Good morning, tea friends! I'm not sure if you have all noticed, but I feel as though, nowadays, the word "infused" is being used everywhere I turn. I constantly see cheeses "infused" with different additives, beers or seltzers "infused" with new or exotic flavors, oils "infused" with flavor enhancers for cooking, water "infused" with new extracts, etc, etc. It is everywhere! While it is certainly fun to see what the newest thing on the market is, and find our favorite flavors in unexpected places, as a tea drinker, I find this sudden interest in the process of infusion to be a bit humorous. We have been infusing here for years! The process of making tea itself is simply an infusion of hot (or cold!) water with the flavors that are present in your particular tea. There are many ways to do so and at Good Life Tea we have a whole host of options when it comes to infusers. Today I am going to talk to you about some of them in order to help you pick the one that works best for you. Let's start infusing!
When someone who is looking to explore the world of tea comes to us, and begins to ask questions, it is not uncommon that they are perplexed by infusers. We often hear, "I've only ever used teabags.". While we encourage drinking tea in any manner, there are certainly downsides to using teabags when you could be using an infuser. Using a teabag isn't environmentally friendly, in that they are made of paper and you use a new one each time you make a cup of tea. For some of us, that's quite a lot! Even if you do steep each bag more than once, you are still ultimately throwing it out when you could be using one infuser forever. Another reason that I always mention to people that they should move to preparing their tea with an infuser proves that the water is able to interact with your tea more so, hence giving you more flavor. When the tea is confined to the area within the teabag, the water can only pull out so much flavor. Infusers allow for much more interaction and therefore you will taste deeper and more flavorful cups. Many of our customers even find that this allows them to steep their tea multiple times still, as mentioned with the teabags, without losing too much flavor. Because we consider using this piece of tea ware to be the best way to prepare your tea, we have a variety of different options when it comes to choosing which one you think would serve you best. Check them out below and visit our website with each for even more information!
Our most popular infuser proves our Large Stainless Steel Loose Leaf Infuser with Lid. It is shown is the picture tutorial above and comes in a variety of colors. We love this infuser for many reasons. First, it is durable. It is made of a food grade stainless steel that is micro perforated with tiny holes to allow for water to interact with your tea, while also not letting tea escape out into your mug. Also, due to the strong stainless steel and it being food grade certified, this product will not bend, warp, distort, or rust like many of its tea ball or mesh infuser counterparts. We also love the accompanying lid that is included with this infuser. This lid, made of stainless steel and rubber, serves to both keep your tea warm as it steeps on top and then to catch any water droplets that may fall from your infuser once you remove it (almost like a coaster). Another feature that sets this infuser apart from others in the market proves its wide and deep design. For those of you that enjoy larger cups of tea but can't seem to find an infuser big enough for your cup, this one accommodates cups or mugs up to 20 ounces (about 3 inches tall)! Lastly, it is also dishwasher safe which we adore for its ease. If you are enjoying a cup of our Sleep Better herbal tea at the end of the night, and have found that due to being so relaxed you just can't even fathom cleaning your cup, throw both your mug and infuser in the dishwasher and drift off to dreamland!
Speaking of mugs, if you don't think you have a mug that this will fit in, you want to be absolutely certain that it will, or are perhaps looking for a nice gift for someone, we also have the above mugs available! Each includes a perfectly sized mug, an accompanying infuser, and a lid for warmth and coaster purposes! Again, these each come in a variety of colors and each hold 16 ounces. The left mug is made of ceramic, while the right is a borosilicate glass. We love these for gifts alongside 2 to 4 ounces of your favorite tea. It gives the recipient everything that they need to enjoy an absolutely lovely cup of tea - just add water!
Another option that we have here at Good Life Tea in terms of infusers, and shown above, is our Long Handled Infuser. Just as the above infusers, this is made of stainless steel and is micro perforated. It simply is a bit smaller with a longer handle and includes a smaller ceramic dish to catch the excess water. We love this infuser for its long handle. If you are a little more sensitive or nervous around hotter temperatures, this might be the one for you, as it gives your a bit more distance from the hot water in your tea and something to hold onto.
In terms of making one cup of tea at a time, we have one last option in terms of infusers. Above is our Darjeeling Tea Strainer which is absolutely adorable with its handle detailing and perfect to steep yourself a perfect cup of tea. Again, it is made of stainless steel, the steeping portion is a fine mesh, and due to the length of the handle, sits perfectly atop your cup or mug. While, as name suggests, this was made traditionally made to steep English or Darjeeling teas, this is simply a formality and it will steep all of our teas just the same and deliciously.
If you are looking to infuse a larger amount of tea than just one cup, we have a variety of options here, as well. Above you see our Round Ceramic Teapot with Loose Leaf Tea Infuser. This holds approximately 24 ounces and is the perfect size to make yourself a pot in the morning and nurse it into the lunch hour. It also comes in a variety of colors to match what you already have going on in your kitchen, office, or wherever you like to drink tea! If you are thinking to yourself "Whoa, Kaytea, 24 ounces?! That's too much for me.", then perhaps our 18 ounce Stump Ceramic Teapot with the Infuser is more your speed. It is a bit smaller and absolutely adorable. It again comes in a variety of colors and is dishwasher safe!
All of these products will help you to perfectly steep and infuse your tea. For further information, head on over to our infusers page here. For any lingering questions you may have, don't hesitate to reach out to us at info@goodlifetea.com. We love hearing from you and I love your feedback! Let me know which teas you are enjoying infusing most and why! Happy sipping! - Kaytea :)
P.S. We are still looking for help in the shop itself if you have any interest in joining the Good Life Tea Team or know of anyone who might! Please send any interest and inquiry to info@goodlifetea.com!
I have both types of these. Sometimes I’ll make my tea in the first type, which is pretty convenient. Usually I’ll just put the tea leaves in a measuring cup (Pyrex or silicone), let it steep for several minutes, then put the third type over a mug and pour the brewed tea and leaves through. That way the leaves have the most room to brew/breathe, but no leaves end up in my mug.