(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best tea accessories

The Eve and Malachi series by Abigail Hilton are wonderful books for a 7-10 year old girl. It's by an author who is rather unknown, but she is my favorite! They are delightful books about a baby rat who discovers and befriends a snake who longs to become a dragon. Anyway, it's a very sweet series about friendship. and contains some important lessons to be learned by the reader. Do not, however, have her read any of Abbie's other books, as they are all either too advanced/violent for a 7 year old, or meant for adults. E&M is her only children's book series, and it is a very good one! Please let me know if you decide to buy it for her, as I would love to know if she enjoys it!

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Another idea for things to put in the basket is tea! Tea is wonderful to drink while reading, and it's good for you as well. I love drinking a high-quality loose-leaf tea while reading a good book! To add to the fun (if you decide on loose-leaf rather than tea bags), you could include a fun tea steeper! They have many fun, colorful options on amazon and in other stores that a young girl would probably get a kick out of! As for the tea , I highly recommend Plum Deluxe. Their decaf and low-caf teas would probably be best for her age,especially the Reading Nook blend! Good luck on your search!

Links:

Eve and Malachi Book Collection

Plum Deluxe Homepage

Reading Nook Blend

Some example infusers: Rubber Duck (my personal favorite!), Flowers, Unicorn, Pig, Owls, Mermaid

Loose leaf tea is great! It's so much better. Bigger leaves and less fine particles (fannings) mean it will be less bitter. Those little pieces steep really quickly, and make it bitter and almost metallic.

There's also temperature and steep time that you have to look out for, and adjust to your taste. Some greens only need 15 seconds of steeping in 160f water, while some blacks are best in 200f for 2-3 minutes.

I didn't know at first, but color varies a lot. A green can be ready when it's almost totally clear, or a dark green color, but most will be a yellow color (the result is often called the liquor or broth).

One of my favorites is an irish breakfast tea, with like a tablespoon full of leaves for a really strong but not at all bitter tea.

Sometimes people will intentionally steep tea for a long time, then add warm water to dilute it.

Check out r/tea, it's the coolest and most relaxed sub ever. "Oh, you like cheap lipton tea bags? That's cool, whatever you like!".

Tea balls suck, by the way. They don't let the leaves expand and mix evenly.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ABVM226/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This is what I use, and it's great.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/ya/ref=oh_aui_i_sh_post_o17?ie=UTF8&ac=od&ii=&ij=&noi=&of=&oi=&oid=105-5075213-2947460 This is my mug. The infuser came broken, but it's great watching the water mix and change color.

Edit:
These are some of my favorites that I've gotten off Amazon

This is some of the best Jasmine tea I've had, and it's super cheap. I got mine for $8.

This is some really good mint tea, good balance, really refreshing.

This is a good oolong, which is really good and way different from most other teas. It's roasted, which gives it a unique flavor. This is the black dragon (Oolong is actually Chinese for black dragon), which tastes more like a black, but they also have a green dragon oolong that is more green, if that's your preference.

That's just what I've gotten from Amazon, but the best stuff I've gotten is from The Devotea. They had a crazy 75% off sale so I just bought some of everything, and it was all consistently very good, very high quality.

This kettle has saved me a lot of trouble, it works really well once you figure it out, and you don't have to worry about boiling water and letting it sit for 3 minutes or something, you just push the button a couple times to choose the temperature.

Ok sorry it took so long but here is the recipe! A few people have asked, I'll put them here so they get the update. Let me know if I missed someone!

AMightyWolf me2pleez lexxx223 captainvyvanse RedQueenHypothesis katekowalski2014 funkinatrix

Materials:

The Thai tea itself! I tried a few different mixes and this one's my favorite.

Because the Thai tea mix is so fine and powdery, I recommend using a very fine cloth strainer. It's not required, but it makes it better (in my opinion). I use something similar to this. This has gone up in price since I got it years ago. But paper tea bags, cheesecloth, or reusable cotton tea bags will all work as well. Whatever you use it WILL be stained orange and brown.

If you don't mind powder and fine particles getting in there (which can make it more bitter), whatever strainer you currently use for loose leaf tea will work.

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Recipe:

My mom found this recipie (and many others) and we thought this one tasted the most like restaurant Thai iced tea.

