Tea Infusers are used when brewing loose leaf tea. They come in all shapes and sizes and are used for pots of tea and for individual cups of tea. So lets take a look at some of the most common options. The picture to the left shows a teacup with a little “Manatea” sitting on the edge of the cup. This is an example of the newer silicone character tea infusers.
The body of the character separates and you place the tea in the bottom portion that contains the holes.
Then you fit the two parts together and place the flippers over the rim of the cup. Add hot water, steep, and you are ready for tea.
This is another example of a character infuser. This one has a metal bottom and floats in your cup or pot like a frog on a lily pad. Quite fun.
These are more traditional steel mesh infusers. They come in a variety of sizes so they can be used in individual cups or when brewing a pot of tea. Usually you fill about one half of the infuser with tea. This allows the tea to expand when water is added. I have to say that I use these a lot in my own home.
This next infuser is also popular but is not one of my favorites. The infuser is a little more closed in with fewer holes than the mesh so the water doesn’t circulate around the tea as efficiently.
Now we come to the whole pot infusers. This particular one has a steel mesh infuser that fits into the pot. You add the tea to the infuser, place it in the pot, and then pour the water directly over the tea. It makes a great pot of tea.
Another example of this type of infuser is the ceramic version. The insert has a number of holes located in the ceramic infuser. Again, once positioned in the teapot, you add the water directly onto the tea. These work better than I expected.
Last, but not least, is the French Press version of making tea. in this case you add the tea directly into the pot. Next add the heated water. Place the lid of the French Press on the top of the pot but do not press it down. Allow the tea to brew for the recommended time. Press the lid down and you have tea that has no leaves floating in the liquid. If you decide this is the method for you, have a press that is used only for tea.
Whatever infuser you decide works best for you, make that cup of tea and take a few minutes to relax and enjoy.