Nothing beats a hot cup of your favorite tea leaves. Especially during a busy day at work or on the go. But bringing a teapot or other decorative tea ware can be a burden, especially in the hectic and confined space of a cubicle or office. Luckily TopicTea has some perfect accoutrements to let you enjoy your favorite loose leaf tea anywhere and anytime.
What is a tea infuser?
To begin, what is a tea infuser and what makes it so special? An infuser is usually comprised of a strainer made of either plastic, stainless steel or ceramic. It can be of any make or model with infusers ranging from large pots similar to typical tea ware, to more unique styles, such as the hand-held infusers we offer here at TopicTea! The rise of tea infusers is an exciting trend and a market that is expected to grow significantly.
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What are the benefits of Tea Infusers?
But what are the benefits of an infuser over other types of pots or kettles? For starters, the global market for tea infusers is projected to grow due to factors such as shifting lifestyles around the world. We are all busy everyday around and this looks like a trend that isn’t slowing down too soon! But the good news is we have infusers that can help get you through a tough day at the office or unwind after that 2 hour commute!
Not only that, but infusers use loose leaf tea. Loose leaf is more beneficial to health than most bagged teas because you are consuming as much of the leaf without actually eating it. Far more than one would normally get from drinking just bagged tea. This means when you enjoy a cup of loose leaf tea prepared with an infuser, you are most likely enjoying more of the antioxidants and healthy L-Theanine amino acids that are found in the leaves. Antioxidants of course help slow down some of the effects of aging, while L-Theanine is what gives tea that calming feeling that helps us de-stress after a long day.
Another benefit of the infuser preparation style is the ability to brew your own blends! Some may find the taste of Green or Black tea a bit too bitter. Not to worry with an infuser! This way one can add bits of edible flowers or even fruit to allow a cup to fit your unique sense of taste. Feel a bit of a cold coming on? Maybe add a hint of lemon or orange to your infuser alongside your Jasmine for an extra citrus lift. Infusers also allow leaves to expand and release not just beneficial nutrients, but also their full aroma and flavor.
At TopicTea there are many different models of hand-held infusers ready to help you enjoy your next cup! First, there are our range of plastic tea infuser. I like to think of these ones as a magic wand. The plastic body makes it lightweight and highly portable. You can simply load the basket with your favorite leaves and pour the hot water over it for a minute or two. Make sure there is enough room for your leaves to expand! Once your leaves have steeped for a while, press down on the wand at the end of the handheld stick to wring out the last drops of the leaves. Once you have used your leaves you can flip open the mesh front of the basket and tap out the remaining tea leaves.
For a heavier duty infusers we also offer Stainless Steel models. The stainless steel body allows this instrument to go through lots of different tea types and be as good as new after a wash. Afraid your Oolong may taste too much like a Black Tea? That is not a problem with these infusers! Theirs steel body allows for a keen wash that will allow for various usage in addition to general portability and ease of use. For these models, adding the leaves is as simple as placing a few in the cylinder and letting the 360 degree perforations do the rest! They are great for longer leaves which need more room to expand. Here at home I have a nice bag of loose leaf Jeju Island Green tea. These leaves like to expand a ton and need a lot of room to really work their magic. With these models, whatever type of leaf you enjoy, will be able to unveil its full aroma, its full size and most importantly, its full taste!
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Now for one of my personal favorites, the Stainless Steel Tea Ball Stick Infuser. A name any shorter would not be worthy of this great model of infuser. It’s not just a unique design but also an incredible accessory for any tea lover or even those who just enjoy a cup of Green tea from time to time. It has the charm and benefits of the infuser ball, but the convenience in use and removal of a typical stick infuser. Infuser balls are great, but getting them out again can be a bit of a hassle. The stick body ameliorates this factor for ease of removal, too. The basket can be opened by pushing the tail end of the stick. The basket will open, allowing you to place or remove leaves and other fruit and herbs. This model is superb because the basket head is rather wide which can be utilized for more blending capabilities. Think of full chamomile or Hibiscus, this wider basket can handle these as well as a few leaves of your favorite tea. Staining will not be a problem either with the stainless steel of the basket and stick. It doesn’t matter if it is a gently yellowed Tieguanyin or the robust mahogany of an untamed Pu’er, these infusers can be rinsed and washed thoroughly.
From the portable and affable plastic models, to the stoic and minimalist stainless steel versions, at TopicTea there is no lack of convenient, artful and unique infusers. There’s an item for everyone, from the experienced tea master to someone who just wants to take a break from coffee for the day. These infusers have everything one may need and most fun of all, allow drinkers to mix, match, blend and experiment with their own brews and blends. These tenacious wands make great gifts as well and can be easily washed and stored. Let TopicTea’s excellent selection of infusion sticks help you relax, no matter where you go!