I boil 4 cups of water and steep 1/3 cup of Thai tea mix for 20 minutes. Then I add 1/3 cup of sugar. I add in 2 cups of cold water, or 2 cups worth of ice (instead of boiling all 6 cups at the beginning) just to help it cool faster cause I am impatient and want to drink it.

Pop some in a cup with ice, and then add your milk, cream, whatever you want. I like it most with half and half, but usually I don't keep that around so I just do regular milk more often.

Originally the recipe calls for 15 minute steeping and 1/2 cup of sugar, but I liked it stronger and a bit less sweet. You play around and see how you like it. I find the 20 minute steep and 1/3 cup of sugar is as close as I can get to restaurant Thai iced tea. Half and half also gets it closest to restaurant as well (imo). I ask sometimes when I go to Thai restaurants what they use for cream, and most of them tell me half and half. Once someone told me sweetened condensed milk with an extra splash of milk. I have not yet tried that.

As you noticed the recipe is for a large quantity. It keeps well in the fridge, so you can have some ready on hand. Mine doesn't usually last very long.

Have fun!

Irish Breakfast is a good strong one that a lot of coffee drinkers might enjoy but I'd also say the London Tea Room English Breakfast or the Keemun would be very good, all very good with a splash of cream/sugar if that's the coffee style, but also very good black. The boldest choice is the Assam if that's why she likes coffee. A genmaicha (iron goddess) would be good but might lean a little more into the green tea camp, though my husband likes it and he isn't as into greens.

Similar to a Chai is the Rooibos from LTR (their nutcracker at Christmas is fantastic) but I'd also try the Big Heart Cup of Sunshine (from Soulard but I've seen it at Bowood Farms or even Anthropologie now). Teatopia has a nice vanilla chai.

Definitely go for loose teas. If you buy from LTR their 4 ounce teas are resealable but their smaller teas need a dark canister to go into. I use these from Amazon but I know Teatopia has their own style. I brew my tea using these.

!!

Getting started with matcha is so awesome! I've been drinking it in the morning with breakfast for almost a full year now, and knock on my fake-wood desk, I haven't gotten sick at all (except for that one sinus infection when I stopped drinking it for two weeks...whoops).

I think you are selling yourself short if taste isn't as important to you. I feel high quality matcha is better for you, but maybe I'm just overthinking things. I would give this one a shot since it claims to be ceremonial grade, it's 4oz, AND it's barely over $20. That sounds like a steal.

I have matcha every morning. Tea ceremony purists would probably faint over my routine, but it's pretty quick for me and it still tastes lovely.

Tools:

• A little sifter/strainer/whathaveyou
  
  
• Chasen whisk and chashaku scoop (I prefer to use the chashaku scoop over the little spoon because I find it's easier to scoop out of my matcha tins.)
  
  
• Big ol' soup mug - You don't need a fancy schmancy special bowl. My mug is some weird soup mug from the 70s with Garfield on it.
  
  
• Matcha powder! (This one is my favorite, but it might be too much money if you're just getting started)
  
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1. Take your clunky soup cup and fill it with hot water. I use hot tap water. Let it sit in the sink.
   
   
2. Put the kettle on to boil. When it has reached a boil, pour the water into a one-cup liquid measuring cup and let it sit.
   
   
3. While the hot water is sitting, remove your cup from the sink, dry the inside with a paper towel.
   
   
4. Place your strainer atop your tea cup. Take out your matcha tea and scoop as much as you'd like onto the strainer. Here I use the chashaku scoop to press it against the strainer. This is what breaks up the clumps, leaving me with very fine, powdery matcha.
   
   
5. By the time you've finished adding the powder to your cup, the hot water in the measuring cup should be ready. Keep in mind you want the water to be between 155-180F in temperature.
   
   
6. Pour in the hot water and whisk it to death until it's lovely and frothy.
   
   
7. While waiting for it to cool (if you're like me and are a wuss), eat your breakfast!

This one is super highly rated and recommended.

This is nice since it will work with any mug.

Something like this looks really nice and works well.

I had one just like this that I loved.

I had one like this that was cherished until it broke. It worked amazingly well. And there's this if you want to make more than one cup!

