Best tea accessories according to redditors
We found 888 Reddit comments discussing the best tea accessories. We ranked the 300 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 888 Reddit comments discussing the best tea accessories. We ranked the 300 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
They have a version that looks like a sloth.
EDIT: Check the related products links. They have ones that look like sharks, manatees, hippos, squirrels,...
Ok, I was a barista for 4 years at a traditional coffee shop and I have a hunch as to why you had trouble. If you're grinding the beans very fine and packing as much in there as the bag will hold, you're actually going to get a weaker brew because the water isn't able to effectively circulate through the coffee, even if all the grounds are wet. Grind it a bit coarser and leave room in the bag for the grounds to expand. A medium/coarse grind would probably work best, just let it steep a bit longer.
Edit: I realized that a lot of bags available really are too small to hold enough coffee, here is a link for bags that are big enough to get a good cup but honestly, I'd still use the reusable basket.
I want this. Found it
Tea infuser
https://www.amazon.com/Fred-SLOW-BREW-Sloth-Infuser/dp/B00V6AJN5Q
Oh she's so cute!! I already have a Manatea though! ;)
Fred MANATEA Tea Infuser https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00B5EE0A6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_HNKkybSMEJM8K ManaTEA!
Yay! I can actually help with this!
Adagio Teas has my FAVORITE loose leaf teas in the world. It depends what kind of tea she likes to drink, but you can get her a bunch of samples and go from there. You'll also get frequent cup points you can use later if you get some samples.
My favorites are:
(Black teas) Yunnan Gold, Golden Monkey, and Black Dragon Pearl: all chocolatey and rich, I drink them with soy milk and listed from not-very-earthy to smoky-earthy.
(Green teas) Gyokuro, Sencha Overture, and Jasmine Yin Hao: I prefer Japanese steamed greens which are more grassy and vegetal than Chinese pan roasted ones, but if she likes nutty green teas Dragonwell is also great.
(White teas) Silver Needle and White Peony:
Awesome because they're low in caffeine(I was just informed they aren't necessarily lower in caffeine, so let's just say awesome for the sublime nectar-y taste), my white teas have been kind of lonely since it's winter here, but in the summer they're perfect. Apricot liqueur and honeysuckle come to mind.But I'm not a big fan of blends (she may be), or Oolongs, or Pu Erhs, and definitely I don't drink anything not camellia sinensis (like honeybush), and a lot of my favorites are pretty expensive (but so worth it), so if you know she loves peppermint or chamomile by all means do that! If you only got one from Adagio, I would go with yunnan gold undoubtedly. You can get a sample for only $5 and it's heaven. Nobody dislikes this tea, not even people who say they don't like tea!
(And you can use code 6905673943 for $5 off!)
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Next she's going to need a way to brew it. I abhor doing dishes, my mother has made me some wonderful tea cups (she does ceramic pottery) but you can definitely just use the coffee/tea cups you already have to start. If you wanted to make it a cute holiday basket, of course, a tea cup would make the whole thing look adorable. At the risk of sounding like I work for Adagio, a glass cup like this is so perfect because you can watch the color of the tea as it brews which is a great indicator of tea strength!
Since I hate dishes so much, I have ended up using just empty, fill-able tea bags (I get the 2-cup capacity ones here) which is really great for re-steeping because you can just save the tea bag and put it in the fresh water.
Temperature is super important if you're brewing anything other than super robust black teas or herbal teas. For example, I steep my favorite green tea at 170 degrees F, which is a lot cooler than the 212 of boiling water. I bought this thermometer more than a year ago, and I've never had any problems... plus, getting a temp-specific tea kettle is so expensive :/ To walk you through how I personally make my tea:
I'll often put agave sweetener in my tea, and soy milk if it's a black tea.
I have also bought this for steeping and I adore it but it's another dish to do for a student without a dishwasher... It's a spring-loaded receptacle where you place your loose-leaf, and when it's done steeping in the hot water, you put it on top of the teacup. The gravity pushing on the spring releases the tea from the receptacle leaving the leaves and it's really really cool and efficient and you can make more tea at a time... but for a beginner, I would really recommend empty bags.
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Best of luck!
tl;dr Adagio is not a cult
edit: linked to Adagio
My fav is the Manatea....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fred-MANA-MANATEA-Tea-Infuser/dp/B00B5EE0A6
Hi! If you want to get into tea, I would reccomend starting by watching Alton Brow's episode on tea here. It's a good background on everything involving tea and tea brewing.
If you have a Peet's Coffee near you, you can go and order mugs of tea (brewed with loose leaf). They will give you free hot water refills so you can drink as much as you can handle. You can find a tea you like without having to commit to a huge container.
I prepare my tea in the morning in a tea pot (I have this one, but I don't like it because it's hard to clean) and pour it into a travel mug.
They make travel mugs that are similar to a frech press (here) where you put the leaves and hot water in and just push down a stopper to stop brewing. I'm really picky about the lids on my travel mugs, so I don't own one.
For resusable tea bags, the most popular style is a [tea ball] (http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-Stainless-Steel-Mesh-Ball/dp/B00004RIZ7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407090137&sr=8-1&keywords=tea+ball) (although the one I linked is a little too small to allow the tea to fully unfold). They are cheap and fairly easy to clean, but you have to be careful where you store them so they don't get bent up.
They also make tea bags for loose leaf tea. These would be easy to pop into your travel mug. You can also find bags made of muslin that can be washed out, but I don't know where you would do that.
Rooibos has very fine needles, it's very easy to have bits slip past if you don't use a fine mesh screen.
I don't have an IngenuiTEA, but they probably have a very fine mesh filter. Many tea infusers have a mesh that's less fine, and could easily let some odd bits slip through. (Stuff like this for example.)
They do sell it loose leaf https://www.amazon.com/Twinings-English-Breakfast-Loose-Ounce/dp/B009G3TTFE
and go buy an infuser like this https://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew-Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/
Seconding the use of a large in-mug infuser like this one
All I drink is green tea and they are wildly different in flavor and worlds beyond bagged tea. Remember that especially with green tea, you can and should perform multiple infusion at the appropriate temperature since each subsequent infusion will have a slightly different flavor. The in-mug type of infuser makes multiple infusions super easy to do.
http://www.amazon.com/Dci-Tea-Rex-Infuser/dp/B004XWGSIE
Might I recommend T-Sac.
T-Sac Disposable Paper Filter Tea Bags, Size 1, 100 Count https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001BLCIN4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_i8j4Ab10XY90X
Haha! Well that's a new one. I never heard anyone ask for a tea similar to toothpaste.
I doubt you'll be able to find teabags like that, but you might be able to blend something close. Chamomile is very common in herbal infusions, and it has a pretty mild flavor, so I'd suggest using that as the base. Then you could just add a bit of sage and eucalyptus until the flavor is strong enough. Myrrh isn't used to flavor tea that I've ever heard of, so I'd suggest just skipping that. For starters, try 2 tsp of chamomile, with a half teaspoon each of the sage and eucalyptus per cup.
If you're in the US, you can buy the herbs in bulk from a supplier like Mountain Rose Herbs or Monterey Bay Spice Company.
If you're not used to brewing loose tea, you can just throw it in a basket like this which sits in your mug.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes!
You will never regret this purchase. I use this, and a 22oz Tervis Tumbler almost every day of my life.
I don't like tea balls very much because they don't allow the tea to fully expand, which results in a less flavorful tea. I prefer metal strainers because they are easier to clean and produce a more flavorful tea.
This is the one that I use: http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew---Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317657140&sr=8-1
Though, if you find a good tea ball, it might be more ideal, simply because you could store it inside your thermos after you're done drinking the tea.
Its not a good plan to invest that much $ without knowing if you honestly like tea or not. To begin just get a simple infuser this one works , hopefully you already have a mug. Just boil or microwave water to start before you are sure you really love tea. You could always get a cheaper kettle but the most basic way to start is just infuser+mug+tea . Grab yourself a few sample from adagio or harney. I like harney to start since their samples are 2$ each. Grab some from as many of the major tea groups as possible. Find what you like. Good luck.
TL:DR Spend more money on tea, less money on accoutrements
Obligatory /r/tea plug.
what-cha.com is fantastic! Great selection and good prices.
Use 1 tsp (5g) of tea leaves, and you can steep them multiple times (up to 3-5 depending on the tea you use), so 50g of tea is quite the value. You can also try samplers of more "exotic" tea if you want to try them out.
I highly recommend Yunnan black tea, tastes like chocolate and caramel black tea without all the watery fillers and flavorings. :D It also doesn't get bitter if left steeping for a minute or two longer than you intended.
I also just tried a sample of their Kenyan Flowery Orange Pekoe black tea recently, and it's basically a higher grade of the regular black tea you get in stores. Less astringency, more delicious juicy flavor.
I use this type of strainer and it works great in all sorts of mugs.
Hope this helps!
Conventional teabags also have plastic in them, which a lot of people don't know: https://www.greenchildmagazine.com/plastic-in-tea-bags/ So not sure how you would recycle them.
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Maybe you could try bulk area tea or tea that you can buy in metal tins.
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Stainless steel tea infusers;
https://www.amazon.com/HIC-Infuser-Stainless-Mulling-Spices/dp/B000I1ZZ24/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=stainless+steel+tea+strainer+for+loose+tea&qid=1558316465&s=gateway&sr=8-13
These are similar to the ones I use: https://www.amazon.com/Fu-Store-Stainless-Strainers-Strainer/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=stainless+steel+tea+strainer+for+loose+tea&qid=1558316500&s=gateway&sr=8-9
There are cheap metal teafilters which you can get on amazon..Get yourself some loose tea and brew it up - my favourite for cold weather is rooibos creme caramel
With the caveat that these are def not indie, but they made it possible for me to actually use all the indie loose-leaf tea I acquired... I ran into the same issue, and tried infuser balls but hated cleaning them out. I saw some single-use tea filter bags--these aren't the ones I bought but they're out of those and it's the same idea--and they're working out really well so far! I like that they're compostable and I reeeeally like that I don't have to clean out some fiddly infuser that ends up leaking pieces of tea into my drink anyway and irritates me, defeating the purpose of the tea.
It seems like what you're saying is that your tea tastes fine, but when you get towards the bottom of the cup, it starts to taste bitter. If that's the case you have a straining problem. Tiny parts of the tea leaves are sitting in your drink the entire time you drink it, which causes it to slowly steep more. You need to either infuse your leaves in a finer strainer, or pour your liquor through some sort of mesh or paper towel, and strain even the tiniest particles out of it.
tl;dr :
In terms of equipment, to brew western-style, you can buy reusable strainers to brew the tea. You put a teaspoon or so of leaf into the strainer, steep as normal, and set the strainer aside when you're ready to drink. I have this one and I really like it. It's good to get a big strainer so that the tea leaves can unfurl - good tea expands a lot when you steep it.
Quality is up to your personal taste, imo. In my experience, higher-quality tea tends to be smoother, lacks the off-flavors (bitter, acrid) that are found in some cheaper tea, doesn't lose all of its flavor on the first steep (you can usually steep high-quality tea multiple times before it runs out of flavor), and is more complex than cheaper tea. Imo it just smells and tastes better all around. It's like saying "How can I tell when I'm eating good quality pizza/drinking good wine?" You can tell cause you enjoy it more
Making tea requires 3 things:
Anything else is mostly extra however most people like split out #2 into a brewing vessel and drinking vessel.
Since you already have #1, you can get by with just a brew basket like this one. You put the leaves in, put in cup and then lift in cup. The combination of your cup and brew basket becomes your brew vessel.
It's important that the brew vessel gives space to the leaves to unfurl especially if you get into Chinese/Taiwanese style teas that do not break up the leaves during processing.
If you wish to dive into Eastern style brewing I am a huge fan of plain white, porcelain gaiwans which are just cups with nifty lids. They require a bit of skill to use but honestly it seems many people exaggerate how hard they are. A day of practicing and some common sense will make you proficient.
