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

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!

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.