You really want to find something large that gives the tea leaves room to expand. The cute novelty ones are adorable, but don't steep the tea very well. You can also reuse the leaves so don't throw them away after one use!!

Also if you have one near you, David's Teas have super cute stuff. There's also a /r/tea subreddit :)

Loose leaf is really worth it with green tea, to start out with.

My favorite type of green tea is Japanese. O cha has some great stuff. Sencha is your basic Japanese green tea, don't worry so much about the other types unless you want to make a hobby of it. It is very strong, highly caffeinated stuff, which also means you have to be careful; don't brew it in boiling water or for more than two minutes, or it will take the roof of your mouth off.

China also produces some excellent green teas. I'd go to Silk Road Teas for that. Chinese tea is much more forgiving. It's pretty common to dump a scoop of leaves into a thermos and then just keep topping it up with more water all day. More subtle brewing techniques will let you play with flavor more, of course. Dragonwell is the most common everyday Chinese green, and it's easy to brew and drink, so it might be good for a beginner. Silk Road also does nice sample sets!

Many beginners also like Adagio. They're good at easing you into the world of tea, and sell a lot of teaware if you don't have any equipment yet. In-mug infusers are a fantastic approach if you don't feel like spending gobs of cash on decorative teapots, Amazon is also a good source there.

Green is only one category of tea, of course. Black is great stuff, oolong and white if you get interested in the complex flavors, and if you want a powerful hit of caffeine, try the pu erh. It's an acquired taste, but boy will it keep you awake.

ETA: Mug infusers that are in stock. They come in colors, but you'll have to look yourself. Also fill your own tea bags for the weak of heart who insist on tea bags.

I have a Breville one-touch, which is similar to the Hamilton Beach 40865 Glass Kettle except it has the basket. You definitely will need something that allows you to monitor water temperature or else you run the risk of scorching your tea, which makes it very bitter.

I'm personally more of a mug person, because I like to drink my tea 16oz at a time so things like Travel Tea Set by Music City Tea don't appeal to me because size. When I was new to loose leaf and before I got my Breville I used this because it's a low-cost, low commitment apparatus that's super easy to use. That way, you're not spending a lot of money on something you don't know if you'll even be into. It's not as cute, or as fancy, but it's a cost-effective introduction to loose leaf.

That being said, you definitely want an infuser that allows the tea leaves to expand, like a basket or teapot-basket combo because tea leaves love to expand. I also think expanded tea leaves produce better flavor, but that might be just me.

Well what I usually do is put the tea bag in a cup of hot water and immediately throw it out the window (unless my English friend is visiting...in that case I throw it at him) while shouting the Pledge of Allegiance. Bourbon > Tea, but tea parties can be fun.

OK fine, serious answer...you need one of these things, some of them come with handles. Put the chamomile in it, pour boiling water over it, let it steep until it tastes good (in my case this never happens, thus the above).

I've done it. It isn't as potent as burning the entire leaf but it is still good and much easier on the stomach. Stomach comfort is why I tried it. I've also frozen, thawed, brewed tea, then filtered. The freezing then tea method gets better results just filtering after freezing. But like I mentioned, if you don't burn the entire leaf you are going to lose alkaloids. I have found that a Thai tea filter is great for filtering out the plant material.

Okay, so I know I am going to come off like a total tea snob, but I would definitely suggest loose-leaf tea too. For your wife, she may like genmaicha. You will need one of these to steep the tea, along with a tea thermometer. When you make green or white teas, especially loose-leaf, temperature is very important. I usually make my green tea around 175°f and I wouldn’t suggest going much hotter than that—definitely do not boil the water, especially not with Genmaicha—it tastes like burnt popcorn. Also, don’t let it steep for more than 3 minutes or so, it gets bitter.
Your tea should be much easier. You can put black tea in boiling water, leave it in to taste, and take it out. When I make Earl Grey I usually get it from a replicator, hot. If you do not live on the Enterprise, just put a little sugar or honey in it, I usually do not like black tea with any milk, but, of course, that varies from person to person. Hope this helps.

I would like to add that I wrote this yesterday morning but REDDIT WAS DOWN

I'm not familiar with that particular tea, so it's possible it's just a subtle tea to begin with. Many teas are very subtle and it can take a while to developed a taste for it when you're used to strong iced tea. That said, there are a few things it could be.