Pots are another step up. Japanese Kyusus are an easier to use alternative. Of course English style tea pots are another options. I would recommend against a large 12oz English style because the pot itself soaks up so much heat.
In many cases, the pot itself will have a build in strainer to remove leaves but many times small bits still get through. In which case a small strainer is poured through. You have English style strainers which are really pretty and the Chinese style strainers which come in metal, bamboo etc.
I would stay away from any clay unglazed pots like Yixing when starting off. This market is filled with tons of misinformation and in general is an unscrupulous industry. Porcelain, ceramic and glass are the way to go.
Dollar for dollar, buying better leaves will always yield better tea than any kind equipment you can get. Bad tea in a 5,000 USD, early R.O.C. Yixing Pot will be forever be bad tea. However very nice leaves in a 5 USD gaiwan makes for good tea.
Honestly it'd probably be more fun and educational to put together your own sample pack. An infuser can be had anywhere, the two popular ones around here are Forlife and Finium. Then a vendor like Upton Tea has tons and tons of affordable samples as well as a huge catalogue. You could get a cross-sample selection of the tea world, like a traditional english blend, a chinese black, chinese and japanese greens, a roasted and a green oolong, and a white tea. Then from there you can refine your taste and figure out what you gravitate towards!
Mainly why I recommend starting with straight teas if you intend to really get into tea, is if you start with a collection of blends, you don't really know if you're tasting the tea itself or the other ingredients in it. Unflavored tea already varies wildly in flavor from light and vegetal, to sweet, fruity, and floral, to deep and earthy.
(Another popular alternative to infusers would be a gaiwan set, though that's a little more advanced as a vessel for gongfu brewing.)
If you are looking at teas from unusual origins, say the country of Georgia, try what-cha.com.
if you are looking mainly at Chinese teas, Yunnan sourcing and teavivre are good places to start.
you can get some wonderful Taiwanese teas at Beautiful Taiwan Tea, and they have a very reasonable threshold for free shipping. You can also go to Yunnan sourcing's Taiwanese sister site taiwanoolongs.com
If you want to go down the rabbit hole that is Puerh, try out white2tea (they also have some gorgeously yummy black teas and oolongs) as well as the aforementioned Yunnan sourcing.
yunomi is a decent place to go to for Japanese teas, but since it is a marketplace type website, you would have to do some hunting (and Japanese teas are not my speciality, so I will leave much of that to other users.)
for flavored teas- there's really a plethora of places to get those, but the one that I have found with the best tasting flavored teas of the bunch is New Mexico tea company. This is just personal opinion, some people like Adagio better (and I do love Adagio's chestnut tea as well as a few others, so don't take that as a strike against Adagio).
I would stay away from most mall-type stores like Teavana because a lot of their teas are more cheap filler ingredients and less tea, just to cover up the low quality of their teas.
On the subject of tools, seeing as you are a coffee guy, might I suggest a hario teapot? A gaiwan would be the next step in going towards the gong fu style of tea. A very basic 100ml gaiwan would cost you less than 5 bucks + shipping. (shipping is expensive from here, so I would suggest getting more than one item).
For very basic tea drinking there are always in mug basket infusers.
Or you could always go grandpa style, where you just toss your leaves in a mug and refil the water whenever it gets low.
First you're going to need tools. I assume you have a 12oz mug.
. Pay attention to U.S. vendors. Nearly all of the have sample packages and that's where I would start. Adagio Tea is a good beginner's tea shop.
https://www.amazon.com/Approved-Stainless-Infuser-Strainer-Capacity/dp/B01LQ7NQTW
You would enjoy loose leaf tea a lot better most likely.
For example good loose leaf chinese tea from a vender like https://yunnansourcing.com / https://yunnansourcing.us and the other good vendors in our list brewed gongfu style will be many times stronger than a standard proper brewing.
But even just getting a little basket infuser for real cheap like one of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LQ7NQTW/ and decent loose leaf tea will be far better than what you have tried.
If you have questions feel free to ask and we will do our best to help you :)
Check out Harney & Sons online for a start- they have free shipping to the US and samples of each variety so you can try a ton to get familiar with them.
For brewing loose-leaf tea, I'd recommend a mug basket (something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LQ7NQTW/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_ZYLJDbX22BVEJ -- You set it in the mug and add a heaping teaspoon or so of the tea and then pour the hot water over it) It's the simplest way- in my opinion!
Also, for green tea you'll definitely want a simple digital thermometer to check the water temperature. Water temps should be only 160 to 175 for green teas, vs 200-212 (boiling) for black.
When choosing teas, there are 2 categories to consider- flavored and unflavored. It's easy to be drawn to flavored teas (with enticing names such as "chocolate chai"). But if you want to really become acquainted with tea and what makes the different types distinctive, I'd recommend trying pure, unflavored teas. It's incredible how flavorful they are and you'll know that what you're tasting is only the pure tea, not added flavorings.
The more common types of tea are black, green, and oolong. All originate from the same plant. They vary greatly in flavor based on where/how they're grown & processed (China and India are the major origins of Black tea, Japan and China for green tea, and China and Taiwan for Oolong.)
There's also "tea" which is not actual tea but called tea anyway- like rooibos, and herbal infusions such as chamomile. It's a mild personal pet peeve when they're referred to as tea only because it can be confusing/misleading for people who don't yet know much about tea.
(My favorite types of tea currently are Japanese greens- try out Japanese Sencha, Sencha scent of mountains, Genmaicha [green tea with toasted rice], & hojicha [roasted green tea]- all are delicious and very unique from each other!)
I've got this one and it works pretty well
That's a metal mesh reusable tea bag.
I buy tea leafs and fill it, It's so much better!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=metal+tea+bag&qid=1562581949&sr=8-1
Well what I usually do is put the tea bag in a cup of hot water and immediately throw it out the window (unless my English friend is visiting...in that case I throw it at him) while shouting the Pledge of Allegiance. Bourbon > Tea, but tea parties can be fun.
OK fine, serious answer...you need one of these things, some of them come with handles. Put the chamomile in it, pour boiling water over it, let it steep until it tastes good (in my case this never happens, thus the above).
Like most anything else, there's no less than a bazillion options, and everyone will have their own take on which ones you should begin with.
If you can find a tea shop reasonably close, I recommend buying an ounce or two of several teas. Any reasonably large city should have a tea shop, you may have one near you. Take note of how to properly brew each one and give it a try. Experiment with the steep time and temperature a little if it's not quite to your liking, or if you're just feeling adventurous.
If buying in person isn't feasible, try a sample pack or similar from a reputable online vendor. There are some links in the sidebar that will help with that.
Get a tea kettle for boiling your water, good ones can be had from a variety of online retailers, like teas, but home goods stores will usually have a decent kettle. Electric or stovetop doesn't really matter much, I use a stovetop kettle myself.
With a kettle and tea in hand, you have a couple options for brewing. The best (IMO) is a proper tea pot, and there are many styles available. I have this one, and it's pretty foolproof and sturdy:
Bodum Assam Teapot
Alternatively, you can just use tea filters, like this:
Tea Filters
It's basically a DIY tea bag.
That is my recommendation for equipment, and only based on what I have personally used. I will let others offer suggestions for specific teas to order online, as I make all my purchases locally and can't recommend anything in particular.
Get some t-sacs or similar and make your own, using "work tea" of your choice?
Are you okay with filling your own bags? It's less annoying than using/cleaning diffusers and you can fill with any tea or dried herbs/fruit you want [compostable]
https://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Filter-Disposable-Infuser-Capacity/dp/B001BLCIN4
I went on amazon.com looking for empty tea bags and what I found works wonders.
T-Sac Disposable Paper Filter Tea Bags, Size 1, 100 Count
http://amzn.com/B001BLCIN4
They hold 3 tea spoons of tea, good for on the go people, and all I do is fill, staple closed and put in my cup before I head out. So easy and the same great taste I want.
Have to go basket: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JP1KPO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If it works, it works! Personally I would just use an infuser like this one. Arguably even better for lazy people because you don't have to worry about leaves getting in your mouth. Steep, remove, drink. I have found no easier way to brew tea.
I use this at work. Small and easy to clean.
http://www.amazon.com/RSVP-Just-Ducky-Floating-Infuser/dp/B003XK9ER4
Sometimes I get distracted watching it float around happily and my tea gets steeped for too long.
I like using a larger infuser like this. There's enough room for the leaves to expand and it's pretty easy to clean. This one is also very high quality, I've had it for years and it's still as good as new.
Welcome! I've never used paper towel, but it could work. I fear it may tear after 1 or 2 infusions.
I've used this infuser and its worked well for me. It's a bit pricey @ $19 though.
http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Stainless-Folding-Infuser-Carrying/dp/B00FOMKNSI/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1457753210&sr=8-9&keywords=for+life+tea+infuser
You could also invest in a gaiwan. Half the price at $8.
http://www.amazon.com/Purple-Clay-Tea-Pot-Gaiwan/dp/B00H98UGCS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457753354&sr=8-1&keywords=gaiwan
This video helped me understand brewing process. It's a bit long, but hope it helps!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puldqGnW9P0
Steeping tea is enjoyable to me. At minimum, you'll need a device for heating the water (kettle, either electric or stovetop), a container for steeping (teapot), a filter to catch the leaves (can be part of teapot or separate), and a cup for drinking.
I use these:
The process is simple.
You can alternatively place the leaves in the strainer and stick it inside the teapot to steep. That's slightly simpler, but it doesn't allow the leaves to fully expand.
Some teapots are also designed to ease the steeping process further, like Adagio's Ingenuitea, which I own and yet don't use as much. You place the leaves inside, steep, and then the tea flows out from the filtered mesh bottom, directly into a cup.
Once you've developed tea as a hobby and have certain regional or style preferences, such as Japanese sencha (green tea) or Chinese oolongs, you can invest in steeping equipment specific to those, such as kyusu or tetsubin and Zisha teapots or gaiwan. These are by no means required, but they can heighten the experience, especially if you decide to prepare the tea in the culturally traditional manner; see Japanese and Chinese tea ceremonies.
LOL...I have these, but I couldn't find any of them (found them later):
http://www.amazon.com/kitchen-dining/dp/B001BLCIN4
Your poor friend! I'm glad he was able to recover!! I now work as a nurse, and I plan on shamelessly stealing your hilariously accurate observation of severe swelling. "Doctor, I believe this man has an edema grade of Homer Simpson."
Also, unless you really like the taste of Arizona Tea, you could make yourself gallons of the stuff on your own for a fraction of the price! All you need:
-Depending on the size of your pitcher, you want to use one MEASURING teaspoon per 8oz (1 cup) water. Example: 1/2 gallon pitcher = 8 cups = 8 teaspoons tea. It won't look like much, but you don't need a lot! Using too much loose tea is a common mistake, which doesn't improve the flavor a whole lot and just costs extra money!
-Put that tea into the empty paper teabag (don't fill more than half full, if it's more than that, use an additional bag) and fold the open end shut. Secure it with one or two staples.
-Throw your homemade tea bag into your pitcher, fill your pitcher with COLD water, add whatever sweetener you prefer (I like honey and a slice of lemon, yum!) and put it in the fridge overnight.
-In the morning, take the teabag out, along with anything else you put in (lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, some people get real crazy!) and BAM. Homemade iced tea! It will stay good in the fridge for up to a week and you just spent way less than buying it prepared while making it exactly how you want!
I recommend getting a basket infuser, something like this. Then you can brew loose leaf tea directly in your mug, you just put the leaves in the infuser, the infuser in the mug, and pour hot water in the mug. Then when the tea is strong enough, you remove the infuser and rest it somewhere. If you've got good leaves you'll even be able to reuse them and brew more tea with them.
I would suggest that you get an in-cup infuser like the Forlife (there are other brands that should do the trick). I love my Forlife as it gives plenty of room for tea to expand and makes a great cup. You might also check out tea pots with large infusing baskets.
