Do you use unbagged tea? That's the only reason I can think you'd want a separate tea maker.

I always pictured you a teabagger.

Tea pot on stove. Use either loose leaf or pyramid bags if you must use bags for the best quality tea. Some say [ut the tea in the water, others say pour the water over the tea. I've done both and don't find any real difference in the tea. I will say I prefer to pour some of the boiling water into my cup first to warm it up, then dump that water and use more to make my tea. A cold cup/mug rapidly lowers the water temperature below 195 F and the tea doesn't steep as well.

Draug, thanks, I know how to make tea. I was more interested in actual recommendations. I've read enough reviews on amazon that complain of rust on this one and broken handles on that one that I thought I'd get the opinion of some folks who aren't total strangers.

What sort of coffee maker do you have?

My roommate has a Keurig Machine and it works great for heating up water quickly for tea.

It's a chefmate. I just never make coffee, so it seems like I ought to give it to my sibling who's getting an apartment next semester while I ask for something more dedicated for Christmas.

OK, well that makes a whole lot more sense than having 2 machines to heat water. Honestly, before I got the Keurig, I just heated up water in a tiny pot.

@dubm, my recommendation was tea pot on stove. K?

These things are easy for loose leaf tea. No complaints from me.

http://www.teavana.com/tea-products/tea-makers-infusers/p/teavana-perfect-teamaker

I've heard a lot of good things about Keurigs (getting one myself this week). I know they have k-cuops of tea (been taking them as my weekly mark out for a month now). Also, they have a re-useable filter that I'm going to try and make loose leaf tea in. I'm hoping that it'll work.

I would clarify that "teapot on stove" is best done with a gas stovetop.

I don't see the point of a keurig. A huge waste of money. $11 for 18 cups of coffee?

That's cheaper than buying your coffee at Starbucks. (Oops! Sorry CF! :-) )

"I don't see the point of a keurig. A huge waste of money. $11 for 18 cups of coffee?"

I don't disagree. As I said, it's my roommates. It's there, so I might as well use it to make hot water.

That was more to Celticfox.

I see. Well, they do have reusable cartridges which allows you to put in loose coffee or tea. Of course, you're then just paying for an expensive pot, so I'm still not sure it's worth it.

Celtic, let me know how that turns out for you. I don't really see the Keurig as a great use of money either, but when the uncles refuse to let Christmas slide without gifts or to just give gift cards, I gotta tell 'em something....

@abge - What is your preferred tea? Around the office I like Twinings Earl Grey and Tazo Organic Chai despite the flat bags, but at home I've been enjoying this Earl Grey Lavender pyramid bags I brought back from Canada as well as a really excellent Orange and Chocolate flavor. Both are organic, all-natural teas and relaxing in the evening, even the Earl Grey as the lavender adds a touch of soothing relaxation to what is normally a great "pick me up" tea.

Plus if I'm going to spend beaucoup dollars on coffee, I'm getting micro-roaster beans and doing it french press. Keurig smacks of instant coffee to me.

We have an electric grinder for my wife's coffee. I don't like coffee at all, but she tolerates my collection of teas taking up half a shelf so I put up with her coffee maker and grinder taking up counter space. :-)

I started drinking Earl Grey because Picard drank it and fell in love with the flavor. I'm mainly sticking to white and red teas these days.

I have drunk earl Grey for what seems like an eternity. long before "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." came to be. :-)

If you like the red teas, Rooibos Chai is a good tea.

Funny enough I drink very little coffee so I've never actually tried any of the starbucks coffee k-cups. The advantage I get with the Keurig is I get tea every day, my husband can get his hot chocolate or apple cider and the laws and friends can get coffee since I do keep some on hand.

I really love the selection of tea they have at Teavana but their prices are a lil to expensive for me. I wouldn't even be using the Tazo stuff but I get it for free.

I can't make an earl grey to save my life. Always tastes like detergent and usually hurts my throat after I drink it.

@Draug

I prefer Chamomile tea. Anything with a hint of lemon or orange is also good. I also like green tea.

Stash has a really good morracan mint green tea. I get it whenever I can find it.

I usually go with Twinnings when I have the option. Haven't even heard of Stash.

Maybe it's a regional thing though I grew to love it in Cali and still can find it in Chicago
http://www.stashtea.com/?gclid=CIi698qXy7MCFYVFMgodc2oA5g

Ususally I drink that Mint Green tea from Stash or the Awake or Zen teas from Tazo. If I really need to wake up or have a bad headache I'll go with some earl grey.

For an ass kicking in the morning nothing beats espresso. I only drink Lavazza these days.

Only espresso I drink are ristretto shots pulled into a peppermint white mocha.

I take that back I also drink Gingerbread lattes with a pump or 2 of white mocha... tastes like a frosted gingerbread man. But always with ristretto shots.

I've only ever tried Stash Chai and found it kind of meh. If it was the firsty chai I had ever tried I would probably have never tried chai again.

Chai is just meh to me anyways. I much prefer mint , green and black teas. I like oolong but I don't go out of my way for it.

My father, him being an even bigger tea nut than I has a dedicated tea maker. It heats up the water to the right temperature for the type of tea and makes an exact amount each time. While having a removable metal infuser in the middle. I could ask him the brand if that's the kind of thing you're looking for. To be honest I you want the most from your tea I just recommended and adjustable kettle (the darker the tea the hotter the water should be) and a French press

"I can't make an earl grey to save my life. Always tastes like detergent and usually hurts my throat after I drink it."

I have that problem with mint tea. Chances are your body just doesn't agree with something in it. And you're not actually making it wrong.

(Though if you're adding exorbitant amounts of milk and it isn't a latte, it will taste like dishwater. )

Thanks, damian, I'll look into those.

Why would *anyone* destroy a perfectly good cup of Earl Grey with milk?

I've got this thing called a "kettle" and this other thing called a "teapot" and they work perfectly well for me...

What the feck is a "dedicated tea maker" ?

I do the kettle to cup/mug thing. We just sometimes call the kettle a tea pot, but it isn't really.