Choosing a tea pincer: the essential accessory for tea infusion

The tea pincer is an accessory used for loose tea and comes in two forms:

• A tea ball with handle: The strainer is a globe-shaped grid.
• A closed tea spoon.

In both cases, the product allows you to scoop the tea directly from the box or packaging and infuse it in your cup or mug. Tea pincers are very often made of stainless steel.

Tea pincer: how to make your choice?

A good tea infuser is generally removable, must be suitable for your container, and should be made of stainless steel to avoid altering the water's taste. Two other important criteria when choosing your tea pincer are: the size of the pincer and the size of the holes.

Check the size of the tea pincer

Tea pincers must be large enough to let the tea infuse properly. Loose tea leaves are dehydrated and their volume will increase by about 20% during infusion in water. Your tea pincer must have sufficient capacity to allow the leaves to unfold and obtain the full potential of your beverage. Tea balls with handles can come in several sizes, so it's important to choose one that is suitable.

If you consume a large quantity 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 might destabilize small cups.

Check the strainer and holes of the tea pincer

When drinking your tea, it's not pleasant to swallow tea leaves as well. You must therefore check that the strainer of the tea ball with handle or the holes of the closed spoon don't let them through when you infuse your drink.
Your tea ball with handle must both be an infuser and a filter. The smaller the holes on your product, the better it will act as a filter. During use, you must pay attention to the junction and avoid tea leaves getting stuck and potentially escaping.

Tea pincer: what are the advantages and disadvantages of this accessory?

Tea pincers are very practical accessories and affordable in terms of price. It's a readily available product that you can find in stock in stores or online. Tea pincers 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 doesn't allow proper tea infusion. However, tea pincers are relatively sturdy products and above all, easy to maintain and don't take up space. You can easily use them at home or at the office as infusers.

To learn more, you can read our articles about:

• tea ball
• cup strainer
• filter bags