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As to the question of microwaving, there is nothing wrong with it scientifically speaking. If you are microwaving water there are two things to pay close attention to. First, make sure you place a WOOD skewer or chopstick in the cup to give a place for bubbles to form. If there is no imperfection for bubbles to collect on you risk superheating the water without it coming to a boil, then when you move the container the jolt would set off the boiling and you could burn yourself badly as the water over flowed. The second thing with microwaving is that you will need a thermometer to check the water temperature before you start brewing. This is because you don't have good temperature control in a microwave and this can result in a bad cup.
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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JPA3Y8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Life
Finum
toss up between these coasters and this tea infuser
So tired today. Stayed up late with Mr Tea doing our own little Christmas thing. I didn't expect anything for Christmas because of our income situation but he surprised me with some big gifts that he's been purchasing throughout the year and hiding at a friend's house. I got 4 new Le Crueset pans that I'd been lusting after, a Starbucks gift card (cause I'm a total addict), a DSW gift card (also a shoe addict), this hilariously adorable little guy, and a Sur la Table gift card. Little did Mr Tea know... I'd been doing the same thing and he had presents waiting for him that I'd bought months ago too. Lol! We're both thrifty but of course we like nice things so we pick things up on sale, with coupons, and any way we can maximize a discount we can find. We did the same thing for Tiny Tea (Clearance octonauts bath toys and $0.50 Lego duplo sets FTW!!)
Though this is a hard time for us, I'm truly fortunate and very grateful.
This is my favorite all around, and I've tried a lot:
https://www.amazon.com/Extra-Loose-Infuser-House-Again/dp/B01N1OTXHW
If you want something a bit smaller and sturdier, but with slightly bigger holes (that will let more tea particles through):
https://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Stainless-Folding-Infuser-Carrying/dp/B00FOMKNSI
K-Cup: bad quality coffee/tea that creates unnecessary waste by pushing HOT water through flimsy Plastic. I understand using them at a doctors office or your mechanics ... but I'll never understand people who have them as their everyday home/office coffee/tea maker. okay /rant - thanks for humoring me.
I think you are on the right track with samples. Since she is already into tea - rather than scatter shot sampling, maybe focus on a type of tea. Oolongs have some nice variety. You could do flavored black or flavored green teas. A few different flushes of Darjeeling. Harney has a number of sampler packs you could do. I have the oolong sampler and am really happy with it. Adagio also has sampler gift packs.
for tea making - you could get her a simple strainer and a nice mug. You could go fancier and get a gugfu set, which is always nice for sharing.
I'm not sure how much you're planning on spending - but you could get a variable temperature electric kettle. My favorite is $150, but you can get kettles for much cheaper (~$30)
More details please! (Also I assume you meant infuser - but if you do want a tea scented oil diffuser then let us know!)
What's your budget? Is this person Really Into Tea or just Kinda Into Tea?
​
This one is my favorite https://www.adagio.com/teaware/ingenuiTEA_teapot.html
​
This style of strainer is another favorite. https://www.amazon.com/Yoassi-Extra-Fine-Approved-Stainless/dp/B01LQ7NQTW *They make a lot of versions of these so you may want to find others and read reviews.
There are plenty of cute and silly ones out there but I find them to be more of a pain to clean and care for.
get yourself one of these and crush it up on a plate a bit and then pour it through this. use a spoon to swirl it around and grind all the big pieces through. comes out like fresh powdered snow
I find the gourd method to be an overly complicated way to make a simple tea. Just throw some loose leaf in a tea infuser, soak with some cool/cold water for a minute, then pour hot water (around 180ish). Brew for ~5 min, strain, done. You can throw your theanine in at this stage.
I'm partial to something like this instead of the bags though mine is plastic rather than stainless.
I personally use tea bags, but otherwise I believe you would use something like this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_LFZPybGH1AKQX
Well it's missing the screen. What it is sitting in is just the base to store it in while not in use. It should have a screen that connects to it, similar like these: https://www.amazon.com/Set-Wenmeili-Infuser-Strainer-Silicone/dp/B01G89T33Q/ref=sr_1_281?keywords=tea+infuser&qid=1559275217&s=gateway&sr=8-281
I had one like the one you have. It's a bad infuser, even if you had the screen to make it work properly. It's too small for the tea to expand and infuse correctly. Just buy one of these for western style loose leaf brewing: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N1OTXHW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I've always used something like this, though I usually pay like one tenth of this price, even though things are usually much more expensive in my country than in the US ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I think everyone answered the too-many grains, etc, here pretty well.
As for straining... I got tired really quick with straining grains. So I stuck them in one of these and just pull it out and put it into the next batch.
https://www.amazon.com/HIC-Infuser-Stainless-6-Inches-1-5-Inches/dp/B000I1ZZ24
Its worked great for months and months. Takes me about a minute to process my kefir on a good day. I dump it into the next mason jar, transfer this over, dump in milk, stir with it.
I have used these, they are fairly large so you still have plenty of expanding room.
http://www.amazon.com/Finum-100-Filters-Large-Brown/dp/B000KDW9MO/ref=sr_sp-btf_title_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1398112820&sr=8-11&keywords=tea+bags
Finum's huge fill-them-yourselves tea bags are a pretty good disposable solution.
I've used T-Sac "disposable tea infusers" and they work pretty well. I don't think I'd use them with a tightly-rolled oolong, because they're not as roomy as a metal infuser. But other than that, they're acceptable.
Regarding tea bags and their (possible lack of) quality, get yourself a box of t-sac filters and make your own tea bags: https://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Filter-Disposable-Infuser-Capacity/dp/B001BLCIN4
Just an example link, I'm sure you can get it much cheaper. Also, they're available in local tea stores worldwide. They come in three sizes so you can comfortably brew tea with larger leaves as well.
are you sure it wasn't just a low quality water bottle you tasted from?
I have 3 Klean Kanteens I use for all kinds of things and none of them leave a flavor behind because its just steel and no plastic lining that collects off flavors. Are you sure it wasnt a cheap lining? my first reccomendation would be a insulated klean kanteen. Its by far been my favorite and I've been through a lot of tea mugs.
If you're set on glass though I owned [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Lifefactory-Glass-Beverage-Bottle-Turquoise/dp/B004C3LVXQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1427182808&sr=8-3&keywords=16oz+glass+water+bottle
) for a while before I moved to metal and it held up well and the coating was nice to protect my hands from hot drinks. I was always careful to prewarm it but I never had it crack when I was lazy a few times. It DID shatter when it went flying out of my backpack side pocket like 10ft onto a concrete hill...but if you're set on glass it would be my choice. I usually make my own teabags from cheesecloth or this stuff to steep on the go.
another cheap option is to get something like this
and buy a mason jar. That way when it shatters, you can just get another jar for very cheap.
edit: Also with the mason jar you can just use something like this
gives you a better quality brew to go and lets you control how long you brew a little easier and better than french press style mugs imo.
I'd suggest buying some t-sacs, at least to use up the tea you have without wasting it. You could also try lining your basket with a coffee filter (basically the same thing as pictured), or folded cheesecloth.
Get yourself one of these.
I have this one which comes with a nice ceramic dish for it to sit in.
Those are kick ass, really love the beautiful & unique Russian one!
I just found my favorite infuser, works awesome.
Will vouch for this infuser. I have this one, and it helped a lot with my grit issue. I used to use a mesh ball infuser and it left ten times more grit in my tea than the infuser I'm using now.
I bought one of these the other day. The lid doubles as a place to set the infuser. I love it.
I use one of these and really like it a lot. The lid doubles as a saucer for the basket.
I'd try brewing it in an open basket like this one.
http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew---Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1412355993&sr=8-6&keywords=tea+basket
this is the basket my friend uses.
Personally I like to use a french press.
If you want easy, you can buy a mug strainer or empty tea bags to pack yourself:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JPA3Y8
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JIRDSCC
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J3JFJU
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HW1C7VK
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00027CM5C
You should get a basket infuser like one of these:
1
2
These are large enough to let the leaves open up so you can the whole flavor. There are other options such as a gravity steeper or infuser thermoses, but these are a good place to start :)
I have this
This is it with a glass mug
I am currently using this tea infuser It fits most cups/mugs, and pretty much keeps all tea leave residue out of your tea. Only tea dust particles or VERY fine teas, such as Gyokuro will have anything getting through. You can also buy the infuser with different tea pots it fits in.
http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew---Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368540939&sr=8-1&keywords=tea+infuser
That's a really great infuser. It was recommended to me here and I love it
This works well for me, although you might be able to find something comparable for less money.
The next step after a ball strainer is giving the leaves room to expand and infuse better. You want a basket infuser or teapot+strainer.
The next step after supermarket tea is loose-leaf tea from a good vendor (see the sidebar). I suggest buying a sampler that includes green, oolong, and black teas.
List of "Promotional" Sample Sets
Curated sample set
I drink looseleaf with an infuser like this one, or in a ceramic teapot (haven't gotten around to shelling out for a clay one yet.) This is my process for making black tea, which is what I usually drink.
I'm not a huge fan of tea bags, because I'm sort of elitist about my tea and because I can't find many bagged teas that are as delicious and full-flavored as looseleaf teas.
When I'm drinking tea, it's usually before or with breakfast, so I'm generally just eating breakfast alongside it. However, for a treat, I like to get some McVitie's digestive biscuits to nibble on with a pot of tea. If you're American, you can often find them in international food stores (or order online!). They go wonderfully with tea, and they're way more appetizing than they sound.
I hope this helped, and that you can forgive my penchant for abusing paretheses! :)
I just found it on Amazon for 8.99
You need one of [these] (http://www.amazon.com/DCI-Tea-Rex-Infuser/dp/B004XWGSIE) to go along with that mug.
I like my robot guy better ;) That dino's pretty cute though!
Here he is.
I have this little guy.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41raQKigp7L._SX425_.jpg
These are more fun! I got my mom this one for Christmas last year. I'm not sure how well they work compared to standard infusers, but they are fun!
It's not much worse than this. Why you you want someones undercarriage steeping in your beverage?
Oatmeal?
You should get this because it's adorable, useful for stress, and hello - CALMING MANATEE. You should get me this so I can stop stressing about never being able to see the back of my head.
deputydawg!
I really want this, but they don't have it on .ca and .com won't ship here. http://www.amazon.com/Fred-and-Friends-Manatea-Infuser/dp/B00B5EE0A6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370909048&sr=8-1&keywords=manatea
Too late. Fred MANATEA Silicone Tea Infuser
I have one of those tea diffusers
Today is a magical day because...Unicorns.. I was awoken suddenly by a gnome with a Travelocity business card. I rolled out of my sparkling bed and ended up in A drag show. I ate quinoa for breakfast with a magic wand in my left hand and a drop of honey on my...knee cap. On my way to The Maury Show. I ran into Norman Reedus. He said to me, "Be careful I got stitches ". I seductively replied, "You ARE the father", and we then decided to watch Star Wars and Trigun with a silicon animal cup. I really wished we had intercourse and intercourse with a little more intercourse instead. Something hit me on the back of my head. It was a hot dog. Can you believe that? I reached into my back pocket and pulled out a manatea.It really belonged to Steve Irwin.He gave it to me in exchange for immortility.
One day I will slay dragons with Norman. It will be smexy and a little bit sweaty. I hope tomorrow is filled with intercourse and is beautiful just like today.
It looks more like a Mana-tea:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B5EE0A6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523877782&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mana-tea&dpPl=1&dpID=31Zc0ZReDfL&ref=plSrch
I like this basket style.
Quick start? Buy this which works great in mugs as well as many medium to larger teapots, and then find a company that you can order samples from and start exploring.
What company I'd recommend starting with would depend on your tastes.
If you want to get into single-estate black teas, one company that really got me into tea was Upton Tea Imports. They have small (and inexpensive) samples of virtually all their teas. They have some strengths (black teas, esp. from India, inexpensive black and green teas from China, inexpensive oolongs of surprisingly good quality, herbal teas) and weaknesses (especially avoiding getting Pu-erh from them, their Japanese teas aren't great IMHO).
