3 ms·

Right - putting my loose leaf into a strainer or a gaiwan, and then emptying either of them, takes nearly no longer than grabbing my tea bag, opening it and dro

Right - putting my loose leaf into a strainer or a gaiwan, and then emptying either of them, takes nearly no longer than grabbing my tea bag, opening it and dropping it into a cup.

coastflow 5y ago
There are additional steps. You need to take a spoon (extra tool), scoop out the loose leaf tea from the container, make sure not to spill it, and then pour it into the strainer. After steeping, you need to dump the used leaves (assuming you aren't planning to re-steep) with more potential for spillage than when disposing a tea bag, then take the strainer to the sink, add a tiny drop of dish soap, rinse the strainer, and find a place to dry it (e.g. over an empty jar). It's not difficult, and the extra steps are personally worth it as loose leaf tea generally tastes better. However, for people who aren't concerned about the taste difference, it's nice to have one less task (where spillage is a concern) to pay attention to.
- tasuki 5y ago
  Oh since we're nitpicking... :) > You need to take a spoon (extra tool), scoop out the loose leaf tea from the container I tilt the container and use the Earth's gravity to get them leaves out. I'm not afraid to use my fingers when no one's watching! With puerh it's more of a fight, I'm not afraid to use whatever's at my disposal to pry the leaves out the cake. > you need to dump the used leaves [...] with more potential for spillage than when disposing a tea bag Yes but it's more ecological - the leaves can be composted while the tea bag can't. > (assuming you aren't planning to re-steep) I definitely am planning to re-steep. With puerh, I'm even going as far as disposing of the first two steeps. I'm too fancy to drink them! > then take the strainer to the sink, add a tiny drop of dish soap, rinse the strainer, and find a place to dry it The gaiwan goes inside the dishwasher like everything else.
  - adrianmonk 5y ago
    > leaves can be composted while the tea bag can't That depends on the tea bag. Some can't, some can: https://teahow.com/can-tea-bags-be-composted/ https://teahow.com/can-tea-bags-be-composted/ The store-brand tea bags I buy for iced tea recently got redesigned to remove their staple. I assume that was to make them compostable, although I should double check.

Right - putting my loose leaf into a strainer or a gaiwan, and then emptying either of them, takes nearly no longer than grabbing my tea bag, opening it and dropping it into a cup.

coastflow 5y ago

There are additional steps. You need to take a spoon (extra tool), scoop out the loose leaf tea from the container, make sure not to spill it, and then pour it into the strainer. After steeping, you need to dump the used leaves (assuming you aren't planning to re-steep) with more potential for spillage than when disposing a tea bag, then take the strainer to the sink, add a tiny drop of dish soap, rinse the strainer, and find a place to dry it (e.g. over an empty jar). It's not difficult, and the extra steps are personally worth it as loose leaf tea generally tastes better. However, for people who aren't concerned about the taste difference, it's nice to have one less task (where spillage is a concern) to pay attention to.

tasuki 5y ago
Oh since we're nitpicking... :) > You need to take a spoon (extra tool), scoop out the loose leaf tea from the container I tilt the container and use the Earth's gravity to get them leaves out. I'm not afraid to use my fingers when no one's watching! With puerh it's more of a fight, I'm not afraid to use whatever's at my disposal to pry the leaves out the cake. > you need to dump the used leaves [...] with more potential for spillage than when disposing a tea bag Yes but it's more ecological - the leaves can be composted while the tea bag can't. > (assuming you aren't planning to re-steep) I definitely am planning to re-steep. With puerh, I'm even going as far as disposing of the first two steeps. I'm too fancy to drink them! > then take the strainer to the sink, add a tiny drop of dish soap, rinse the strainer, and find a place to dry it The gaiwan goes inside the dishwasher like everything else.
- adrianmonk 5y ago
  > leaves can be composted while the tea bag can't That depends on the tea bag. Some can't, some can: https://teahow.com/can-tea-bags-be-composted/ https://teahow.com/can-tea-bags-be-composted/ The store-brand tea bags I buy for iced tea recently got redesigned to remove their staple. I assume that was to make them compostable, although I should double check.