OXO Brew Twisting Ball Tea Infuser - Fine Mesh, Stainless Steel

I honestly can't imagine why someone would not like (if not love) this tea ball infuser. It's easy to clean, easy to fill, and works great! I drink tea all the time and it is my favorite way to drink loose leaf tea. I'm a field hand and a dairy farmer who loves video games and the taste of a nice pinot noir. After working a long day at a Petaluma ranch, I need a hot and soothing drink to help me relax. This is where my new OXO BREW Twisting Tea Ball Infuser comes in and plays a vital role in my daily routine. I fill the ball with my favorite organic loose leaf tea, heat my filtered water to the optimal temperature (more on that below) and pour myself a delicious cup of organic hot tea. Perfection. I sometimes will brew caffeinated tea (like black or green tea) in the afternoons to give me that final boost to get through the rest of the Petaluma day, then brew non-caffeinated herbal tea in the evening to unwind right before I get in my comfy Petaluma bed. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that my love of wine is only rivaled by my love of a good organic loose leaf tea. And drinking loose leaf is key. “Loose-leaf tea” means tea that’s primarily made up of whole, unbroken leaves. Teabags are usually made from the opposite – low tea grades, such as dust and fannings. Dust and fannings are smaller pieces of tea, so they have a larger surface area than whole leaves. A larger surface area means more opportunities for the essential oils (what makes tea flavorful and aromatic) to evaporate, leaving the tea dull and stale. Freshness can be a major issue with typical teabags for this reason, especially if they are packed in a paper box with paper wrapping. When you steep loose-leaf tea, it has (or should have) room for tea leaves to absorb water and expand as they infuse. This allows the water to flow through the leaves and extract a wide range of vitamins, minerals, flavors, and aromas from the leaves. When you steep tea in a teabag, its infusion is limited by the size of the teabag. Not great. Also, temperature is crucial! Most of us in the western world are brought up thinking that all we need to do to make a cup of tea is heat water, add tea, wait a few minutes, then drink it. Although this is basically true, paying attention to the water temperature will help get the best flavor from your tea. Chances are you’ve wondered why your tea doesn’t always taste great or doesn't even taste the same from day to day. While this could be caused by several factors, water temperature is an important one to consider. Every type of tea has a “right” temperature. When tea is brewed, tannins, amino acids, aroma and flavor compounds are released from the leaves. Some kinds of tea require less heat, while others need more to maximize their distinctive attributes. Brewing at the optimal water temperature for each kind of tea allows the compounds to be released in a balanced way and leads to great tasting tea. Water temperatures that are too hot dissolve tannins and destroy the other desirable compounds in tea. Thermal shock from overly hot water can also burn sensitive tea leaves. The result will be a bitter, astringent, and unbalanced brew. At the opposite end of the spectrum, you also don’t want the water temperature for brewing tea to be too cool. The same compounds that are destroyed with over-heated water won't dissolve properly in under-heated water. The finished tea will definitely lack balance and simply won't have as much taste. A longer steeping time may compensate, but only a bit. Here are some general guidelines for the different categories of tea. White teas: 160–185°F (71–85°C) Yellow teas: 175°F (79°C) Green teas: 140–190°F (60–88°C) Oolong teas: 180–200°F (82–93°C) Black teas: 190–200°F (88–93°C) Pu'er teas: 200–212°F (93–100°C) Rolled oolongs and other teas in pearl form are notable exceptions to the guidelines. These not only withstand, but are best when brewed in water near boiling. For these, more heat is required to slowly unfurl the leaves and release their distinctive aroma and flavor compounds. You’ve probably heard the expression “a watched pot never boils.” Well, in order to judge the temperature of the water for tea using your ears and eyes, you have to watch the pot—and certainly remember to never boil the water. So maybe the adage should be changed to “watch the pot so it never boils.” When using your senses to gauge the temperature, you’ll need to pay attention to the bubbles and steam rising from the water while listening for different sounds. These change during three different stages of heating water. If using a saucepan you’ll be able to see as well as hear the changes. If you’re using a kettle then you’ll need to rely mostly on sound, although you might also see some steam escaping through the spout. But I digress. Whether you're a field hand and dairy farmer in Petaluma, or a big shot corporate suit from San Francisco, this tea ball infuser is a MUST for your tea drinking needs. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Love the setea infusers, they do their job exactly perfectly. And they’re brilliantly designed. They’re the perfect length and weight to sit on top of your tea cup while you fill it. The twist is smooth enough to easily turn to open. The ball itself is a good size - assuming you’re using the right amount of loose tea, there’s lots of room in there for the tea to move and swish about. The mesh is fine enough to allow for a good strong brew without any “bits” escaping and floating in your tea, and they stir the honey in too, saving a teaspoon a job. They don’t seem to drip too much if you give them a little shake on removing from the cup. They’re really easy to clean, the tea falls right into the compost and easily rinses free of bits. I also love that they’re really simple to store and don’t have bits that can fall off or go missing

