Tea filters and tea balls are two types of infusers. They allow you to steep your tea and are used in the same way — simply fill them with your tea leaves and place them in your teapot or cup.
When it comes to tea balls, you have plenty of choice: there are stainless steel tea balls, silicone tea balls, and stainless steel and silicone tea balls. There are also several shapes and sizes of tea balls to choose from depending on your habits and the flavour you are looking for.
The stainless steel tea ball
It is the most well-known and widely used model among tea balls — it is robust, durable and affordable. It is a practical and simple accessory to use, and very easy to clean as well.
The stainless steel tea ball consists of two stainless steel half-spheres with small holes, along with a clasp and a small chain that allows you to remove the ball from your cup without burning yourself once the tea has steeped. The ball opens into two half-spheres with a small lock to keep the tea leaves inside. The holes can be more or less small depending on the model.
For example, the spheres may feature a mesh with finer holes, which helps prevent residue at the bottom of your cup. This type is not very practical for large-leaf infusions or verbena herbal teas, as the leaves cannot fully absorb water to steep properly.
Stainless steel and silicone tea ball
This ball is made up of a stainless steel part, where the holes are more or less small to contain the tea leaves, and a long silicone stem to allow you to remove it from your cup without burning yourself. It is easy to fill and clean. There are very original and colourful models available. It sits nicely at the bottom of the cup to allow the tea to steep properly.
There are also fully silicone models, which help extend the product's durability, as silicone will not rust. The capacity of your ball may be limited, making it not very practical for large-leaf teas.
The large stainless steel tea ball
It is used in exactly the same way as the stainless steel ball, but it has a larger capacity of at least 7.5 cm in diameter. Steeping is more effective thanks to its diameter, which allows all the leaves to fully absorb water and steep properly. Very practical for preparing a large quantity of tea, it is also suitable for use in a teapot.
A tea ball can be a classic or slightly more original accessory. When it comes to originality, stainless steel and silicone tea balls come in a wide variety of designs.
To make the most of all the benefits of tea, choose one with a large enough diameter so that the tea leaves can fully absorb water for maximum infusion. If the diameter of the ball is too small, the tea leaves will not be able to open up properly to steep well.
Also pay attention to the size of the holes, as some that are too large may leave residue at the bottom of your cup. It remains an easy-to-carry accessory, ideal for individual preparations — and not just that, with the large tea ball you can also use it in a teapot.