Harney & Sons is another company I love that also is great for sampling and offers small sample sizes of nearly all their teas. I find them more well-rounded than Upton, i.e. they're more consistently good but don't offer quite as amazing bargains as in Upton's areas of strength.
If you live near a Wegmans, that's a great option, because they sell the tea in a bulk section and you can measure it out in small sample sizes...it's actually cheaper than ordering samples from virtually any company because you have to do the work of measuring it all out. Maybe not quite as good in quality as Wegmans, many natural foods stores stock Frontier Coop and/or Mountain Rose Herbs, sometimes other tea companies, with self-service stations. If the stock is fresh (big if) these can be a great inexpensive way to get started with sampling, again saving a ton of money because you're doing the labor of measuring out all the small quantities.
When you're getting started, I recommend avoiding any company that insists on selling 2 ounce / 50g sizes as the smallest size...it doesn't seem like much tea, but it's a lot of tea if you don't like it, and it limits the amount you can buy. Buying 1 ounce or better 0.5 ounce or 15 gram packets, you can sample a lot more and you can learn much more about tea in a short period of time. And you'll be much more likely to discover all-time favorites that way. That's how I got started...
Then once you get going, and you have an idea of what you like, it can be worth ordering stuff from companies with 50 or 100g, or 2/4 oz minimum sizes.
You can buy large fillable tea bags. Smth like this
https://www.amazon.com/100pcs-Disposable-Filter-Bags-Loose/dp/B00HW1C7VK
The money saved on eggs can be used to buy better tea.
Here's a mishmash of items that I really love having in my apartment:
The mug, the decal, and the sloth, all from Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-SLOW-Sloth-Infuser/dp/B00V6AJN5Q
Target stores or online on Amazon.
thingy. Because our coffee maker is broken at work and I've been downing tea. I have a vanilla, caramel, and earl grey tea that I LOVE at home but it's only loose leaf so I need one of these thingies for the office.
I hope you are having a marvelous day, thank you for the contest :)
So, the easiest way to make it is to just dump some in some almost boiling water. The downside, obviously, is that you have loose leaves in the water, which is (IMO) not the most appealing tea.
If you want to keep the leaves out of the tea, then you need a strainer. I use (this one)[http://www.amazon.com/HIC-Snap-Mesh-Ball-Infuser/dp/B000I1ZZ24/] cause it's cheap, easy to get the tea into, and easy to clean.
A lot of people like the (pourover kine)[http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-3-Inch-Strainer/dp/B001713L84/], but I like my tea stronger than most, so I like to let the leaves spend more time in the hot water than the pourover method does, and the scissor type strainer I use gives me the most flexible.
If you've got it in a bag, this is the most thorough video I've seen on the subject.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syAjix4QgNc
Otherwise, if you're using a strainer, all the same rules basically apply, you just use the strainer instead of the bag.
You can always get cheap steepers from amazon. :) I have this and this. They are both a little small, so the teas can't fully expand, though. My personal favorite is something like this because it has tiny holes that stop anything from escaping, and still plenty of room for larger tea leaves to fully expand.
https://smile.amazon.com/Finum-Disposable-Paper-Filter-Loose/dp/B000KDW9MO/ref=sr_1_4?crid=27KSKVKYY4D0D&keywords=finum+tea+filters&qid=1569435299&s=gateway&sprefix=finum+tea%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-4
This one says it's made of paper so it should be fine. I'd mainly try to get a paper one, and if it's one of those bags with a string then make sure the string is made of cotton.
Ok. Here we go. Making ghee is super easy, but definitely do it a few times before making a big batch. I think newbies usually under cook it at first because they are afraid to burn it, but once seeing how easy it is, actually do end up burning it by not paying attention at the end.
Notes
The bottom will turn dark brown or potentially black. It might appear that the ghee is black if the pan is narrow (less surface area so more solids accumulate and turn black). Just grab some of the ghee with the spoon and you'll see that it is still golden and you'll know its not burnt. It isn't finished until the small upward seltzer bubbles are mostly done. Don't go crazy wondering about it. By the time the small bubbles are even there it is mostly done, so don't worry if there are still some. You'll notice they get less and less and you can pull it when there isn't too much happening.
I've found straining into a teabag is the best option. Coffee filters are way too slow and stall and metal filters let particles through. If you can buy a 100 pack of filters like these, they'll last you forever and you can use them for tea.
If you go 10 or 20 minutes past the end of the small bubble phase, it will burn, so even if you are lazy and just checking on it throughout the process, stick near it at the end. I burned it once and even though I didn't toss it, it wasn't as good.
When you pour it, it might seem a little dark to you. By the time it is solidified, it'll be mostly white.
Ghee is pure fat and lasts a lifetime. I make 3 lbs at a time and it lasts a couple few weeks because I eat it as my main fat source.
Hmmmm what else. If I think of anything else important I'll message again. Ask any questions you'd like. I'll go grab a pic and link it.
EDIT: I realize it is more golden than mostly white, but you get the idea.
The second half of season 4 of Walking Dead has been EPIC! I am loving it.
These would be useful!
http://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Filter-Disposable-Infuser-Capacity/dp/B001BLCIN4
Just at tip - if you have a hair straightener, you can use that to heat seal these bags! Just fill the bag, fold over the top, then press it with the hot flat iron for a few seconds. It'll seal immediately and perfectly!
By the way, I'm talking about these types of bags: https://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Filter-Disposable-Infuser-Capacity/dp/B001BLCIN4/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1482895644&sr=1-2&keywords=t-sac
I use these T-Sac Tea Filter Bags, Disposable Tea Infuser, Number 1-Size, 1-Cup Capacity, 100 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BLCIN4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_D7Elyb3SG7J2W
I buy these. They are a little cheaper than the davidstea ones and they work just as well.
I'm not sure where you live, but if you have Wegmans grocery stores they have a really excellent and affordable (like almost Lipton affordable if you pick less expensive teas and double infuse them like I do) loose tea selection. They also have a variety of infusers and disposable tea bags (I would start out with something like this and upgrade to a reusable infuser like this if you decided that you're going to keep buying and making loose leaf tea). If you don't have a Wegmans, Google tea rooms in your area...some of them sell tea as well. If that still doesn't get you results, there are a ton of websites. Adagio is probably one of the more accessible ones for beginners...they sell an oolong called Fujian Rain, which is one of my favorite everyday teas. They also sell their teas in bags if you don't want to do the whole loose tea thing.
There are also reasonable quality bagged tea options...Numi comes to mind, I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting.
Also, don't listen to the snobs that are going to come into this thread to give you shit about ever having had Lipton.
I use these, I think it's just as good about as using a small strainer in a mug or pot, unless you're letting those leaves go totally loose before pouring through a strainer. Though I also don't keep my high quality loose tea at work, so there is that. To be honest, if you're that worried about bags cramping your style is it that much hassle to tap out a strainer & run under water for a hot second?
Skip it. All of it.
Get a fine-mesh strainer like this or this.
Use coarse ground coffee, put it into the strainer, and steep for as long as you normally would.
These strainers are multifunctional (I guess you've already figured out that they can be used for tea as well), dishwashable, and unless you do something crazy with them they will last forever. There are no moving parts to break and no things made of glass or plastic to crack.
You can use it in any mug or cup. It doesn't get better than that.
Why bother with a teapot at all?
If you brew only one cupful at a time, try an infuser like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Extra-fine-Tea-Infuser-Porcelain-Dish/dp/B001JP1KPO
This way, you only have to clean a cup and infuser instead of a cup and a teapot.
Ignoring aesthetics,
A cast iron teapot can be great, especially with a tea candle to keep it warm.
The most important thing is to use a basket style infuser.
I would recommend a 330mL French Press (for making single cups) because they have a wire filter built in, are cheap and easily available.
I've also enjoyed using this basket style infuser because it makes single cups, the lid keeps the heat in, and the lid doubles as a drip catcher if I plan on doing multiple steeps of the same tea.
My S.O. and I are a big fan of her Bredemeijer vacuum insulated 1.2L tea pot, which keeps tea for two hot for a couple hours. On that note, having a vacuum insulated mug is great for tea on the go, or for keeping tea warm while you pour into smaller, traditional cups.
These have never steered me wrong!
EDIT: And here's a lengthy article about the best steepers.
I carry one of these guys with me. Hell, I even use it at home when I don't need to brew an entire pot of coffee.
http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew-Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8
[I've got something like this, which I like for in-mug infusing:]
(https://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew-Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=sr_1_46?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1512056519&sr=1-46&keywords=tea+infuser)
[This also looks like it might be good - an on-cup infuser:]
(https://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-ingenuiTEA-Bottom-Dispensing-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK/ref=sr_1_16?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1512056500&sr=1-16&keywords=tea+infuser)
Or a glass teapot - I have one identical to this, which is easy to use and clean:
That looks like a nightmare to clean.
Source: Owner of countless styles of infusers over the years. I've settled on the FORLIFE Brew-In-Mug style. It's easy to clean and very roomy, so it gives the leaves space to expand and plenty of room for water flow.
I personally use an infuser like this when I make a single cup of tea. It leaves plenty of room for the tea to expand and fits on top of almost any mug (unless it's comically huge). Here's another example that's a bit more expensive but includes a lid.
Okay I'm really not sure which is a deeper rabbit hole, coffee or tea...
For coffee, before you buy any gear, I'd recommend going to a few good local roasters. Try some pourover, try a latte, a cappuccino, and some espresso. I like a of the above, no sugar necessary. Don't worry about buying coffee gear until you figure out what you like, or if you like it at all.
For tea, buy a decent infuser. I prefer something like this:
FORLIFE Brew-in-Mug Extra-Fine Tea Infuser with Lid https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sU.CAb9N3FK95
Fits in any mug, gives the tea plenty of space to expand.
There are tons of varieties of tea. Tons. The ones I'd consider must try are probably: oolong, genmai, Jasmine green tea, Earl grey, chai, white tea, and some standard black tea.
My usual rule of thumb for tea is if I'm going to be putting milk in it (black, Earl grey, chai) tea bags are fine. If I'm not putting anything in it, I try for loose tea. Not all loose tea is created equal, and some bagged tea is pretty good though. Ymmv.
Good luck, and happy sipping!
I'm sure that's incorrect too but I'm not as much of a tea snob. So typically, tea snobs prefer people to use an infuser than a tea ball but it depends on the tea. Apparently you want more room for full leaf teas to grow. Honestly though, I've never had an issue with my tea filters. However, I'm cheep and I now use this infuser but my husband prefers this one or a French press.
If you get really into tea, there are teas that do need that extra room but your average Irish breakfast isn't going to need it.
I will thoroughly recommend this infuser for mug use. it will nearly fill the entire mug and have lots of room for your tea to soak in for the required time. then pull it out and use its own lid as a saucer. drink your tea, and then put the infuser back in the mug for another steeping. I am buying two of these, one for home and one for work.
I've used this tea infuser multiple times a day at work for a couple of years now, and haven't had any rust issues with it. The holes are fine enough that I haven't had any issues with tea coming through them, and it's really easy to clean.
You could try out Harney's sachets (they're shaped like a small pyramid, and filled with loose leaf, so it's kind of like drinking loose. Its much better quality than what is put in teabags, and the sachet provides the leaves room to expand). I don't know where you're located, but they're pretty far reaching (I'm in NZ and they're in several stores here... which is definitely saying something), or you could order online;
https://www.harney.com/irish-breakfast-tea.html
*Edited to add; if you did want to look at an infuser, I think these are incredibly fantastic and super low hassle;
http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew-Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8
You just pop them on your mug, scoop in the tea, pour hot water, take out when done. Boom! re-useable metal teabag!
You'll need a tea strainer such as this one. Try to stay away from novelty infusers because they generally tend to not work as well. These
are temperatures and steeping times for different kinds of tea.
