When I am at work I used to think a tea bag was the fastest and easiest way to brew my tea. We all have that choice, right! Teabag or loose leaf tea.
Truth is, with the right tea mug infuser you can easily brew tea with loose leaf tea.
What’s the difference? Loose leaf tea will give you a much better-brewed tea experience. Want to know more?
Things to Consider Before Buying A Tea Infuser Mug
Fill your tea infuser mug with your favorite loose leaf tea, add your hot water, place the lid on the mug, and find your happy spot.
Sit down, read a book, or watch TV. Your tea is brewing right next to you and when it’s done, you don’t have to get up. Remove the lid, place the infuser on the lid (yes, it’s a tea coaster as well), and enjoy your tea. To keep your tea warm replace the lid and your tea will stay warmer longer.
This is not a travel infuser mug. The lid on the mug does not fit snuggly. While the cup may fit in your cup holder the lid will not stay in place. This lid is to rest on top of the mug to hold the heat and infusion inside until ready to drink.
Once you have tried our very own Sleek Steep tea infuser, you will wonder how you ever got along without it. The Sleek Steep teapot makes the tea brewing process easier, cleaner, and more fun.
Here are a few things you need to consider when deciding on the perfect tea infuser mug.
- Size of the infuser mug – size is important. The biggest struggle is how will this cup fit into my car cupholder? Honestly, isn’t it? So many are user-friendly but then there are those infuser mugs that just do not fit and when they do not fit, tea splatters everywhere.
- Size of infuser – Consider what teas you will be using. Larger leaf teas need more room to brew. Smaller leaves don’t need as much room.
- Size of infuser holes – Smaller pieces of leaves need an infuser that has small holes so the pieces do not enter into the cup. Large leaf tea doesn’t need as small size of holes, as they expand the only thing escaping that infuser will be the brew.
- Mug design – It matters. It’s your personality or maybe your motto. It will speak when you don’t have to. Besides allowing your personality to shine, how about the design of the mug. Does the handle fit comfortably in your hand? How is that base? Consider where your mug will be sitting, will it fit?
The material the mug is made of:
- Glass – Glass gives you a distinctive taste but, it’s not always the safest choice for traveling or for work. Glass breaks. Double-walled glass gives you a bit more security and helps keep your hands safe and your tea hot.
- Ceramic – A common choice within a tea infuser mug. Ceramic keeps the tea warm. Ceramic can be heavy.
- Porcelain – Lighter than ceramic and something harder to find than ceramic and glass. Can be fragile and not as comfortable on the hands (heat).
- Plastic – Not a fan, plastic can leach chemicals into your brew. Taste can really change with a plastic mug. The heat will not stay inside the cup with plastic.
Infuser material:
- Stainless – My top choice. Stainless metal has been around for a long time. It will stain but is easy to clean. It does not leach and is very secure and sturdy.
- Aluminum – Not a favorite metal. Aluminum is linked to some health concerns. Once heated aluminum can leach chemicals into the hot water brew. It is a cheaper option for manufacturers and why you will find it more often.
- Silicone – flexible and lightweight. A new(er) option for infusers. Can be colorful and fun. Generally, the holes are smaller, something to consider.
STEEP THE PERFECT CUP of tea using your favorite loose leaf tea, use the lid to keep your tea hot while steeping, then rest the strainer basket on the lid to catch drips - The perfect size for a single serving of tea (holds 8 oz. / 240 ml)
The Features & Benefits of a Tea Infuser Mug
I’ve used my tea infuser mug at home often. Recently I’ve started to take it to work. I had a small coffee pot to boil my water and used a mug and tea bags. Going through five or more tea bags a night started to weigh on my conscience. I also yearned for my loose leaf tea. The tea mug infuser was a perfect fit. I got to enjoy my loose leaf tea and it was easier than using a regular mug. I love that my tea stays warmer longer and I could brew a few cups in one infusion.
Mug
The tea infuser mug comes in all different shapes, sizes, and patterns. The fun part is picking out the one that fits your needs and personality. Then again, as most tea lovers, you will have a few of these on hand. Once you realize how simple and helpful they are to your life. They will add more time to do what you want to do while your tea brews right next to you. No more ups and downs waiting for water to boil, brewing, and then preparing your tea. It’s simply done right next to you inside your tea infuser mug.
The mug can be made of many materials. The most popular materials are glass, porcelain, and ceramic. The heavier the mug the better the insulation of your tea. Some of the tea mugs have handles while others do not. The tea mugs without handles can tend to get hot to the touch at first. It takes a moment or two for the water to cool enough for easy handling. Purchasing a tea mug that is double-walled will make for easier handling.
This tea mug is made of high-quality kaolin as the raw material and fired at high temperature. Its glaze is clean and delicate. The cup is painted with lotus leaves and flowers.
