A cup of tea can be a cure for almost anything. Whether you’re having it in the morning, afternoon, before bed, when you want to relax or when trying to soothe a sore throat or a headache, a cup of tea should be delicious and comforting.
Making tea is easy, but having the right strainer is a must. So, if you’re eyeing a new stainless steel tea strainer, here are the things to have in mind.
What Tea Strainers Are Made Of?
Metal
Metal is the most popular material for infusers because it’s quite tough and can be shaped into all sorts of cool designs with different strainer holes. In the Western markets, a stainless steel tea strainer is commonly used, especially for teas that are all chopped up or broken. The downside is that metals can easily mess with the delicate and fancy flavours of some teas. Cleaning mesh can be quite a challenge. Those metal infusers can get all stained and start tasting like strong teas real quick.
Plastic and Silicone
Another option for tea strainer materials is plastic and silicone. If you’re looking for cheap and fun-looking strainers, you’ll see that they’re usually made of silicone. They’ve got tiny holes that are just like metal mesh, so you can use even the smallest tea leaves. But, watch out, some plastic ones can also mess with the taste of your tea, so make sure you get them from a good source to avoid any nasty chemicals like BPAs.
Ceramic
You’ve probably seen those clay mugs that come with matching infuser baskets. They fit perfectly in the cup and usually have a glassy glaze that keeps them neutral in flavour and stain-resistant. But, the straining holes can be a bit large, so if you’re brewing whole-leaf teas, you’re better off with a ceramic infuser basket. Just keep in mind that they’re more fragile than metal or plastic and can be a challenge to replace since they’re usually made with a mug or pot.
Glass
Some infuser baskets are made of glass, so they don’t mess with the flavour. They have tiny laser-cut slits to keep all the leaves in check, no matter their size. Just like ceramic infuser baskets, these are usually made to fit a mug or teapot, so you need to make sure you get the right size. Glass infusers might look more delicate than those big ceramic ones, but the good quality ones that use plenty of material are actually pretty tough. And just like glazed ceramics, glass doesn’t stain easily, so cleaning these infusers is a breeze.
Shapes
Ball Infusers
The most popular way to brew tea in the West is to use ball-shaped infusers. They’ve got this latch or clamp thingy that holds the tea leaves while they soak in the hot water. The metal mesh ones are the most common. Did you know that these things were originally used for infusing spices in British cooking, but then people started using them for tea instead?
Since these little tea balls are small, the tea leaves don’t have much room to move around in the hot water. Plus, if you’re using big leaves, they might not be able to expand as much as they need to. So, it’s probably better to stick with chopped-up tea leaves or finely ground herbal stuff if you’re using these tea balls.
Novelty Shapes
There are these super cute and fun tea balls that come in all sorts of funky shapes. You can find ones that look like sea animals, cool figures, or pretty much anything you can think of. They usually have a latch to keep them closed so you can steep your tea inside them. These cool tea accessories are usually made of plastic or silicone, and you can just dunk them in any cup or mug while your tea brews.
But here’s the thing, they come with their own set of challenges, just like regular tea balls. The leaves can get all cramped up, and sometimes the plastic can absorb the flavours of strong tea or spices. Even the material of the tea ball can affect the taste of delicate teas. And if you go for those fancy and intricate designs, they can have even smaller sections that can trap leaves and mess with the water flow. And let me tell you, cleaning those bad boys can be a real pain afterwards.
Baskets
Basket-shaped infusers are popular with folks who love their whole-leaf tea. They fit perfectly on top of your brewing vessel and give those leaves plenty of room to move around while they steep. If you want to be sure the leaves are really getting the circulation they need, go for a deep basket. Most of these are made with metal mesh, which is still the go-to material. You might come across some mesh baskets with wide flanges at the top that can sit on any old mug, but they’re usually not deep enough to handle those expanding leaves. Stick to using those for straining your brewed tea instead.
When to Use an Infuser
Brewing While Working
You can totally make gong fu cha at your desk, but let’s be real – infuser mugs are much easier for when you just want a quick solo drink. They’re self-contained, so you don’t need to worry about spilling and making a mess, and you’ll have fewer dishes to clean up later.
Brewing for a Group
When you’ve got a big bunch of more than 6 or 8 people, brewing tea in those cute little teapots can be a juggling act. And it gets even trickier if tea isn’t the main event of the get-together. So, when it comes to throwing a big bash, we like to ditch the small teaware and opt for a massive pot with a deep infuser basket. That way, everyone can enjoy their tea in a big ol’ cup and have the freedom to wander away from the tea table.
Australian Flow 