Tea Infuser
A tea infuser is a mesh, perforated or basket device that holds loose leaf in hot water and lifts out to stop the steep.
Definition
Tea infusers let loose leaf be brewed in a mug or teapot without leaves ending up in the cup. Common forms include the hinged mesh ball, the spring-loaded spoon, the cylindrical or basket infuser that sits across the rim of a mug or pot, and the built-in strainer basket of many teapots and travel bottles. Design matters more than it looks. Whole tea leaves unfurl and expand several times in volume as they steep: rolled oolong can grow to four or five times its dry size, and large-leaf black and white teas need space for water to circulate. A small ball infuser packs the leaf into a tight clump, so the outside overextracts while the center barely wets. Wide, deep basket infusers that fill most of the mug's volume give results much closer to brewing loose. Materials include stainless steel mesh, perforated steel, silicone and nylon. Fine stainless mesh catches small particles and lasts for years. Perforated designs with larger holes let fine broken leaf, rooibos and Japanese fukamushi sencha through.
In Depth
Choosing one: pick a basket infuser that reaches at least two-thirds of the way down the mug and is at least 5-6 cm wide. Fine mesh (often listed as 0.2-0.3 mm openings or finer) is needed for rooibos, broken black tea and Japanese green tea.
Use: put the leaf in first, then pour water over it so the leaf wets evenly. Lift the basket out fully at the end of the steep instead of letting it drip back into the cup.
Tea oils and tannin stains build up in mesh over weeks and can block it. Soak the infuser in hot water with a spoon of baking soda or a little citric acid, then brush. Silicone infusers can retain flavors; keep a separate one for strongly scented teas such as Earl Grey or Lapsang Souchong.
See Also
- Loose Leaf Brewing
- Tea Accessories
- Mug Brewing