Loose leaf is really worth it with green tea, to start out with.
My favorite type of green tea is Japanese. O cha has some great stuff. Sencha is your basic Japanese green tea, don't worry so much about the other types unless you want to make a hobby of it. It is very strong, highly caffeinated stuff, which also means you have to be careful; don't brew it in boiling water or for more than two minutes, or it will take the roof of your mouth off.
China also produces some excellent green teas. I'd go to Silk Road Teas for that. Chinese tea is much more forgiving. It's pretty common to dump a scoop of leaves into a thermos and then just keep topping it up with more water all day. More subtle brewing techniques will let you play with flavor more, of course. Dragonwell is the most common everyday Chinese green, and it's easy to brew and drink, so it might be good for a beginner. Silk Road also does nice sample sets!
Many beginners also like Adagio. They're good at easing you into the world of tea, and sell a lot of teaware if you don't have any equipment yet. In-mug infusers are a fantastic approach if you don't feel like spending gobs of cash on decorative teapots, Amazon is also a good source there.
Green is only one category of tea, of course. Black is great stuff, oolong and white if you get interested in the complex flavors, and if you want a powerful hit of caffeine, try the pu erh. It's an acquired taste, but boy will it keep you awake.
ETA: Mug infusers that are in stock. They come in colors, but you'll have to look yourself. Also fill your own tea bags for the weak of heart who insist on tea bags.
Disclaimer: I have received so many canisters of fruit-flavored teas that I'll never ever drink - and I am an adventurous eater, I'll try just about anything once - that it has reeeally turned me against the idea of gifted tea unless you're totally certain the recipient will like it. If you must give someone tea, I'm also very strongly anti-sampler. One very nice tea is usually a better gift than four alright teas.
This is the situation that gift certificates were made for. Someone else suggested Adagio. If it seems too impersonal, combine it with a nice mug or a nice strainer for loose-leaf teas, like this one.
If she's not an adventurous person, that's okay and you're not going to turn her into one by buying her teas she might not want to try as a gift. If you really want to pick something instead of getting a gift certificate, remember that it's supposed to be a gift and not a chore, so get her stuff that you know she'll like. If you really really really want to get her a tea instead of a gift certificate, instead of getting her a sampler of new and different stuff, get her one or two things that she already enjoys, but a higher quality product than she'd ordinarily buy for herself. The one tea gift I've received that I actually drank all of was from somebody who knew that I loved jasmine green tea, so he got me...jasmine green tea. It was awesome.
If you know that she likes black tea and fruit-flavored teas, I bet she would appreciate a really nice earl grey, for instance, or maybe an oolong tea.
I use this infuser for my day to day brews, which has a lid. And looking through amazon, it looks like most infusers of this style have lids. It's a pretty functional option for western-style brewing, and quite inexpensive.
That said when I'm using a bag or something else that doesn't have a lid, I just toss a small saucer or custard dish on top of the mug, and that works pretty well to keep the heat in. I'm not the world's most anal when it comes to temperature but that seems to generally do the trick.
For what it's worth, the plastic is BPA-free and flavor neutral.
The FORLIFE Brew-In-Mug is metal and would be a good option.
For single cups I use this basket.
For the pot you should just brew loose and pour through a teacup strainer like this or similar. You get the benefits of a strainer while allowing the tea leaves to fully expand.
Personally I much prefer the method of steeping the tea loose in a teapot and then straining. I use these strainers and absolutely love them.
I use this one. It looks nice and has a drip tray. Common from what ive seen of English tea service.
The Empress Tea Strainer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002Q710ZY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_BztLBb4FA8JQH
I have a little strainer (this one) that I put over my cup to catch the leaves when I pour a cup.
Also, note that that style of teapot probably was developed from Western brewing practices in the 18th and 19th century when tea was brewed by pouring 1/3 of a pot of boiling water over the leaves, brewing for 15 minutes or so, and then filling with more boiling water to dilute the strong tea, so it's possible that you're not necessarily supposed to completely empty the pot into the cup (I know with my tea-for-one set if I completely fill the pot, it doesn't fit in the cup) like with other brewing styles.
Put one of these over your cup and it will catch the loose leaves as you pour.
http://www.amazon.com/Tea-Sub-Yellow-Submarine-Infuser/dp/B003TP0QJ8
If they are tea drinkers too, this would be awesome. I am getting my two daughters who are hardcore fans one each for Christmas!
It's cute, but I don't know if it would have enough room for the tea leaves to expand. It would go great with this though.
look through the cabinet above,
Tea bags are what youre out of
yellow sub for your tea,
Take it from me
::singing:: all you need is love
In the town where I wasn't born,
lived a gal who loved some tea.
She said it tasted so much sweeter
from a yellow submarine.
So she added it to her wishlist
so someone hopefully would buy.
So her tea would be as majestic
as a girl with diamonds in the sky.
We all want tea from a yellow submarine,
a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine.
We all want tea from a yellow submarine,
a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine.
Thanks for the contest! :-)
I have this nifty little Yellow Submarine Tea Infuser for $2.37!
Thanks for the contest :)
found it here :)
I think the rubber ducky tea infuser on my Tea Goodies wish list is probably the most awwdorable thing ever. It floats in your mug and makes you tea! How cute is that!?
You mention ducks? Perfect Infuser. I'm sure he wouldn't mind loose-leaf tea with it.
Also, a mug? In Case He Has a Sense of Humor.
No matter what, I always love a caffeine-free Chamomile.
Dawww, Tea Rex Tea Infuser is soo cute~
Someone gave me this tea infuser based on my user handle, so not far off.
um, this trex tea infuser is green
I have a dinosaur one
Ohhh how I <3 you! =]
It is Friday woot but it is my work Sunday tomorrow is my Monday. Still exciting, Wednesday is the start of my vacation=].
A giftcard would be awesome to put toward getting an ipad mini, I still really want one! It would be amazing to have something to put in my purse and still read my books, do my emails, work, etc.... right now I have my phone that I do all that on, and it can be quite a pain with such a small screen. For the love of my eyes haha. Or this little t-rex would be totally kick ass!! I could have some fun with this bad boy!
It's the weekend yay =D
woop-di-woop
Congrats on your job! To celebrate, you should buy this slow cooker to make yourself some fancy-pants from-scratch meals! You can make a bunch of delicious foods, and you don't even have to do anything major. Toss in some veggies, broth, and you have soup! Put in cheese, jalapenos, beans, you have queso! Also, it seems as though slow cookers are back on the rise ;) Save money from your new job on food, buy yourself more lovely things, like nail polish!
I'd like a Robot tea infuser because I love tea, and I have a whole tin of loose leaf breakfast tea that I can't use properly because the leaves will filter through things so easily. Plus, it's a robot! It is only about $6, or 4.6 Euros, so maybe you can gift someone else too, if I win :)
Una amiga tiene uno de estos y conseguir té para infusión dice que sabe mejor que el de bolsitas (no me consta, soy totalmente cafedicto).
Here is a really cute owl mug! I may have to get this one for myself!
Here is a different owl one!
A beautiful cast iron one
Bonus adorable tea infuser!
Tea is always a good idea! There's a local teahouse down the street from where I live, and I have yet to find a combination there I don't love. When it's cold outside, I get a combination of lavender Earl Grey and Earl Grey cream with a hint of honey as a sweetener. Sometimes I'll make it like a "tea latte" and ask for hot almond milk. I almost wish it was cold enough for me to get some now!
I have one. It's called the Mr Tea.
https://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-MR-Silicone-Infuser/dp/B008XCZ25K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1492752125&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=mr+tea
I use my Mr. Tea Infuser
(28g) along with my GSI Infinity Mug (104g) and whatever normal stove I bring with me to heat the water. Works great for me. I also use a squirrel infuser from time to time when I'm feeling super naturey.
I also like the little dude who hangs out at the side of your cup, like so! Who knew tea strainers could be so cute??
Thanks! Here you are.
I got it on Amazon and it's currently on sale It s a great infuser but Isn't the best when it comes to fine/tiny flaked tea.
pretend you do!
http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-MISTER-Silicone-Infuser/dp/B008XCZ25K/ref=pd_rhf_eebr_s_cp_4_HM13?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=1F6SD7Z0CSG12ME2RQZP
Congrats on the house! How exciting :)
I want this. I didn't think I could love tea more than I already do. Home Sweet Home.
If anyone wants to have one
I got mine from Amazon, here is the product page, I’m pretty sure I also saw some at my local Target!
Halloween
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B5EE0A6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=2DW4G8N2UQGKQ&amp;coliid=I39EH5RR5ZQNZU
yay 90s! here is my item. thanks!
that is awesome, have you seen the Manatea
Wooooo okay! Here's 1-20, and I will give the bonus ones a go in just a few minutes! fear cuts deeper than swords
1.) Something that is grey. How about a knife set?!
2.) Something reminiscent of rain. Cinema Paradiso! The cover of it is two people in the rain :) (Movies wishlist)
3.) Something food related that is unusual. This Manatea infuser is unusual! (Default wishlist)
4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. (Yes, pets count!) I have a pet wishlist and a wishlist for my best friend! This traveling litter box is the perfect combination--it's so I can take my kitty on trips to my best friend's place! (Kitty wishlist)
5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it! Why have just one book when you could have 3000?! This little usb is loaded with over 3000 classic novels. Yes, almost all of these novels are free on Project Gutenberg, but having them all in one spot ready for you to peruse is amazing. You're almost guaranteed to find a book worth reading that you haven't read yet! (Books wishlist)
6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related! Well, not a physical item, but I have an mp3! (Music wishlist)
7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...) Kitty nail caps! I have a sphynx, so I have to clip her nails roughly every week (otherwise when she scratches herself, she cuts herself up D:). Nail caps are a cute and more hassle-free way of dealing with her claws! (Kitty wishlist)
8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it. This one is pretty tough for me, actually--I love purposeful items! However, I already have a cheese grater, so this hedgehog shaped one isn't actually something I NEED--it's just so cool!! (Default wishlist)
9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why? Life is Beautiful. It's a sweet, touching, and heartbreaking story of a Jewish father trying to keep the joy in life in a concentration camp. It's laugh-out-loud funny, and so sad you'll cry. Definitely worth watching. (Movies wishlist)
10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain. Packaged, high-cal foods will be really helpful! You have to keep your energy up while you're on the run, and you need a portable snack! These cookies are sure to give you the extra boost you need to escape the zombies. (Default wishlist)
11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals. Hmmm this is a toss-up for me. I need a laptop for life. I have a little chromebook, but when I need to update my resumes and write cover letters, I need to go to the library to use an actual computer to make sure the formatting is right. A laptop would help with the job hunt and (hopefully) help land me a job! (Expensive things wishlist) My other goal, to become healthier, would be helped by wrist weights to wear during my runs! No, it's not a huge amount of weight, but it will make my runs that much more difficult and help tone my arms! It's a small change with a big impact :) (Default wishlist)
12.) One of those pesky Add-On items. Oh gosh, take your pick. Cat snuggie (kitty wishlist), sriracha (who doesn't love hot sauce?! Under $6 wishlist), a pumice stone (Under $6 wishlist), or a kitty laser toy! (kitty wishlist)
13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why? A $500 keyboard. I love playing piano, but I'm a young and flighty thing--I fully expect to be moving around a lot for the next 5-10 years, and I can neither afford an actual piano, nor can I imagine transporting one in and out of various apartments. This keyboard will give me the chance to practice and enjoy playing, but it's a much more compact and liveable way of doing so. (Expensive things wishlist)
14.) Something bigger than a bread box. A relatively cheap and yet still nice vacuum cleaner! Nice, easy to use, and practical :) (Expensive things)
15.) Something smaller than a golf ball. A storm trooper USB! Cute and practical! (Default wishlist)
16.) Something that smells wonderful. Lavender chamomile bubble bath! I don't know about you, but few things smell more relaxing to me than lavender and chamomile, so a combo bubble bath just sounds like bliss to me. (Default wishlist)
17.) A (SFW) toy. Here's a whole bag of toys! And less than $10 too! My kitty would have a field day with all those toys :) (Kitty wishlist!)
