Yes, you can make tea in a coffee maker. It’s a common question for anyone with a limited kitchen or just a curious mind. While a coffee maker is designed for coffee, its basic function—passing hot water through a filter—can be adapted for tea. The results might not win awards at a high-end tea ceremony, but in a pinch, it gets the job done. Let’s look at how it works, the pros and cons, and the best way to do it without ruining your machine or your tea.
The process is straightforward. You replace coffee grounds with tea leaves or bags. The machine heats water and drips it over the tea, collecting the brewed tea in the carafe. However, there are important details to consider. The temperature and brewing time of a standard drip coffee maker are optimized for coffee, not tea. This can lead to over-extraction or under-extraction, affecting flavor. Also, you must clean your machine thoroughly afterwards to prevent coffee residue from mixing with your tea.
Can You Make Tea in a Coffee Maker
Making tea this way is more about utility than perfection. It’s a handy trick for offices, dorm rooms, or when your kettle breaks. Understanding your machine is the first step to success.
How a Coffee Maker Works (And Why It Matters for Tea)
A drip coffee maker has a simple cycle. Cold water is poured into a reservoir. It’s then heated and pumped up a tube, showering over grounds in a filter basket. The water extracts flavor as it passes through, dripping into the carafe below, which often sits on a warming plate.
For tea, this presents two challenges. First, water temperature. Black tea usually needs near-boiling water (200–212°F), while green tea prefers cooler temps (150–180°F). Most coffee makers heat water to 195-205°F, which is okay for black tea but too hot for delicate greens, potentially making them bitter. Second, contact time. Coffee filters water quickly. Tea, especially loose-leaf, needs minutes to steep, which a coffee maker’s continuous drip doesn’t allow.
Types of Coffee Makers and Tea Compatibility
Not all coffee makers are created equal. Some work better for tea than others.
Standard Drip Machine
This is the most common type. You can use it by placing tea bags or loose leaf in a paper filter. The water will flow through quickly, so you might need to run the cycle twice for stronger tea, or let it sit in the carafe to steep further. Be aware that paper filters can absorb some of the tea’s delicate oils.
Single-Serve Pod Machines (Like Keurig)
You have two options here. First, you can use a reusable pod filter and fill it with loose tea. Second, you can simply run a cycle without a pod to get a cup of hot water, then steep a tea bag in the cup separately. The latter method is often better because it gives you control over steeping time.
French Press
A French press is actually excellent for tea! It’s not a “coffee maker” in the electric sense, but it’s a coffee-brewing tool. Add tea leaves, pour hot water over them, let steep, and press the plunger down to separate the leaves. It’s one of the best methods for loose-leaf tea.
Percolator or Moka Pot
Avoid these for tea. Percolators and Moka pots force boiling water or steam through the grounds repeatedly, which would brutally over-extract tea, creating an extremely bitter, undrinkable brew.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Tea in a Drip Coffee Maker
Here is a safe, clear method to follow. You’ll need your coffee maker, tea bags or loose leaf, a paper filter (if using loose leaf), and fresh water.
1. Clean the Machine Thoroughly: Run a water-only cycle (no coffee) to rinse out any old coffee oils. Residual coffee flavor will spoil your tea.
2. Add Fresh Water: Fill the reservoir with fresh, cold water. Use the markings to know how many cups you’re making.
3. Prepare the Filter Basket:
* For Tea Bags: Place 1-2 tea bags per cup directly into the empty filter basket. You can skip the paper filter.
* For Loose Leaf Tea: Use a paper filter. Add about one teaspoon of loose leaf tea per cup into the filter.
4. Start the Brew Cycle: Put the carafe in place and start the machine.
5. Adjust for Strength: Once the cycle finishes, the tea will be in the carafe. Taste it. If it’s too weak, you can either run the hot tea through the cycle again over the used leaves/bags, or let it steep in the carafe for 2-4 minutes.
6. Remove the Tea Immediately: Take the filter basket out as soon as you’re happy with the strength. This prevents over-steeping and bitterness.
7. Serve: Pour and enjoy. Remember, the warming plate will continue to heat the tea, which can make it bitter over time. It’s best to pour it into a separate, insulated pot.
Important Tips and Warnings
Doing this wrong can lead to bad tea or a damaged machine. Keep these points in mind.
Cleaning is Non-Negotiable: After making tea, you must clean the machine again. Run another water-only cycle. Tea tannins and oils can gunk up the system just like coffee, and you don’t want tea flavor in your next pot of coffee.
