Tea lovers will tell you, preparing a good cup of tea comes down to the quality of the accessories. The steeping of your drink depends in particular on the quality of the infuser.
Several tea filters exist: tea balls, strainers, filter bags and tea clips. How do you choose your tea clip? Here is our advice.
Discover the tea clip
Tea clip: what are its characteristics?
The tea clip is an accessory used for loose leaf teas and it can come in two forms:
- A handled tea ball: The strainer is a globe-shaped mesh.
- A closed tea spoon.
In both cases, the product allows you to scoop the tea directly from the tin or from the packaging and steep it in your cup or mug. Tea clips are very often made of stainless steel.
Tea clip: how to make your choice?
A good tea infuser is generally removable, it must be suited to your vessel, and be made of stainless steel so as not to alter the taste of the water. Two other criteria will be important when choosing your tea clip: the size of the clip and the size of the holes.
Check the size of the tea clip
Tea clips must have a sufficient size to let the teas steep properly. Loose tea leaves and loose leaf tea are dried and their volume will increase by approximately 20% during steeping in water. Your tea clip must have a satisfactory capacity to allow the leaves to unfurl and get the full potential from your drink. Tea balls with a handle can come in several sizes, so it is important to choose one that is suitable.
If you consume a large amount of tea, this product is not suitable for the teapot. It will be much more practical for individual use in a cup or mug. However, be careful as the tea ball with a handle may destabilize small cups.
Check the strainer and the holes of the tea clip
When you drink your tea, it is not pleasant to also swallow the tea leaves. You must therefore check that the strainer of the handled tea ball or the holes of the closed spoon do not let them through when you steep your drink.
Your handled tea ball must act as both an infuser and a filter. The smaller the holes on your product, the more it will fulfil this filtering role. When using it, you must pay attention to the joint and prevent tea leaves from getting caught and escaping.
Tea clip: what are the advantages and disadvantages of this accessory?
Tea clips are very practical and affordable accessories in terms of price. They are an easily available product that you can find in stock in stores or online. Tea clips are often made of stainless steel, unlike other types of infusers that you can find in silicone, glass, etc.
Many consider that the size is often too small and does not allow the tea to steep properly. On the other hand, tea clips are relatively sturdy products and above all, easy to maintain and do not take up much space. You can easily use them at home or at the office as infusers.