Have you heard about a tea infuser? If you are often using loose tea leaves rather than teabags containing plastic, then a tea infuser is perfect for you. There’s something very classy about using it, it enhances the experience. In fact, the entire process of creating a cup of tea is soothing and rewarding. But what is a tea infuser? Moreover, what is the best loose leaf tea infuser on the market?
A tea infuser is a piece of equipment accompanying the teacup or teapot. Usually, a ball or spoon-shaped container with a perforated sheet allowing water to flow through. Inside the tea infuser is where you place your loose tea leaves, and then you place it into your cup of hot water to brew. The small holes or mesh cover keeps your tea leaves inside and not floating in your cup.
In this post, you’ll get a handful of lists of different types of practical and cool tea infusers. The processes might be a little different, depending on which type of infuser you are using. These days there are a variety of tea infusers that you can find. There are fun shapes and sizes, such as animal infusers or novelty infusers, and many more.
If you need to find loose teas for your infusers check out: Loose-leaf Teas to Try for a Wine.
Why Use Tea Infusers?
Many teas have oils in them. High-quality loose leaf teas and flavored ones would contain much more than one or two oils. These oils serve a large number of functions. Some oils help keep the tea hot, some serve to color the tea brown, and some may be safe for your digestive tract. Some oils are preferred by the tea master while still others flavor the tea. All of these oils have the potential to reduce your overall cup cost by 2-3%. However, cuts have to be made in order to provide the best taste, safety, and consistency in your tea.
Most pre-packed teabags contain additives that make them taste delicious and are potentially unsafe to use. They usually have eight or nine different flavoring additives. These include oils, sugars, herbs, spices, vanilla, honey, and caramel. All of these additives are potentially toxic. All of the flavors also cause “polyphenol” flavor oxidation, which can cause cancer and some forms of kidney disease.
There are some pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and petroleum-based additives that have been in packaged tea by the package but are usually not in loose-leaf since the flavors and processes are different. Packaged teas don’t necessarily degrade as quickly, the paper bag could introduce reactive contaminants that cause damage.
The flavoring additives would also be potentially toxic if ingested when it doesn’t come off as quickly by the consumer. Grinding the tea leaves by hand would ultimately concentrate these metals and also enhance the taste, thus it is recommended to buy your own tea bags or tea infuser. You should definitely try out blue ternate tea. Here’s all you need to know about blue ternate tea.
Best Tea Infusers You Can Buy on Amazon
We have picked out the best loose leaf tea infusers for you on the market. All of them reviewed! Let’s dive in.
Value for Money – House Again 4-Pack Extra Fine Mesh Tea Infuser with Drip Tray
If you don’t have your own teapot then it won’t be an issue if you have this House Again 4-pack Extra Fine Mesh Infuser with Drip Tray. It is one of the best tea steepers after all! This model is made from food-grade silicone and has a stainless steel body. Its mesh is extra fine so even if your tea has extremely small particles in it there will be none floating around in your tea. Even though the holes are fine, there are a lot of them. this ensures that your tea is flavorful and evenly brewed.
The product is very easy to refill and use. Its size is also big enough to give a greater surface area of interaction to the tea leaves and water. It can easily make big cups of tea or even a small jug! Trust me, it is bigger than it looks which is a great thing because it allows the tea leaves to expand with enough room around. The flower design is absolutely adorable and looks more like a decoration than an infuser.
It also has a cool feature, the flower stem can be hooked over the edge of your mug, letting it hang while steeping. The set is in a different color. The silicone is cool to touch so you won’t burn your hands. Moreover, the infuser is dishwasher safe so you won’t have to worry about cleaning it. One small complaint which only some people experience with this product is that sometimes, it floats instead of completely submerging. However, cutting small air holes in the top completely eliminates the problem.
Budget-Friendly – Fred Slow Brew Sloth Tea Infuser
This tea infuser has a unique design and has attracted customers’ attention. It is made of BPA-free silicone, safe to use even after steeping in hot water. Fred Slow Brew Sloth Tea Infuser is one of the easy-to-use infusers. You just need to unscrew the base and place the tea leaves inside. It firmly grips on the edge of your mug and stays in place steeping in the hot water. Walking around, you will just see this relaxed sloth’s face at the side of your mug. If that doesn’t make your day, I don’t know what will.