Tea balls can be restrictive of the leaves - tea leaves need to unfurl and have room to soak up water, otherwise you may not get as much flavor as you should out of them. I generally recommend infuser baskets instead of tea balls, like stainless steel infusers. A big benefit to loose tea over bagged is giving it room to expand and release flavor, but balls can be too tight.

You can also double up the leaf. Adding more time won't necessarily make it stronger, it will just make it bitter if you steep too long. Try three or four teaspoons for five minutes and see what you get.

If it's still bland after that, toss the brew, and try re-steeping the same leaves. Many teas are good for multiple infusions, and some actually get MORE flavor the second time.

If that all fails, you may just have a tea that doesn't suit your taste. Don't be discouraged from tea in general though, there are so many out there. We may be able to provide recommendations for stronger blacks depending on what you're looking for :)

A basket or large ball style (not mesh) with super fine holes and with plenty of room for the leaves to get water circulation and room to swell. Ideally metal so you can get the finest holes.
Those funny ones are cute but far from practical or useful for a good cup of tea.
Unfortunately, they no longer seem to make the Swiss Gold Basket style tea brewer. I love mine and have used it for 20+ years. https://www.amazon.com/Swissgold-TF-300-Tea-Filter/dp/B000G72D70
These types are readily available now:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OGJMK9U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CVMIGSC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hmmm. I swear by my ForLife infuser, but here's a few that I've thought about buying from Amazon (I haven't personally used any of these but they have decent reviews).

Stainless Steel Ball. I think this one would be the best for you. Fine holes so relatively low tea leaf leakage.

A Stir Steeper. Seems like an interesting design, but I worry that the leaves won't spread much.

A floating infuser. More of a cutesy design, probably not a great pick.

Absolutely my pleasure.

Re: the comment about loose tea... this works very nicely for a single cup, and you can often find it in a grocery store:

http://www.amazon.com/RSVP-Standard-Infuser-Mesh-Spoon/dp/B000F7DT2O/ref=pd_sim_k_1

I loved the description of the lapsang, I picked it up because of the scent pouring out of the box, it actually made me feel hungry when I smelled it (go figure). And I am delighted that you are finding new flavors to enjoy.

I'd recommend a hot-water thermos and a gaiwan. The lid of the gaiwan strains the leaves as you drink the tea. you can also do multiple infusion if you like it and if the leaves allow it. When you're done, it's really easy to clean.
Or you could just brew the tea at home in the thermos with some one-use paper tea filter (like these: http://amzn.to/nx60M4). I don't like teaballs either. it makes a huge difference to brew the tea without them, and tastes so much better. Paper filters allow for more leaf-water contact, and thus for a better brew.

I think the issue is that most people who care enough about fine mesh aren't using tea balls anymore (too cramped for proper infusion). In any case, good luck and let us know if you find one.

Edit: I take it back, I forgot about this. I've got the larger, non-tea ball, version and it is wonderful.

I used to make kratom tea so I needed a way to filter the kratom out. Kratom is super finely ground, so the Thai tea filters I bought on Amazon work great. Used them for cold brew and nothing gets through. So if anyone is looking for a good filter option ,check out Thai tea filters, another plus is they're reusable. https://www.amazon.com/Thai-filter-stainless-steel-muslin/dp/6167204012

One of the things I really miss about living in Europe is the ease of buying Club-Mate (and at a decent price), so I decided to try reproducing it with my SodaStream.

I cold brewed some Mate from David's Tea using the SteepStir I bought from Amazon. Added a teaspoon of Stevia (Truvia brand) and a squirt of lemon juice. Tastes delicious!

This recipe differs from other excellent ones like Matedor because I didn't have to boil anything and then pour a syrup. Instead, I carbonated the water and then dropped the SteepStir (fully loaded with Mate) into the 1 liter bottle. I let it steep overnight in the fridge, then added the lemon juice and Truvia. Please keep in mind that you have to cap it really quick to avoid a slow-motion diet coke + mentos effect!

