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We need better sieves. Tea-balls are awful, and the vast majority of tea sieves are these tiny little mesh buckets that affix to the top of the kettle, meaning
by AdmiralAsshat 11y ago
We need better sieves. Tea-balls are awful, and the vast majority of tea sieves are these tiny little mesh buckets that affix to the top of the kettle, meaning they only even touch the water if the kettle is completely filled. Then, to boot, they are so woefully undersized (probably for the sake of making them easy to fit into the pot) that the tea leaves barely have any place to bloom. The result is a very weak tasting cup of tea despite the effort of having acquired good quality loose-leaf tea.
I eventually grew so annoyed with my teapot that I've let the leaves bloom directly in the pot, and then put the sieve/filter into my cup, so that it will catch any leaves before I lift it out.
- o_nate 11y agoI use a one-cup Finum brewing basket which fits into a standard-size mug and leaves plenty of room for the leaves to circulate while they steep. Works great.
- alberte 11y agoHave you tried a tea strainer - something like this http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-3-Inch-Strainer/dp/B001713L84/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1449697861&sr=1-6&keywords=tea+strainer http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-3-Inch-Strainer/dp/B001... the old school way Edit: http://www.amazon.com/Online-Stores-Inc-Tstr-Strainer/dp/B002Q710ZY/ref=pd_sim_79_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=31WcadjZ4qL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=08H3SGWPDZ64NSS99Y43 http://www.amazon.com/Online-Stores-Inc-Tstr-Strainer/dp/B00... more traditional
- Avshalom 11y agoFrench Press/Cafetière. Just buy one in whatever size you consume.
- peterwwillis 11y agoYou're supposed to brew the leaves in the pot. That's why traditional teapots have built-in straining holes (or you can use an alternate vessel like a Gaiwan). Most people rarely get the temperature right anyway so proper extraction isn't usually a consideration. That said, this thing is friggin magical: http://www.teavana.com/us/en/teaware/tea-makers/teavana-32-oz-perfectea-maker-011034886.html http://www.teavana.com/us/en/teaware/tea-makers/teavana-32-o...
- ozy123 11y agoI have one, it's pretty awesome. Get 30% off - use FESTIVE at checkout.
- shawn-furyan 11y agoI just don't worry about straining the leaves. A lot of teas will helpfully sink to the bottom of your cup where they are trivially easy to avoid. This probably requires using whole leaf tea for a good experience.
- discreteevent 11y agoIf you make it in a pot, wait for it to draw fully and then pour it slowly you will get very few leaves in the cup anyway. Also tea is relatively cheap so don't be afraid to spend a little on quality.
- gutnor 11y agohttp://www.bodum.com/gb/en-us/shop/detail/1970-01/ http://www.bodum.com/gb/en-us/shop/detail/1970-01/ Huge plastic ( or metal ) basket that fills almost the whole teapot. Perfect for European style brewing of green tea, flowering teas, black tea, and all sort of brewing habit ( leave the leaves in, remove them, multiple steeps ... ) Not good for pu erh or asian style brewing in general. But if you are into that, you already know what to use.
- nosuchthing 11y agoThese laser cut stainless steel strainers are great: http://www.forlifedesign.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=49_56&products_id=141 http://www.forlifedesign.com/shop/index.php?main_page=produc... I've had one of the single cup strainers for a few years. They're durable, easy to clean, and sit perfectly in most mugs.
- amluto 11y agoI'm a big fan of a kyusu (Japanese side-handle teapot) with a built-in metal strainer. Unfortunately, finding a good quality kyusu in the US isn't so easy. Daiso used to stock them, but they seem to have stopped.
- throwaway_jflk 11y agoStrain it through your teeth.