How to Choose the Perfect Tea Infuser?
The art of brewing tea is no layman's job. It takes years of expertise and proper guidance to get that right perfect cup of tea on your table. Utensils to tea leave, everything plays an important role in the process. There are so many options to choose from when it comes to utensils, tea leaves, etc. It can put your decision making to the test. One of the common utensils that are popular in tea culture is a tea infuser.
If you are a loose tea leaves fan just like us, tea infusers must be our best friends. The job of a tea infuser is to contain the loose tea leaves while they are brewing. Before the invention of tea bags, tea infusers and strainers were used. They mark their uniqueness in their simplicity, ease of use and maintenance like their properties.
If you are a lover you must be acquainted with the common tea utensils including the tea infuser. Let us dive into the world of tea and get to know what an infuser is and what kind of team fuser is best?
Meaning and Use of a Tea Infuser
As stated above tea infuser is a device that is used to filter tea leaves, allowing you to steep a cup of tea very easily. Tea Infuser is put on a travel mug, cup, bottle or inside the teapot. A lot of tea mugs and bottles today come with in-built tea infuser. Tea infusers come in many varieties from material to the typical design. The most common infusers are made of metal with perforated mesh-like material on them. They also come in various shapes like balls or large pots with long handles, etc.
Any Tea enthusiast can enlighten you with the fact that loose tea leaves provide better quality than the other kinds. This is because loose tea leaves are the least processed. Hence they retain the natural properties to the most potential. Teabags on the other hand may contain broken leaves and sometimes dust and furnishings that have low amounts of polyphenols and antioxidants as compared to loose tea leaves.
Are tea infusers better than tea bags? Obviously yes! Loose teal leaves provide you with the intrinsic taste. Whereas, aroma of hand picked tea leaves that are woven straight from the laps of nature. They give you an authentic experience and hence tea infusers provide you with a better option. They are unique in taste and better for your health.
Guide to Choose the Right Tea Infuser for your Shelf
There are various types of infusers based on the type of material they are made and the shape they come in. Here is the best way to choose the perfect infuser for you.
On the Type of Material
Metal
If you are looking for the most durable option of material metal is the answer. It is for this reason that the most popular material that is used in infusers is metal. For broken tea leaves the metal option is most commonly used in the Western market. They are super easy to clean and will assist you for years to come as they are reusable tea infusers.
However, on the downside metals are reactive and it is a known fact. This results in a change in the flavours of the tea. The loose tea leaves' flavours and aroma are very delicate and even a slight reaction can cause a big impact.
Ceramic
Ceramic tea infusers too are very popular today because of how appealing they look visually. They do not affect the flavour of the tea and are resistant to staining of any kind. If you are looking for an option that can grow your whole leaf tea perfectly then ceramic may be your best friend.
The downside is that because of the material they are made it can be troubling to create fine holes and hence they may not suit small tea leaves. In addition, they are fragile and can break very easily.
Silicone
Talking of anything in the modern world not mentioning plastic can be a blunder. Infusers too come in silicone material. This material is best suited for the tea infusers made challenging designs. However, it is no hidden fact that plastic infusers will not only affect the flavour of the day but can also release toxins to your cup!
Glass
If you want to look at your tea leaves slowly steeping and relieving the beautiful colours, glass is the best option. The best part of this material is that it follows complete flavour neutrality. Hence, it will not affect the aroma or flavour of your tea.
They are a better option than ceramic tea infusers because they prove to be more durable. They are stainless and easy to feed clean.
On the Basis of Shapes
The Basket
The star player of all the shapes in the world of tea infusers. This is the most convenient and prefered style. A tea basket will contain the tea leaves very neatly and its shape will let them infuse properly. In addition, when the leaves expand while growing the basket will be able to contain them.
The basket is easily available in the market. It is made up of different materials from metals to glass that fits in a bottle, kettle, cup or pot with a lid. This helps tea drinkers maintain the temperature.
They sit neatly on a cup and give you the convenience of pouring hot water right onto the tea leaves and letting them Infuse.
Ball Shaped
In the Western brewing market, a ball-shaped tea infuser made out of a metal material is commonly used. This includes its root from the British culinary tradition. They offer the convenience of being used with any kind of vessel for brewing. The only downside is that they do not give you enough space for the tea leaves to circulate.
Novelty Shaped
This is a very fun accessory to add to your tea collection. They come in various types of figures from animals to the shape of a house. You can easily put the tea leaves in a bag of vessels and let the tea leaves brew.
It is a very complex and distant design that makes these tea infusers stand out. However, this shape can only be the reason for their downfall as they are not easy to clean.
The 101 Tea Brew Tip
Do not just go for any tool because it has been followed by your near and dear ones. Explore and find what suits you the best. In the sea of tea infusers dive in and check out the one that can help you master the art of brewing and present with you a beautiful cup of tea every afternoon. Do not forget to take your Me time out!