Make sweet tea, green tea and tasty fruit infusions with these top-performing picks.
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Sure, you can make a piping hot brew and pour it over ice — but if you're a real iced tea lover, an iced tea maker is a worthwhile buy for streamlining or improving the whole process. The best iced tea makers produce rich, flavorful brews, either by using a cleverly designed pitcher or an electric system similar to a drip coffee maker.
"The benefit of an iced tea maker over purchasing bottled iced tea is that you can make any type or amount you’d like without worrying about added sweeteners, additives and preservatives," says Nicole Papantoniou, Director of the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab. Plus, if you're buying bottles of iced tea regularly, an iced tea maker could save you money in the long run. Some can make enough iced tea for a crowd, while others are great for a smaller number of servings. Most iced tea makers also have the capability to make other chilled beverages, like cold brew or fruit-infused ice water.
The pros in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab tested electric and manual iced tea makers to find the absolute best. We assessed performance using both a hot brew method (steeping the tea using hot water, then pouring it over ice) and cold brew method (where the tea steeps in cold water for 8 to 12 hours in the fridge) in each maker and comparing results side by side, sampling each iced tea for its mouthfeel and distinct tasting notes. We also considered key criteria such as the size, capacity and footprint of the machines and pitchers as well as their ease of use and ease of cleaning.
Read on for more about how we tested and for advice on the best teas to use and the best way to sweeten your brew.
Our experts liked that this iced tea maker is capable of making both hot brew and cold brew iced tea. It offers a flash-chill method so you can make iced tea in no time simply by adding ice to your hot brew and shaking the pitcher for 30 seconds. Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab Reviews Analyst Eva Bleyer found the tea to be "very flavorful and full-bodied." We also loved that this slim, attractive pitcher doesn't take up too much room on a shelf in the fridge, despite its sizable 2-quart capacity.
Offered in four classic colors, the pitcher comes with some extra perks like a handy infuser holder that helps keep tea from dripping all over the counter. There's also a handle on top to help you unscrew and tighten the lid or to shake your tea with ice. This tea maker is dishwasher safe according to the manufacturer, but if you plan on rinsing it out first, we did notice that tea leaves tended to cling to the bottom of the narrow infuser.
This affordable iced tea maker comes with all of an iced tea lover's needs: a tea infuser, a flavor infuser for fruit infusions and a chill core to keep iced tea cool without diluting its flavor with melted ice. Each component of this tea maker is dishwasher safe except for the chill core, and every part comes with a helpful handle to make removal from the pitcher super easy. Our experts loved the tasty cold brew this tea maker produced; Bleyer found it "clean, flavorful and not too aggressive," whereas the hot brew results were drastically weaker.
Though this pitcher's 2.9-quart capacity should be enough for most families, Primula also offers the 1-gallon Big Iced Tea Pitcher, which produced hot brew that outperformed the Flavor It pitcher in our tests. Just keep in mind that it will require more fridge space due to its round shape.
Nostalgia's electric iced tea maker is extremely easy to use and will make big batches of iced tea in no time. All you have to do is measure your loose leaf tea into the filter basket (you can also use tea bags), fill the water reservoir with water, add ice to the pitcher and start the brewing process.
This iced tea maker heats the water when turned on, so it's not designed for cold brewing tea, but our experts appreciated that it was fast and intuitive and that you could easily adjust the strength of your tea prior to brewing via a dial. Though our testers found the iced tea to be ultimately less flavorful than others, it still had decent body and wasn't quite as bitter as other hot brews.
This electric machine has the same basic functionality as other models — adjustable strengths, a reusable filter basket and a built-in pitcher — but it also has one bonus characteristic: It comes in a cheerful and summer-ready shade of blue.
Our testers loved the tea this electric machine produced. Deputy Editor Sarah Wharton found the flavor "bold and smooth without being overly astringent," and Bleyer commented that it was "balanced and flavor-forward without being watery." This is our top choice for those looking for an easy-to-use electric iced tea maker that can produce enough to serve a family or a few guests. Just keep in mind that you may need dedicated counter space as the size and function of this iced tea maker make it harder and less convenient to store in a cabinet.
This high-quality coffee maker also works for iced tea. It allows you to create a concentrate that you later mix with water when you're craving a glass of iced tea. According to the brand, you can store your concentrate in the fridge for up to two weeks. Our experts love its efficient design that won't take up much space, and we found that the built-in tap made it easy to pour ourselves tea (just don't forget to close the tap!). Bleyer noted that the handle was sturdy and made moving the pitcher from the counter to the fridge easier than expected.
We also liked that the big infuser basket was extremely easy to clean, though the maker itself was a bit heavy and awkward to hand wash in the sink. Nevertheless, our testers found the tea extremely flavorful and even agreed that it introduced new flavor profiles, including a slight hint of lemon.
Those seeking a glass rather than plastic carafe will appreciate this pick from Ovalware. You can use this manual iced tea maker for cold brew and hot brew for tea and coffee, and the adorable design is compact and will look great in your home. But note that the easy-to-store design means you can't make large batches at once.
Our testers loved the smooth flavor of the iced tea this maker produced, and the silicone grip on the bottom of the glass kept the carafe in place. We found the infuser easy to clean — though we wish it came with a handle for a less fussy removal — but we wish the pitcher itself were easier to clean.
Though this machine is technically called an iced coffee maker, we tested it with iced tea in our Lab, and it worked very nicely. It's the perfect pick for anyone who prefers to make just one fresh glass of iced tea to take on the go. Our experts love that this machine is small and compact so it won't take up much counter space and that it comes with a tumbler with a straw.
