What’s Coming Between You and Your Tea? Part III – More Types of Infusers

The previous article talked about infusers in the form of tea balls, teaspoon-shaped, sticks, and baskets. Now, let’s take a look at filters/infusion bags (not the bags that bagged tea comes in), French Presses, and cups and teapots with ceramic infuser baskets. Do they really enhance your enjoyment of the “tea life” or just come between you and your tea?
 

What they are

Filters / Infusion bags

These are bags sized either for a single cup or various sized teapots. They are usually made of unbleached paper (so no chlorine affects the color and taste of your tea). You can use not only whole leaf and broken leaf (pieces) with these bags, but also tea you buy in fannings or dust form, such as Twinings loose teas in the tins.
 

French Presses

These are cylindrical, glass pots with a metal support structure (feet and handle) and a filter/plunger. One caution here is not to squeeze the tea leaves too hard when you plunge so that the bitter dregs don’t get into your brew.

Cups with Infuser Baskets
These are usually ceramic or pottery mugs with either a matching basket or one made of mesh (stainless steel or nylon). These are best used with whole leaf and broken leaf (pieces) teas.

Teapots with Infuser Baskets

Teapots can be ceramic with a ceramic basket, or the more modern glass with nylon baskets (some with plungers). Again, I caution you to not plunge too hard or you will get some of the bitterness left in your tea leaves into your brew.

Bottom Line
If after all of this you’ve decided that a tea infuser is not for you, what is the alternative? Very simple. You can resort to bagged tea, or you can put your tea directly in the pot and use a strainer. My next articles will cover those plus a demonstration of the difference in your tea when using an infuser or putting the tea leaves loose in the pot.

Until then, happy tea drinking!

© 2009 A.C. Cargill photos and text