Multi-use teabag devices

A friend of mine has got one - it's a complete PITA to use. For your own sanity throw away the loose tea and stick to tea bags :)

The one I've used is a fine stainless steel mesh hollow ball (hinged to open the two halves) that you leave in the cup of hot water for a while, much like a tea bag. You can knock out 90% of the tea but than have to run it under a tap to remove the tea that has glued intself to the mesh.

I think that what you want is a tea infuser, for example:

Yes, an infuser. thing being there's a lot of types and I am struck down with indecision. Metal, Silicon, china, glass or fabric for instance? I am leaning towards the reusable cotton draw-string teabag, but messy? Tim W

FWIW this is the best style I ever found - like two small strainers at the end of a pair of scissor tongs:

I find teabags far less convenient than a teapot. I think it's probably mostly down to what one is used to. Having to fish around in the mug/teacup with a spoon and find somewhere to dump the teabag always seems such a faff to me!

We use loose tea and a couple of different sized teapots.

Make up your own tea bags!

e.g.

I've had a stainless steel one for years, although rarely use it now as teabags suffice. It was fine when I used it. As to what infusers should be made from, I'd steer away from anything breakable, and what might wear out (drawstrings?).

like he sed...

Indeed - I picked one up but rarely use it. Can't get through the whole pot before it goes cold.

I've used one of these for years:

Does me :-)

Or might be made from whatever iffy plastics the maker could get their hands on. Stainless would be my choice...

The trouble with the one-cup steel ball ones I've found is you half fill it with a spoon of dry tea and there's not enough space for it to expand, so it clogs up and the water can't reach the tea very well. That one looks a little bigger so maybe it won't have such problems.

Theo

That is/was our preference. Unfortunately our preferred tea is now _only_ available in teabags. It wasn't available anywhere after Tetley sold out to "Venture Capitalists", who promptly fired everyone in preparation for selling off the factory site. They then arranged for manufacturing to be done by sub contact).

SWMBO tried a range of alternative teas, but didn't like any of them.

We used to buy various supermarket teas but now we buy "Birchall Great Rift Loose Leaf Tea", usually from Amazon. It's excellent and economical.

Microwave the cup.

I use a coffee cafetiere with my fruit tisane teas.

Simply replace the coffee with said tea leaves and use in the same way.....

Alternatively you could use one of these:

Burn the witch!

What a sensible way to proceed!

Nice aspect of going loose-leaf, you can tart up by adding ground pimento,cardimon or whatever to basic "red label" tea in your caddy, bergamot oil for Earl Grey is too expensive. Start with a simple fine mesh metal tea strainer and very very slowly pour the boiled water over the leaves. Then try metal perforated "castenet" type infuser on a handle or perforated metal sphere on a chain, giving plenty of stirring/chain yanking to infuse. I say metal because over time the pores clog with tanin or whatever. Then over a very low gas flame, burn off the deposit, without over heating the mesh. Tea strainer is the easiest to discard the wet leaves, by tapping the handle on the lip of a large glass jar.