18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school. A lunch box! I always brought my lunch to school, so every year I got a cool new lunch box for that year :) These ones are super cute, and insulated! (Default wishlist)
19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be. I've had a life-long Disney obsession! (Movies wishlist) My whole bathroom is Mickey themed (default wishlist), and I'm always looking for cool new Disney items to add to my wishlist! I seriously love Disney.
20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand. You too can own the Sword of Gryffindor! (Expensive things wishlist) Not only do you get to wield the weapon that destroyed three pieces of Voldemort's soul, it's also pretty practical! It's a letter opener that you can proudly display resting in the hands of a lion :) (Expensive things wishlist)
Fear cuts deeper than swords
OOH I LOVE SCAVENGER HUNTS. Placeholder. I'm working on this. Goodbye sunday night productivity.
EDIT Aug 11, 11:44pm PST
1.) something that is gray.
2.) Something reminiscent of rain. It rains so much in my city and on those days I like to have my tea and soup and all the yummy hot homecooked food at school in the library while I study. I already have a great thermos for my tea and hot cocoa but not for my soups/food.
3.) Something food related that is unusual. I don't know if this is necessarily food related but WOOOO TEA. MANA-TEA. Seriously this is awesome.
4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. A wii for my mom because she has been wanting a wii or ipad for a long time. My bro and i think the wii would be better because at least we could all play it together when we go home to visit.
5.) I will recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It's the book I just finished reading and I feel like it has helped me a lot. I am so much more motivated and driven and it is helping me make some tough choices in my life. I am a senior in college but this book can help anyone who is at any place in their life I think. I currently have this on my wishlist which is like a supplement to the book. Seriously though, read it, share it with everyone you know. Let's make the world a happier place.
6.) An item that is less than a dollar. Awww yeee. They always seem to have one of these on the coffee table at my brother's house. Wherever he lives. Even though it's never his. But yeah, they're cool but I don't actually want one.
7.) Something related to cats. THIS IS SO AWESOME. I have another mug with the disappearing thing on my wishlist too. But yeah, I love cats, I just don't have much cat stuff on my wishlist. I do need a real cat though... hint hint nudge nudge
EDIT Aug 12, 12:15am PST
8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it. Okay it's not Amazon but it is beautiful and I have had my eye on it for a year. Despite that fact that I do not plan on having children for at least 8 years. Dem hormones are a'ragin.
9.) I know it's not REALLY a movie but... A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why? Because it is so beautiful and awe inspiring. It really brings me a sense of peace every time I watch it.
10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain. I can put on my holy strainer hat and pray to The Flying Spaghetti Monster to save me from the zombies.
11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals. I know I used this for another one but really, I think doing these exercises would help me in all areas of life.
12.) One of those pesky Add-On items. These beauties, even though I doubt I can grow them without a yard...
13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why? My little acer hand me down freezes a lot, can't do multiple things at once, doesn't have a cd drive, has a screen too tiny to edit photos or edit my website. Basically everything is frustrating. And I'm a college student. So I use the computer for basically everything... and everything the little laptop CAN do takes forever.
EDIT Aug 12, 1:51am PST
14.) Something bigger than a bread box. If you don't think that is big enough, then here, but it's newly added.
15.) Something smaller than a golf ball. Well, I'm pretty sure this is smaller than a golf ball. If it wasn't, I'd be disappointed.
16.) Something that smells wonderful. Mmm imagine the ginger lemon grass!
17.) A (SFW) toy. And here's another one because I couldn't decide which one looks more fun...
18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school.
19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be. Currently obsessed with learning all kinds of new jewelry techniques! Also obsessed with tea because it's the one thing my boyfriend and I developed an interest in together. It didn't start out as either of our interests.
20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand. THIS IS SO PRETTY AND USEFUL AT THE SAME TIME. Seriously so cute, has lovely details, 8gb, and you can wear it as a pendant. Whaaaat!
EDIT: this lovely is made in oregon!
The one I have is called the manatea. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B5EE0A6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1458867086&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SY200_QL40&amp;keywords=manatea&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=31hG0uXFnVL&amp;ref=plSrch
Green teas are very fragile and need to be brewed at a specific temperature. If your water is too hot, your tea will become bitter. I highly recommend investing in a variable temperature kettle so that you can brew at the right temperature. Quality of tea is also important. You want nice, whole leaves, not dust & fannings. The latter indicates poor quality and in addition to broken up tea leaves, you may also get twigs, stems, pebbles, etc.
If you are planning on brewing loose, get a stainless steel infuser basket that are large enough to allow tea leaves to expand. Don't get one of those mini-size tea balls - there isn't enough room. They also have these silicone animal-shaped tea infusers, and although they are adorable, I don't think they're big enough for loose leaf tea.
Alternatively, you can also buy paper tea bags instead of a mesh infuser.
if you must use bags, affordable PG Tips uses cloth'like Pyramid Tea Bags to increase the area the tea can be aerated and agitated. while most tea apparatus itself may not move, the area the tea leaf can agitate before resting against the filter is larger in the better steepers. japanese tea makers do in fact agitate and aerate their tea while using traditional http://www.ebay.com/itm/171148642927 http://www.ebay.com/itm/170954167881 where you hold that long handle and swirl the tea around a few times before serving (the metal mesh steeper basket is deep and under the center cover, or the spout is internally screened off). if you must tea by 8oz cup, try going loose; match your volume measuring spoons for 1.5-2.0 grams tea weight, and try your own roomy reusable tea bag; http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Strainer-stainless-expansion-Guarantee/dp/B00CO5KQ4O there are lots of metal strainer type steepers around, but few are fine enough to keep fannings and tea dust out of your cup.
I agree, but I recommend this one instead. The only reason I prefer it is that it has the tab/handle on both sides. The ones with the handle on only one side tend to fall or sag into the cup, I find.
I'd avoid the gimmicky silicone ones and get something like this or a teapot with a metal infuser. You want the water to circulate well and to have enough room for the leaves to expand. That's why the small metal tea balls aren't ideal for large leaf teas like oolongs.
Hrm... If you are putting black tea in a tea ball with mesh on it and the tea is going through that, it's very dusty. If you want to continue to use that tea, you should look at some disposable tea bags for that tea. Then, when you go to re-stock, try a different black tea. You may have some low quality leaf.
Hope this helps!
I make my own with empty tea bags I got from the Asian grocer. Something like these:
https://www.amazon.com/100pcs-Disposable-Filter-Bags-Loose/dp/B00HW1C7VK
I just use a French press ratio for the amount of coffee: about 2 Tbsp/cup. I drink instant too, but this makes a much nicer cup.
Thank you /u/moosetron_5000! I found these at Amazon and will be getting them for upcoming travel.
Link for others interested: https://www.amazon.com/100pcs-Disposable-Filter-Bags-Loose/dp/B00HW1C7VKIgnore that link--not the same product. Just a regular teabag.
I use these teabags that I buy at the local Asian market. They fold-over so there's no staples or glue.
I have been wanting to switch to using green tea instead of grape leaves so thanks for that imput. Does the tea add any noticeable flavor?
You could use a fine mesh tea infuser but with coffee.
Heres one that I found with good reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1OTXHW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gfWOCbCEX372R
I'll list some of my own favorite teaware, but I'm not sure how it would match up with your expectations or her preferences.
ceramic teapot, grandma style: I had one of these I really liked, which was lost in a move (stolen by customs, probably). If you are ok with the idea of looking at local thrift shops for that might be the way to go. There's no reason something like this couldn't be sold new but a really classic look and feel works even better, and ceramic cleans up as well as anything you might buy.
glass teapot: I have one just because I picked it up in Chinatown on a whim, a Kamjove version. Since I don't brew tea Western style much and usually use a different device I hardly ever use it, but it is functional, and cool looking.
basket infuser: my parents bought me one of these (not a teapot, but it seems as well to move off that theme). It's a "For Life" brand version, and it works a lot better than I expected, so I actually do use it. Those cost more than I'd ever pay for a Western style brewing device (around $30, as I recall), but other versions online cover the same function, one just mentioned here in a post not long ago: https://www.amazon.com/Yoassi-Extra-Fine-Approved-Stainless/dp/B01LQ7NQTW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=basket+infuser&qid=1574063246&sr=8-1
gaiwan: way off the subject; this is a much better way to brew tea. It's just a different approach, "Gong Fu" instead of Western style, kind of a long story. For as inexpensive as these types of items tend to be you could probably pick her up an inexpensive gaiwan, that basket infuser, and a glass teapot for not very much at all, and kick her tea habit into a next gear.
We might talk about the tea part; a token effort at upgrading her exposure to that too would be great. What kinds does she like?
Today I processed assorted shake and trim. Used approximately 5 grams inside of T-sac filter bags. Pressed at 196F for 3 minutes.
On previous presses, I had the temp closer to 220F and it came out way too green and dark. The T-sac hemp filter bags are pretty versatile and I don't have to worry about stray synthetic fibers as with micron bags. I fold up a pouch, cut away the excess filter, and go to town.
The product is still dark, but tasty. You won't get an intense head rush off these dabs. Instead, its a stoney and sedating creeper that sets in after a few minutes.
If you want really good tea, get good loose leaf from a tea site and brew it with an infusing basket like this according to the directions on the tea. It looks more expensive than bagged tea but you can also brew loose leaf multiple times, which usually makes it the more economical option in the long run. Although you can certainly get insanely expensive tea.
In regard to straining sludge... Just by coincidence today I was reviewing several "Extra Fine Mesh Loose Leaf Tea Infuser" products on Amazon!! This would strain MOST of the black goop out overnight. Even saw 1 review comment, from a fellow kratomite lol.
My question is: How much are you losing, by straining sludge? As you say, would it require doubling the amount of kratom... so you're losing half the potency? That would not be good.. sure kratom's cheap right now but I dunno it seems wasteful.. I do like the idea of a cleaner "brew".. For hot tea w/ crushed leaf kratom this Tea Infuser would be perfect.
Hey, I have this basket: https://www.amazon.com/Infuser-Handled-Stainless-Infusing-Steeping/dp/B01N1OTXHW/ref=sr_1_31?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1537158119&amp;sr=1-31&amp;keywords=tea+infuser
I dont think it's small, pretty much takes up the circumference of my mug.
I'll try brewing directly in my mug, any suggestions on the ratio of leaves:water and the duration of the steep?
The only bottled water I had on me was Nestle Pure Life which tastes pretty neutral to me.
Quick tip I came up with for doing the potatoes: Grab yourself a tea infusor like this to hold your garlic cloves (I use garlic cloves and black peppercorns). Makes them super easy to remove after the potatoes are ready!
I unfortunately don't have a picture, but many years ago my brother came to visit. One morning, I opened the drawer where I keep my mesh tea balls and discovered they were completely smashed up and destroyed. Asked my brother what the hell happened.
Turns out he thought you had to treat them like you treat a tea bag and squeeze out all the liquid.
https://www.amazon.com/Fu-Store-Stainless-Strainers-Strainer/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506513986&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=tea+infuser
I've got these and they're OK. I actually prefer using my french press though. I seems silly to use my french press for only one cup of tea, but I feel like it really lets the leaves unfurl properly
I've used these:
https://www.amazon.com/Fu-Store-Stainless-Strainers-Strainer/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_79_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=D850A169VBFXRCTH9TBZ
The only thing that goes in my electric kettle is water.
