Breville BTM800XL Tea Maker Infuser and Water Kettle, 51 oz, Brushed Stainless Steel and Glass

I have been looking at tea kettles for several months. This was always the one I considered the top of the bunch. Although I have always been more into tea than coffee, my tea making has always been on the amateur side in regards to experience. Some recently opened tea shops in town changed all that, and I have switched over to only loose tea. The biggest issue I had when making tea was distraction. I either steeped it too long, or the temperature of the water was too hot - resulting in bitter tea. I needed a solution, and the Breville was the answer. I splurged, and bought the Breville BTM800XL. After two weeks, I do not regret spending every cent on it. The Breville came well packaged. There was a "quick start" card for those not wanting to read the whole instructional manual - meaning me. In the two weeks since owning it, it has been used at least three times daily, using up to five different teas of different brewing temperatures and brewing times. I have brewed tea using the custom settings as often as using the pre-set controls and have not noticed any significant difference. Here is my list of pros and cons: PROs - does what it says it does - makes a perfect cup of tea every time - small footprint - doesn't take up too much counter space - pre-set times and temps guarantee a great cup of tea, every time - ease of use - fast. Water temps are achieved quickly. - cool factor. Everyone is mesmerized by the automatic basket. - automatic basket. At first I thought this may be a bit gimmicky, but so far, it is an ingenious invention. CONs - In custom mode you can only vary the temperature in five degree increments. It would be nice to be able to adjust the temperature in one degree increments. - It should come with an "Off" button. So far everyone who has used it says the same thing, "where's the Off button?" It is not readily apparent how the unit turns off, unless you read the whole instructional manual. - a bit expensive I highly recommend this tea maker to anyone, but understand that only the those particular about their tea would be willing to spend this kind of money on a tea kettle. A shame really, as if it was priced $75-100 dollars less, I bet they would sell thousands more.

Update: The heating element stopped working today after 8 years and over 5000 pots of tea later. Money well spent. I ordered a new one immediately! ------------- First off, I bought mine in 2015, so I'm reviewing it after years of use. I still use this tea maker for 2-3 pots every day. I felt like I was paying a ridiculously extravagant amount for something just to make tea, but at this point, my use works out to around $0.06 per pot of tea. Think of that next time you order at your local coffee shop! I can't recommend and speak to the value for your money of this product enough. Stop reading reviews and add to cart! The amazing: - Perfect pot of tea every time, never bitter - Push of 1-3 buttons is all it takes to customize the perfect pot - Extremely sturdy - I've bumped the glass several times on the faucet and have no chips, cracks, or scratches after all these years. The mechanics of this are still working perfectly - Custom settings are remembered by color. I have a white I brew for 30 seconds and if I select white and custom, it goes back to that 30 seconds I set previously - Cleanup - tea stains, but you can get this pretty well cleaned and an occasional use of their magic powder will make it look like new even years later. - Replacement parts are available - if you go to their website to order more powder cleaner, you'll see they also have parts like the basket and lid that can be purchased individually though I haven't needed to. - Your friends will love tea at your house because you can't get a cup like this in the US outside of a tea house. - Order bulk tea by the pound to get better quality and save money, and skip the bags! The bad: - if you're in the US, you'll never be satisfied with a cup of tea outside of an official tea house again. You'll realize just how bad coffee shops are at making decent tea Recommendations from my experience: - If you drain the pot when it's still really recently finished, put just a little water in the bottom while it cools down. It will help naturally clean the bottom and keep it from getting a little crusty brown (it can always be cleaned, but the water method is easier) - I do drain mine in to thermoses that I drink throughout the morning/ afternoon. The reheat feature doesn't keep it hot for too long. Also, the leaves tend to drip off excess water into what's left in the pot in the hour or so after brewing. These drops end up being super-concentrated tea that can turn the remainder of your pot slightly bitter - Plan to use the powder cleaner at least 2-3 times a year for a refresh/deep clean of the entire pot

