Can You Brew Tea in a Coffee Maker? A Practical Guide
Learn whether you can safely brew tea in a coffee maker, how to do it without coffee flavors, and cleaning tips to keep your machine and tea tasting great.
Yes, you can brew tea in many coffee makers, but it’s not ideal for long-term use. The safest approach is to run hot water through the brewer without coffee grounds, then steep tea in the carafe or a mug. If your machine has a hot-water function, use that to minimize flavor transfer.
Why Tea in a Coffee Maker Is Possible (and Not Ideal)
According to BrewGuide Pro, many home brewers can safely extract hot water from their coffee maker to brew tea, but there are caveats. Coffee makers are designed to optimize extraction for coffee flavors, not tea; the heat profiles, water flow, and filter design can impact taste. Cross-flavor contamination is common if you switch between ground coffee and tea without cleaning. If you plan to use tea regularly, consider a separate kettle or a model with a dedicated hot-water function. Still, for the occasional cup, it’s a convenient workaround when you’re away from a dedicated teapot or kettle.
The BrewGuide Pro team also emphasizes that the decision to use a coffee maker for tea depends on your machine’s versatility. Some units offer a hot-water option or a simpler plain-water brew, which minimizes coffee residue and flavor carryover. By understanding your brewer’s design and cleaning needs, you can safely use it as an occasional tea-maker without compromising taste or device longevity.
What to Check Before You Try
Before attempting to brew tea in a coffee maker, inspect a few critical factors. First, ensure the machine is thoroughly clean and free of coffee oils or grounds; lingering residues will taint the tea. Second, verify that your model has either a hot-water setting or a plain-water brew cycle; if not, you’ll need to run a standard brew with no grounds and discard the pot, then rebrew with tea in the carafe. Third, plan for the right tea format—tea bags are easiest, while loose leaf tea requires a larger carafe and a fine-mesh infuser. Finally, confirm you have a clean carafe that’s suitable for steeping and can handle hot water without cracking. By preparing properly, you’ll reduce flavors transferring and preserve your equipment.
Step-By-Step Preparation and Brewing Process
- Prepare your brewer: Rinse the carafe and filter basket thoroughly, removing any coffee oils. This reduces cross-flavor contamination and keeps your tea tasting fresh. Tip: Run a short hot-water-only cycle without tea to preheat the carafe.
- Load your tea: Place tea bags or loose leaf in a suitable infuser inside the carafe. Use 1-2 tea bags per 8 ounces of water, or adjust for strength. Tip: Keep the infuser clean to avoid trapped particles affecting flavor.
- Run hot water cycle: Fill the reservoir with fresh cold water and start a plain water cycle (no coffee grounds). This delivers clean hot water without coffee residuals. Tip: If your machine has a “hot water” setting, choose it for a more controlled temperature.
- Steep and watch: Once the hot water has circulated, allow the tea to steep in the carafe for 3–5 minutes, then remove tea bags or infuser. Tip: Don’t over-steep; it can produce bitter notes.
- Serve and rinse: Pour into a mug and enjoy. Rinse the carafe promptly to prevent staining and odor buildup. Tip: If you plan to reuse the carafe for tea, rinse with warm water soon after serving.
- Clean up: After tea, run a quick plain-water cycle and wash the carafe and any removable parts. Tip: Schedule regular deep-clean cycles to prevent mineral buildup that could affect future brews.
Flavor, Temperature, and Steeping Time
Tea flavor depends on water temperature, steeping time, and tea type. Warm water (near 80–90°C / 176–194°F) works well for green and white teas, while black tea often benefits from higher temperatures (near 95–100°C / 203–212°F). Because coffee makers aren’t designed to fine-tune temperature for tea, start with a conservative hot-water cycle and adjust future brews based on taste. Steeping time should be shorter for delicate teas and longer for robust blends, but avoid extended steeping that can release tannins and create bitterness. Always consider the tea’s own guidelines and your personal strength preference.
Cleaning, Maintenance, and Safety Warnings
Cross-flavor contamination is the primary risk when repurposing a coffee maker for tea. Always clean the machine thoroughly before and after use, especially if you switch between coffee and tea. Remove and wash the carafe, filters, and any coffee-oil-soaked components. Run several plain-water cycles to flush residues, and consider using a descaling solution if you notice mineral buildup. Do not let tea sit in the carafe for extended periods, as tannins can stain and odors can develop. If your machine lacks a hot-water feature, avoid using it for tea and instead rely on a kettle or dedicated tea maker.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If your tea lacks aroma or tastes faint, check that the water is hot enough and that you are not overdeflating the steeping time. If flavors bleed into coffee grounds, ensure all coffee-related components are fully cleaned. For persistent staining or odor, run a descaling cycle and re-clean all removable parts. If you notice lingering coffee notes, try a longer pre-rinse cycle and use fresh tea leaves.
