Customer Reviews

Frieling Tea Maker with Infuser Basket

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I like this teapot. The infuser is great (big and deep).
I just think that after thousands of years of having invented the spout, we could get products that don't drip every time we pour out of them. I use it almost every day but I have to get a dish to put under it because I can't pour out of it without a drop or two spilling down the side.
I'm a chemist and I pour things in the laboratory all day so I know how to pour and it's not me!

The 23 oz. capacity is just right for us. The double wall construction works fantastic and if properly preheated it will deliver a very hot cup of tea more than an hour after the first one. The handle stays cool throughout the process. Construction is first rate. You will not need a napkin anymore to catch the drips after pouring becouse there are none. The large lid, which is also double wall construction, makes access to the inside easy and a breeze to clean. Becouse it is metel there's no more worriing about breaking it. The infuser is also heavey construction and has a nice ring to remove it easily from the pot. The polished finish on the outside of it gives it a very attractive apearance as well.

I can't tell the difference between Earl Grey and Darjeeling, but I still love this tea maker. The infuser is large enough for a typical tea ball if you're serving the loose stuff, but it accomodates bags just fine.

It doesn't hold heat as well as advertised...if I wait more than 30-40 minutes between my first and second cup, I usually have to stick the second one in the microwave for at least a few seconds. Waiting an hour is a recipe for tea that's cool enough to dip your whole finger without pain. But I drink my tea quickly and often, so I can live with that.

Biggest downside to this item is cleaning it...the infuser and the inside lining get pretty badly tea-stained, for obvious reasons, and scrubbing them clean is a hassle. But until someone invents a self-cleaning tea carafe, this is your ticket.

I must say that I was disappointed with the heat-preserving qualities of this teapot - I had hoped the outside would stay cool to the touch while the tea inside would stay hot. Well, not quite - the bottom and the spout are NOT insulated so they transmit heat (after about 5 minutes) to the rest of the pot, so it eventually becomes too hot to touch. On the bright side, the handle and lid stay cool and I really love the large infuser, perfect for steeping tea leaves. Also the size is perfect for a single person - 2 large mugs of piping-hot tea. So I give it a 3-star i.e. not lousy (it did keep my tea hot for about an hour, which is less than advertised but is far better than any of my current non-insulated teapots) but for the money, I am not impressed.

NOTE: THIS REVIEW APPLIES TO ALL FRIELING MODELS:

THE BOTTOM LINE IS BUY THIS POT AND HEED THE WISDOM SHARED BY MANY OTHERS WHO FINALLY CHOOSE FRIELING FOR THE BEST PRESS. IF YOU HAVE THE TIME TO READ ON THEN HOPEFULLY YOU WILL BE CONVINCED.

If you have been on a journey like I have to find a good french coffee press then your journey is at an end with any of the Frieling models. I have had the other two brands and they do not compare and actually cost more in the long run. I was able to sell them used here on Amazon for a surprising price which eventually paid for my new Frieling. Just clean them up good.

This is a vacuum thermos grade pot (other double wall stainless are not vacuum unless stated). DO NOT BUY A NON-VACCUM product. You need to brew coffee at 190 degrees for 4 minutes. This means hot water...not boiling water and it must stay hot at close to 190 for 4 minutes. The time and temperature are critical for clean full flavor and to prevent off flavors and bitterness. So you need a vacuum to keep the water at brewing temp for the time required. This limits your selection to only the Frieling, Bodum Double wall, and the insulated cups from Planetary Design. The later I have not used.

When you look at the price of the Bodum it turns out to be more than it's stainless steel competitor...break the glass and you will spend over $35 to replace it and you will need to order it on line since I have not found the Bodum Double wall or parts for same at any store, including some distributors in Manhattan. So why buy glass when stainless ruggedness is less? Well the only argument to support that is that the glass, although normally preheated, does not require preheating. The Frieling must be preheated with hot water, tap is fine, so that it does not absorb the heat of the brewing water. This holds true for the Bodum Double as well but not significantly. On the positive side is that the Frieling, once preheated, stores that heat in the mass of the metal and will keep the temperature right where needed.

One reviewer say no parts are available for the Frieling. This is just wrong. First of all the only part that will fail at some point is the filter screen and I have my doubts with how well designed it is compared to the Bodum. You could park you car on the pot and it might not get damaged..no exageration. I bought my 17oz unit from Clive. They had great service and stock all parts...but they will replace anything that breaks if your nice to them for free. www.clivecoffee.com. They usually show up above in sponsored links.

My Bodum filters have not lasted a year. I have replaced the glass from accidents about every two years. The non-insulated pots loose about 40 degrees during brew time (using an infrared themal imaging gun). Here is where the shear mass and vacuum of the Frieling shine. Preheat the press with hot water while getting coffee ground and heating water. To get 190 degree water first bring it to a boil and then leave it for 30 seconds, drain the Frieling and put coffee and the boiled water in it for 4 minutes. It will stay hot for at least 30 minutes but you do not want to brew longer than 4 minutes. So if you have to move it out of the brewing container within about 4 minutes then you just need something insulated well enough to stay at 190 for that period of time. This is what is wrong with brewing cups...you need to remove the coffee grains at the end of the brew cycle not leave them in what your going to drink, even if there are filters like the Planetary Designs cups.

I might cost twice as much up front for the Frieling as compared to the one your looking at buying but you will never buy another french press if you buy this one. If you don't you will find you spend the same amount on other presses in two years if you are a daily brewer.

It is no wonder that this product is used in the high end restaurant and hotel business where longevity of the investment is critical to being profitable.

All of this and then you will find that this pot is truly elegant.

I am the proud owner of an older frieling coffee press (made in Germany). I have now added to my collection a 2nd coffee press (Now made in PRC). I noticed a big difference in the quality of the press screen and the overall craftsmanship of the plunger as soon as I took it out of the box. I had placed the tea infuser on my wish list and finally broke down and purchased it. It arrived today and I am very...very...very...disappointed. The infuser basket which is supposed to suspend its self in the top of the pot keeps falling thru if you move the basket at the wrong angle while inserting it. I have tried everything to no avail. I would return it but since I live part time outside the US it would be more than the item is worth. After I placed a call and got lost in the que of choices and busy signals I sent them an e-mail. That was Sept 8th and I recieved a response and apology on the 13th. They are going to send me a new infuser basket and we will see if it works. I will leave this review at a 2 at the moment and we will wait to see if the new one works properly.

This is the best, easiest to use, most well designed insulated tea or coffe maker I know of. The insulation really works well, keeping things hot long. The large top opening is ideal. The cover stays put with just enough snuggness. The design takes up little space. I love it.

I only wish this exact version came in different sizes, especially larger, 1 quart versions.

I love this tea maker but don't put the lid in the dishwasher. Water can get into it. That's the only thing keeping it from a five star rating...

I've been brewing my tea loose for many years and really like this Frieling tea maker the best. The stainless steel infuser is great because there's no plastic to heat up and no finish on it to scrape off over time. This does a great job of brewing the tea and is also very sleek in design. It brews three cups (tea-cup sized cups), so it's perfect in the morning, or if you and a friend want to each have a cup of tea before hitting the road. The double-walled feature is great so you can't burn your hands on it. The ceramic tea pots hold the heat a tad bit longer, but this one does well and produces a fine cup of tea.

You can judge how much I like this by the fact that I came back to this page to order another for a gift. This is perfect to let you sit and sip away at a pot of tea without having to bother with cozies and drips. Also love the clean lines of the design.