I recommend this one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JIRDSCC

I have multiple infusers I like, including Forlife, but this House Again one has really impressed me. I think if I had to buy one, this one would be it--it's all steel and will keep any particulates out of the water. Finum is good too, but has plastic if that's a concern.

re: # 3 - I bought one of these and cut a small hole to fit my dip tube in. It goes on the inside of the kettle to be clear. And it does a great job of keeping hops out of the fermenter. https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Sales-Spice-Infuser-Stainless/dp/B004X4LGIO
edit congrats on first AG batch.

Yours looks like a prettier version of the one I just bought from Amazon called the "G&H Tea Services Paris Tea-Cup Strainer". Yours is a lot better though since it does have that base. I assume strainers are better than infusers cause strainers let the leaves have more room...

You sound kind of like me, I wasn't into tea because I thought tea meant Lipton and then I had to quit the Red Bull and got into tea for the variety.

Personally I use these empty tea filters from Tiesta Tea for making tea at work. You can choose whatever loose tea your feeling at the moment and how much you'd like to use and then let it steep like any other tea bag. I try to only make 8oz glasses because there isn't that much space for a lot of tea. Hope that helps, enjoy the variety of tea.

Yay cocktails!

I can hardly even remember the last movie I watched, since I don't go out to the theaters a lot. I can say I really want to watch Boyhood, but the last movie I watched was probably Wild China on Netflix. It's a documentary :) Thanks for the contest!!

Quick tip I came up with for doing the potatoes: Grab yourself a tea infusor like this to hold your garlic cloves (I use garlic cloves and black peppercorns). Makes them super easy to remove after the potatoes are ready!

Sorry, that I can't help you with. I just drank a shit load of coffee and tea when I was in Thailand and went on a food tour that stopped at one of the thousands of little stands that make coffee or tea. All of it had sweetened condensed milk it. Thai people love sweet foods and drinks.

I never saw anybody drinking black coffee, very rarely even hot coffee. Knowing how poor most of them are, its probably not the best coffee, though I would assume its grown in Thailand but might be Robusta not Arabica.

I also just remembered, the coffee is made using basically a cloth filter, https://www.amazon.com/Standard-Filter-Natural-Strainer-Thailand/dp/B01HIKU16M/ref=pd_sim_325_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KJ4Z79NY9AZZP7EH3932

Edit - I know how she feels too, summer wasn't exactly great for me, especially since last summer I went to Thailand (Bangkok & Phuket) and absolutely loved it, such an amazing place.

If you're looking for an "in the cup" type solution, I'd really recommend getting an in cup infuser like this one but if you're dead set on a tea ball you won't find a better one than this one. It has tons of room for a tea ball. I've used both of these products and they're both great.

Edit: You could probably find a better infuser though. It's good but I was just using that one as an example.

I've bought them all from Amazon, the bamboo bombillas are all the same but my favorite metal bombilla is this one. You have to pull more with your mouth than the other typical bombillas because of the fine mesh filter, but it's worth it for finely ground teas

When people ask for the best xyz food in town, I hate when redditers respond with, "You should make it yourself, it's easy/cheaper/better!"

So I'm going to hate myself for saying this, but you could take your favorite loose tea with you in tea bags like these or these.

Perhaps more helpfully, though, I'm partial to Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Sunset/Spice Black Tea, and you can get the bags/sachets at our Target.

My husband prefers CTC assams so he uses this one. I also use it for my rooibos teas.

In my office where I have a smaller pot with a large opening I use this one that floats. At home I mostly use this one. It has larger holes but is much easier to clean than the mesh one. It fits the mouth of most of my tea pots.

A happy medium may be these little disposable bags. I use a similar product and have had great results.

You can buy large fillable tea bags. Smth like this
https://www.amazon.com/100pcs-Disposable-Filter-Bags-Loose/dp/B00HW1C7VK

The money saved on eggs can be used to buy better tea.

I bought these. They're cute and work good.

https://www.amazon.com/House-Again-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B01MRZLHAE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1510026349&sr=8-4&keywords=flower+tea+infuser

I just fill them with the desired amount of kratom and boiling water and let it steep.

If you're trying to just have some tea to drink at the office, you could just make a strong infusion and mix with a little hot water.

You mention "benefits", what are you trying to extract?

