Best Tea Infuser
There’s something special about a cup of tea. With so many flavors and varieties, with our without caffeine, you can enjoy its comforting warmth all day, every day of the week.
Some people prefer consuming this ancient beverage by pouring hot water over a teabag, while others enjoy steeping loose leaves in water heated to the right temperature.
When it comes to loose-leaf tea, finding the right infuser to properly allow the leaves to expand and release their delicate flavor into hot water without allowing bits of leaves to escape into the liquid can make or break how you enjoy a good cup of tea.
Surprisingly, there are a variety of tea infusers to choose from, from cute designs that hook onto the edge of your cup to practical models that fit into a glass, each with its own specific traits to enhance the tea-making experience.
We narrow down the best tea infusers you can buy online. Read on to find the one that best suits your tea drinking needs.
Top Pick Best Gift: Tilevo Dinosaur Tea Infuser (Set of 2)
You drink tea all day and you serve it to friends, taking pride in your large loose-leaf collection. You prefer to have a fine assortment of decorative yet functional tea infusers that do the job well and add a touch of whimsy to your cup. If you’re looking for a fun set of tea infusers for large leaf tea, then this is the product for you.
We recommend the Tilevo Dinosaur Tea Infuser. Made from food-grade non-toxic BPA-free silicone, the necks of these two cute dinosaur tea infusers will form to your style of cup and will easily stand in the bottom of it or hang on the edge of a tall glass.
So easy to use, too – just pull out the base and fill it with the large leaf tea of your choice. Close the base and put it into your cup, add hot water, let it steep and enjoy. When you’re done, discard the used tealeaves and rinse with hot water. Or, if you prefer, put the bottom of the infuser on the top rack of the dishwasher or in the utensil basket for an easy clean.
And the best news? You’ll be able to enjoy your favorite medium to whole leaf tea without getting a mouth full of tealeaves. These humorous dinosaur tea infusers would also make a great birthday, housewarming, Christmas or bridal gift for the tea lovers in your life.
Pros:
- Made from BPA-free, food-grade silicone
- Easy to clean
- Comes apart easily to insert tealeaves
Cons:
- Not suitable for powdered tea or fine ground tealeaf.
Top Pick Best Budget: House Again 4-pack Extra Fine Mesh Tea Infuser with Drip Tray
When it comes to tea – Rooibos/herbal, Darjeeling, white, black, green, oolong – you love them all. But just because you enjoy variety in tea, you prefer to have a tea infuser that works well with every size and kind of loose-leaf tea. If you’re looking for one fine mesh infuser to filter all kinds of tea, then this is the model for you.
We recommend House Again 4-pack Extra Fine Mesh Tea Infuser with Drip Tray for use with all of your favorite loose teas.
Designed to be practical and attractive, the fine mesh infuser filters even super fine teas, so you don’t have to worry about leaves in your cup. The roomy mesh infuser has many small holes, with room for the tea to expand and bloom fully in the water for a better, faster flavor.
The handy package of four opens the invitation for friends to enjoy a cup of tea with you, and the unique design of these infusers mean you can hang them on cups and mugs of different sizes. Simply fill with tealeaves, twist to close, steep with hot water and in a few minutes, your hot cup of delicious tea is ready. It also comes with a handy tea tray, so you can avoid making a mess when taking it out of the cup.
Pros:
- Fine mesh infuser filters all types of teas, including finely ground
- Convenient and affordable package of four
- BPA-free silicone handle and high-grade stainless steel mesh
- Affordable
Cons:
- May be too small for large quantities of tea
- Not useful if you only want one infuser
Best Pick Top Tea Ball Infuser: OXO BREW Twisting Tea Ball Infuser
You like things simple and easy. And why not? Life is complicated enough, and that’s why you cherish those relaxing moments sipping your favorite tea. If you’re looking for a simply designed, effective tea infuser that could also double as a way to steep herbs and spices, then this is the model for you.
We recommend the OXO BREW Twisting Tea Ball Infuser for a convenient way to steep your favorite teas. The twisting design makes it easy to scoop up the desire amount of loose-leaf tea each time you crave some Earl Grey, ensuring that the leaves stay inside the ball while you close it.
With its long, stainless steel neck and soft, non-slip grip to make stirring comfortable, you can use this infuser in almost any sized cup or mug. The long neck also allows it to rest against the mug for a longer steep. Works best with whole-leaf teas such as pearl teas, full-leaf green and large-leaf black teas.
