting/working (office work-- not yard work) outside.

And I bought this recently and love it.

I don't like the plastic ones mainly because they are ....plastic. And they will scratch. the plastic tank in my espresso maker NEVER gets any scrubbing of any kind and yet it has a dullness from just existing.

I use a sponge on a long handle

I have each...I use the plastic outside on the bluestone patio in case it falls...the glass could shatter and become dangerous.

I also have a long handle with a round sponge on the end...got it at the $1 store. I use it for my coffee pot too which has a narrower neck and a rounded body.

We drink iced tea all year and always have one or two pitchers in the refrigerator. i brew tea with boiling water so I needed a container that could withstand high temperature and have been using Bodum for years. Most plastic ones say to avoid boiled liquids. It's oval, doesn't take up too much space and can fit on the frig door. I clean it with baking soda or denture tablets. After constant use it does etch on the inside so I replace them every few years.

https://www.bodum.com/us/en/10619-10s-ceylon

I would a prefer a large glass pitcher with a lid and pouring spout and one that doesn't hog all the refrigerator space but haven't found one that fulfills my requirements - and isn't too heavy. A cup of water weighs about 1/2 pound, a gallon weighs 8.35 pounds.

When we have family or guests for dinner I use one of my Simon Pearce pitchers - they're perfect for sangria too.

https://www.simonpearce.com/drinkware/pitchers/bristol-bar-pitcher

https://www.simonpearce.com/drinkware/pitchers/engraved-fern-ascutney-pitcher-medium

That Simon Pearce pitcher is beautiful!

These are probably not big enough but…

I suppose i could get a bunch of sponges on a stick-- but you all got me all skwicked out on sponges a few years ago lol!

Maire-- I brew my tea like you do, but i make a tea concentrate and let it cool in the pan before I add the pitcher. It's the way i learned (probably because we had cheap pitchers growing up with a billion kids in/out of the house).

LOVE Simon Pierce .. but if i splurge, it will be on their glass trees :)

Sue, that Luminarc jug is what I currently use-- i said Anchor Hocking but was wrong. It's the Luminarc. Definitely like the hand hold especially when it is full.. but the opening is small and they are not pretty :(

I'm sure there are reasons why sponges are awful, but I run them all through the dishwasher.

Funky, I have that rectangular glass B Rocco) pitcher with cover= and I don’t care for it.

It’s heavy. It’s a bit boxy And if you look at the way to handle is close to the body of the pitcher, it’s uncomfortable to hold onto — That geometry does not allow for much knuckles face nor maneuvering or turning the pitcher as you’re lifting something heavy.

Maire-cate. I have that bodum pitcher — ad states it’s plastic. Mine is.

Maybe you got one tha’s glass. The Simon Pierce one is lovely.

I have the Luminarc rectangular one, heavy when full and can be slippery with condensation. Not a looker, but very functional. plays well in busy fridge.

While BPA has largely been removed from plastics for food and beverage, I wonder how many other chemical compound combinations haven’t been studied.

Funky, I have that pitcher. It's meh. Functional.

Grew up with the Luminarc one, meh also.

Really like the pretty fat ones like in the Kool Aide ad from our childhoods.

Oh, and I am pretty sure I read you make your tea in the refrigerator, which is key, since that pitcher does not take hot water.

One of my favorite pitchers is similar to what Sue posted, the ribbed glass with the indentation. It was in the house in Maine when we bought it (we bought it with the contents). It is just so nice to use. I didn't mention it because it isn't the size you wanted, but it really has a nice feel.

We also like our impulse purchase from Ikea:

YES-- the kool-aid commercials. I think my love for the style comes from a quirky mashup of Kool-Aid (which we were not allowed to have) and Tiffany's!

I make my iced tea by brewing 4-6 tea bags (depending on flavor and brand) in ~ 4-5 cups of water in the pan I used to boil the water. I let that sit an hour to step and cool down-- then I add the iced tea concentrate to a pitcher of ice and fill with water.

Hot water never hits my pitcher.. if i am rushing the process, it may be slightly warm water.

ETA I am ok with the luminarc for storage in the fridge. It is actually pretty efficient space wise-- but I hate to clean it and it is not very pretty.

Glass only - lots of problems with acrylic, and you can't put it in the dishwasher.

