5 Best Tea Infusers for Your Kitchen

Tea is one of the oldest beverages in the world and its history can be traced all the way back thousands of years in China. Nowadays, it’s a fact that this magnificent, healthy brew is being enjoyed all over the world in many forms. Hot, cold, pure, mixed, and even in the center of a new trend involving milk tea and boba. 

With its popularity, more and more tea fanatics are resorting to other options of having their own tea. This includes the home-made tea concoctions that give you more liberty to spice it up and add your personal touch to its flavor. However, nothing beats drinking fresh tea from tea leaves. And to do so, you will need the right tea infusers and the five examples included here are some of the best. So be sure to check them out!

Want to Learn More?

Before you decide which tea infuser to buy, you might want to find out more about the best options available. This is to make sure that you will absolutely enjoy the tea infuser that you would get for your kitchen. Also, be sure to click the yellow buttons below to see their best deals on Amazon! With that, here are five of the best options that we rounded up especially for you.

OXO BREW Tea Infuser Basket

OXO BREW Tea Infuser Basket, One Size
Specifications

Dimensions

5.25 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches

Weight

2.82 ounces

Color

Silver

Material

Stainless Steel

Rating: 96% Overall
98%
durability
94%
efficiency
96%
ease of use
95%
versatility
Pros
  • Perfect for maximizing the flavor of your favorite loose tea leaves
  • Made of premium stainless steel for durability
  • Features fine, etched hole patterns for keeping fine tea leaf particles contained
  • The large size of the basket allows the tea leaves to fully expand.
  • The lid retains heat and serves as a drip tray.
  • Comes with non-slip silicone touchpoints
  • Perfect for making hot and iced tea drinks
  • Guaranteed BPA-free and food-safe
Cons
  • Not suitable for pots with small mouths
  • Not ideal for low-quality dried tea leaves with loose particles
  • When rinsing the infuser, the tea leaves don't rinse out cleanly while some leaves commonly get stuck on the ledge inside at the top rim. With this, you sometimes need to brush it to clean under the rim.
Verdict

This tea infuser will make sure that you get the most out of your high-quality tea leaves. It is perfect for letting the leaves, flowers, or rinds bloom completely. This maximizes the amount of flavor and nutrients you get from your ingredients. The holes are also big enough to optimize the steeping time and reduce the waiting period. This can be cleaned in the dishwasher as well.


House Again 2-Pack Tea Ball Infuser & Cooking Infuser

House Again 2 Pack Tea Ball Infuser & Cooking Infuser, Extra Fine Mesh Tea Infuser Threaded Connection 18/8 Stainless Steel with Extended Chain Hook to Brew Loose Leaf Tea, Spices & Seasonings …
Specifications

Dimensions

3.8 x 2.6 x 2.2 inches

Weight

2.89 ounces

Color

Stainless Steel

Material

Stainless Steel

Rating: 94% Overall
94%
durability
94%
efficiency
96%
ease of use
93%
versatility
Pros
  • Comes with two high-quality tea infusers
  • Made of premium, food-safe stainless steel
  • Features an extra-fine mesh to contain tiny particles
  • Easy to open and close with the threaded design
  • The infuser is odor and chemical-free.
  • Comes with a 4.7-inch stainless steel chain
Cons
  • Bubbles and steam can be trapped inside, causing the infuser to float.
  • The wall mesh is too thin and easy to bend.
  • Hot water won’t easily flow in if the infuser is packed full due to its fine mesh.
Verdict

This is an excellent tea infuser to use when you have blended tea. You can be sure that the leaves, cloves, flowers, and the like will not get through the fine mesh. You can use this for brewing coarsely ground coffee beans, as well. The loose tea can easily expand and absorb all of the hot water when you don’t overstuff the infuser. Once you are done steeping, just twist the lid and throw the used ingredients away.


OXO BREW Twisting Tea Ball Infuser

OXO BREW Twisting Tea Ball Infuser
Specifications

Dimensions

4.5 x 1.5 x 10.5 inches

Weight

2.08 ounces

Color

Silver

Material

Stainless Steel

Rating: 93% Overall
94%
durability
92%
efficiency
94%
ease of use
91%
versatility
Pros
  • Comes with a twisting function to easily fill the infuser
  • Made of high-quality, ultra-durable stainless steel
  • Features a long handle and a cool-touch grip
  • Fits mugs, cups, tumblers, and tea kettles
  • Works best with full tea leaves
  • BPA-free and dishwasher-safe
Cons
  • Not great at making big batches of tea
  • Fine particles from low-quality tea can still seep out.
  • Not all tea leaves will infuse if overstuffed.
Verdict

This is quite the handy tea infuser that is perfect for making single cups of tea. You can use it to steep loose tea leaves for mugs, cups, and travel tumblers. You can even use this for combined tea with multiple leaves, dried fruits, and more. Using this infuser when cooking is easy and convenient, as well. Thanks to the twisting function, you can lead this up with tea leaves or other ingredients on-the-fly.


