Choosing the best tea infuser

We know that one of the things that puts people off trying loose leaf tea is the perceived 'faff' of making a decent cuppa. We get it- tea bags, which you can just dunk and be done with are tempting! But they have their limitations and often aren't great for the environment, as they contain plastic in the bag (no matter how papery they look.) One of the main pros of using loose leaf tea is that you get a better all-round flavour. However, tea leaves need room to brew and an infuser gives the leaves room to unfurl and produces a better taste. There's a range of infusers to suit all budgets. Let's take a look at each one:

Tea Tong Tea Infusers

Pros:

• Cheap and cheerful, these are perfect for those who are just beginning to explore tea leaves
• Perfect for single mug brewing
• Less fiddly than the traditional 'ball and chain' type of infuser
• Good for travelling as fairly compact

Cons:

• Can be a bit faffy to clean
• Tiny bits can escape, especially with rooibos or very fine cut leaf tea, such as fannings

Top Hat  Tea Infuser

Pros: 

• Roomy enough for bigger leaves to unfurl, leading to the best tasting brew
• Sturdy and easy to clean between brewing, this infuser is built to last
• Good for brewing even finer teas and rooibos but some bits have to be expected ( especially with rooibos! )
• Perfect for brewing a single mug of tea, can be used for different sizes of mugs and cups

Cons:

• Quite bulky, so not ideal for travel and can take up a bit of space in the kitchen

Lazy Handle Tea Infuser

Pros:

• Fine mesh means that it can cope with finer cut tea and rooibos but some bits have to be expected ( especially with rooibos! )
• Cool design

Cons:

• A bit small to brew the biggest leaves
• Bit fiddly with very small cups - best with a mug

Viva Telescopic Tea Infuser

Pros:

• Perfect for travelling or taking to the office, it's collapsible and comes with its own little travel bag- it won't take up much space in your bag
• Good space for leaves, which allows them to unfurl well
• Fine mesh allows even small leaf teas and rooibos to brew without any bits escaping. 

Cons:

• Slightly more expensive that other infusers

Tea Filters

Pros:

• Brilliant for lovers of traditional teabags, but without the plastic- can pop any tea inside
• Whole thing can be chucked on compost or in food waste once done
• Super portable- brilliant for taking your favourite tea when travelling

Cons:

• Not as much room as some other methods for brewing
• Can get a bit expensive if you rely on them exclusively- it's often best to use in tandem with another infuser to keep costs down

 Viva Tea Infuser Mugs

Pros:

• Stylish and practical- these look brilliant 
• Infuser is big enough for any size of tea leaves
• Less mess: the lid can be used as an infuser rest, as well as to keep your tea warm
• Available in a range of colours and sizes (and a teapottoo!) The glass mug makes a great gift for a tea aficionado. 

Cons:

• Bit more expensive than other options if you're just starting out

If you still have questions, do get in touch- we'd be more than happy to help you find your perfect infuser!