Of course brewing fresh tea is always going to be the tastiest ...
You could bag your own tea if you pick up some teabags.
Here's amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Tea-Empty-Bags-60ea/dp/B00027CM5C
and here's an amazingly 1990s website: http://www.naturalteabags.com/home.html

I've had some success using hop pellets in tea bags- that allows enough diffusion for 2F dryhopping and they are way easier to fish out than it would be to strain the final product.

FWIW, I don't buy the snobbery that is the "No Teabag" camp.

That said, try some loose leaf teas and see if you like them better. I recommend Rooibos. =) Loose Rooibos leaves are fine and needle-like though. You may want to get some tea bags for loose teas for them. Look also in the "Also Bought" section for more different ones. Use them like little sandwich bags.

I throw my bag of loose tea leaves or a teabag into a Libre tea bottle and keep refilling hot water all day.

Teaave does this - loose leaf, uncut, in bag http://teaave.com/

They actually do pretty good bagged tea.

edit: unfilled tea bags

https://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Filter-Disposable-Infuser-Capacity/dp/B001BLCIN4

https://www.amazon.com/100pcs-Disposable-Filter-Bags-Loose/dp/B00HW1C7VK (I find these ones at Daiso for $1.50)

To me a gadget is neither a full on appliance (like a stick blender) not a tool (like a thermaPen), though I love both, but a small convenience that might be overlooked or mistakenly thought to be a unitasker, so I nominate the large tea basket. I use one that is 50 years old and perforated sheet metal that screws together, rather than the spring clip mesh one linked, but yards of cheesecloth and miles of twine for tying bouquet garni have been saved by using a large tea basket. Put yer stuff in there, simmer, remove and run through the dishwasher. Because it is large, you get good circulation for flavoring; because it is essentially indestructible, it never goes on the "to buy "list; because stem tying is not in play, you never have to fiddle with matching sprig lengths/sturdiness.

I had good luck using tea bags as hop bags (about .5-1.0oz pellet/bag, any more and they can pop, tie the end in a knot). At the end, just fish em out and chuck them.

Example:
http://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-5-Paper-Filters/dp/B001G8XORG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323898479&sr=8-1

A fine mesh tea strainer works very well, and is a lot faster than letting it drip through a coffee filter. And it's just a quick rinse to clean afterwards.

Not a ball, but what about something like this? Tea socks are very fine mesh, and this particular one says it's 9 inches long. Should provide lots of space for the leaves to steep in a large pitcher or jug.

Usually I am Ok with 2 minutes for the 1st and 2nd. Then I find the 3rd and (if I can get anything out of it) 4th infusion can go 3 minutes or longer without getting bitter. I have had a few where 90 seconds would likely be better for the initial infusion. It's unfortunately trial and error with every green that I've tried. While I noted the cost saving, the real treat is seeing the different flavors that you experience with the subsequent steepings. (Although by the 3rd or 4th, it might or might not become a bit weak. Still, worth a try)

I use an infuser insert like this one in a regualr cup/mug. Then I just leave the wet tea leaves in it until I'm ready to brew the next cup. (I also use a Yixing pot at home and leave the tea leaves in it between steepings. At work, it's less messy to use the infuser insert.)

I grind fresh coffee the day I leave for a trip. Espresso grind (number 2 on my grinder). I bring fillable tea bags

Tiesta Tea Loose Leaf Tea Filters, 100 Count, Disposable Tea Infuser for 100 Cups of Tea https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S8XOL88/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zE8MDbGJBMT6E

Then fill one of those up with 1-2 spoons. Drop it in for about 4 mins.

They are super light.

Much better tasting that the instant stuff.

I wonder if tea bags for loose tea would work.

Something like this

Would be a quick and easy solution if it did.

https://www.amazon.com/Fu-Store-Stainless-Strainers-Strainer/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1506513986&sr=1-5&keywords=tea+infuser

I've got these and they're OK. I actually prefer using my french press though. I seems silly to use my french press for only one cup of tea, but I feel like it really lets the leaves unfurl properly

Honestly, I haven't found a great tea infuser that doesn't leave little bits and pieces in my cup. That's really a peeve of mine. Its a little wasteful, but I really like these filters: Tiesta Tea Filters

I make my own with empty tea bags I got from the Asian grocer. Something like these:
https://www.amazon.com/100pcs-Disposable-Filter-Bags-Loose/dp/B00HW1C7VK

I just use a French press ratio for the amount of coffee: about 2 Tbsp/cup. I drink instant too, but this makes a much nicer cup.