The tea goes in a strainer ball that goes in my teacup. Zero mess except for cleaning out the strainer.
https://www.amazon.com/Fu-Store-Stainless-Strainers-Strainer/dp/B014KJ5WLI/ref=zg_bs_3737181_2/141-3397101-7057565?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=PM3ADSDE323TFHV19JDQ
Here's my tea recipe:
-In a sauce pot, bring 14oz of water to a boil, turn off heat
-Steep green (or your choice of) tea for 5-7 mins, throw out tea bag
-Turn heat back to medium and add dry ground up mushrooms
-Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer making sure the material is moving around
-Boil for 12-15 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides
-It's going to reduce a bit, so make sure you watch the pot and don't let it boil dry
-Strain through a fine mesh tea strainer or nut milk bag, discard mushroom material
-Add a few ice cubes to cool down
-Say a prayer, turn around 3 times clockwise while tapping your head and rubbing your belly, then down it (or just sit down and sip it while listening to some chill tunes)
Occasionally on high doses (7.5g+), I'll get some stomach pains. This is probably due to the fine powder I grind my mushrooms into, so a decent amount can get through the mesh. A bit of cannabis clears that right up. A 75 micron nut milk bag should be fine enough to catch most of it. Haven't tried it with finer mesh because this method works well for me.
&#x200B;
Stuffs:
Yogi - Green Tea Kombucha
My Big Fat Nut (milk) Sacks
Fine Mesh Tea Strainer
She has one like this.
Worth an upgrade?
I agree with the general advice to not take psychs with an anxious mindset... BUT with that low of a dose and the trip sitter you'll have, I wouldn't worry too much about it. In fact starting low isn't too bad of a strategy to alleviate that anxiety and make the feeling of shrooms more familiar.
But you should do some research to know what to expect. This post is a good start.
This is the first place I would look: The Shroomery Dosage Calc: https://www.shroomery.org/6257/Magic-Mushroom-Dosage-Calculator
Based on 1.5g and your standard cubensis shrooms, you should expect a level 2 experience which you can read the effects of. Basically, as others said, you will probably be really stoned.
>I was planning on 1.5 grams for each of us. And making a tea with it.
This is my preference. This is what I do specifically:
For grinding the shrooms, anything works. I usually try to get it coarse so I dont end up drinking so much shroom powder :P I tend to use a kitchen mortar and pestle, but crushing it in a sandwich bag works great too.
>Fasting before hand.
Meh. Just don't eat a big heavy meal beforehand. I've heard that fasting helps (and I have), but it didn't move the dial for me too much. Its just less food to throw up if you get nauseous.
>Will we have munchies? Should we plan for that?
It has the opposite effect. You really wont want to eat. Just have a healthy plant-based snack for when you come down. Fruit is a great choice.
>Anything else we should plan on?
Hey!!
I tried this tonight! I haven’t had the tea yet I’m waiting until closer to bedtime, but we drink lots of tea in our household, so instead of the melitta plastic thing you linked, I used the brown coffee filter with a fine meshed tea infuser I had in the kitchen, it’s not exactly like the link below, but pretty much. The paper filter fit fine.
I didn’t let the water boil, but get hot. I don’t have lemon right now so I made a paste first, transferred the hot water, and am now filtering it. I added a bit of stevia for the bitterness, and I was advised against using teaspoons so I measured 3g on my food scale. I’ll get a more precise scale eventually, but does this method sound close to what you were describing? I assume the lemon is for taste, I can get it tomorrow. Have to admit, the 3g was more than what I was using originally, so it goes to show using teaspoons aren’t always accurate. I’ll report back on sleep this weekend. Thanks!!
https://www.amazon.com/Yoassi-Extra-Fine-Approved-Stainless/dp/B01LQ7NQTW/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1539387946&amp;sr=8-5&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=loose+tea+infuser&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41mWJpk7UXL&amp;ref=plSrch
When I do bring a stove, I use T-Sac Filter Bags. As far as a mug, I use an Evernew 400ml mug that fits inside of am Evernew .9L non-stick pot. This allows you to create one or two servings. Hope this helps.
I would keep it as whole as possible just because that's the logic I use for tea, if its not strong enough grinding may make it stronger but may introduce off tastes like bitter or grassy. This may not be a problem for you with your specific taste, but I would give it a try whole if only because its easier and then experiment with a finer grind.
I like these for bags
https://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Filter-Bags-Disposable-Infuser/dp/B010RV810W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1493325561&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=loose+leaf+tea+bags
(Look at the sizes and get one that meets your needs as they go from small cup to pitcher) but often just use a stainless steel strainer which can be found n amazon for a similar price.
O-Cha's Chiran is my favorite Japanese daily drinker, and we'll priced. $15USD for 100g is equivalent to fifty teabags. In fact you can make your own teabags with t-sacs if you insist, tho it will generally taste better brewed loose.
Yunnan Sourcing's standard Long Jing is actually pretty decent and just $13/100g. That i wouldn't brew in a t sac, bec the leaf is bigger.
Good luck!
Could it be not cut up well enough? Try out a tea ball strainer like this on a hot plate (microwave safe plate in for 1:30sec) and you shouldn’t have a stuffy nose unless it’s cut with some powder that isn’t water/mucus soluble. A razor makes too sharp of an edge and will leave you with a bloody nose and a card is usually too blunt and too easily clumpable. Good for on the fly but if you’re kicking back this is a must try.
My go to:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010RV810W/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_9s34wbVNJQXHH
With the size 2 it's really easy to just curl the edge over the side of the mug while steeping too.
Your post got blocked by a privacy filter. For privacy reasons, when sharing Amazon links in a public forum you should delete all the extra parts of the URL that come after the Amazon item number. That "?coliid=" stuff is related to your wishlist and could be used to track back to your Amazon account.
The first link should look like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LQ7NQTW/
And the second like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1OTXHW/
Let me know when you have edited your post and I can unblock it, or for a faster turn around time you could delete it and post again and it should go through on its own.
You usually have a ball like this. There are better ones but the concept is the same. You could also just mix everything together and then strain it.
House Again Extra Fine Mesh Tea... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1OTXHW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Great for cold brewing pitchers full or western in a teapot too
As others have said, there's nothing wrong with supermarket tea (Bigelow's Earl Grey is still one of my favorites, for example, and I've tried all sorts of Earl Greys. Numi's Earl Grey is great too, can't be beat, and is in many supermarkets) ... it's ok to try around.
That said, if you know where to go, some bulk teas will be even cheaper.
For example, Upton Tea's Season's Pick Teas are not the best, but they can be pretty darn good, and they are fantastic values. Also, if you poke around, you'll find some great deals for certain regions and seasons. Lately, for example, Assams and other Indian teas have been shockingly inexpensive (maybe even immorally so), and you can get some great deals. Similarly, some Myanmar teas can be great deals. It's like a lot of things: there are some great deals among the less popular; fads come and go in cycles, and it's cheapest to explore options when certain types of teas are on the downswing.
Also, depending on where you are, take a look in antique and vintage stores for handmade pottery (and other non-handmade stoneware and porcelain). Sometimes you can find really great one-of-a-kind pieces for really inexpensive. Don't worry too much about matching tea sets; the highest-end stoneware is all one-of-a-kind anyway, and building a collection of eclectic pieces I think is more satisfying in the end than a matching set.
Similarly, look in thrift stores and ebay for things like kettles and infusers. They just need to work, which isn't saying a lot when it comes to boiling water. Infusers just need to be able to let tea expand enough; tea balls get a bad rep, but if they're big, you'll be fine, and they're often easier to find for cheap in thrift stores (although infusers are one piece of equipment I recommend just paying money for--a Finum basket or House Again infuser on Amazon are your best bets). I imagine you could even forego a kettle altogether if you are just drinking yourself and have access to a microwave, or just want to use a saucepot.
I use a tea infuser https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LQ7NQTW. Very light, it goes inside my pot and is large enough itself to hold my stove.
Lovely! Could you share the brand of your strainer? It looks really nice!
Edit: I think it's this one?
What about something like this??
HIC Mesh Snap Ball Loose Leaf Tea Infuser, 18/8 Stainless Steel, 6-Inches x 1.5-Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I1ZZ24/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Py0eAbQFYKGRJ
This (though it is an add-on item, so I'm not sure if it counts).
My favorite book is The Hobbit!
I use filter bags. Just fill with a spoonful of tea, tie off, steep, compost when done.
I usually make a pot at a time, so infusers designed for mugs are not ideal.
My kitchen is pretty full of various devices. Let's see:
http://www.cockedkratom.com/shop - he also has a 20% off code right now "nacu"
Also, for the tea filters, these are the ones I use - https://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Filter-Disposable-Infuser-Capacity/dp/B001BLCIN4 - cheap & cheerful for loose teas.
Just get these. There were cheaper ones that are like 2 bucks for a bajillion, but they don't seem to be on amazon anymore. Anyway, you get the gist. I'm sure you can find something in London.
The issue with tumblers that have a tea infuser built in is that the tea will always end up overbrewing, excluding cold brewing. If you don't have a good place to place your tea infuser after you're done infusing the tea, it can be a bit of a hassle (e.g. out on the road). Disposable teabags are helpful when I can't be bothered with storing/cleaning a normal infuser.
If you have a Daiso nearby, they have 100-pack disposable teabags which are decent. They also have a large size which comes with 44 bags, which I think are intended for teapots. I've also heard good things about this T-Sac variety though I've never personally tried it.
http://infuseteabarny.com/ - A tea shop local enough, with great selection!
http://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Disposable-Paper-Filter-Count/dp/B001BLCIN4/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1412620110&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=tea+bags+for+loose+tea - Tea Bags for loose tea!
https://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Filter-Disposable-Infuser-Capacity/dp/B001BLCIN4
something like that is generally what I would think of. Although it would probably be easier just to go with a basket strainer if that works.
Looks awesome!
put your weeds in this for even less clean up :D
Just make sure that it's super fine material, but not too fine to let the leaves out. Also make sure it isn't treated with anything. We can't use regular paper towels because of the chemicals that they are covered in- gotta make sure the same goes for your fabric. Good luck!
If you want it to be reusable, you can model them off of the paper ones for single use.
This one is nice because it's cheap. These are nice because cleanup is a lot easier. Cleaning out infusers can be a pain.
there's always sediment, I use an extra fine tea strainer similar to THIS and it gets most of it but there is still a bit at the bottom of the cup when I'm done though I don't notice any when I'm drinking.
I LOVE my FORLIFE Infuser. I hardly have any particle steep through. Highly recommend.
EDIT: And just in case this is important to you, this FORLIFE infuser fits small teacups as well as mugs. (That was my selling point.)
If you want a nice looking Japanese tea set you can find some authentic Japanese tea pots at Den's tea
. The cheap one's use metal strainers rather than ceramic but they would still be good quality. If you have any Chinese tea shops near by you can find some cheap ceramic cups to go with it and probably not go over budget.
Instead of the tea ball look into a cup with a strainer. It is so much easier and it makes much better tea. (and when you do multiple infusions it makes it easier to save the leaves as they are less likely to roll off)I found this on amazon but there are probably cheaper options. Especially just buying a well made strainer that fits a cup you already have.
I use this one. Chan teas is unfortunately closing but that cup and strainer set works great and it is a good price. The strainer is more than $12 on amazon [by it self] (http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Extra-fine-Infuser-Porcelain-Dish/dp/B001JP1KPO/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top) probably because it is so well made.
Welcome to loose-leaf tea, I hope you find it as amazing as I do!
It looks like that’s a blend of Indian black teas. If so, I can’t recommend these mesh strainers enough! I brew all of my Indian teas in them. They’re super easy to use and they fit directly into most mugs. Great for brewing one cup at a time. They also allow more room for the leaves to expand than most mesh strainers, which I’ve found to make a big difference. Plus they come in all different colors so you can collect them all :)
I second this infuser. It has a fine mesh and the lid is handy as a place to put the infuser after you have finished steeping.
Comes in SS for $10 cheaper
http://www.fangtea.com/_p/prd1/4568317981/product/stainless-steel-tea-strainer-%E4%B8%8D%E9%8A%B9%E9%8B%BC%E8%8C%B6%E6%BC%8F
The question i have is this better than the current strainer i have, which seems kind of small sometimes when the leaves unfurl
https://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew-Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8
Oh that's cool. How did it taste? Wouldn't have thought to combine those two.