I only make iced tea with tea that I have brewed in a teapot with hot water for no more than 3-5 minutes. I find tea that has been cold brewed for two hours to taste bitter in comparison. If you add enough sweetener, you probably won't notice that, but I do not like tea that sweet.

I add the brewed tea to a pitcher that already has water in it and maybe some ice.

I don't understand why people boil water to make tea, unless you are in a hurry. To avoid bitterness, do not squeeze the tea bags when you remove them.

I thought you needed either heat (from sun or burner) or special tea bags, no?

Mtn-- i have 2 of those ribbed ones currently-- that's what i am trying to replace LOL.

I think i have realized that they are probably what's best to stack my tea in the fridge (I easily drink more than one a day).. but I'd like to add a pretty one for the outside.. in which case, the lid isn't important after all.

Lars, i don't usually use sweetener-- but i do make a lot of fruit teas which add some sweetness-- or the idea of sweetness. I also like a stronger iced tea.

Sorry, lol.. i feel a little silly. I didn't mean for this to get so complicated!!

Nope. You do not need heat or sun. You just need a bit of time. Put regular teabags in room temp water (ideally room temp). Put it in the fridge. We find it to be to our liking in 6hours.

One needs to experiment with the number of teabags, duration, to get your preferred taste. Our standard is 7 Redrose decaf teabags in a Poland Spring ~100oz bottle. We put the teabags right in the bottle, refrigerate it 6 hours. then decant it into a pitcher when it's done. Pretty much every morning for our family of 5 at dinner in summer esp. None of us add anything to it, YMMV.

ETA - I guess one thing implied here is that we only make our tea with spring water.

ok, I am going to give that a try.. i go through at least 2 qts a day so I could just get into a routine of making it overnight.

My method stains the pain-- so it will save elbow grease too.

That's what we do. It's DH's job. I gave you his "recipe." Again your tastes may vary but the point is you don't need to bother boiling water. I also make herbal teas and tisanes this way. And of course you can also make it directly in the pitcher you plan to serve from...

I think I know the Tiffany's pitcher you like. I have this. It's too small to be useful. I should have bought the matching sugar and creamer.

As for Kool Aide, one of the neighboring children used to have that, and boy were those of us deprived of it not missing anything good. Even six year old me found it icky and I loved those plastic tubes with frozen colored water, Otter Pops (?) so not a particularly hard to please kid over here.

I have a whole set of glasses pictures that I bought at a restaurant we used to go to that was a restaurant and antique shop and believe it or not, vintage bowling alley all in one. I have to take a picture of them they’re very cute. They kind of have that Kool-Aid vibe. Hard to tell but they are a graduated set of 5!

I make iced tea cold too - overnight in the fridge. I mentioned it on Annie D.'s recent thread about iced tea. I had started a discussion about it on the Cooking forum last year sometime(?), wondering how to get clear iced tea. Boiling makes it cloudy, IMPE. And then there's the hazards of dealing with large quantities of boiling water.

I usually make tea in 1 quart jars. If I need more than 1 quart, I make more than 1 jarful. A gallon of water is heavy by itself, let alone in a glass pitcher. I would definitely be wary of the potential for accidents with a heavy, breakable pitcher of liquid.

And citric acid dissolved in hot water will remove the stains from tea and coffee. I use Barkeepers Friend on things that won't show scratches, like stainless steel and ceramics, and on clear glass, I use a spoonful or 2 of citric acid crystals and a little hot water with a soft dishmop or sponge. Works like magic. Sometimes, just soaking in it will remove most of the stains.

The cold brew method releases less caffeine and fewer tannins. I use decaf Tetley regular teabags (not the larger bags labeled for iced tea) and use 12 teabags for 100 ounces of water. I boil the water because I think it releases more flavor, we like it strong and we drink 3 to 4 quarts a day and I want the process over and done with. I fill the pitcher about 2/3 with boiled water and the teabags, wait 5 -10 minutes, remove the bags (and as mtn said - don't squeeze) and then add ice cubes. Then it's ready for the fridge.

The used bags go into garden without the string and tag.

I don't get cloudy tea my way-- but then the tea concentrate I make is added to ice/cold water. I don't know that it is better than anything else-- it's the way my mom taught me back at the dawn of man.