The durability of this product is off the charts! You can expect it to easily last years. It is also very easy to clean. all you have to do is open the infuser, dump out the tea and rinse it with hot water. Another great thing about this infuser is that you can squeeze it after brews to ensure all the liquid comes out, instead of it dripping all over the place.
Owing to its unique fun design, this can be best tea steeper to gift a tea lover. In terms of functionality, this infuser will give you a slow but thorough brew. The holes in it are not too fine and may let out smaller varieties of tea. Moreover, there are not a lot of them. But, this is perfect for people who prefer a thorough flavorful, and slow brew. The holes are also a little high so that the whole cup has to be filled to get brewed.
Super Easy to Use – MKLZ 3 Pack Elephant Animal Tea Infuser/ Stainless Steel Tea Ball Strainer
This Elephant Animal Tea Infuser is one of the best tea infusers being both cute and effective. It features a mesh so fine that no tea leaves will slip out. The mesh is also all around it so there is a large number of holes. These help to give you an effective tasty brew. The infuser is also no pain to clean. the silicon and metal parts twist open easily and tea leaves can easily be disposed of while both the parts are washed separately.
It is very easy to use! The metal cup stands on its flat bottom preventing spillage. Its elephant nose is designed to effectively hang on the edge of the cup. Hence, you can use longer cups with this one without having to worry about fishing out the infuser. The set comes in 3 pieces of elephant tea filters in different colors. Owing to its cuteness, this will be the best steeper for a tea lover. I know I would love to get it from a friend!
Best Mid-Range Deal – Finum Reusable Stainless Steel Coffee and Tea Infusing Mesh Brewing Basket
This tea infuser is a bit larger than the average infuser although there is a smaller design available too. Its robust design allows the tea leaves to fully expand so that the steeping will have extra flavor. They also give a lot of room for the tea leaves and water to interact, giving a strong solid brew. The tea produced by this infuser is much more effective than any other kind. This is also highly effective if you are brewing for in a large mug. Moreover, the mesh is so tight that no tea particles will ever find their way out!
Another great aspect of this infuser is the lid. The lid will keep your tea warm as it brews by insulating the insides. Moreover, it also acts as a drip tray! You can simply take out the infuser after brewing and turn it upside down. Any tea caught in the leaves will collect in the drip tray instead of making a big mess for you to clean. This infuser is also really easy to clean. Despite having a strong mesh, the mesh is flexible enough to let out any tea leaves stuck in it when washed.
It can be used for any type as you wish ~ either tea or coffee. For coffee making, this prevents coffee ground leaked into your cup. It’s also super easy to use and dishwasher safe. Finum Brewing Basket is available in multiple sizes. Despite not looking cute and fancy like other competitors on the market, we believe that this is by far the best tea infuser!
Ultimate Combo – Chefast Tea Infuser Set
All Tea lovers know that tea infusers size really matters. It will affect the flavor of the tea. It needs to be plenty of space in the tea infuser for your leaves to fully expand. However, the number of people you’re making tea for matters too. You don’t want to be stuck making tea for yourself in a whole jug. Neither do you want to make a whole teapot with a tiny little infuser because that would take centuries!
This tea infuser set is made of 304-grade stainless steel. It is designed with a removable lid and long chain. The ultra-fine mesh prevents even the tiniest tea leaves from escaping during steeping. This means you won’t see those annoying bits floating in your coffee. We believe this infuser is great value for the price. This single set can easily fulfill all your brewing needs, whether you want a small or large cup or are serving a whole gathering.
Its ease of use is further amplified with the scoop that comes with it. This ensures that you can easily put in the right amount of tea leaves for perfect brewing. Due to its removable lid and wide mouth, it is incredibly easy to clean. This is also a perfect gift for tea lovers due to its unmatched functionality. Another great part is, this infuser set has a warranty of a whole year! This shows how confident the company is in its product’s quality!
Double Walled Glass Matcha Shaker with Infuser
Here comes the most innovative tea infuser on our list. Not only is it useful, but it looks so modern and sleek that it screams classy. You won’t regret carrying this with you at your office, The product itself is made of high-quality premium double glass. This ensures that your tea is insulated from the outside world. It will remain very hot or very cold, whichever way you prefer it. It is especially great for taking outdoors in extremes of temperature to keep your beverage from being affected by it.
