Re: Best tea infuser for teapots-Need advice

rosehill · ‎03-09-2010

@Dorothy11 & nhbelle, thank you- I have some homework to do. The more I look, the more I get confused. I would like to make a smart purchase.

ChynnaBlue · ‎05-22-2012

@rosehill wrote:
@Dorothy11 & nhbelle, thank you- I have some homework to do. The more I look, the more I get confused. I would like to make a smart purchase.

There are many and which is the best is a personal decision, so get whichever one you think will work best. I prefer mesh ones to the metal balls with holes and the ceramic ones.

My all time favorites are the IngenuiTEA by Adagio, but there are many similar models. It has enough room for 16 cups of water and plenty of room for the leaves to unfurl. When the tea is finished brewing, you place it on top of your mug and it dispenses the tea for you. After that, just tip the leaves out and rinse the device. The mesh strainer pops out and I give mine a good cleaning once a week and just rise and let air dry during the week.

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debcakes · ‎03-11-2010

I use both a small stainless steel tea egg and a large one for more than one cup. Both were very inexpensive and both work very well. They do not turn black. They may get coated with black from the tea but that is because the user is not washing them well. Just use your scrub daddy or other sponge with an abrasive side. I think Pier One and Crate and Barrel will have them.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

The mesh ones that are bigger are by far the best. They are sold with the CHATSFORD teapots (google it!) and I think Upton Tea has them. Just google CHATSFORD teapots and you will find lots of places to buy them. They are THE BEST. Amazon has them I think and probably the replacement filters--which fit in many pots and cups.

Of course BEST also is no filter and loose tea in the teapot, poured with a strainer over the cup. You can't beat that! I am a tea fanatic, and I also love Chatsford teapots with strainers (WAY better than the pots with metal strainers), and a good old Brown Betty (made in ENGLAND!) with a strainer over the cup! I do think the rounded shape of the traditional pots helps the tea steep and unford.

What a wonderful gift!

ctinaw · ‎03-09-2010

There are a lot of cute silicon tea infusers if you are looking to simply do a cup at a time. I have one that looksl like a strawberry that is pretty adorable. Unless they total tea snobs, I wouldn't bother with the full cup pour over steeper things - my husband bought me one and I just never use it because its a pain to get out and mess with. Just find a cute tea ball in silicon or metal in a cute shape that you think they would find fun

goldensrbest · ‎03-10-2010

I like the teaforte, pitcher, i want the mug.

When you lose some one you L~O~V~E, that Memory of them, becomes a TREASURE.

rosehill · ‎03-09-2010

@Sooner, thanks for the info. I looked at the filter baskets you recommended, and they are too wide to go into my pot. I can only place something that is 2" across into the pot opening. My son has the same pot. I don't know what my cousins have in the way of pots. It just seems like the tea is so crunched into the tea balls that are out in the market. I have a small tea ball, and there is no room for the tea to really expand and do it's thing.

I, too, thought this would be a wonderful gift. I just have to find a universal tea ball of some sort that isn't too small, yet is large enough to make a whole pot of tea.