Using a tea infuser allows you to steep a single cup or an entire teapot while also controlling the infusion time. Our infusers are made from food-grade stainless steel, heat-resistant glass or hand-crafted brass, and all are dishwasher safe.
Pure brass tea strainers hand-crafted to help you prepare a nourishing and mindful cup of tea
Stainless steel teapot infuser perfect for using with our Glass Teapots and Water Kettles.
This single cup loose leaf tea infuser provides a convenient method for brewing loose leaf herbal tea.
Glass Tea Infuser perfect for using with organic loose leaf tea. Can be combined with teapots from our range.
Choosing a tea infuser
An infuser holds the leaf while the water does its work, then lifts out cleanly when the steep is done. That last part matters more than it sounds: leaf left sitting in the pot keeps extracting, and a good cup turns tannic and bitter within minutes. Controlling when the leaf comes out is the single biggest difference between a well-made cup and a disappointing one.
Which shape you want depends on how you drink. A single cup infuser sits in a mug and is the simplest place to start. A basket infuser gives the leaf far more room, which produces a fuller cup, and comes with a lid that doubles as a drip tray. A teapot infuser is sized for a pot rather than a mug. A glass infuser keeps the whole vessel in one material. And a brass tea strainer is held over the cup as you pour, for when you would rather brew loose in the pot.
FAQ and further info about our tea infusers
Tea infusers are used with loose leaf tea to get the full benefit of the tea blend without having tea leaves in your cup. They also let you take the leaf out at exactly the right moment, which is not possible if you have simply tipped it into the water.
It depends on what type of tea infuser you choose, but typically an infuser is loaded with loose leaf tea and then submerged in the hot water in your cup or pot. Fine perforations let the water move freely through the leaf while holding the leaf itself inside. When the steep time is up, you lift the whole thing out.
Yes, and it is the thing most people get wrong. Dried leaf expands considerably once it is wet, and a cramped infuser holds it compressed so the water only reaches the outside of the clump. You end up with a weak cup from perfectly good leaf. Give the leaf room and you get everything you paid for, which is particularly noticeable with large-leaf blends and with anything containing flowers or bark.
An infuser goes into the water with the leaf inside it. A strainer sits over the cup and catches the leaf as you pour, so the tea has been brewing loose in the pot. Brewing loose gives the leaf maximum room and the fullest extraction, which is why many people prefer it, but it means the pot needs emptying promptly. Our brass tea strainer is made for that method.
Stainless steel is the practical choice: it does not react with the tea, survives being knocked about, and has the finest perforations, which matters with small-cut herbs. Glass is the same story visually as a glass teapot, letting you watch the colour develop. Brass is the traditional option, hand-crafted and warm in tone, and it develops a patina with use. All three are food-safe and none of them hold flavour from one blend to the next.
Our tea infusers are made of either food-grade stainless steel or heat-resistant glass, meaning they can be put in the dishwasher to clean. Rinsing straight after use is the easiest habit, since dried-on leaf takes more effort than wet leaf. If a brown film builds up over time, soak in hot water with a little bicarbonate of soda. Brass is best washed by hand and dried, which keeps the finish even.
Most of our glass teapots come with one included, so check the product page first. A separate infuser is still worth having for single cups at work or when you want just one, and a spare means you can brew two blends at once.