You can't go wrong with this type of strainer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GNWKPIQ

An open cup-shaped strainer is the best because it allows moderate room for the leaves, and it's easy enough to fill, empty and wash. A sealable ball is more practical only if the opening in your pot is incompatible with open strainers.

I just chop/grind up the shrooms and steep them in boiling water for 10 minutes or recently boiled water for 20. Add your favorite tea bag and some sugar, and there's no need to eat the shrooms after making tea from them so you can either strain them out (or use a tea ball/empty teabag) or eat them if you want to get the tiny bit left in them.

BTW you can buy empty tea bags on Amazon. Great for shrooms and loose leaf teas.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XCT9BLZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NWbFDbPXKQ8V9

This is a good one..

And you'll need one of these too.

You don't need a gourd unless you really just want one. I use a regular coffee mug.

She has one like this.
Worth an upgrade?

Thank you /u/moosetron_5000! I found these at Amazon and will be getting them for upcoming travel.
Link for others interested: https://www.amazon.com/100pcs-Disposable-Filter-Bags-Loose/dp/B00HW1C7VK

Ignore that link--not the same product. Just a regular teabag.

I personally use tea bags, but otherwise I believe you would use something like this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_LFZPybGH1AKQX

get yourself one of these and crush it up on a plate a bit and then pour it through this. use a spoon to swirl it around and grind all the big pieces through. comes out like fresh powdered snow

I have several bombillae, and two 1, 2 of them can be opened and scrubbed with a small diameter brush as needed. Tho' mostly I just scrub the outside, and run hot water thru them to clean.

You could also substitute the water boiler for an electric kettle.


I use a single cup infuser, a coffee cup, and a microwave at my work.
I have something like this

http://www.amazon.com/Teapot-Strainer-Infuser-Steeper-Handle/dp/B00GNWKPIQ/ref=sr_1_36?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1458247170&sr=1-36&keywords=tea+infuser

or this

http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew---Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=sr_1_29?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1458247170&sr=1-29&keywords=tea+infuser

I have one like this: https://www.amazon.com/ECOTEAS-Straw-Stainless-Spring-Bombilla/dp/B0012BUGZU
Would this be fine?

You usually have a ball like this. There are better ones but the concept is the same. You could also just mix everything together and then strain it.

Hrm... If you are putting black tea in a tea ball with mesh on it and the tea is going through that, it's very dusty. If you want to continue to use that tea, you should look at some disposable tea bags for that tea. Then, when you go to re-stock, try a different black tea. You may have some low quality leaf.

Hope this helps!

Could it be not cut up well enough? Try out a tea ball strainer like this on a hot plate (microwave safe plate in for 1:30sec) and you shouldn’t have a stuffy nose unless it’s cut with some powder that isn’t water/mucus soluble. A razor makes too sharp of an edge and will leave you with a bloody nose and a card is usually too blunt and too easily clumpable. Good for on the fly but if you’re kicking back this is a must try.

Yes, the pot I use does have a mesh infuser, but I think you're right - it's not big enough to let the larger leaves "unfurl" and brew properly. I don't think it goes deep enough into the pot for whole leaves, but I'm guessing. Instead of replacing the pot, I was looking at options and found these loose leaf teabags -

Loose Leaf Tea Filters

I thought that if I used a bag like that and bypassed the infuser entirely by putting the tea in one of those bags, dropping it into the bottom of the pot, and pouring the water directly over it might give the tea more room to "breathe" and brew properly.

Green teas are very fragile and need to be brewed at a specific temperature. If your water is too hot, your tea will become bitter. I highly recommend investing in a variable temperature kettle so that you can brew at the right temperature. Quality of tea is also important. You want nice, whole leaves, not dust & fannings. The latter indicates poor quality and in addition to broken up tea leaves, you may also get twigs, stems, pebbles, etc.

If you are planning on brewing loose, get a stainless steel infuser basket that are large enough to allow tea leaves to expand. Don't get one of those mini-size tea balls - there isn't enough room. They also have these silicone animal-shaped tea infusers, and although they are adorable, I don't think they're big enough for loose leaf tea.