* Avoid Fine Powders: Don’t use very fine tea dust (like from some tea bags that break open). It can slip through the basket or filter and into your carafe, making the tea gritty.
* Skip the Pre-Made Grounds: Never use powdered instant tea or pre-brewed tea. Only use dried tea leaves or bags.
* Mind the Temperature: For green or white tea, the coffee maker’s water may be too hot. Let the hot water from the machine cool for a minute in your cup before adding the tea bag.
* Flavor Contamination: If you use your machine for both coffee and tea regularly, expect some flavor crossover. A dedicated machine is ideal.
Pros and Cons of Using a Coffee Maker for Tea
Let’s weigh the practical benefits against the drawbacks.
Pros:
* Convenience: It’s fast and easy, especially for making tea for a group.
* No Extra Appliances: Saves counter space and money if you already own one.
* Built-in Warming Plate: Keeps tea hot for a while (though this can be a double-edged sword).
Cons:
* Imperfect Flavor: The brew cycle isn’t designed for tea, often resulting in a weaker or more bitter cup.
* Temperature Lack of Control: You cannot adjust the water temperature for different tea types.
* Cross-Contamination: Lingering coffee or tea oils can affect future brews without rigorous cleaning.
* Risk of Over-Steeping: If you leave the basket in, the tea continues to steep on the warming plate.
Better Alternatives for Making Tea Without a Kettle
If a coffee maker isn’t ideal, here are other simple methods.
* Microwave a Mug: Heat water in a microwave-safe cup for 1-3 minutes. Use a wooden chopstick or spoon in the cup to prevent superheating. Then add your tea bag.
* Stovetop Saucepan: Simply heat water in any small pot until it simmers or boils, then pour it over your tea.
* Electric Water Heater: An inexpensive appliance that boils water quickly and shuts off automatically. This is the most efficient dedicated tool.
* French Press: As mentioned, it’s a superb dual-use tool for both coffee and tea.
Cleaning Your Coffee Maker After Making Tea
This step is crucial. Here’s a quick cleaning routine.
1. Discard the used tea and filter.
2. Wash the filter basket and carafe with warm, soapy water. Rinse well.
3. Fill the reservoir with a mixture of half white vinegar and half water.
4. Run a brew cycle without a filter, then discard the vinegar water.
5. Run 2-3 cycles with fresh water only to rinse out any vinegar taste.
6. Wipe the exterior and warming plate with a damp cloth.
FAQs About Making Tea in a Coffee Maker
Can I make iced tea in a coffee maker?
Absolutely. Brew a strong batch using the method above, perhaps running the water through the tea twice. Then, pour the hot tea over a full pitcher of ice to cool it down quickly, which helps preserve a fresh flavor.
Will making tea void my coffee maker’s warranty?
It’s very unlikely. Manufacturers design machines to heat and pass water through brewable substances. Just avoid using anything that isn’t dry plant matter (like pre-made liquid concentrate).
Can you use a coffee maker to boil water for tea?
Yes, you can. Just run a cycle without anything in the filter basket. The water will be hot, though not always at a full, rolling boil. It’s perfect for black or herbal teas.
How do you make herbal tea in a coffee pot?
The process is identical to regular tea. Place herbal tea bags or loose herbs in the filter basket. Herbal teas often benefit from longer steeping, so letting them sit in the carafe after the brew cycle is a good idea.
Does tea brewed in a coffee maker have caffiene?
Yes, if you are using caffeinated tea leaves. The coffee maker doesn’t remove caffiene. The caffeine content depends solely on the type of tea you use (black, green, etc.).
Can you make chai tea in a coffee maker?
You can, but with caution. For chai concentrate, you could steep strong black tea and then add spices. However, adding milk or sugar directly into the machine or carafe is not recommended, as it can create a mess and be very difficult to clean, potentially damaging the machine. Brew the tea plain, then add milk to your cup.
So, can you make tea in a coffee maker? You certainly can. It’s a functional workaround that proves kitchen appliances can be versatile. While it won’t replicate the precise control of a proper teapot and kettle, it provides a hot, drinkable result when options are limited. The keys are managing your expectations for flavor, being meticulous about cleaning to avoid cross-contamination, and understanding the limitations of your machine. For the occasional cup or a large batch in a casual setting, it’s a perfectly acceptable hack. For true tea enthusiasts, investing in a simple kettle or using a French press will yield a significantly better cup. But now you know that in a bind, that coffee pot on your counter has more than one trick up its sleeve.