This is just superb. Its main virtues are the simplicity of use across the entire spectrum of teas, brewing time and perfect operation -- these are not enough to justify the price. What makes it unique is that it brings out every nuance of taste,,aroma, robustness or subtlety of the leaf. I don't think it is possible to make a better cup of tea. For black teas of even average quality and hence lower price, it produces a very clean taste -- including for Assams, which can be nastily bitter. It brews a very crisp and lively Darjeeling (sorry for the verbal gymnastics here -- flavors of tea, like wine, are hard to describe.). My preferred oolongs, including Big Red Robe and aged oolong, are far better and more aromatic than I have been able to achieve by any other method.This has encouraged me to buy higher priced speciality teas because I know that the Breville will .bring ou thie best characteristics while i can only approximate them. Greens and whites are a little fuller-bodied with none of the watery taste tan boil-and-pour into the pot. Pu-ehrs don't come out so well. That seems to be because they need some whirling in the teapot, which is the opposite of the Breville gentle basket immersion. High end Japanese teas don't improve through the Breville, though that may be because of the short freshness period and export issues. Gyokuru, which is a temperamental beast at the very best of time, remains untameable. I have no idea how the Breville achieves such a better brew but it truly does. Now for the flaw... This is my second Breville because the first one got some software/hardware combination problem that left the basket moving all over the place, no response to the settings and a crazed large glass vessel stuck useless on the counter. Breville offers videos and processes to fix the problem. They didn't work. This is a known product flaw as evidenced by the many sites asking questions and offering solutions. Breville hasn't dealt with it -- or at least hadn't by June, when I finally junked my first machine. It's a product flaw and the warranty doesn't cover it. Customer service was affable and unhelpful. I decided to buy a replacement six months later, because it is indispensable for any loose leaf tea drinker. It really is superb. Normally, I'd avoid a company that sells a product with known and serious malfunction risks, but I'll take the risk because of the benefit. Perhaps the problem has been fixed. I recommend you browse aorund the Web to make your decision. It is not an inexpensive machine and there are virtually no deals around. So it is more expensive than buying a decent table or smartphone.

This is a top-of-the-line tea maker and absolutely worth the investment. I would still be using my original one if I hadn’t accidentally dropped it. After that, I tried switching to a cheaper model and quickly realized that was a huge mistake. Nothing compares to this one. The build quality, performance, and consistency are outstanding. If you’re serious about tea, this is the one to buy. I won’t make the mistake of going cheaper again.

I LOVE this machine! My absolute favorite appliance in the kitchen. It works so well, it is quite, easy to use, makes fantastic tea, and really is a tea lovers dream. I'm primarily a black tea drinker and for that, the variable temp control is less useful as one can boil water in many other ways, but the constant temperature during steeping and the convenience of setting it and walking away til it is done is great. I have especially felt this convenience when making tea for guests. In the past tea making was a multi-step process that required me to step away from the party to set water boiling, again to pour over leaves, and again to get the tea after having timed it. Now I can simply set it up and walk away knowing that it will alert me when it is all ready! [A word about guests: I prefer to offer my friends a variety of teas. The one draw back to the Breville vs my old method is one can only make one kind of tea at a time. So either I use the tea maker simply as a hot water kettle and make tea by the mug or smallish pot or I make one kind at a time. So I decided to hold on to my old hot water kettle so that if several guests want one kind I can make it in the Breville while the one or two that desire a different kind can have theirs made individually with water from the kettle. It is a rare logistical issue, but it does happen from time to time]. The Tea Maker has also given me a great appreciation for green and oolong teas. Green in particular was never "my cup of tea" ;) but after using the Breville Tea Maker I can really say that it makes a world of difference having it steeped at the proper temperature and not scalded by boiling water! The same goes for Oolong and White teas. Now, obviously, it is pricey and was a total splurge/birthday money kind of purchase. But it is totally worth it. I use it several times a day and I've owned it for a little over six months and it still works great. For care and maintenance I've used the "Revive tea cleaner" product to clean it and I've used more homemade solutions and both work fine to get rid of the residue that develops after continued use. However the Revive stuff really is super easy and makes it gleam like new. Several reviewers have warned that this is a fragile item and, as it is made of glass, I can only imagine that is true! I've not dropped it or smashed it against anything and I warn everyone who might be tempted to wash it (like my wife or in-laws) that the base of the carafe is not to get wet and that has effectively scared all away from touching it but me :) So I'm careful to not mishandle it and all has been well. I love this tea maker and can't imagine going back to a world before it. I miss it when I'm on vacation! If you are someone who loves the ritual of tea making, this will of course not really be up your alley. But for those of you who sometimes want to enjoy that ritual and often just want a good, bold cuppa? Spring for the Breville, it is well worth the expense. Man, all this reviewing has me hankering for some tea, thankfully I've got some brewing in the kitchen as I type! Cheers!

