Tea infuser for loose-leaf tea

[Anonymous]

New to brewing loose-leaf tea, I recently bought a $10 “extra fine” stainless steel infuser. Unfortunately, the infuser leaves specks of tea after brewing.

Is that just the nature of the process, or should I get a different infuser? I’m willing to spend more if it gets me speck-free tea. What brand(s) do you like?

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure specks are avoidable but you could try a really fine mesh bag, and/or larger leaf tea.

[Anonymous]

I use a bottom dispenser. There are a few online, this is the exact one I have and it strains very well.

https://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-ingenuiTEA-Bottom-Dispensing-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1JGuSy8jVFMpbHmFUsxD62ZSdNuOVfBBvAJcR-zJTYBoFDaKW27-lgI-6kQ8p0DaIzMirUItu3qaHFQEjltknEO4Tud9x8VwhB0uimfqUGXnEcEfs2BRjRgSKYLNuyC6bJJj0vMsGfL05QXe4S3QUfE1fLJ4iJ88TLImPhNT-AjXPfcxCEIpWulcCVy1PfROzUn27JZTfmUkNSV875oKBjoiFi2nLuzq2u5F6Of68yhkcU51jxzKFiPyrIXa5WVw9G2Zs0S6xAQDsZTZ5YGtzkB97qNHPLQp6o_SPAmtmYA.LumvDLiwRoprjmBfDS7DsOTixTL0G5Sm_dMqLxRpb7s&dib_tag=se&keywords=bottom%2Bdispensing%2Bteapot&qid=1738941947&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

[Anonymous]

Get a fine mesh infuser, they are the best. I have this one:

https://www.theteasmith.com/products/infuser-basket-gold.html

No specks in your tea, it fits in pretty much any container I want to drink from, including my insulated to-go cup, and is very easy to clean -- you just dump the tea in the trash and wash it in the sink.

[Anonymous]

Use a tea strainer that hangs from the top of the cup and looks like the below.

The ones that look like a sphere (or some other shape) and have two sides that are supposed to close together never, ever work

:

https://www.amazon.com/Yoassi-Extra-Fine-Approved-Stainless/dp/B01LQ7NQTW/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3GXFFWHMRTFWE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4nGX1Mm5Ft9IV7iRdJ_OsuFaY_ATmL1e4utCaXr4WLaGR4-SpafKtMXY4l2f7NNqp2AfC6GlLQy83gkDaYcTlfmBZc4omfOibrKHPDvKwcIWziQ2GHqzZmoeK3NW5i6REVEqjuCUuszQZGqIwU9NhPh6I-CDkvyaDWAUYQdeutAhfQQ9Yf9fmcZLIbfw8Z4zv664OCm9rc7OGP72SFOX_2AbdVwNyvDE21ls1z3Un253GOsJuOa7dkURUx_WK_wQm5Zl0_y9_XFAjhK_H4yh25-BzzzaUVClXtc2BWykDFo.SfL_K3sGkLTxgybg-9unNvfKZ6oON6LGO20nopI5NV0&dib_tag=se&keywords=tea+strainer&qid=1738942952&sprefix=tea+strainer%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a fine mesh infuser, they are the best. I have this one:

https://www.theteasmith.com/products/infuser-basket-gold.html

No specks in your tea, it fits in pretty much any container I want to drink from, including my insulated to-go cup, and is very easy to clean -- you just dump the tea in the trash and wash it in the sink.

I worry that it doesn't tell you what it's made of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a fine mesh infuser, they are the best. I have this one:

https://www.theteasmith.com/products/infuser-basket-gold.html

No specks in your tea, it fits in pretty much any container I want to drink from, including my insulated to-go cup, and is very easy to clean -- you just dump the tea in the trash and wash it in the sink.

I worry that it doesn't tell you what it's made of.

That will not kill you. Trust me, you will die of some other thing, not a tea-infuser made of inferior steel.

[Anonymous]

I prefer the basket style like the two linked above. Lots of versions of those out there.

[Anonymous]

I like the basket style also. If you're really picky about no bits of tea leaves, you could try single use bags. I use them for tisanes with turmeric that is very fine.

I like the ones that fold over the side of the mug.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a fine mesh infuser, they are the best. I have this one:

https://www.theteasmith.com/products/infuser-basket-gold.html

No specks in your tea, it fits in pretty much any container I want to drink from, including my insulated to-go cup, and is very easy to clean -- you just dump the tea in the trash and wash it in the sink.

I worry that it doesn't tell you what it's made of.

That will not kill you. Trust me, you will die of some other thing, not a tea-infuser made of inferior steel.

There is also plastic on it. No thanks

[Anonymous]

Get a glass Japanese teapot. They come in all different sizes so you could get a 1 or 2 cup model. I bought one off of amazon (maybe Hario brand?) that has a very very fine mesh strainer.

[Anonymous]

I have a glass teapot with a stainless infuser. Works well.

[Anonymous]

I swear by the Japanese ones! Super fine-mesh stainless steel and borosilicate glass, high quality but not expensive. Here’s an example: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Cha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0/
Personally not in favor of continually pouring boiling water over plastic, like the black infuser posted upthread. Also the ones with holes in them always let little crumbs through, and the ones that look like giant safety pins with clamshell balls attached are the stupidest and worst ever

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I swear by the Japanese ones! Super fine-mesh stainless steel and borosilicate glass, high quality but not expensive. Here’s an example: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Cha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0/
Personally not in favor of continually pouring boiling water over plastic, like the black infuser posted upthread. Also the ones with holes in them always let little crumbs through, and the ones that look like giant safety pins with clamshell balls attached are the stupidest and worst ever

Yes! The one you linked is the one I have (700ml), and I've been considering getting a 300ml one for when I just want a single cup of black tea or chai. The glass body is made in Japan and the mesh strainer part is made in China. I thought the strainer might be too fragile, but it hasn't crushed out of shape or anything in over a year.

[Anonymous]

I use this one and really like it - metal and silicone, no plastic:

https://www.worldmarket.com/p/sage-green-mesh-basket-tea-infuser-with-silicone-lid-607770.html