HOW TO CHOOSE A TEA INFUSER

So what’s the big deal…why not just use a tea bag and be done with it?! You could and that would be completely fine. But if you were wanting to learn how to brew tea with loose leaves and you’re just not sure how to go about it, this post will help you start out. In this post, I will talk about the critical piece of equipment that you will need to have for brewing loose leaf tea and that is an infuser! Based on my experience, here is some information on tea infusers and guides on how to choose one.

What is an infuser? By definition, a tea infuser is a device in which loose dried tea leaves are placed for steeping or brewing a cup or pot of tea. The popularity of the infuser is noted in the first half of the 19th century. Early on, the tea strainer was the only option leaving stray leaves in the tea. The tea ball was one of the first infusers and became an integral part of tea preparation. Today, an infuser is still the choice of loose leaf tea enthusiasts but has taken on many different shapes since its earlier days.

To use an infuser, you place your tea into the infuser and submerge it in hot water, allowing the tea to infuse or steep into a delicious cup of tea!

There are many types and styles to choose from, so its important to choose the right infuser for the right cup or right pot.

• The infuser you choose needs to give your tea enough room to steep. The tea leaves will expand during the steeping process and if there is not enough room, the brew will not be correct. You will want to keep this in mind when selecting the style of infuser you want to use.
• You should only fill the infuser half with your tea leaves, so it needs to accommodate this expansion.
• It should also be easy to use – fitting into either the cup or the pot.
• And last but not least, it should be easy for you to clean.

Let’s go through some of them and I will share some pros and cons and what has worked best for me.

Single Cup Infusers

I call this section Single Cup Infusers because I use them mainly to steep a single cup of tea. Hear is some detail on each one. And remember, your tea needs to have enough room to be bathed by the hot water and expand. When steeping a single cup of tea, you want 1 tsp of loose leaf tea per 6 ounce cup (normal size for a teacup). These infusers can hold 1 tsp of loose leaf tea and allow for reasonable blooming of the tea when using it for a single cup.

This is a Ball Infuser. You place 1 tsp of loose leaf tea in one side of the infuser, close and lock the ball, and place it in your cup. The chain allows you to secure it and lift it out of your teacup when its time. I don’t use this infuser for a pot of tea because it doesn’t fit enough tea for a full pot and also doesn’t allow enough room for the tea to expand.

The next two types of infusers are referred to as Tea Sticks. They have a long handle with the infuser on the end. You squeeze the handle to open the infuser and load your 1 tsp of tea, close the infuser and place it in your cup. These can be a challenge to clean but are great for a loose leaf cup of tea on the go!

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The next infuser is similar to the ball infuser and is sometimes called the Egg Infuser because of its shape. You place your tea leaves in the bottom and then secure the cap. As with the Ball Infuser, you can hang this infuser in your cup or pot and remove it by its chain. This infuser is not quite enough for a full pot of tea and is a bit clumsy for a cup of tea. These are also a challenge to clean as well but it is another option for you.

Tea Strainers

This next type is a Tea Strainer. This strainer would be used when brewing a pot of tea. The loose leaf tea is placed in the bottom of your teapot and then your boiling water is poured into the pot to begin the steeping. To serve, you place the strainer on the cup, pour the hot tea through the strainer and any leaves are caught in the strainer or remain in the pot. Though I am charmed by how they look in the cup, I do not personally use tea strainers often or at all. Once you pour a cup out of the pot, the leaves remain in the pot and continue to steep making the tea very strong and sometimes bitter. So this is not my preference.

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Tea Filters

I am however a big fan of using paper Tea Filters. These are fine paper bags that you fill with your loose leaf tea and then simply brew with them and then discard when done. They allow for perfect expansion of the tea and steeping through the paper material. There are several different products available. I am showing you the brand that I have used for years.

These are called T-Sac Tea Filters and are a fine mesh paper. They come in several sizes – I always have them on hand.

The largest size is best for a large teapot. I use this size when I serve tea for guests or family. I also use this for an afternoon tea where I will be serving several pots of tea. I take the largest size and make up several bags to be ready for steeping several pots at one time. The middle size is perfect for a smaller pot of tea which holds 3-4 cups. And if I want just a cup for myself, I will use the small size and have that perfect cup of tea. I also use this size to prepare several small size tea bags ahead of time so I can gift them to friends.

Here is how you use them – you simply put the desired amount of tea in the bag and secure it. Remember, 1 tsp of loose leaf per cup. I use a little clothespin or a business clip to close the bag. I have also just stapled them shut when I am preparing several in a row. Securing the top ensures that none of the leaves will come out if the bag inadvertently falls into the teacup or teapot.

Once you have filled your tea bag, simply lay it in your cup or tuck it into the teapot and hang it over the side. Pour in your water and allow the steeping to commence. Once done, remove and just throw away. These are that simple. But don’t squeeze the bag (or any tea bag for that matter), it leaves tea dust in your cup and that doesn’t taste good!

Tea Infuser Baskets

Tea Infuser Baskets or Tea Brewing Baskets are my favorite way to steep a full pot of tea. A Tea Infuser Basket is a stainless steel mesh basket that is inserted into the tea pot. You put your tea in the basket and pour your water in, allowing the tea to steep. When ready, just remove the basket and discard the tea leaves. You can easily clean the basket – toss it in the dishwasher and use it over and over again. These are very durable. The basket allows the tea to fully expand and appropriately steeps.

I have two sizes that I am fond of and always have them ready for that pot of tea.

Above you can see two different sizes of tea pot openings. They each have hold the same amount of tea but would need different size of a Tea Basket Infuser.

Tea Infusers have taken on some creative styles. Here are some that are fun and very functional.

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To Summarize…

Choosing a tea infuser depends on your preference and what amount of tea you are trying to steep. You have many options. Here are some guides to help you along the way –

• The infuser you choose needs to give your tea enough room to steep. The tea leaves will expand during the steeping process and if there is not enough room, the brew will not be correct. You will want to keep this in mind when selecting the style of infuser you want to use.
• You should only fill the infuser half with your tea leaves, so it needs to accommodate this expansion.
• It should also be easy to use – fitting into either the cup or the pot.
• And last but not least, it should be easy for you to clean.

There are several options for the single cup. My ultimate preference for the single cup would be either the Tea Stick with Ball or the Tea Filter. For steeping a tea pot, it would definitely be the Tea Infuser Basket for either small or large teapot. For large groups, I would go for the Tea Filter large size and make them ahead.

Please say “yes” to brewing with loose leaf tea. It’s the best cup of tea you will ever have. So now that you’re ready to brew that perfect cup of tea….put the water on, grab your tea and your infuser, pick out a special cup….and don’t forget the scones!

The tea pictured here is Monks Grenadine Black Tea from New Mexico Tea Company https://www.nmteaco.com/

Check out these other posts from Teas The Season on Tea Tasting – Tea Tastings – An Adventure in Teas https://teastheseason3.com/tea-tastings-an-adventure-in-teas/ and Tea Tastings 2 – The Adventure Continues https://teastheseason3.com/tea-tasting-2-the-adventure-continues/

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