Update: featured in HackADay:

http://hackaday.com/2015/01/28/automated-tea-maker...

and Adafruit:

https://blog.adafruit.com/2015/01/12/create-your-o...

and WIRED UK (May 2015)

http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2015/05/how-to/automate-your-own-tea-maker





Create your own automated tea maker! This inexpensive and small machine will submerge, stir and finally rise the teabag out the mug you have previously filled with boiling water when tea is ready, playing an alarm melody of your choice!

Although it is not a new concept (several similar machines can be found online with the same functionality), I tried to introduce two new features I haven't seen in the others: a nice looking case that one may want to display in their kitchen and a 'folded' mode to make it easy to travel with.

It comes with a 3 position toggle switch allowing three different modes: off and folded, ready and brewing!. When folded mode is selected, the blade will mode to upright position, providing a compact and safe way to travel with it. When the switch is moved to the middle position (ready) the blade will raise and remain still waiting for you to hang the teabag and place the boiling mug underneath. When the toggle hits brew!, the teabag will be dipped into the hot water, remaining there for the specified amount of time and stirring up and down a few times (default is 5x(50sec + stir), giving a total of approximately 5 minutes).

Just after hitting brew! mode and when tea is ready, a melody of your choice (edit the code as you wish!) will be played as a reminder alarm.

It was firstly intended as a present for my girlfriend, but then I though I would as well share the design here and participate in the Homemade Gifts Contest :)