Infusers // The Tea Ball

There are countless strains of tea and combinations of infusions out there. One thing that does stay fairly similar for most people is their selection of infusers with which to make their cups of awesome. The question is, which one do you use? Which kind is the best? For those who are only looking to make a single cup at a time and not break out the teapot (Why not? Call a friend and make more tea. JUST DO IT), infusers are an easy way to make the perfect amount of tea for a single  cup.

Let's start with a stereotypical infuser.

The tea ball. A lot of people new to the tea world will pick up one of these little dohickies as an afterthought once they finish their first purchasing experience. They're usually right next to the register, and only cost a few bucks. Let's be honest. You just dropped $60.00 on tea, what's another $3.00?  These little metal casings are a convenient size for most teas (oolongs and other large leaf teas may have some issues expanding to their full potential in them) and they are fairly easier to clean. Pop open the hinge, dump the used leaves into the compost, rinse, and make another cup. Easy enough right?

Well, that's when your problems arise with these buggers. They are usually advertised as stainless steel tea balls, which is partially true. The mesh is stainless steel, but a lot of the time the hinge components are made out of aluminum, which does not do well with being dunked into hot water and then left to air dry while you finish writing your next screenplay. If you've ever owned one of these little buggers (Or paid way more attention in chemistry than I did), you know that this means that the hinges will quickly rust, corroding away the important bits until the tea ball literally fall apart. Another cruddy part of this construct is that the mechanics required to open and close the hinge also creates a small space between the two halves, even when closed. For tea leaves, it's not that big of a deal. But if you prefer CTC tea over full leaf, or other herbal infusions like rooibos, a tea ball is going to leave all kinds of dregs in your cup.

GOOD THINGS

-Cheap $$

-Easy to clean

-Easy to acquire

-Keeps out most particulate from tea leaves

-Various sizes fit into more uniquely shaped teapots

BAD THINGS

-Cheaply made

-Components corrode

-Gaps allow a lot of dregs out

-Doesn't allow large leaves to expand

-Can be messy

All in all, if you're looking to buy a device to make tea, should you invest in a tea ball?

Let's ask the expert.

HE HAS SPOKEN

Toodles!