A sad thing is happening in my life. The cup-pour-ri loose tea infusers we use all the time are starting to fall apart. It’s not that they’re poorly manufactured; the one that’s breaking I’ve owned for almost 10 years and I use it all the time. The other one I bought 3 years ago on our honeymoon in Philly. Did it occur to me to look to see if they were still available when I was there this summer for HLS? Of course not.
Recently the amount of loose tea we’ve been purchasing and using has increased and I’m not sure what I’m going to do without my tea infusers. I purchased a package of tea filters, largely for my upcoming cookie swap, but I feel like they’re sort of wasteful and wouldn’t last us very long (like, a month or so).
I emailed the company that manufactured them and they responded with the item numbers of 2 different, but similar, items that are still available on Amazon, but I haven’t been able to find anything close. So I expanded my search even further.
Here are the current options in the running:
Tovolo Tea Infuser, $12.95 on Amazon
Bodum Tastea Stainless Steel Tea Egg Infuser with Silicone Sleeve, $17.05 on Amazon
Rösle 95158 Tea Strainer, Fine Mesh, $18.95 on Amazon
Kitchen Supply Stainless Steel Mesh Tea Ball Infuser , $6.95 on Amazon
Suggestions? I need an infuser that’s mesh or has really fine holes because some of our loose tea is tiny.
Personally, I really like this one from Teavana: http://www.teavana.com/tea-products/tea-makers-infusers/p/teavana-perfect-teamaker
I know it’s not small, but I find it gives the loose tea enough room to expand and steep better. I love it!
ive been using the disposable tea filters [i then keep the used ones in a container to donate to my co-workers compost!!] but I do have one of the stainless mesh balls I received as part of a Christmas gift this year – which I have never used. [im not sure I actually have had loose leaf tea at my apartment in over a month, actually. The shop got new teas in, so I’ve been working my way through those flavors!]
I bet the Savvy one would have an answer!
haha. I do have an answer!
Honestly, I very rarely use an infuser because both the ones I have get misaligned easily and I end up with tea leaves in my mugs. Instead, I use this teapot:
http://chachatea.net/teapots/stump-teapot
(that is a local tea company in Madison that I love to support, but I know you could find something similar elsewhere)
The infuser is built in to the pot, so I just pour the hot water directly in, and take the infusing basket out after the allotted brewing time. It is large enough for 1-2 mugs of tea (depending on how large your mugs are ;) )
I really like that teapot! The more I think about it, the more getting a small teapot instead of an infuser makes more and more sense. Now I just have to find the perfect one! Thanks for helping.
I’ve been using the bottom two mesh choices for Rooibos, which is quite small, and they’re not ideal. Some of the tea always gets loose in the mug regardless of how careful I am to close all of the gaps in the sides of the holders. I’d vote for one of the other options!
I don’t understand why tea infusers tend to have such large holes. Is everyone else drinking bigger tea than I am? Thanks for the warning about the bottom two options, it’s hard to know what you’re looking at online.
have you tried one of these? http://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-16-Ounce-Ingenuitea-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328290585&sr=8-1
its life changing. I have on similar I got at Teavana a few years ago and I LOVE IT!!!!!
No, I’ve never tried that one. “Life changing” you say? That may be worth looking into!
The green plastic one linked in the original post is also available from Avon for $7.99.
http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?level1_id=300&level2_id=307&pdept_id=438&cat_type=C&pf_id=43757
Ingenious, BUT the tea comes thru the holes so you have floaters in the tea. Yuck. I was so excited about that little infuser you just stick in the cup, but oh well. Back to searching. I came online looking for alternatives and found your blog post.
Im the inventor of cuppourri and can send you one.
I truly hope we are talking about the same product. The plastic “spoon” (rectangular) with mesh. This is for coffee as the
mesh is very fine.
I have one that I have had for years but everyone that sees it wants one and I sure want a spare.
I have looked everywhere. I hope, I hope, I hope.
Thanks so much,
Jae
Unfortunately Jae, I have only bad news. I think we are talking about the same product, but after I posted this the product’s creator contacted me and let me know that they’re no longer being made. I’m still holding out hope that they’ll reappear on shelves one day!
Do you still have these available? My brother is a die hard fan of the cuppouri and it recently broke. It would be the best thing to ever happen to him if i could find him a new one. He is loso g his mind because he can’t find one.
As far as I know, the Cuppouri still isn’t being made. I’ve been very happy with the Finium Brewing Basket, which fits in a standard mug and has held up very well over the years. Amazon has them: http://amzn.to/2mFoZYB
Finum Goldton Filters, Blue and Green $16.64 for the two on amazon.com.