I have used a classic electric percolator to brew tea for years. I bought this product with the hope that I could have a piping hot cup o' tea as soon as I got out of bed in the morning. The biggest drawback of this percolator is that there is no way to set the perk time. It only perks until the water reaches boiling and then stops, where my old percolator would perk until you unplugged it or it boiled dry. When making tea, it's imperative that water continue to flow for three to ten minutes, depending on the tea leaf blend, after reaching a boiling temperature for optimal flavor and richness.The other problem I had with this percolator is that no matter how many times I cleaned it out with vinegar or soap and water, there was always a hint of plastic/new electronics flavor added to my tea. This can't improve the flavor of coffee either.Avoid this product!