A top-quality tea infuser that is well-constructed, attractive, and versatile.
Highly rated not only for its quality design and craftsmanship, but also for its ease of use. It is also praised for being easy to clean, and we love that its strainer is fine enough that it doesn't leave loose bits of tea behind. It can easily brew tea in a pot or cup.
A few users experienced issues with the closure not fully latching – resulting in tea leaves in the brewing water.
A fun design combines with quality fine mesh at an excellent price for 4 infusers.
Users not only appreciate the cute design, but also praise the excellent size and ease of brewing. We love that they sit well in a cup and aren't difficult to clean.
Some felt the materials and construction could be a bit more durable.
Designed for loose leaf tea, this long-necked infuser keeps your fingers out of hot water. And you can use the device to stir, too.
Best with whole-leaf teas. Ball segment slides open, making it easy to fill. Long neck will fit in most mugs. Secure grip. Dishwasher safe. Easy to clean, long handle prevents finger burns. Can use the infuser to stir your tea, too.
Small gaps on sides can allow small tea leaf pieces to escape.
Superior to hinged infusers, this is a very versatile infuser and is durable and well-designed.
This large infuser is ideal for large batches and those who like stronger tea. Users report that it is easy to open and clean, and it is versatile enough to be used for tea, coffee, and mulled cider.
A few experienced issues with the lid staying closed, and some weren't happy with the larger size.
This quality infuser stands out for being easy to use for travel mugs, but users also report it can be used in other mugs as well.
Tea lovers report that this travel tea infuser makes it easy to customize how your tea is brewed and is simple to take apart and clean. We love that it can easily stand up to daily use.
Some users felt that the design was a bit too large for a travel mug, and not all felt it was easy to clean.
We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.
Are you team tea or team coffee? There’s no wrong answer, but if a nice cup of Earl Grey is your beverage of choice, we recommend a tea infuser to get the finest brew possible. The question is, what's the best tea infuser around? Ball or basket? Steel or silicone? With so many options available to you, it can be overwhelming trying to choose.
Read on for our full guide to tea infusers to discover which one will best fit your teatime requirements. Then, when you're ready to buy, check out our top picks.
Basket tea infusers – also known as "brewing baskets" – are large infusers designed to be placed inside a mug or teapot.
Pros:
Brewing baskets are spacious, giving tea leaves ample room to mingle with the water and steep properly, resulting in a flavorful cuppa.
Most basket tea infusers are durable and long-lasting.
Basket tea infusers are versatile and can be used in conjunction with many mugs and teapots.
Cons:
Some brewing baskets are too narrow to fit in wide-rimmed mugs.
Price: An average basket tea infuser costs $8 to $10. High-end models can cost as much as $25.
Ball tea infusers, as the name suggests, are small mesh balls with a hinge in the center so you can open them up to put tea inside. You then clip both halves back together to seal the tea in. They either come on a handle or chain for easy removal from your mug.
Pros:
The small size of a ball tea infuser means it can be fully submerged in the water, even in shallow cups.
Ball tea infusers tend to be made of fine mesh which keeps small tea particles from entering your drink.
As a rule, ball tea infusers are very inexpensive.
Cons:
The mesh of a ball tea infuser can become misshapen over time.
Due to the small size of the ball, there's not always enough room for water to circulate around the leaves once they expand, producing inferior results.
Price: Expect to pay between $3 and $10 for a ball tea infuser.
Some mug tea infusers are simply ceramic mugs that come with a perfectly fitting brewing basket. Others are travel mugs or work in a similar way to a French press, albeit for tea.
Pros:
A mug tea infuser is an all-in-one solution, serving as both a tea infuser and a drinking vessel.
Some mug tea infusers can be used on the go.
Mug tea infusers tend to have spacious brewing areas, giving you a great-tasting brew.
Cons:
Not all mug tea infusers are particularly durable.
If you're considering a ceramic mug tea infuser and you already have plenty of suitable mugs, you may as well simply buy a brewing basket.
