Beginners Guide to Types of Tea Strainers

Perfect hot tea is a mid-day delight. However, making a flawless cup of tea is not as easy as it looks. It requires quality ingredients, perfect temperature, and steeping time to brew the mouthwatering taste and aroma. it takes time, patience, and the right utensils to make the delightful treat. A little thing such as a tea strainer is a crucial part of the process. 

Steeping your tea is the core stage of the tea making process. In futures and strainers, both can be used for the purpose. It may look like both of them are similar but they are worlds apart. The infuser is one thing and the tea strainer is another. How to choose the right tea strainer? Before diving into the guide let us know a little about the history of the strainer. 

The History of Strainers 

It was around the 18th century when tea strainers were invented and were present in society. The job of a strainer is to prevent the tea leaves from entering your cup. Ancient strainers were made to sit on the top of a cup and tea was supposed to pass through them. 

These ancient strainers were made out of things like bamboo and wood. A linen or a cotton cloth was also used to strain the liquid. In Modern Times the shape, size and material of the tea strainer have changed. Metals like steel, gold, and substances like porcelain, china have been prevalent in making the strainers. 

There is a wide range of strainers available. These range from beautiful silver or gold plated ones to the more convenient ones like stainless steel or China. 

If you are an antique collector and a tea lover then we are sure that an ornate tea set loaded with sterling silver must be a part of your beloved collection! 

Types of Strainers 

Based on the Material 

Porcelain, Bone China, Ceramic Strainers 

Strainers made with these materials are needed for tea leaves that are broken or whole leafed. However, it must be kept in mind that any particle-sized of fanning will also slip in your tea cup. 

Stainless Steel 

Stainless steel is one of the most convenient items and comes in a variety of styles. The handles of these types of strainers are also present in a wide range. You can pick one as per your convenience. The mesh of stainless steel strainers is so fine that there is no chance of any dust or fanning particles slipping in your cup. 

Combination of Strainer and Infuser

This is something that perfectly defines the two in one situation. These types of combinations do the work of both strainer and an infuser. However, note the match should not be too fine as there has to be room for tea to infuse. This can lead to tiny particles being caught up in the cup. 

On the Basis of Size

Mesh Strainers 

These types of strainers are very fine and will not allow any particle to seep into the teacup. They come mostly in stainless steel material. They can also be used for drying tea leaves or herbs. 

Large Holed Strainers 

Large holed strainers are mostly made up of materials like China or porcelain. They have large spaces between them. This gives the tea leaves enough space to steep but also room to dust particles or fanning. Be wise before making a choice and consider all the possible requirements beforehand!

Why Choose a Tea Strainer? 

For a lot of tea lovers, English tea strainer is one of the most orthodox items in their tea collection for loose tea, giving them an antique feel. However, there are some pros that also add to the instant to go for a strainer and these are:

• Easy to use for beginners
• Very easy to clean and hence convenient
• Even the tiniest particle will not be allowed to seep through them. 

Tea Strainer vs Infuser 

Now if you are wondering whether you should go for a tea infuser or a strainer, we have solutions for you. The usage of both these tools is widely prevalent and tea culture has given equal importance to each of them. However, which one is right for you here is the guide :

Strainer 

For making tea with a strainer: 

• A teapot will be used to steep the leaves
• Strainer, a simple utensil will just filter it out from the leaves. 

These strainers are best when you have large quantities of tea to make or you need to steep a tea that has a longer infusion time. 

Infuser 

The infuser is widely used in orthodox tea cultures. It is placed directly on the teapot and water is poured through the tea leaves present in them. It will give time for the tea leaves to infuse. However, it will be a struggle to re-infuse it afterwards. 

Infusers are also not a good idea if you have large quantities of tea to make because that size of infusers may not be available in the market. 

Let's Brew! 

If you are someone who is a beginner in the tea culture then tea strainers would be a perfect idea for you. Loose tea leaves are always a great idea because they retain the natural properties to the most potential. Keep up with us and find out why lovers are in love with loose tea leaves!