I'd really love a more simple approach-- sometimes I scramble between meetings/tasks to make a fresh batch. I mean i could manage my tea a little better-- but my two containers are less volume than the 100 oz Poland. Does Mr Mtn just stuff the tea bags in the top.. or does he "hang" them? I can't tell how large the opening is. I will need to rig something up for my loose tea. I think i have some muslin bags-- that should work, right?

I go back and forth between spring water and tap-- I have been buying "pretty" spring water for drinking so I have been using tap for iced tea. Looks like i can get the 100oz <$2 at some discounty store i don't normally use. That's less than a single bottle of Hint water!

Zalco, I never actually liked koolaid either-- but the mother of one of my friends was from Georgia and she used to make sweet tea! We had never heard of such a thing-- it was too sweet for me but it felt special when she served it!

Luzianne only here. Brewed strong to go over lots of ice.

LOL.. so many methods! I am going to try the cold brew method-- but I do like my strongish so we'll see. It will make my life easier if i like the flavor.

The Republic of Tea bags leave a lot of residue.. I had already planned to try a batch with 1/2 decaf and half Republic of Tea black tea.

Carol, i have used all of the above.. not just on my iced tea pan but also my yeti coffee cups. I just got something from the Big A.. forget the name but it was recommended by one of my nephews. Both tea and coffee do a job on shiny stainless steel!

Funky, are we separated at birth?

I have been buying "pretty" spring water for drinking

I have always bought Saratoga for company, but in the last month or two, I said to DH --- why don't we buy it for us? And so we have.

As for iced tea, you may have to experiment, but my general point is, I think everyone can find a taste and strength they like without having to boil water. Just vary the number of teabags and brewing duration.

Mr Mtn inserts the tea bags into the PS water container, keeps the strings out, and then screws the cap back on to hold them in place. After brewing, he either extracts the teabags from the finished product (this is apparently a highly skilled procedure and only he has the requisite training) or he pours it into a pitcher.

I have to say (as a non-iced tea drinker) that I am somewhat stunned by the volume of iced tea being drunk in other parts of the country, lol.

Isn't that funny, Mtn!! It's only been the last few months that I've been drinking it regularly too! I love the blue bottles ... most importantly, I drink more water.

Yeah, I have no problem experimenting.. or drinking the results even if they are not quite perfect. I am just stumped on the republic of tea bags -- they're cute but I am thinking they'll be tricky without a string. Also I ordered the Midsummer Night tea which is loose leaves. I just do not have the patience or fine skills of Mr Mtn ... but we'll see how it goes. I suspect they'll come out once they dry out.

Yes, as mtn said. just let th teabags sit in water. cool or refrigerate. i guess i drain water from my teabags, not really wring out bc it overextracts an makes for bitter tea.

I dont like ice tea made with boiling water. i like my iced tea sweet natuarally, not overextraced. Absolutely no need for heat or sun. No ”solar” feel good, sound good, but make lousy tasting tea.

Hmm, I drink a lot of the water that comes out the filter-dispenser on my fridge. If I started buying bottles of water, I’d have to avoid the blue ones because my late stepmother had an obsession with cobalt blue glass. And she was a hoarder. Annnnd I had to clear out that house a few years ago.

Anyhoo. I got into the habit last summer of putting two tea bags into my large tervis water bottle every night, filling with water and putting in the fridge so I had a nice big ”personal” iced tea waiting for me every day. I experimented with a lot of different flavors that way. I need to start again because this discussion is making me crave iced tea!

Sue, that's a great idea -- if I like the cold water/no heat technique, I will likely use the 3L jug but I can surely give it a try today using just a water bottle

My inaugural 3L jug will be delivered tomorrow morning along with the decaf tea. I am planning 1/2 decaf and 1/2 black tea to start.

Speaking of tea, I am also going to order some thai tea-- I don't like the thai tea with condensed milk and sugar but i like the base tea quite a bit. I am going to be overwhelmed with tea options!

I always made the cool diffused tea and sometimes have added a few drops of good quality Culinary Rosewater to it, with ice. Very nice.

Zalco, I have Otter Pops on my grocery list. Look at all the different types on Amazon. Yum.

I'll never use a glass pitcher because when my kids were little I was getting a one gallon glass jug of apple juice out of the fridge and I dropped it immediately. It nearly missed my feet. Shards and juice everywhere.

Most acrylic doesn't have BPA in it, but you have to read the label.