Unlike other electric iced tea makers, this one doesn't include a strength dial to adjust the flavor of your tea, but it does have a drip-stop so your tea doesn't leak onto the countertop. If you're looking for a larger iced tea maker, the Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker is another popular model that functions in a similar fashion and will make two quarts of iced tea directly into a pitcher you can share with friends.
This iced tea maker is for tea enthusiasts who love hot tea as much as they love iced tea. Though the most expensive option by far, this machine has plenty of bells and whistles that make it special. It automatically brews tea at five different temperature settings (and there are preprogrammed buttons for black, green, herbal, oolong, white or custom tea) with a built-in timer, plus it allows the user to adjust between mild, medium and strong settings.
It also has a large removable tea basket that automatically lowers and retracts based on the programmed time to prevent over-steeping, so you don't have to remember to remove the infuser to get your beverage. Just keep in mind that this water kettle is designed only to make hot tea, but once it's brewed to perfection and chilled all you have to do is pour it over ice and, voilà, iced tea!
Our Lab analysts and experts tested 10 iced tea makers in the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, evaluating each maker for its ease of use, performance and final results. Following each manufacturer’s specific instructions and recipes, we brewed Taylors loose leaf black tea with cold, filtered water in each iced tea maker. As applicable, we followed both cold brew and hot brew recipes, always chilling each tea for several hours before sampling over ice.
Our culinary pros tasted each tea side by side, analyzing flavors for strength, texture, tasting notes and overall satisfaction. We noted when tea felt overly weak, strong, bitter, astringent or smooth.
We also factored in ease of cleaning, paying close attention to iced tea makers that were dishwasher-safe versus those with infusers that were a hassle to hand wash due to shape or weight.
✔️ Operation: Iced tea makers primarily come in two forms: electric or manual.
✔️ Size: Iced tea makers come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s important to consider the capacity you need as well as where you want to store the machine. If you want to make large batches of tea, you should look for makers that can hold at least two quarts. But if you need only a few glasses of iced tea at a time, a smaller capacity will suffice. When it comes to storage, keep in mind that electric iced tea makers will typically take up more space than manual iced tea makers and do require an outlet. If you’re tight on counter space, a manual iced tea maker will be easier to put away when not in use.
✔️ Ease of use: An electric iced tea maker is probably easier to use and requires the least number of steps — all you have to do is measure your tea leaves, add water and press the start button. A manual iced tea maker, on the other hand, can be more time-consuming since you need to boil water on the side or wait for your cold brew to steep. When it comes to cleaning, make sure to check which parts of your iced tea maker are dishwasher safe. In general, we found that the tea infusers of manual iced tea makers were a bit peskier to clean out by hand and noticed that tea leaves sometimes clung to the inside, whereas the smaller filter baskets of electric iced tea makers were marginally easier to work.
Good news: You can turn any type of tea into iced tea. Black tea offers a full-bodied, malty taste that can be astringent if unsweetened (though this bitterness is sometimes desirable), while green and white teas are more delicate and can have vegetal, floral and fruity flavor notes. Herbal tea — which isn't true tea, as it doesn't come from the tea plant — can range in flavor from lemon to peppermint. Chances are, if there is a tea that you love hot, you will love it cold.
Tea sommelier Gabrielle Jammal recommends "high-quality loose leaf teas" and prefers iced herbal tea. It's more user-friendly because you don't have to worry about it over-steeping; unlike black tea, "herbal tea can be infused indefinitely without really getting bitter," she says. For iced black or green tea, she uses the cold brew method because it creates "a gentler infusion and brings out flavors that might be overpowered when brewed with hot water." You're less likely to get a bitter cup when using this method.
To ensure that your iced tea retains its rich flavor, make sure you're brewing a highly concentrated tea that won't be watered down when you add ice (our favorite iced tea makers help ensure a full-bodied cup). Or, consider freezing tea in ice trays to make iced tea ice cubes. As the ice melts in your drink, you'll just get more delicious, refreshing tea.
Sugar crystals won't dissolve in cold tea, so it's best to sweeten already-chilled tea with simple syrup or another liquid sweetener, like agave or honey (though particularly thick honey won't dissolve well either). Simple syrup is a 1:1 ratio of sugar dissolved in water and it's easy to make at home: In a small saucepan, combine equal parts water and sugar (for example, one cup of water and one cup of sugar) and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar has completely dissolved.
For tea that is first brewed hot, then poured over ice, you can sweeten it with sugar or honey while it's hot; just be sure to allow the sugar to completely dissolve before icing the tea.
"Another way you can sweeten naturally is to add cut fruit," suggests Jammal.
Media and Tech Reviews Analyst Olivia Lipski oversees product testing across appliances, health, home and fitness and covers everything from smart fridges to s'mores makers. She frequently collaborates with the Kitchen Appliances Lab to help readers make better buying decisions by testing and reviewing kitchen tools and gadgets. She has a B.A. from George Washington University and a master’s in communications from Sciences Po Paris. A native of North Carolina, Olivia has technically been testing iced tea since she was born.
Samantha MacAvoy is an Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, where she has tested countless beverage-related appliances including iced tea makers, espresso machines, cocktail shakers and more. For this story, she consulted tea sommelier Gabrielle Jammal as well as product experts Nicole Papantoniou, director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, and Eva Bleyer, reviews analyst in the same Lab, for their expert advice.
Olivia (she/her) is a media and tech product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, covering tech, home, auto, health and more. She has more than five years of experience writing about tech trends and innovation and, prior to joining GH in 2021, was a writer for Android Central, Lifewire and other media outlets. Olivia is a graduate of George Washington University, with a bachelor's degree in journalism, political science and French, and she holds a master’s degree in communications from Sciences Po Paris.
Samantha (she/her) is an Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, where she writes about tasty recipes, must-try food products and top-tested secrets for home cooking success. She has taste-tasted hundreds of products and recipes since joining GH in 2020 (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.
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