It serves as both an infuser and a matcha shaker. The infuser works to aerate the matcha when not serving its normal purpose. It has a 12oz capacity that is perfect for a big drink that will quench your thirst for sure. However, keep in mind that this glass product is fragile and needs to be cleaned thoroughly by hand instead of being popped into the dishwasher.
Now let’s get to the reason you are here. This shaker features a stainless steel infuser basket that you can use to either carry loose tea on the go or brew your perfect cup of hot tea. The basket is large enough for the loose tea to interact freely with the water and give you the perfect brew. One thing I do have to say is that the infuser’s height is not as long as the shaker, therefore, you would need to fil the shaker to the top in order to make tea. But that isn’t a problem for any true tea lover in our opinion!
Types of Tea Infusers
Tea Ball
A tea ball infuser is perhaps the most common type of tea infuser. Whenever you say the words “tea infuser” in front of a tea novice, this is what they will think of. The infuser is usually cylindrical in shape and made of a stainless steel mesh. The thickness of the mesh, the number of holes, and their sizes will vary according to brand.
The tea infuser ball opens in half and you place tea leaves in one half-sphere. Despite being the most common, tea balls aren’t the greatest. Many are too small for the tea to be able to diffuse properly with the water. The contact area of the water to the tea leaves is far too less. However, tea infuser balls are really easy to use, owing to the fact that they are connected to a chain that you can easily use to pull them back out.
Tea Infuser Baskets
This is probably the most efficient and flavorful way to brew your tea. Customers call them the best tea steepers ever. Tea infuser baskets come in different sizes depending on whether you want to use them in a single mug or a teapot. The tea brewing basket is usually made of a stainless steel mesh with very fine holes.
It has handles that help it sit on the edge of your mug. Some may also submerge completely with a handle attached to pull them out. They have a large surface area. The tea has contact with nearly all of the water molecules. This ensures an even brew. It is almost the same as adding your tea leaves directly into your water.
The only downside to the baskets is that they come in a lot of varying sizes and unless your mugs and cups are standard sized, you may have a hard time determining which basket will fit. plus, you can’t use the same basket for everything. Also, tea infuser baskets are slightly more costly than tea balls, but still affordable.
Tea Infuser Bags
You can buy a reusable or one-time-use tea bags online or in the grocery store near you. The reusable tea bags are usually made of cotton, while the non-reusable ones are made of paper, similar to the pre-packed tea bags. These will act exactly like tea bags and are a good option as well. they are convenient to use and the disposable variety emits the need to wash the infuser.
You have to be careful with a reusable one though. If not washed and stored properly, it could harbor bacteria and other germs. Washing it is comparatively harder than other varieties.
Tea Infuser Mug or Bottle (Portable Infuser)
Tea Infuser Mugs and Tea Infuser bottles have been steadily gaining popularity. They are quite like tea baskets, but the main difference is that the mug or bottle comes with the infuser. This eliminated the need to worry about the size of the mug and hence, you can have unique mugs with infusers.
It is also great for traveling as most of these have air-tight lids. You can simply carry some tea leaves in there and pour hot water whenever needed! Owing to the fact that standard dimensions do not have to be followed, some of these are very exquisitely designed, made to be presentable in front of honorable guests. They are one of the best loose leaf tea steepers and made for good conversations.
Over the Cup Tea Infuser
These infusers are usually made for a cup and not for a large brew. They are similar to tea infuser ball in the fact that they are small and do not brew the most flavorful tea. However, they are very convenient in terms of cleaning and carrying around with you. Moreover, they are usually very quirky looking and are a good break from the dull boring infusers. You can find these in many different materials such as silicon, metal, wood, or hard plastic.
Tea Stick Infuser
Here is the most modern and sleek-looking infuser available on the market. They are perfect for people who are all about the vibe and aesthetic. They may be somewhat harder to fill because of how thin they are.
Moreover, as with many other infusers, they won’t have the evenest brew because the tea touches a very low area of water. Despite this, there is a way to achieve a better brew with these. Simply stir! Stirring causes an even brew and a flavorful tea! Just make sure not to stir until your tea loses its warmth!
French Press
Yes, you can absolutely use a French Press to steep tea. Although traditionally used for coffee, French Press is perfect for steeping tea and you can find this easily in any grocery store near you. The tea is simply slightly pressed to release more of its flavor. As the water sits in the french press, it will brew automatically! A french press can give a very strong brew too.
