Bodum Ceylon Iced Tea Maker

Name: Bodum Ceylon Iced Tea Maker with Filter

Brand: Bodum

Type: Iced tea maker & pitcher

Review: In keeping with this month’s iced tea theme, I thought I’d review this simple little device for making iced tea. The Bodum Ceylon Iced Tea Maker is a clear plastic pitcher with a removable filter that snugly fits into its side. Tea leaves are placed in the filter, and (depending on your brewing method) hot or cold water is added to the pitcher. When the tea is properly infused, the filter is removed and the tea is poured.

(I confess that I have not tried the hot-brew method with this pitcher. I am perfectly content to use my Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker or IngenuiTEA when I want my iced tea quickly. I use the Bodum Ceylon Iced Tea Maker strictly for cold-brewing (aka “refrigerator iced tea”), a much slower process.)

I like this product and am glad that I bought it. I’ve used it on an almost daily basis since it came in the mail and find that it brews up a tasty batch of tea. If you are a cold-brew enthusiast, give this product a try.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• The filter basket is easy to both insert and to remove.
• The infuser is roomy, and I have had no trouble infusing either large oolong or bulky white peony leaves.
• The hinged lid has an additional filter at the front, which holds back any stray leaves while pouring the tea.
• Works really well for making refrigerator iced tea. Minimal mess, easy clean-up.

Cons:

• The holes in the filter are on the large side. This would not be a suitable infusion vessel for very small/broken tea leaves or herbals.
• The crystal-clear plastic is likely to scratch over time
• Leaves can get stuck in the filter, see my tips below.

Tips for Use: The tea leaves in the filter can rise to the top when water is added to the pitcher. Not all of them fall to the bottom and this can result in a waste of leaves (and a muted tea). I advise adding water slowly to the pitcher, and let the water stream flow directly over the leaves in the filter so as to wet/weigh them down. Periodically check the tea as it brews to make sure that all the leaves are infusing. Push them down with a long spoon if necessary.

Cold-brewing is not always the best method for making iced black teas or rooibos-based tisanes, though Ceylon black teas, with their citrus notes, work well. On the other hand, I love cold-brewing teas flavored with flowers, such as Teas Etc’s Rosy Earl Grey or Lemon Lavender Organic, as the floral notes don’t get that disagreeable “cooked” quality that can happen when these teas are infused with hot water.

The filter basket is long and somewhat narrow, and some users have complained that it is difficult to clean. I clean out the filter in two steps:  Shake the leaves out of the basket into your trash can. Then rinse the filter with cold water so that all the stragglers leave the sides and collect at the bottom of the basket. Shake out excess water, then repeat the first step.

Availability: The Bodum Ceylon Iced Tea Maker is available from both OpenSky as well as Amazon.com.

Sample Provided by Manufacturer?: No

Affiliate Links in this Post?: Yes

Tagged as: Bodum Ceylon Iced Tea Maker, cold-brew, iced tea, pitcher, refrigerator iced tea, tea