If you use something like these when steeping the fines from your tea, it should work well.
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_MhWzCbFV7EFEY
You could also substitute the water boiler for an electric kettle.
I use a single cup infuser, a coffee cup, and a microwave at my work.
I have something like this
http://www.amazon.com/Teapot-Strainer-Infuser-Steeper-Handle/dp/B00GNWKPIQ/ref=sr_1_36?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1458247170&amp;sr=1-36&amp;keywords=tea+infuser
or this
http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew---Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=sr_1_29?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1458247170&amp;sr=1-29&amp;keywords=tea+infuser
i love this one.
http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew-Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=pd_bxgy_k_text_y
I have used a tea infuser similar to this one to make coffee in out backpacking. Grind coarse, put in mug, pour hot water, and let steep to taste. It actually makes pretty darn good coffee. The trick is to make sure the pores in the infuser or ball are not too large otherwise fines get out into your cup. Heck, I may make tomorrow morning's coffee this way.
You could get some good quality loose-leaf tea and cold brew it! It's super easy and usually flavorful!
I believe /r/tea is a pretty active subreddit. I'd search and ask there for recommendations of good types of tea to cold brew!
Disclaimer: I literally just switched from bags to loose leaf tea drinking today after hours and hours of research.
I bought a Bonavita Electric Kettle (http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Variable-Temperature-Electric-Gooseneck/dp/B005YR0F40/) and chose it for it's precise tempature control and the ability to dual-purpose it for coffee pour-overs as well.
For infusion, I purchased an in-cup stainless steel one (http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew-Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8) mostly because it has good reviews and Amazon Now had it in stock for 2-hour delivery. There is some well-reviewed plastic infusers as well, but I like the visual of stainless steel in my new ritual.
The process is super easy. I fill up the kettle with water and punch in the temp (160 degrees in my case for Harney Japanese Sencha). Once it's hot I put the infuser in my mug and add a heaping spoonful of loose leaf. Then I pour-over the leaves and set my phone timer for a couple minutes. In no time, the tea is ready and I remove the infuser and dump the contents into composting.
The resulting tea is perfect. Easily twice as good as the experience as using the tea bags (I've been drinking Harney Japanese Sencha in bags for 2 years).
That looks cool! I picked up one of these, simple but seems to be working well.
Something like these will get you started while you're figuring out what sort of tea you like (which might influence which brew method and equipment you want.
This one works in most mugs and is big enough to let the leaves have some room to float around. The one downside is that it's difficult to get it out of the mug when you're done brewing since the handle is metal and gets super duper hot. I used it a lot before I got pots with infusers built in...my favorite was a gift and I can't find it anywhere online, but I also have one that's similar to this, but smaller. I generally use those because they're more convenient and they make enough so that I can have tea for a couple of hours without having to get up and rebrew.
An infuser basket such as the Forlife Brew-in-Mug is another option. Target actually started stocking a similar infuser basket (comes with a mug and lid, ~$12) by Primula this winter.
I use this one. Single piece (well, not counting the lid), no moving parts, stainless steel. If it breaks it's because you stepped on it or something.
Gaiwan, Fair cup, strainer :)
maybe this one?
https://amzn.com/B002Q710ZY
Porcelain ones are out there too, but you'd need to find one that coordinates with your pattern.
I have the Yellow Submarine and every time I use it I start to hum the song.
I'll pass. But I'm totally buying this.
Seriously though... adorbs
I think the mugs are fantastic! I know someone else who made mugs for their bridal party. The loose tea is a great idea, if it was me I'd get them each a package of tea from David's tea of a type I think they'd like.
You can also tuck in a tea infuser. Here's an inexpensive one. This one is cute.
https://www.amazon.com/RSVP-Just-Ducky-Floating-Infuser/dp/B003XK9ER4
I use this. Makes me smile :)
This rubber ducky tea infuser is super cute: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XK9ER4/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I1VLYJ4MSXW971&amp;colid=3GV3JTD1WV9VT
Just look at it! Your cup of tea is its bath tub.
Awwdorable.
I'll have to add a picture of my mug tomorrow since its at the office, where I find I need a cuppa' more often than at home.
I covet this ducky infuser, just too cute! I have this and the manaTEA one in my kitchen wish list.
I'm hosting a mad hatters tea for my kids 10 year birthday, but this, of all the silly nonsense, this is the stupidest tea party I've ever been to in all my life. Great idea, thanks for the contest!
I made a new friend i think!
item
These Jalapeno Cheddar Peanuts would be nice!!!! And my favorite dinosaur is tea rex. He makes the best tea ever!
Thanks for the contest!
Source to buy it: http://www.amazon.com/Dci-Tea-Rex-Infuser/dp/B004XWGSIE
There's a dinosaur one on Amazon.
Like this?
This is a real thing too. I bought this a while back.
HEY! We have the SAME THING
With Tea-Rex a close second.
Here you go
LOOK AT HOW FRIENDLY HE IS
FRIENDLYYYYYYYYYYY
LIKE A UNICORN
Hey guys. I just recently discovered this thread and thought I'd post my question instead of starting a new thread.
I recently ordered this and this. I am looking to wean myself off of coffee and have always enjoyed tea. I mostly drink green tea hence the amazon order. Does anyone have any recommendations on other/better brands?
I'm also looking to get either this addition to my Contigo mugs or just another mug for tea.
Pretty cool for under $10
I use this little guy right here: http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-Mister-Tea-Infuser/dp/B008XCZ25K/ref=pd_bxgy_k_img_z
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008XCZ25K/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1397787414&amp;sr=8-4&amp;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70
https://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-MANATEA-Silicone-Infuser/dp/B00B5EE0A6
Never mind I found this....
A manatee tea infuser is definitely 10 or under!
OR gift cards can be anything! (And will help me save up for an ice cream maker or tv!)
Manatea is the best tea! I would give this to my tea drinking sister. I think it would really cheer her up. Quick link for you.
http://www.amazon.ca/MANA-Manatea-Tea-Infuser/dp/B00B5EE0A6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1372185892&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=manatea doesnt ship to canada???
I'd like to see anyone try to beat these socks!! Oh, the hue-manateeeee!
Also: this mana-tea tea infuser!!
Oh I take it back. This guy is the best.
I've seen a lot of really cute loose leaf tea infusers lately. like http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-MANATEA-Silicone-Infuser/dp/B00B5EE0A6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1418505296&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=cute+tea+infusers
This is the CUTEST THING IN THE WORLD
OH CANADA!
I read this as "Tea Manatee" and was all excited that someone else had one of these Manatea infusers.
https://www.amazon.com/Fred-MANATEA-Silicone-Tea-Infuser/dp/B00B5EE0A6
Here
Thanks.
Cool.
I am 90% sure that you haven't gifted me before. I would LOVE this! I am a tea person, obviously! :D
Okay based on that I'm going to suggest a few things you could add to your wish list. I promise I won't be offended if you don't like them, but you might find something you're interested in. :)
Tea things:
First for cute tea things, I highly recommend the flowering tea pot I received it as an Arbitrary Day gift and it's awesome. The teas are delicious and most importantly, to me, the tea pot is sooo cute.
Mana Tea infuser a lot of people have this on their wish lists. I should add it to mine too.
Tea Sampler There are several samplers with different types of tea from this company and a bunch of others. You should look around for sure.
Hello Kitty Stuff:
Add on Hello Kitty alarm clock
This Hello Kitty toy It's adorable.
Mug
Ceramic travel mug
History related:
Hitler Youth This looks like it would be a fascinating read.
The Roads of the Roma: A PEN Anthology of Gypsy Writers
Gypsies Under the Swastika
The Rape Of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust Of World War II
Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II
5
7 (how do i add a digital download to a WL?
9 (NSFW TOOL)
11
12
16 NSFW
17 (it's funny because of an inside joke
20
Happy happy cake day
Intros are cool!
Manatees say meow
Sexy Rexy!
Thanks so much for the contest!
did you check other sellers?
Manatea is the best tea
I don't know about you, but when in the office I like having something around that will make laugh, so I suggest this MANATEA Infuser it sure will be a source for some smiles!
As for me you don't have to worry cause I live in the middle east and shipping alone will be 10$ i think.. so focus on yourself and celebrate the awesomeness you've achieved! Seriously, 60 pounds and 3.95 GPA!
Looks & brains, you got it all gurrrl!
Like this?
EDIT: This would also work
Sloth steeper?
Edit: For steepers, it's usually good to have one where the tea leaves can open up fully. One like this is good (and comes with a little saucer to put it on afterwards). Is it this sloth one? It's pretty cute, but it's hard for the leaves to spread out in it.
Double edit: If heating up water is not an option at all, then I'd probably bring water/tea in a travel mug. They have ones that will keep it hot the whole day. I like Zojirushi ones and DavidsTea mugs. The one I have from DavidsTea keeps it hot for around 6-7 hours.
Not all basket style infusers are great at this. I have the infuser/mug combo from Teavana and ultra fine particles still make it into the mug. At work, though, I have the below infuser and it's nothing short of awesome.
http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Tea-Infuser-Strainer-Stainless/dp/B00CO5KQ4O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1451323428&amp;sr=8-2
We have a few that are great but aren't made anymore. I think this is sort of the successor:
http://www.amazon.com/Finum-Brewing-Basket-medium-black/dp/B000I68NCS
I wish they made it with a metal rather than plastic frame, though.
I'm curious about this one--if you try it let me know how well it works:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CO5KQ4O
This is the one I use. Originally ordered one and then ended up ordering a second one for work. I've been using them multiple times a day almost every day for half a year now and there aren't any signs of rust so far.
I know some people aren't fans of metal infusers, but it's working out pretty well for me. Would definitely recommend it.
Pretty similar, but I prefer this one for traveling.
I gotcha. If time is an absolute crunch in the morning, then there are a few things you can do to shorten the time spent on tea. Here's something that I do whenever I'm on the move. I use one of these, and keep a premeasured dose of tea in it, ready to be watered. When you happen to move toward the kitchen, turn on your kettle to the appropriate temperature, and walk away. When you're ready to steep, just do it and set a timer. Put pants on, or whatever takes ~3 minutes. Remove the leaves/strainer, close your cup and you're ready to go!
I haven't found a do-everything-automatically fix that doesn't have a major flaw. As far as I can tell, the quickest option is to take time beforehand to streamline the brewing process, so you don't have to think about it when it matters.
TL;DR: Setup everything the night before, and push buttons as you fly through the house in the morning.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FOMKNSI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=E45EKS8JK8EG&amp;coliid=I3N1BSOVH037VB
I don't usually do cold brew often enough to say much, but I did have a problem similar to yours - the filtering and clogging part. I just used an empty loose-leaf tea bag and put the coffee grinds in them before dumping them into the water. After the waiting, I filtered the remainder through a pour-over strainer.
Like this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/100pcs-Disposable-Filter-Bags-Loose/dp/B00HW1C7VK/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1413290175&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=loose+leaf+tea+bags
Hope this helps.
Wah Ha ha I got my mother Fred the sloth.
Fred and Friends, CA Slow Brew Silicone Sloth Tea Infuser https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00V6AJN5Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_5ygNDb4GHQZJX
Tea:
Plants:
Even better: https://www.amazon.com/Fred-SLOW-BREW-Sloth-Infuser/dp/B00V6AJN5Q
I use T-Sac brand when I travel. These are made in Germany. They're pretty good, but I never use them at home.
https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Filter-Disposable-Infuser-Filters/dp/B010RV810W/ref=pd_bxgy_79_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=CQTY4VQKTX56WTD76MA2
It's real - I got one as a Christmas gift last year. Amazon
You can actually do this if you buy "roll your own" bags. Something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Filter-Bags-Disposable-Infuser-Filters/dp/B010RV810W/
But you will also need a grinder, or pre-ground beans, and in the end something like a portable french press or something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Teas-Etc-Tea-Traveler-Ounces/dp/B003FGW71G
Might work better.