Fu Store 2-Piece Mesh Tea Ball

Fu Store 2pcs Stainless Steel Mesh Tea Ball 2.1 Inch Tea Infuser Strainers Tea Strainer Filters Tea Interval Diffuser for Tea
Specifications

Dimensions

4.72 x 1.18 x 2.36 inches

Weight

1.13 ounces

Color

Stainless Steel

Material

Stainless Steel

Rating: 91% Overall
91%
durability
93%
efficiency
91%
ease of use
90%
versatility
Pros
  • Made of 304-grade stainless steel for long-lasting durability
  • Easy to clasp and shut to secure the tea leaves
  • Brew loose tea leaves and mixtures with ease
  • Comes with a hooked stainless steel chain for securing the infuser
  • Perfect for brewing tea in big batches
  • Easy to clean and store
Cons
  • It feels too light and flimsy.
  • It cannot contain tea leaves with small granules.
  • Very delicate and due to its shape, it could easily get deformed.
Verdict

This is the tea infuser that many would think of when talking about the subject. It is used for making whole pots of tea and it does so with class. This is what you would find in many British teapots when preparing their favorite hot beverage. You can count on this infuser to make the most out of your high-quality loose tea leaves. It can even be used to contain herbs and aromatics that will add flavor and aroma to stews and soups.


Jokari Restaurant Quality Loose Leaf Tea Infuser

Jokari Restaurant Quality Stainless Steel Loose Leaf Tea Infuser 1 Pack Customize Strength and Taste Of Tea At Home For Yourself or Guests To Make A Perfect Cup With No Tea Bags, Debris or Leaves.
Specifications

Dimensions

1.65 x 0.98 x 7.5 inches

Weight

1.44 ounces

Color

Green

Material

Plastic

Rating: 90% Overall
90%
durability
91%
efficiency
88%
ease of use
89%
versatility
Pros
  • Steep tea to your exact preference and taste
  • Perfect for making tea in single cups
  • Much better for the environment
  • Great for any kind of loose leaf tea
  • Ensures rich flavors and robust aromas
  • The ultra-fine mesh ensures no tea particles will escape.
Cons
  • It is made of plastic which could affect its durability.
  • Not suitable for steeping in big batches
Verdict

This is a wonderful single-serve tea infuser. You fill it up with enough tea leaves to make one mug or at most, one travel tumbler with some delicious tea. The infuser itself is quite easy to use and easy to clean. You can steep any kind of tea using this infuser, including just regular loose tea leaves or mixed tea. You don’t have to worry about the flavors either since those will be perfectly preserved.

Tea Infuser Buyer's Guide

design

Tea infusers can come in many designs. Some of them are simple while others can be wildly inventive. What you want to look for, however, are the pertinent factors that will help you when steeping your tea. These include the sizes of the holes, the shape of the infuser, and the method with which the infuser can be held or fixed in place.

capacity

Some infusers can only make enough tea for one cup while others are more than capable of making an entire kettle’s worth of tea. This would depend a lot on the size of the infuser and its capacity. If you put too much tea into a small infuser, for example, it is not going to steep properly and you would only ruin the tea. Loose tea leaves need room to expand and completely unravel.

ease of use

The tea infuser that you get should be easy to open, easy to fill with the tea, petals, fruits, and other ingredients that you will be steeping, easy to close, and easy to keep in place. If there are any challenging points throughout the process, steeping tea can quickly become a frustrating experience. Be sure to keep that in mind when making your choice.

steeping time

Different types of tea leaves, tea combinations, and mixtures come with different steeping times. It is incredibly important that this is followed in order to control the strength of the tea’s flavor, as well as the aftertaste that follows. In many places, making tea is an art that involves careful control over steeping time, color, flavor, aroma, and even the mouthfeel.

safety

Finally, tea infusers must be safe to use. That is to say, they should not come with any toxic chemicals, metals, or other substances that can harm the body. They should also not come with tiny pieces that can easily chip or break off and then accidentally swallow. The infusers themselves should pose no threat to you when opening, filling, and then closing them such as sharp or pointy edges.

FAQs

What are tea infusers?

Tea infusers are anything that can contain tea leaves or dried tea particles that will then be used to steep the tea. It can come in multiple forms, be made of many materials, and can be used either individually or for huge batches. In fact, tea bags are a form of tea infusers, albeit a disposable one.

Are tea infusers only good for tea leaves?

No, they can also be used for other items that are typically added to hot or cold liquids. For example, you can use tea infusers to infuse hot water with the taste and aroma of fresh fruits, some flower petals, or even some fresh herbs. You could also use infusers for making coffee with coarsely ground beans.

Are tea infusers only for tea?

Tea infusers can actually also be used for other things like adding flavor or aroma to cooking. They can be used to contain herbs, spices, and other aromatics, and then placed in a stockpot for stock or stew. They can even be used to fry minced ingredients like garlic so that they can be fried and then removed more efficiently.

Are tea infusers better than tea bags?

Not necessarily since they both have their own parts to play. Tea infusers are perfect for whole dried tea leaves or fresh tea leaves, as well as some citrus rinds, edible flowers, and spices. Tea tastes best when it is fresh, which is where tea infusers come in. Teabags, on the other hand, are more convenient and take less effort when preparing a cup of tea.