Alternatively, you can also buy paper tea bags instead of a mesh infuser.

If you want easy, you can buy a mug strainer or empty tea bags to pack yourself:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JPA3Y8

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JIRDSCC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J3JFJU

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HW1C7VK

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00027CM5C

As big as possible to give the leaves adequate room to open up. I have this one but any "basket" style infuser will suffice.

In an effort to switch myself off coffee (and caffine) I recently picked up a stainless steel tea strainer and a bag of Davidson's Rooibos and I'm quite happy with the results. I used to drink a lot of bagged tea too, which is by no means bad, but I definitely prefer the process of brewing some loose leaf.

I use these teabags that I buy at the local Asian market. They fold-over so there's no staples or glue.

I have been wanting to switch to using green tea instead of grape leaves so thanks for that imput. Does the tea add any noticeable flavor?

Should I buy it for dry-hopping?: http://amzn.com/B004X4LGIO

Do you think it has enough room for 2 - 3 OZ of hops?

Bombilla. You're right, it's a mate straw.

ECOTEAS Tea Straw Stainless Steel Spring Bombilla https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0012BUGZU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4u3mDbRSV0PSR

That's a metal mesh reusable tea bag.

I buy tea leafs and fill it, It's so much better!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=metal+tea+bag&qid=1562581949&sr=8-1

I use one of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ABVM226/ref=mp_s_a_1_47?qid=1463046740&sr=8-47&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=metal+coffee+filter

Conventional teabags also have plastic in them, which a lot of people don't know: https://www.greenchildmagazine.com/plastic-in-tea-bags/

​

Try stainless steel tea infusers;

https://www.amazon.com/HIC-Infuser-Stainless-Mulling-Spices/dp/B000I1ZZ24/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=stainless+steel+tea+strainer+for+loose+tea&qid=1558316465&s=gateway&sr=8-13

These are similar to the ones I use: https://www.amazon.com/Fu-Store-Stainless-Strainers-Strainer/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=stainless+steel+tea+strainer+for+loose+tea&qid=1558316500&s=gateway&sr=8-9

you can get big tea balls.

I've used these:

https://www.amazon.com/Fu-Store-Stainless-Strainers-Strainer/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_79_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=D850A169VBFXRCTH9TBZ

http://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Tea-Empty-Bags-60ea/dp/B00027CM5C

first thing that popped up on google when i typed in empty tea bags.

We've used lots of infusers. Finum and Forlife have been our favorites.

We recently purchased this House Again infuser and have been very happy with it. It might be our favorite infuser. The pore size is far smaller than any other infuser we've used, except the Finum infuser we have, which isn't actually Finum--it's an older brand that's not sold anymore that was bought out by Finum years ago.

The Forlife is more durable than the other two, but has larger pore size, so it can be kind of irritating. If I were going to have one infuser, it would be the House Again infuser. I usually reach for the Forlife infuser if I know it's a larger-leaf tea, just because it's so sturdy, but for anything where there might be particulate, I use the House Again infuser.

I don't usually do cold brew often enough to say much, but I did have a problem similar to yours - the filtering and clogging part. I just used an empty loose-leaf tea bag and put the coffee grinds in them before dumping them into the water. After the waiting, I filtered the remainder through a pour-over strainer.

Like this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/100pcs-Disposable-Filter-Bags-Loose/dp/B00HW1C7VK/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1413290175&sr=1-2&keywords=loose+leaf+tea+bags

Hope this helps.

I unfortunately don't have a picture, but many years ago my brother came to visit. One morning, I opened the drawer where I keep my mesh tea balls and discovered they were completely smashed up and destroyed. Asked my brother what the hell happened.

• Him: "I made tea."
  
• Me: "Yes, but how did they get all smashed up?"
  
• Him: "Well, I squeezed them."
  
• Me: ಠ_ಠ
  
  Turns out he thought you had to treat them like you treat a tea bag and squeeze out all the liquid.

The only thing that goes in my electric kettle is water.

The tea goes in a strainer ball that goes in my teacup. Zero mess except for cleaning out the strainer.

https://www.amazon.com/Fu-Store-Stainless-Strainers-Strainer/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=zg_bs_3737181_2/141-3397101-7057565?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=PM3ADSDE323TFHV19JDQ