Additional Tips for Tea-Brewers
- Use fresh, cold water each time for the best flavor extraction.
- If you don’t have a hot-water setting, boiling water separately and pouring into a preheated carafe can improve results.
- Keep a small dedicated tea infuser to avoid cross-contamination across tea types.
- Consider labeling the machine’s hot-water function with a reminder to minimize coffee flavor transfer.
- For daily tea, a separate kettle or tea maker remains the easiest and most consistent option.
Tools & Materials
- Carafe or heat-proof mug(Preferably glass or ceramic and safe for hot liquids.)
- Tea bags or loose leaf tea(Adjust quantity to desired strength; loose leaf requires a small infuser.)
- Clean water(Fresh cold water for best flavor.)
- Access to a clean coffee maker(Ensure it’s free of coffee oils and residues before use.)
- Optional: hot-water setting on your brewer(If available, use to minimize flavor transfer.)
- Optional: thermometer for precise temps(Helps tailor steeping temps for delicate teas.)
Steps
Estimated time: 15-25 minutes
- 1
Prepare your brewer
Rinse and clean the carafe and any parts that contact water. This reduces coffee oils lingering that could taint tea flavors. Preheat the carafe with hot water for a few minutes to stabilize temperatures.
Tip: A quick one-minute rinse with hot water boosts heat stability for the tea brew. - 2
Load tea into the carafe
Place tea bags or loose tea into the carafe’s infuser, ensuring it sits properly so water can circulate. Use minimal loose leaf if you don’t have an infuser to avoid clumping.
Tip: Too-tight packing can restrict water flow and yield weak tea. - 3
Run a plain hot-water cycle
Set the brewer to a plain water or hot-water cycle with no coffee grounds. This delivers clean water without coffee residues.
Tip: If your machine has a “hot water” button, use it for a controlled temperature. - 4
Steep the tea
Let the hot water flow into the carafe, then allow the tea to steep for 3–5 minutes depending on the tea type. Remove tea bags or infuser after steeping.
Tip: Over-steeping can release bitter tannins; monitor the timer. - 5
Serve and rinse
Pour into a mug and enjoy. Rinse the carafe promptly to prevent staining and odors from leftover tea.
Tip: Rinse with warm water and a light soap if needed, then rinse again. - 6
Clean up and maintain
Run a final plain-water cycle, wash all removable parts, and consider a periodic descaling if you notice mineral buildup.
Tip: Regular maintenance prolongs machine life and keeps flavors clean.
Questions & Answers
Is it safe to brew tea in a coffee maker?
Yes, it’s generally safe if you don’t use coffee grounds and you clean thoroughly between uses. It’s important to avoid cross-flavor contamination.
Yes—just make sure you run a clean cycle with water only and wash the carafe after.
Will tea taste as good as tea brewed in a teapot?
Often not, because coffee makers aren’t optimized for tea. Taste varies with your machine and technique, but many people notice a milder or differently flavored cup.
Not always; it can be milder or carry over some coffee flavors depending on your setup.
Should I use tea bags or loose leaf tea?
Both work. Tea bags are convenient; loose leaf gives you more control over strength but needs an infuser.
Either tea bags or loose leaf will work—choose based on convenience and control you want.
How do I clean the machine after making tea?
Rinse the carafe, wash removable parts, and run several plain-water cycles. Consider a descaling cycle if you notice mineral buildup.
Rinse well and run water-only cycles to reset the machine.
Can I use a hot-water setting on espresso machines for tea?
If your espresso machine has a hot-water option, you can use it for tea as a safer alternative to a coffee brew.
Yes, use the hot-water option if available to keep flavors clean.
Is daily use of tea in a coffee maker safe for the machine?
Daily tea brewing is generally safe if you keep up with cleaning and descaling. Avoid prolonged exposure to tea residues.
It can be safe daily as long as you clean regularly.
Key Takeaways
- Use hot water through a clean brewer to make tea.
- Avoid lingering coffee residues by thorough cleaning after each tea brew.
- When possible, use a hot-water setting to minimize flavor transfer.
- Regular descaling helps maintain taste and machine longevity.