A word of caution: using the same brew for coffee and tea may let coffee residue seep into your tea. This will interfere with the flavor of your tea in ways you may not like. Moreover, leaving tea in a french press for too long will cause it to become bitter. Cleaning a French press is also more work than normal infusers
Buyer’s Guide
Factors to consider when buying a tea infuser
Type:
According to your usage, you should always consider the type of infuser that will suit you.
Tea diffuser ball: Suitable for people who prefer lighter teas and ease of usage.
Tea brewing basket: Suitable for a larger number of people or any perfectionist who prefers to have a very strong thorough brew.
Teabags: Disposable ones are suitable for people who travel a lot or those who may not have time on their hands. Reusable ones are a good fit for those who are used to using tea bags and have no problem washing that piece of cloth
French press: A perfect fit for any coffee-lover who likes the brew associated with a french press
Portable Infusers: Suitable for people who travel a lot or those who need their tea in the workplace or at college etc
Single-cup infusers: Suitable for every person who usually brews only one cup of tea at a time
Size:
One thing stands true for infusers, the bigger the better! The flavor is directly proportional to size. This is because the tea leaves have more freedom to float around and provide an even brew. Ideally, you should go for a basket infuser that is as big as your mug.
However, this does not mean that smaller tea infusers like the tea diffuser ball are ineffective. The tea ball is way more effective than a teabag. This is because tea bags contain dust and broken leaves. Many people wouldn’t even notice the difference in brew using a tea diffuser ball or tea brewing basket. Just a tea lover or aficionado would know
Ease of Use
Most people give up infuser use on the fact that tea bags are so much more convenient to use. Having to clean up after making tea is no one’s favorite job. And what if you drink several cups a day? Oh, what a nightmare! However, we are here to break that stigma. Most tea infusers are so easy to clean that cleaning them will take less than 5 minutes. Just wash it when you were your cup!
Moreover, many tea infusers are safe to wash in a dishwasher. If cleaning is a huge deal for you, just use an infuser that is the easiest to clean. These may be infuser tea balls for most. A word of advice, any infuser having silicon parts will be harder to put together and apart when cleaning
Hole Size:
Hole sizes are a huge consideration when it comes to selecting the best infuser for you. Bigger holes do allow a more thorough brew, but if the holes are too big they will allow sediment and small particles from your tea leaves to wiggle out. These may come in your mouth as you sip your tea. Smaller holes lead to a less fine brew.
If you have a specific preference for a tea, keep its size in mind while choosing the infuser. If it has big leaves like green tea, go with one with bigger holes and if it has fine leaves like red tea then choose an infuser with finer holes. Usually, tea diffuser balls have fine holes and silicon tea infusers have bigger ones. Nonetheless, always check your specific product!
FAQs
Are tea strainers and tea infusers different?
Absolutely! They basically serve the opposite purpose even though they may look alike to some. Just some stainless steel mesh right? No! Tea strainers are used after brewing the tea. The only reason we use them is to separate the tea leaves from the tea itself.
This is done by putting the strainer over a clean mug or pot. The tea is poured over it, the leaves staying in the strainer. An infuser is used to brew the tea and removes the tea with itself after use. The tea remains in the original container.
Are tea infusers safe?
Yes! they are all made of stainless steel or silicone, both of which are FDA-approved materials. Always wash the infusers before using them for the first time. Particularly silicon ones, as these may have a plastic-y aftertaste that disappears after the first wash
How much tea should I use with a tea infuser?
This query confuses many, especially those making a new switch from tea bags to loose tea infusers. Too little tea leaves will leave your tea watery and tasteless while too much tea will make it too strong and bitter. The amount of tea used depends highly on the variety being used. On average, one teaspoon of tea leaves is enough for 150 to 250ml.
Are tea infusers environmentally friendly?
Tea infusers are a great switch from tea bags for this very reason: they are environmentally friendly! Because they are reusable and do not generate waste, they are good for the environment. After all, a tea infuser can last you for years. Think of how many tea bags you would have used in those years and see the difference!
Conclusion:
Many people instinctively choose tea bags because they are quick, convenient, and easy to find in the market. But using a tea infuser makes brewing a loose leaf tea as easy as the bagged tea and even more aromatic and delicious. Adding to it, using a tea infuser is way more eco-friendly than having tea bags. Tea infusers brighten up every cup of tea. So, take your tea game to the next level, and hope you may find this guide useful.
If you liked this article, also check out the Ultimate Guide to Tea Bomb
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