How to choose the Best Tea Leaf Infuser to make the Best Tea at Home

For centuries now, brewing tea has been nothing less than an art. From the traditional Masala Chai to Japanese Matcha Green, brewing the perfect cup requires the perfect equipment and a correct method. A fine brewing method would not only provide the tea with a glamorous shine, but it would also help it to attain its versatile flavor, vivid color, and optimum aroma.

For a true tea lover, nothing brings them more joy than brewing traditional loose tea leaves and that's where the application of a loose tea leaf infuser comes in the scenario. These skillful and stylish tools are essential for making the finest cup of tea. Here you will get to know everything about a loose tea leaf infuser that would help you not only to buy the best infuser, but also how to use it in the correct manner. So without any further ado, let us get started right away. 

What Is A Loose Tea Leaf Infuser? 

By now you already know that a tea infuser helps you to brew loose tea leaves. It is mostly made up of mesh wires. There you can hold the leaves in a mesh basket or ball, and keep them secured to the storage compartment. This will prevent the leaves from floating freely when you submerge the infuser in the cup. To provide a better understanding, a loose tea leaf infuser is like a tea bag but only in different material and also reusable. 

The concept of tea infusers was first discovered in the 17th century. The production of finer and smaller tea leaves required people to strain the liquor to prevent any leaves from falling in the cup. As stronger flavors are mostly found in loose tea leaves, a loose tea leaf infuser is a must buy for all the connoisseurs. 

However, buying a tea infuser is not as easy as it may seem. There are different materials that are used for making these tools and one needs to find the ideal material that works for them the best. 

Materials Used For Manufacturing Tea Infusers

Picking that one flawless loose tea leaf infuser is not a lot of work as it may seem, especially to a beginner. But, you don't have to worry. Below you will come across a wide range of tea infusers made from different materials that caters to multiple steeping styles and requirements. Starting from brewing baskets to travel mugs with in-built infusers, this list will surely help you to get the best product for yourself.

Silicone Tea Infuser

These are like mesh balls, but they vary in sizes and designs. They can be used both in teapots and teacups. They have sturdy and sticky holders which keep them in position while the leaves release all their flavors. If you want to buy a cute loose leaf tea infuser, then you should opt for silicone ones as they come in different animal shapes, superheroes, and more. They can be bought for your children to motivate them for having tea.

Metal Tea Infuser

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They come in balls, spoons, and baskets. They are an excellent choice of loose tea leaf infuser if you want to brew in small batches or even a single cup of tea. As metal infusers come in a variety of sizes, they can be used for both medium and small-sized teapots and canning jars. These are dishwasher-friendly or can be quickly rinsed out as well. They will keep any medium and large-sized pieces of herbs from mixing with your tea.

Cloth Tea Infuser

They are generally available in bags and nets which are great for brewing fine ingredients that have a tendency to pass through the bigger holes of the sieves of metal tea strainers. If you are a herbal tea person or like Japanese Matcha very much, consider buying a cloth loose tea leaf infuser. The clothes which are used are very stretchy which allows it to hold a handful of leaves at a time. The cloth can be removed from its metal hoop and it makes the clean-up task easy. They can be cleaned either by hands or put in a small bag in the washing machine.

Travel Mugs with Tea Infuser

If you are someone who is always on-the-go, then your ideal travel companions are loose leaf tea infuser mugs, loose leaf tea infuser bottle, and loose leaf tea infuser cup. The infusers are clipped into the inner side of the container. These infusers are generally made from glass, bamboo, and stainless steel. Moreover, the containers have been double-walled for keeping your beverage cold or hot for longer. 

Significance Of Using A Tea Infuser

All tea aficionados know that loose tea leaves are better in quality and they offer better flavors. Compared to them, tea bags might contain inferior-quality leaves that will offer a weak brew, and a faint aroma. Moreover, tea bags are even packed tightly that prevents the leaves from expanding while brewing. Hence resulting in a poor-quality tea as the leaves cannot expand and release more flavors. 

In addition to that, loose leaves also offer more health benefits and antioxidants compared to tea bags. That is why, a loose tea leaf infuser is needed to strain loose leaves easily as well as prevent any residue from mixing with the liquor. 

How To Make Loose Leaf Tea With Infuser

Brewing your strong morning cup or the fruity evening cup becomes effortless and less-time consuming when you are using a loose tea infuser. Using a loose leaf tea infuser is an art in itself and you will highly enjoy this simple task every time you fix yourself a cup. 

You would require one teaspoon of loose tea leaves to make roughly 175ml of tea. In case the amount varies depending on the brand that you are using, measure and put down the required quantity of leaves inside the infuser. After that you have to place the inside your teapot, cup, travel mug and pour some hot water according to the serving. As the brewing time generally depends on the tea type, here is an estimated guide on the brewing time that is required for specific varieties:

• Herbal Tea: five to seven minutes
• Oolong Tea: five to seven minutes
• Black Tea: three to five minutes
• Green Tea: two to four minutes
• White Tea: two to three minutes

What To Avoid While Using A Tea Infuser

Nothing is more satisfactory than making tea blends on your own. Nevertheless, it is also quite relieving to know that you are not consuming any potentially dangerous compound or element that is lurking inside the ready-made tea bags. As tea is considered as the best natural healer, it should be consumed in the natural state that is free from all sorts of toxic elements. Therefore, the best loose leaf tea infuser will always be free of any kind of toxins and offers a risk-free experience.

There are some infusers that are manufactured from dangerous materials like aluminum. Aluminum is toxic for the Central Nervous System of the body. Aluminum is not only renowned for creating problems with cognition in both children and adults, but it can also increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. 

You need to see the exact material with which you infuser is produced to avoid even any traces of aluminum. Furthermore, all food-grade silicone infusers are not safe. Some of them have a waxy polish layer on them that can also cause serious damages as well as change the taste of your tea. It is better to boil your silicone loose tea leaf infuser first before using them for the first them to avoid the chance of ingesting anything harmful. 

Last but not least, most people make this common mistake of putting their infuser inside the teapot when they are boiling water. That hampers the quality of tea along with the infuser. It is always advised to use an infuser in a cup, mug, or tumbler after pouring hot water in it. 

Wrapping Up:

It can be rightfully said that brewing loose leaf tea without infuser is a huge loss. They help the leaves to expand and unfurl fully so that they can impart their optimum flavor, aroma, and texture in your cup. A tea sommelier knows that a cup of perfectly steeped tea can only be achieved by using a good loose tea leaf infuser. The best thing about using these tools is that you would be able to buy them in various styles and shapes depending on your requirements. It makes making tea a fun and satisfactory process. So, if you have not bought a tea infuser already, this article will surely change your mind.