PDF download Download Article PDF download Download Article

A tea infuser is small device used to brew loose leaf tea. Rather than using prepackaged tea bags, tea infusers allow you to use fresher, higher quality tea, or even create your own blends. Tea infusers are simple to use. By preparing your infuser, and then carefully making tea, you can enjoy a perfectly brewed beverage in the comfort of your home.

Steeping Loose Leaf Tea with a Tea Infuser

  1. Fill your tea infuser with 1 to 3 tsp. (4.8-14.7 ml) of loose leaf tea.
  2. Set the tea infuser inside your mug.
  3. Boil water and pour it into the mug.
  4. Let your tea steep for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the type of tea.
  5. Take out the tea infuser and enjoy.
Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Filling Your Infuser

PDF download Download Article
  1. A tea infuser is a container used to steep loose leaf tea (taking the place of a traditional tea bag). All tea infusers have some place to hold the tea (a basket) and some kind of handle or cord. Select the infuser of your choice. Some common styles include:
    • Tea ball with chain
    • Tea ball with long handle
    • Tea strainer (that sits on the edge of a mug)
    • Novelty infusers shaped like robots, deep sea divers, or anything else.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Use a Tea Infuser
    Depending on the type of tea you are using, add 1-3 tsp. (4.8-14.7 ml) of loose leaf tea to your infuser. It is important not to overstuff the infuser, as this can cause tea leaves to spill out into your tea. Many loose leaf teas will include recommended measurements, but here are some general guidelines:
    • Green tea: 1-2 tsp. (4.8-9.8 ml)
    • White tea: 2-3 tsp. (9.8-14.7 ml)
    • Black tea: 1-2 tsp. (4.9-9.8 ml)
    Advertisement
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Use a Tea Infuser
    Once you have measured your loose leaf tea and placed it inside your tea infuser, simply place the infuser inside your mug. Affix your infuser to the edge of your mug, or allow the chain/handle to hang over the edge.
  4. Advertisement
Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Making Tea

PDF download Download Article
  1. In order to brew tea, you should always use freshly drawn, cold water. If you have access to filtered water, this is even better. You will need about 8 oz. (1 cup) of water for one cup of tea. Place your water in a kettle and heat it until boiling.
  2. Once the water has reached a boiling point, remove it from the heat. Use a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature of the water. If the water is too hot for the type of tea you are brewing, allow it to cool down for a few minutes and check it again. Once again, you can follow the instructions included with your tea, but here are some general guidelines:
    • White tea: 176-185 F (80-85 C)
    • Green tea (Japanese): 158-176 F (70-80 C)
    • Green tea (Chinese): 176-185 F (80-85 C)
    • Black tea: 203 degree F (95 C)
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Use a Tea Infuser
    Once your water reaches the appropriate temperature, and your infuser is in place, add the hot water to your mug. Then wait the specified length of time (you may want to set a timer). Follow the instructions included with your tea, or follow these guidelines:
    • White tea: 3 minutes
    • Green tea (Japanese): 1-2 minutes
    • Green tea (Chinese): 2-3 minutes
    • Black tea: 2-3 minutes
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Use a Tea Infuser
    After the steeping time is up, remove your infuser. If you are finished making tea, you can discard the tea leaves and rinse your infuser under warm water. Otherwise, you can reuse the tea for another cup. Simply increase the steep time by 1-2 minutes.[1]
    • If you compost food waste, you can add tea leaves to your compost pile.
  5. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How much loose tea do I need for two quarts of water?
    Dchungs
    Dchungs
    Community Answer
    To brew approximately 2 quarts (8 cups) of tea with loose tea leaves, measure 1/4 cup tea leaves into your infuser. If would like to make iced tea, pour 4 cups of hot water first and steep (length of time depends on type of tea and taste preference), and then pour the tea over a pitcher with ice.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement

Tips

Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 59,522 times.
3 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 4
Updated: March 19, 2024
Views: 59,522
Categories: Tea
Article SummaryX

To use a tea infuser, start by putting 1 to 2 teaspoons of loose tea into the infuser. Then, place the infuser in your mug and pour hot water over it. Next, wait 2 minutes for the tea to steep before removing the infuser from the mug. Finally, discard the tea and rinse out the infuser. Alternatively, reuse the tea leaves to make another cup by steeping it in the hot water for an extra couple of minutes. For tips on how to heat your water to the right temperature based on the type of tea you’re preparing, read on!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 59,522 times.

Did this article help you?

Advertisement