The Breville BTM500 Smart Tea Infuser Compact is a convenient tea maker that allows you to control the water temperature and steep times to make up to four cups (34 ounces) of tea at a time. The controls allow you to select the temperature of the water (175°F, 185°F, 195°F, 200°F, 212°F) based on the type of tea you are making (Green, White, Oolong, Herbal, and Black).
The tea infuser comes with a water carafe, tea basket, tea basket lid, lid ring, and a base with the controls. There are also buttons to select the tea steep time (1-5 minutes) and keep the tea warm for up to 30 minutes per button press. This particular tea infuser is the compact size: the dimensions are 9.3" x 8.3" x 8.3". Because there are electronics on the bottom of the tea carafe, so do not immerse the tea carafe (or base with controls) in water.
The tea basket top attaches to the tea basket with magnets. If you press the button in the middle of the tea basket top then you can remove the top from the tea basket–otherwise the tea basket stays attached to the top. Note that this tea machine is different than a coffee maker–you do not add your tea, push a button, then walk away–you only add your tea once the water has reached the appropriate temperature.
To make tea, you first select the temperature of the water you would like, then you select your steep time. If you are just boiling water then you would select the hottest temperature (212 F). When you press the “Start” button, the unit will begin heating up and will beep once it reaches the set temperature. Next, press the button in the tea basket top to remove the top while leaving the tea basket in the pot–add the desired amount of tea and replace the top. The steep timer will start once you press the “Start Timer” button–when the unit will beep once the tea is done steeping. This time, remove the tea basket top and tea basket. When you replace the tea basket top your tea is ready to enjoy.
When you add tea to the tea basket, you may need to press the tea down into the water, otherwise some tea may not get immersed in the water. One problem I had was with how the tea basket, tea basket lid, and lid ring all fit together. The magnets holding the tea basket and tea basket lid together could have been stronger, because sometimes pulling up the tea basket lid did not also pull up the tea basket. Also, the seal between the tea basket lid and the lid ring was a little tight–sometimes pulling up the tea basket lid also removed the lid ring–to prevent this I had to press down on the lid ring while also pulling up on the tea basket lid.
All in all, the Breville BTM500 Smart Tea Infuser Compact is a good tea maker–compact in size yet large enough to make up to four cups of tea. I like that the base with the controls does not get hot, so it is safe for fingers. I also like the variety of temperature controls so I can customize the water temperature according to the type of tea I am making. The complexity of the tea basket assembly was not particularly relevant to my use case. I often make tea using tea bags, so I’m most interested in heating the water to the correct temperature and pouring into my tea cup. But either way, this Breville tea infuser allows me to enjoy tea more often.
- Pricing and Availability on Amazon: Breville BTM500 Smart Tea Infuser Compact
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