Iced tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Many people may be under the impression that it’s only popular in America, with so many stories of how hard it is to get ice in other countries. However, there are numerous countries that enjoy this cool, refreshing beverage.
Iced tea is an extremely versatile drink and can be served in numerous ways. It all depends on your preference and what you like. It can be sweet or unsweet, served with your favorite flavorings like lemon, raspberry, peach, strawberry. Some people even enjoy mixing their tea half and half with other beverages like lemonade or cranberry juice.
It’s common practice to steep your tea leaves or tea bags in boiling water. However, many people prefer making sun tea, which uses the heat of the sun to brew or even cold brewed tea by placing it in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. These are all great ways to make tea. If you prefer something faster and more convenient, there are plenty of machines to cater to your needs. These iced tea brewers can brew a perfect pitcher of tea in about 10 minutes.
To Sweeten or Not to Sweeten?
This is usually a personal preference. Many people like their tea so sweet that it could be considered syrup, while others prefer theirs unsweetened. You also have to take health issues into account. With diabetes on the rise it’s best to enjoy your tea unsweetened. Even using sugar substitutes come with their own drawbacks.
Tea is reported to be healthier than coffee and it contains less caffeine. This is the reason that so many have switched to drinking tea over coffee, whether it’s hot tea or iced tea. Icing tea down does cause it to lose some of its antioxidants so you may want to try having a cup of hot tea in the morning before switching to iced.
Should You Buy an Iced Tea Maker?
This is a personal preference. If you love the traditional way of steeping your tea in boiled water, then a machine may not be right for you. If you want to save time and make things easier on yourself, an iced tea maker will be a dream come true for you.
At the top of the electric tea makers is the Breville BTM800XL One-Touch Tea Maker right at $300 at the time of this update. And, if you’re like me and don’t want to pay that much, one of the most popular iced tea machines is the Mr. Coffee 3-Quart Iced Tea Maker. It is relatively inexpensive, less than $30 and offer years of tea brewing pleasure.
Don’t forget you can also buy electric pots for making the perfect cup of hot tea too. The Cuisinart Stainless Steel Electric Kettle is a great machine for this purpose. It’s also extremely versatile if you enjoy different varieties of tea. It offers 6 temperature settings so you always have the perfect cup of tea.