So easy to clean, too, just twist the bottom of the handle to scoop the wet leaves from the tea ball. Hand wash or put it into the dishwasher.
Pros:
- BPA-free
- Easy-to-use twisting design
- Can be used on almost any size cup or mug
Cons:
- Suitable only for whole leaf teas
Top Pick Best Versatile: Tea Infuser Set by Chefast (2+1 Pack)
You consider yourself to be a practical person. Why have only one of something that may not do the best job for every task when you can have specialized items to get the job done right. The same goes for tea. You totally enjoy the process of making loose-leaf tea, but have found that one tea infuser does not do the best job for every kind of tealeaf. If you are looking for a practical solution to making all kinds of tea successfully, then this product is for you.
We recommend the Tea Infuser Set by Chefast (2+1Pack). With this complete kit, you are perfectly equipped to handle any kind of tea-making challenge or need.
And what a combo it is! This all-inclusive loose-leaf tea infuser set includes three premium steepers in two sizes, so you can strain tea for yourself in a cup or brew multiple cups in a tea pot for an entire gathering of friends. It also comes with a special tea scoop with an integrated bag clip, so you can add just the right amount of tea to the basket you choose to use.
Other features include a threaded connection design that is easier to open and close when using, and seals more tightly so tealeaves will not leak out during the brewing process. Made from extra-fine, premier grade stainless steel, these infusers are also great for steeping herbs and spices into your soups and sauces. And the extended 4.7-inch chains means the infusers will fit nearly all the teapots, mugs or cups.
Makes a perfect gift for all the tea lovers in your life.
Pros:
- Contains infusers good for different sized loose-leaf teas
- Made from premium stainless steel
- Easy to clean
- Odor and chemical free
- Easy to clean, dishwasher safe
Cons:
- More expensive than other models
Things to look out for:
Consider these things when looking for a tea infuser so you will choose one that best suit your needs:
You don’t want to use just any old tool to brew your tea. A high quality tea infuser can make all the difference between brewing a mediocre or great cup of tea. Tea infusers are handy tools that allow you to make large pots or single serve portions of your favorite brew, just like coffee makers. All you have to do is add the correct amount of leaves to the infuser and combine with hot water or boiling water. The trick is to choose the right kind of infuser for your needs.
Material
Tea infusers are devices that are designed to hold loose tea leaves for brewing and steeping and are either made from stainless steel or silicone because these materials are heat resistant. Which material you choose depends on personal preference, however, those made of lower quality stainless steel may rust and not last as long as those made from premium quality stainless steel. Silicone won’t rust, but it may retain odors.
Types
Like most products these days, loose tea infusers come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Tea balls and spoon-style infusers are small, round and enclosed, while baskets are larger with open tops. These types of tea infusers are often simple in design and are made from stainless steel. Other types are more whimsical in design and can come in a range of shapes like hearts, flowers and even dinosaurs.
Function
The truth is, not every tea infuser is good for every kind of tealeaf. What all tea drinkers don’t want is a lot of leaves floating around in their mug, sticking to their lips and filling their mouth. To avoid that, it’s important to match your tea infuser with the size of the loose-leaf tea you’re using. Look for a fine mesh infuser for powdered or small-leaf tea. This will hold in any loose bits and keep them from floating in your tea. Infusers with slightly larger holes work well with medium or large-leaf teas. Read the specs carefully before purchasing an infuser, as it should indicate the kind of tea it’s best used for.
Another thing to note is the size of the infuser. In order to get the best flavor from your leaves, they need to have room to expand and bloom in the infuser. If it is too closely packed, it might infringe on the quality of the brew.
Finally, many tea infusers are made for individual use, for making one cup of tea at a time. However, if you are looking to serve a group of friends, consider a larger model that fits into a teapot, so you can brew more tea at a time.
Maintenance
Try to find a tea infuser that isn’t a chore to clean. Many are dishwasher safe, or do well with a rinse under hot water. Make sure you can access and remove the used leaves to make cleaning easier.
Features
Some tea infusers are easy to open, while others are more difficult. You want one that opens and closes with ease as this can effect how tightly it closes and keeps in the leaves. How the infuser sits in your cup can matter, too. Some lean into the glass, while others hook onto the side. Find an infuser that makes stirring easy, can sit in your cup comfortably for as long as you desire, and has a long enough handle or chain to make it easy to remove. Finally, some infusers come with a small cup where you can rest the infuser once you take it out of the teacup, avoiding a mess on the table.