Best Single-Cup Strainers? (recommendations please)

The Bodum Tea for One worked very well. It successfully filtered out some fine particles from a tea that probably got crushed a bit in shipping, and the nylon mesh filter did not contribute to the taste at all. It was a delicate white tea flavored with orange peel and ginger, and I am sure I would have noticed any “off” taste.

I mostly use a stainless steel ForLife brew basket, and am very happy with it. http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew—-Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344637850&sr=8-2

I suppose I’d also point out that the Finum baskets tend to be the least expensive of the other most popular infusers. (i.e. you can buy more of them, and replace them more often if need-be).

The one I use I got a long time ago from a local kitchenware shop. It works well for fine teas as well as the huge leaf white teas. It works for a few different cup and mug sizes. It is stainless and while it is stained with tea, I don’t notice any impact on flavors of even delicate teas.

Fantes.com has it listed a stainless mesh infuser/strainer for mugs. Almost exactly like the one ChrisG linked at Amazon except that mine has stars and moons cut out around the top. :)

I just bought a HERBALTEC laser mesh strainer. It is stainless steel, and the strainer is fine enough to use with rooibos. It fits in most regular sized cups, mugs and pots. There is a large rim so as not to burn your fingers when removing it from the cup. I bought it at my local tea shop, but here is the same one: http://www.amazon.com/Tea-Services-Herbaltec-Tea-Cup-Strainer/dp/B004T8FC1Q

i agree with the davids tea perfect mug. i love it and it keeps everythjng nice and orderly. also doesnt transfer the smell /taste of past teas.

I use the Forlife stainless steel at home, a polymer nylon mesh at work (I think there was no BPA in there) – both since about 6 months. Before that I used a few tea-balls both in metal or tea-spoon in silicon. I was not very satisfied because those were too small to allow the leaves to unfurl, especially for full leaves teas, and also let a lot go through the holes, especially with rooibos. The tea-spoon in silicon was a very bad buy, a nice-looking idea that was quite expensive, did not work out or fulfill its promises of convenience and got broken after a few usage only.

The polymer nylon mesh is very tight and thus perfect for rooibos, as the small needles almost never manage to go through it. It however has a flaw: it requires washing and not just my usual quick rinsing if I want to drink a “delicate” tea after a very fragrant one. One day I put it in my cup, filled it with hot water as I wanted the water to cool before adding the tea. The empty and rinsed mesh (with no remaining bits of pieces of tea) made the water turn golden. It took me a few months to notice it with heavy usage. I’m relatively satisfied about it but had I known about its defaults, I might not have bought it. If it ever gets damaged, lost or stolen, I’ll replace it with the following. I would also not recommend this kind of strainer for people who brew lapsang or pu-erh, as well as other “lighter” teas.

The ForLife strainer has slightly bigger holes than the nylon mesh and does not prevent all rooibos needles to swim in the cup or teapot, although it’s much finer than those from other more expensive brands like WMF (and others I looked at but did not pick as they were not adapted for rooibos) and much better than most strainers advertised as having very fine holes. It does not keep any taste and never needs anything more than a quick rinse. I only would like more if the handle could be a bit longer as it can get hot. It’s highly versatile, as I mostly use it in my teapot, but know people who only use it in mugs. I highly recommend this strainer.

I use the Cha Cult stainless steel strainers. Fit on virtually every cup or mug and have very fine holes.