When DAVIDsTEA announced the release of their iced tea press, I had mixed feelings about the whole thing. On the one hand, it seemed like a pretty cool take on a french press to easily make iced tea on the go. On the other hand, I have always been told not to squish teas and that is definitely what gets done with this press. Each time new colors are released, I him and haw over whether I want one but could never bring myself to buy one. However, when a friend took me into DAVIDsTEA and told me to pick what I wanted, I went with something I would not buy myself…the iced tea press.
Of course now that I had it, I immediately had to give it a try. The first thing I noticed was how hard it was to remove the inner piece from the outer shell. I took this as a good sign because it meant the seals were tight and thus the press was most likely leak-proof. When it came time to prepare the tea, I used two perfect teaspoons of a fruit tea and poured the hot water up to the specified line on the outer shell, maybe even a little higher. I filled the inner piece with ice, and screwed the lid on top, then I set the inner piece within the outer shell and waited for the tea to finish steeping.
When I began to press the tea, I got a lot of push back. It just wouldn’t stay down. That was probably my fault since I didn’t have the lid opened so there was no where for the air to escape providing space for the tea to replace it. When I removed the lid, it slid with ease but only filled about 3/4 of the way. The rest of the tea remained in the outer shell, moving up the sides and spilling out where the two pieces connect whenever the tumbler is tilted. Needless to say, this didn’t go very well for me on my first try.
Nonetheless, there are still perks. I do think this is an easy way to make iced tea and I don’t have any gravity steepers left in the sink and needing to be cleaned. I also like the fine mesh used to press the tea as it filters out anything and everything. Another positive is that it gives leaf plenty of space to expand. Though that is not necessarily a relevant factor when it comes to fruit teas, it is an important part of brewing proper tea leaves.
Finally, I think if I had the lid open as intended and didn’t pump the tea before getting a proper press, the ratio of hot water and ice would be more balanced, making for the full 16 ounces of iced tea.
Some things I could see being a downfall with this press, other than the leaking I have already experienced is oversteeping as the tea is not fully removed from the hot water. This isn’t really “on-the-go” as you wouldn’t want to carry around the components while they are separated.
Also, you could not really cold brew in this as there is no lid for the outer shell where the tea steeps. Lastly, I worry about the longevity of the seals as they are silicone and I fear they may wear with time.
Ultimately, I can see this being a fun new contraption. I probably need more practice in light of my fail but I think I am up to the challenge. Granted, I won’t be tossing this into my purse and letting it roll around anytime soon but it is definitely an alternative method to using all my gravity steepers for iced teas.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Teaware
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTea
Description
What if we told you there was an all-in-one gadget to steep, ice AND sip your tea, at home or on the go? Meet the mug that’ll change how we make iced tea forever. Made of BPA-free, durable Tritan™, it makes iced tea prep quick, easy – and ridiculously fun. Just add your tea and hot water, and scoop your ice into the inner compartment. When you’re ready to sip, press it together to instantly ice your tea. No fuss, no muss. Plus its super-fine mesh stops the infusion, so even the most delicate tea won’t be oversteeped. Now that’s refreshing.