Infuser
The heart of the tea infuser mug. The infuser has the important job of making sure the water gets to our tea leaves and back out to our awaiting mug of water. There are choices as well with the infuser. Materials can include aluminum, stainless steel, and silicone. These are the most popular materials used for the infusers.
Next are the holes, so important. Smaller holes may keep the tea inside but may also block the flow of water. Too large of holes and there will be tea all through our cup.
Using the infuser teacup allows you to brew your tea in the same cup with the same infuser three or more times. Saving time and money. You will have less waste with the infuser as well. No tea bags and reusing the leaves in the same container. Less waste in tea leaves as well by brewing smaller more personal amounts and not huge teapots full.
High-Quality Lead-Free Borosilicate Glassware which is Lightweight and Durable.
Lid
We cannot forget the importance of the lid. Keeping the infuser in place, covering your mug, and having a special use even after the tea is done brewing.
The lid does not fit tightly and it is designed that way. You must be careful that you do not drop the lid. If the lid is made of a breakable material it may break. The lid will sit on top of the cup, some lids will have a silicone or rubber around the lid to give it a bit of a grip.
Once the tea is done infusing you can remove the lid, flip it upside down, and place your infuser in it. There is a lip to hold the moisture from spilling over. You can also keep the lid on top of your mug to help keep the beverage warmer long.
TEA CUP WITH INFUSER includes a double-wall lead-safe and cadmium-free glass cup, a stainless steel loose leaf tea infuser basket and a multi-functional lid that doubles as an infuser holder.
Pros and Cons of Tea Infuser Mugs
Drinking a cup of tea with an infuser full of your favorite loose leaf tea is the perfect afternoon delight. What happens when you want to travel? This mug is not for traveling.
You have your mug and an infuser perfectly built-in. The infuser can be part of the lid or an insert.
A tea-infused mug is perfect for a single serving beverage. Have your own personal mug of loose leaf tea infused into your cup. It is an amazing experience.
Pros
- Infuse the same leaves in the same cup three or more times
- Less waste of tea leaves
- Perfect amount of tea per cup every time
Cons
- Loose lids do not allow for easy traveling
- If the mug is made of porcelain or ceramic it can break
- Some mugs do not have a handle and can get too hot to handle at first
A colorful tea infuser cup with a deep glass infuser. Perfect for larger loose-leaf teas, it has a capacity of 360 ml / 12 fl. oz.
Maintenance
Generally, all parts are dishwasher safe. Make sure to check your product for these details. Being dishwasher safe just adds more benefit to all-in-one personal tea service.
One comment suggested being careful not to reach your hands inside the infuser until it has time to cool off. That’s good advice since the metal infuser could be hot.
Alternatives For A Tea Infuser Mug
There are always choices in the tea world. I wanted to give you a few alternatives to the tea infuser mug.
Standard teacup
White porcelain tea wares have the reputation of "fake jade" as early as the Tang Dynasty. They are elegant in shape. Although they do not have a colorful appearance, they are simple and pure. The white texture can better reflect the color of tea liquid. The white porcelain tea wares have moderate heat retention and air permeability, so it can be used to brew any type of tea. This also makes it becomes the most commonly used tea set.
There is something to be said about the standard English teacup and saucer. There is a special acknowledgment of the English way of drinking tea. The teacup and saucer will require a teapot of infused tea or a teabag. It will be impossible to put a tea infuser inside a teacup.
Regular mug w/ infuser
Practical Design: The cup is made of ceramic with a wooden handle. Approximately size: 3.7*5.3*3.9 inches. Volume: 14.5 OZ. The lid keeps your drink clean and can be used as a coaster for the infuser.
You will be missing that lid for sure. What will you do with the infuser? Of course, you can place the tea into a nearby cup or coaster. The infuser will also not be a perfect fit for the cup like a tea infuser mug set.
Cup with no infuser
They are hand-painted. While these cups are hand painted they are sealed so you don’t have to worry about losing any detail. The sealant leveled and smoothed. These teacups may appear delicate but they are resilient. You don’t always have to have a gaiwan but just a teacup is fine. You can also make sure to have extra Chinese cups around to show off your talents and teas when you have company.
Pouring a cup of hot water and adding tea leaves is a beautiful harmony and a delight to watch. I love to watch leaves brewing. Eventually, those teas need to be removed. How? This becomes a messy transition. It will also take a bit of time and at that time you are losing precious heat to your tea.
Conclusion
Go ahead, grab your tea infuser mug and prepare it, and sit down and enjoy. It really is that simple. Less waste, less time spent brewing. You get to prepare your tea the exact way you want to enjoy it. Your personal cup of tea and your personal experience.
In a tea infuser mug, you have chosen to enjoy!