Breville has done yet another wonderful job of marketing their products as a "high end" consumer item but when it comes to delivery they've failed in every measure. We purchased this tea maker and were happy with it's daily use for about 3 months. There were some rust-like deposits building up on the base of the tea basin so we called to ask for advise and to try an alleviate our concerns about the problem. Breville said to clean the unit with some vinegar so we did. A week or two later we went back to Breville and they then said to try something else - baking soda. We did that and still, nothing. Our concern that the spots were rust was not being addressed and no matter how many times we asked they not only denied it as a possibility but kept blaming it on the tea we use. Isn't that strange? Tea causes discoloration on a tea maker in less than 3 months, wow, what a design! In any event we didn't give up as it became a clear mission that we do everything possible to see how ready Breville was to make right what obviously is a design flaw. When we went to them the third time then told us to buy some third party product called CLR. We'd never heard of it and when we did the research we conveyed concern as their instruction manual said to NEVER use anything other than water and tea in the actual pot. We submitted, paid $30 to buy a product we never heard of and then when we got it were scared that this toxic substance was going to affect tea taste and of course our health but Breville assured us after talking with R&D that this was the best product on the market and would solve the problem. Guess what - didn't even change the markings on the tea kettle one bit. When we called Breville - now 5 weeks after we reported the problem - they said they needed pictures before they could further assist. This was starting to get silly so we made it clear to them that most consumers who can afford to pay this much for a tea kettle wouldn't dare take their time to do such high maintenance efforts, let alone take time to email pictures and such. As you'd expect, at this point we continued with the mission and provided the pictures. Breville disappeared for a week or more and then came back to us saying that they'd be willing to replace the kettle and they'd ship out a FedEx label so it would be at no cost to us. Wow, we were impressed, that only took 2 months... What happens next? We get an email with a FedEx label that is good for two days and two days only. We were expected to pack, ship, and be without a tea maker for the entire time that they inspect the defunct kettle. We drink tea 2-3 times a day so expressed our clear displeasure with this approach and suggested they send us a replacement and that way we can put the label on the box that the replacement kettle came in - saving us time to package and of course ship something that clearly failed for causes that had nothing to do with us. Well, we've never seen that replacement kettle and so we've not only been burned by Breville but likely many others will unless they've as much time to invest in their tea as we do. Point is, DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT UNTIL THEY WORK OUT THE KINKS - 1 TO 2 YEARS I'M GUESSING. The customer support is horrid, the sensitivity to the customer needs is the worst we've seen for a kitchen appliance, and of course the cost is high so that is a really bad combo!