Price: Mug tea infusers usually cost between $10 and $30, depending on the quality of the mug.
You can find teapots that come with infusers that sit inside them, so there's no need to use a tea strainer.
Pros:
Teapots with tea infusers are ideal if you routinely make tea for more than one person at a time. Otherwise, each person needs their own tea infuser.
When you have a tea infuser that sits inside your teapot, you can take it out as soon as the tea has brewed sufficiently. If you put the leaves directly in the pot, they stay in there until the pot is empty, meaning the tea can steep too much and get a bitter taste.
Teapots with tea infusers are easier to clean than teapots without them.
Cons:
If you're only making tea for one, it's much simpler to use a basket or ball infuser.
If you want your teapot to be part of a matching set, you may not be able to find a sugar bowl and cream pitcher that matches.
Price: Small two- to three-cup teapots with tea infusers start at around $15, whereas larger and more ornate options can cost as much as $150.
Novelty tea infusers are crafted in cute or funny shapes and are usually made from plastic or silicone.
Pros:
Novelty tea infusers add a bit of fun to tea-making.
You can find a wide range of novelty tea infusers, from the adorable to the bawdy.
Novelty tea infusers make great gifts for tea-loving friends.
Cons:
Some novelty tea infusers aren't the best quality.
Tea purists often claim you get a better flavor from metal tea infusers.
Price: Novelty tea infusers usually cost somewhere between $5 and $15.
The larger your tea infuser, the more room your loose tea has to float around in the water, releasing all its flavor.
Smaller tea infusers might be convenient, but if you're really serious about making the best tea you can, we recommend a large basket, mug, or teapot infuser.
Most tea infusers are made from either metal – usually stainless steel – or silicone, though you can also find plastic options. Metal tea infusers are durable, reliable, and generally our top choice. Some users report an unpleasant taste when using plastic or silicone tea infusers, but plenty of people use them with no complaints.
Some tea strainers are made from solid material that's been perforated all over to create holes that let water in and out. Others are made from mesh. Mesh tends to be very fine, so it's less likely to let tea particles through into your drink. Tea strainers with holes don't filter small particles quite as effectively, so they are better suited to whole-leaf teas or fruit or herbal teas that are made from steeping large pieces.
Consider how often you'll use your tea infuser. If you make loose-leaf tea every day (or several times a day), it might be worth splurging on a high-quality infuser that will stand up to regular use.
Think about where you usually make your tea. If you tend to drink tea at work, a small, portable tea infuser or a travel mug infuser might be your best bet. If you make tea at home, you might prefer the ritual of using a teapot.
Be wary of quality. Not all tea infusers are created equally. Novelty types in particular can be poorly made, so don't be wooed by a cute infuser that's only going to last a few weeks.
Look for tea infusers that are easy to clean. Some tea infusers have lots of corners and crevices that make them difficult to clean completely. For ease of cleaning, we definitely recommend a dishwasher-safe model.
A. The optimum water temperature for brewing tea depends on the variety of tea. Here are the recommended brewing temperatures for some of the most common teas.
Black tea: 194°F to 210°F
White tea: 185°F to 205°F
Oolong tea: 185°F to 205°F
Green tea: 175°F to 185°F
Herbal or fruit tea: 205°F
Pu-erh tea: 212°F
Rooibos tea: 205°F
A. Loose-leaf tea is very simple to brew. First, you measure the tea into the infuser and place it in a mug or teapot. We generally recommend one teaspoon of tea per cup, but some people like it stronger. Next, you heat water to the desired temperature and pour it over the infuser. Then you wait for the tea to brew (this generally takes between one and five minutes depending on the type of tea and how strong you like it). Remove the infuser, and enjoy your drink.
A. Yes, you can steep the same tea leave multiple times, as long as you keep them moist between steepings. This method has varying degrees of success, however, depending on the type of tea. Black tea leaves, for instance, produce a much weaker beverage the second time you steep them. We don’t recommend keeping the same leaves for more than 12 hours after you first use them to avoid the buildup of bacteria.
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