I try to avoid plastics, period. Here is one reason:

BPA is often replaced with a similarly dangerous chemical.
This practice is known as "regrettable substitution." There's no one charged with ensuring replacement chemicals are any safer.

I, too, would never use plastic for anything that's going to sit in it for any length of time. If a large glass container is difficult to handle, why not 2 smaller ones? Those square ones with lids nestle close together nicely in the refer, where the round ones take up more space.

However, we end up buying fluids and foodstuffs in plastic containers:

Juices

Olive and other oils

Smart Balance and similar butter substitutes

Ketchup, vinegars, condiments (acidic)

However, we end up buying fluids and foodstuffs in plastic containers:

This is where growing up with a mother who decanted most anything comes in handy. Honestly the only oil I buy regularly which comes in plastic is grapeseed. Mustard comes in glass, when I am at home milk and cream come in glass, juice comes in plastic, I decant it. Plus I wonder about the cartons of milk and cream, tubes of tomato paste. I imagine they are plastic lined as well. I can't eliminate all the plastic, but on the whole, by choosing more natural food, I get more natural containers.

I try to buy condiments like mustard, mayo and catsup in glass containers (Portland brand is really good and comes in glass) as well as pickles, soy sauce/tamari, tomato paste, etc. Same with oils-always in glass. I buy milk in waxed cartons, don't use margarine. I don't have a choice with cottage cheese or fresh salsa or the few prepared things I get frozen from TJ's. But if I have a choice, I always choose glass or non-plastic.

I don’t normally add sugar to coffee or tea but I bought a bottle of pomegranate molasses today and it is super yummy. A bit in black tea would be delightful.

And lots of other summer bev combinations would be good with the pom molasses, like fuzzy water with mint or cucumber.

Bumblebeez, try rinsing your espresso maker tank with vinegar -- or let water with some vinegar sit in it for a little bit, then wipe it around to make sure you get everything and rinse. There is a good chance the dulling is due to minerals in the water and the acid will help dissolve them and rinse them away. Citric acid crystals dissolved in water will also work, but more folks have vinegar on hand.

Zalco, good idea. I just checked and my California EVOO comes in a dark green glass bottle. That’s good.

I have my first cold brew a-brewing. It has a caramel color going already. Can't wait.

What I didn't recognize from @mtnrdredux_gw's posts is how perfectly the Poland Spring Water 3L bottle is suited to iced tea. It has an indentation for grip.. it isn't too large or heavy and the opening is big enough to easily get tea bags inside. Really great for the production of iced tea.. and easily decanted into whatever you want to serve in.

I did have to search around to find a store that had them in stock (Target). I will probably stock up and keep a bunch in the pantry.

Avoiding plastic is one reason I can/preserve so much. That and it tastes much better and I can make it lower in salt. Mayo in glass is outrageously expensive though . . . also the non dairy versions too.

I had a beautiful glass pitcher for iced tea and sangria but I got rid of it, too heavy to lift easily when filled. I have one quart one I inherited from my mom and one porcelain one same size but it's not clear. I also have a crystal one but that is also too heavy. I maybe need to get another one of the quart sized ones, mine is like that Anchor Hocking one pictures above but it doesn't have a label. Better two small ones than a dropped broken larger one . . . ask me how I know . . . I had a lovely large thin glass one but I broke it due to thermal shock, which was a dumb move . . . I still have another one but rarely use it for fear of breaking it too . . . plus I rarely have enough guests to warrant a gallon pitcher of anything. Even sangria I now make in small batches because my guests don't drink that much anymore, including me, sigh.

I used to think that acrylic stuff was cool but having bought a few pieces, in my experience it gets scratched and also it will shatter if you drop it. I dropped my salad spinner last month and it went bye bye. I have also shattered an acrylic tumbler or mug or two. I know, I know, I am clumsy. Been that way most of my life and years of ballet didn't help . . .

What I didn't recognize from @mtnrdredux_gw's posts is how perfectly the Poland Spring Water 3L bottle is suited to iced tea. It has an indentation for grip.. it isn't too large or heavy and the opening is big enough to easily get tea bags inside. Really great for the production of iced tea.. and easily decanted into whatever you want to serve in.

My DH will be inordinately proud to hear that you like his "recipe!"

I did the cold brew with two big tea bags and just cold water in the refrigerator and it's delicious.