I have bought multiple of these: for myself, for my office, and for gifts. This is the best Tea Infuser I've ever used, and I strongly recommend it to everyone who wants an answer for a single cup of tea. The mesh strainer is fine, and the gaps between the two sides are small. There is usually a small amount of tea residue at the bottom of my cup, but nothing unreasonable or unpleasant. The mesh cup being usable as a spoon to dish the tea is ingenious, and makes the entire process of prepping a cup of tea a breeze, and the tea being at the end of the stick allows me to stir the tea. Cleaning is simple and quick, and without multiple parts I never have to look around for a cap. I've been using them for over a year almost every day, and all 3 of them I own are working just great.

I thought this wouldn't work as well as I had hoped because the holes are small and parts of the tea I purchased are relatively large, but it works perfectly! I had tried an old-fashioned tea ball first because the holes in that are larger than in this tea infuser but some of the tea came out of the old-fashioned tea ball even though it remained closed. I decided to try this one; even though the holes in it look too small to work with the tea I purchased, it works GREAT!! The twist-to-open-and-close feature also works great! I expected to have to do more than open it and turn it upside down over my garbage can, but it ALL came out of the infuser! I think this is the most perfect tea infuser I've ever tried!

I recently decided to upgrade my tea game and stumbled upon the OXO BREW Twisting Tea Ball Infuser. Let me tell you, this thing is the Gandalf of tea infusers. It may not wield a staff or battle Balrogs, but it certainly commands respect in the realm of tea. First of all, the twisting mechanism is pure magic. No more wrestling with flimsy, breakable tea balls that refuse to stay closed. One twist, and it’s sealed tighter than Fort Knox. I half expected a tiny voice to declare, “You shall not pass!” to any stray tea leaves. Using this tea ball is like having a tiny wizard conjuring the perfect brew. The mesh is so fine, it keeps even the smallest tea leaves from escaping into your cup. It’s like having a bouncer at the door of my tea party, and only the pure, flavorful essence of the tea gets in. And cleaning? A breeze. A simple twist, and the spent leaves are out, ready to be composted or thrown at annoying neighbors (just kidding…maybe). A quick rinse, and it’s ready for the next potion, I mean, cup of tea.

I bought this hoping to replace the little screw top tea infusers I have because the chain sometimes falls into the tea and the little canisters are hard to clean out. I'm so glad I did! This one is sturdy and cleanup is easier than ever. I highly recommend!

I just thought this was another loose tea steeper gadget. I didn't think through that Oxo really improved on a classic design (like they do with many of their products). First, it's also a scoop so you don't need a spoon to get your tea out of the bag. Second, the handle twists to open/close the ball, so you can do that all right in your bag of loose tea without spilling any anywhere. Finally, while steeping, you can use it like a spoon to swirl your milk or sugar around. Then getting rid of the wet tea leaves is as easy as twisting the handle to open and banging it gently to get the tea out. It doesn't seem like much, but it prevents me from dirtying another spoon and having to work to get the soggy leaves out. I've now bought another for work!

Great idea, poor design. I haven't had a cup of tea yet that has not had loose leaves fall out of the tea ball.

This is a lifechanging product, truly, I have told everyone I know to buy it. Makes loose leaf tea so easy to do now

Muy buen producto, lo he comprado un par de veces, para mi y para regalar. El precio varia mucho de un día para otro

Funciona genial. El hecho de que sea así te permite usarlo de cucharilla para remover. Calidad excelente

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Eeally like it