Purchased the Breville Tea Maker a few weeks ago, partially based on the great reviews and our experience with the great Breville items we already own. I wasn't disappointed. This is a neat gadget. It does have it's flaws for a $250 Tea Pot. We're not avid hot tea drinkers, but, we love good iced tea. Since my wife makes great iced tea we had something to compare the Breville to. I'm not a Tea Consignor, just a guy that enjoys iced tea. Lipton Tea suits me fine in a pinch. I find the Breville seems to make tea on the weak side, Even at the strong setting it tastes weak to me. This is not only iced tea, but, hot tea as well. When I set it using the custom setting and increase Black tea to 5 minutes instead of 3, it comes closer to what I'm use to. By the way, the tea is always aromatic and clear. It's amazing to watch in operation. I have yet to set it and walk away. I enjoy watching it brew a pot of tea. I use the basket setting which constantly lowers and raises the basket during the brew cycle (makes sense to me) . Now, why I can't rate this thing 5 stars. The tea basket holes are too large as many have stated before. Small particles escape the basket. Quite a serious design flaw on a $250 item. I had to purchase a separate tea strainer $13. The water level markers on the carafe should be on the side for easier reading. This has also been mentioned before. If brewing at the 120ml the tea basket bottom will be in the water if not careful causing premature brewing. As the tea basket drops into the water the temperature drops and does not maintain the set temperature as mentioned by others. It is hard to clean, especially the tea basket. I have a problem getting all the loose tea from the basket after brewing. The Breville Tea Maker has many nice attributes and I do like the thing and can tolerate the small problems, but, just can't rate in 5 stars. I give it 4 because it is a great gadget. If Breville would fix these small items they would really have a $250 Tea Maker.

I would give up home Internet access before I'd give up this tea maker -- it is an AMAZING appliance. I'm a budding tea connoisseur that loves loose leaf teas to be brewed correctly and at the right temperature. The Breville One-Touch Tea Maker is the only tea brewer I know of that does a phenomenal job of brewing tea that is to be enjoyed to the last drip. What I love: - Brewing tea is easy. - The instruction manual is extremely well written. - You can brew using their preset brewing cycle for several different types of teas or you can custom program it the way you like. - You can wake up to freshly brewed tea with its Auto Start Option. - There's a keep warm feature that works up to 60 minutes after the tea is brewed. You do have to turn this feature on after the brewing cycle and each time after you pour yourself a cup and return the carafe to the base. - The way the brewing basket works is so space age. - There's a Basket Cycle available that allows you to auto lift and lower the tea basket for maximum tea infusion--it aerates the leaves. - The carafe top has a strainer in front that prevents any wayward leaves from escaping into your cup. - You can boil water with this appliance for other uses. - There's a space under the base for storing the electric cord, which I found of sufficient length but others might still think it's too short. - It is simply a GORGEOUS machine that looks great on my counter top. - It's a pleasure to watch the brewing cycle. - You can wash all the parts EXCEPT for the base (obviously) and the carafe itself (that needs special care of wiping down or rinsing gently inside only) What I hate: - The cost --- it's the most expensive small appliance I've ever personally purchased in my life; but I'm not sorry I own it. This is a superior tea brewer from a manufacturer well known for its quality products. However, despite how wonderful I think this machine is, it is certainly not for everyone. If you are a tea bag fanatic that covers up your tea with milk and sugar or only drinks black tea, then perhaps this isn't for you because you probably won't notice any flavor difference in the brewed cup. However, if you just love different loose leaf teas and want to experience the various subtleties in the liquor of these different brews, then this is "THE TEA MAKER" worth saving for. Update November 23, 2012 - After using this tea maker for almost two years, I bought another one for myself as a backup or for when I want to make two different flavors of tea at a time. I cannot picture the day of having to live without this tea maker and since the price came down $50 (from my original price of $250), I decided to splurge and buy it for myself for Christmas. I have the Nesco TM-1 Teamaker, 1-Liter which is very good for brewing black tea but this Breville is the only tea maker I can't part with. Update December 26, 2013 - I alternate between the two one-touch tea makers I purchased and I have come across one design flaw. I've noticed that water gets stuck in the carafe cover. I rinse the cover by hand and since it is made by two pieces screwed together, apparently the seal is not air and water tight. As a result, I hear water sloshing around inside. Sometimes I'm able to get it to drain out and other times it just stays in there. So far this is the only flaw I found after using one unit for 2 years and the 2nd one I purchased for 1 year.