Best Pitcher for Iced Tea

[sambo082]

I'm looking for some help on finding a pitcher that would be great for making iced tea now that Spring is here. I found a few that might work but I can't help thinking there might be some better choices out there. My Ideal pitcher would be 50 oz. made from thick glass and no plastic and has a lid w/ a filter. The closest I've come to finding what I want is the camellia cylindre glass tea maker from Teavana. It is smaller than I'd like it to be though. http://www.teavana.com/Tea-Products/Tea ... -Maker.axd

My second and third choices are from Bodum http://www.bodumusa.com/shop/line.asp?M ... X67AMC99F6

http://www.bodumusa.com/shop/line.asp?M ... X67AMC99F6

The problem with the latter two is that they contain plastic. I'd like to avoid plastic for several reasons. I do not want a plastic taste to my tea. I do not want harmful chemicals such as BPA contaminating my tea. It retains odors and stains. The only positive is that it takes a lot for it to break unlike glass which is a big plus for me. I e-mailed Bodum and asked if their plastic contained BPA and have gotten no reply.

Any suggestions for a good iced tea pitcher would be welcome.

[Victoria]

You are going to brew hot tea in the pitcher, then let it cool? Is that why you want a filter?

If so I would consider getting a nice glass pitcher you like and using
the large size fill your own tea bags. Or make a tea concentrate.

Love the look of the Bodum. Been tempted to get that one myself.

[Chip]

I use a large regular old Bodum "coffee press" to brew and then pour into a pitcher. I will often brew a concentrate and then dilute it to the proper strength in the pitcher.

With the Bodum, I use the top as a screen to pour, not as a press.

I have done this for almost 10 years, works well for me.

Welcome to TeaChat, BTW!

[sambo082]

Thanks for your suggestions Victoria and Chip. To answer your question I do plan on brewing hot tea in the pitcher and letting it chill overnight. I don't want to double the amount of tea and dilute with ice cubes because then I would be going through tea in no time at all. Which Bodum do you love the look of? I think either way I will have to use paper filters for teas that turn bitter. That would be easier than fishing out the tea from the bottom when it's done steeping. I have the Adagio filters which are pretty affordable that I'll use. I'm still a newbie when it comes to making iced tea so I'll be doing some trial and error experimenting.

Thanks for the welcoming Chip! It never occurred to me to use a coffee press. I'll see what they have.

[Victoria]

I like the look of the Bodum in your link, the Ceylon one.

[kchan99]

I use a glass pitcher from Lupicia. It has mesh insert to hold the tea leaves. I prepare a cold brew iced tea in the refrigerator, but it is suitable for hot liquids. It is made in Japan. My complaint about this product is its lack of instructions in English; there is a leaflet in the box that is printed in Japanese.

http://www.lupiciausa.com/product_p/41000601.htm

[Victoria]

I just was looking around on eBay and found this one by Bee House.

No Poly. Although I'm usually all about glass, this pitcher is sleek and attractive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0395338995

[Cinnamon Kitty]

I just was looking around on eBay and found this one by Bee House.

No Poly. Although I'm usually all about glass, this pitcher is sleek and attractive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0395338995

I agree with you. That is a very attractive pitcher. I've been following some of the links in this thread since we go through a lot of iced tea at my house during the warmer months. As much as I like the look of glass, after breaking a few pieces, having a large glass pitcher bothers me a bit, but the Bee House pot is a very nice alternative.