Tuffy Tea Steeper- anyone ever use one of these? Opinion?
I probably should have asked this question before I bought one on eBay, but has anyone ever used this & care to share their opinion?
I got it specifically for travel, as I do not think it would be as good as my beloved Finum basket to use every day. But I really liked the idea that this was collapsible and looks to be almost indestructible if I just toss it in a suitcase or backpack.
I’ve never even heard of this, so I won’t be much help there. But it looks pretty neat. I’d be interested to hear what you think of it when it does arrive. I might pick one up myself.
Hmmmm, the holes on it look pretty large. I’d be interested to know how you like it. Keep us posted!
I think Rachel (iheart teas) had been skeptical but end up loving it….though I could be mis remembering that…just feel like this has come up before….hmmm
That looks like it would be great for travelling!! Maybe not great for rooibos or finer loose teas but great for oolongs and larger teas. I gotta try and find one……looks great
I am a little skeptical about this, especially because of the large holes. Keep us posted about it.
I have 3 of these and used them constantly when I first got into loose leaf. I stopped using them mainly because they take up so much space in the cup/mug, meaning that when I removed the steeper there was only half a cup of brewed tea in there. I don’t remember having any specific problems with the holes being too large, maybe with rooibos. It’s a bit of a pain to clean, but it is nice and small so it works good for traveling. We just went on a trip and I took little one-use paper filters that worked great – just take out and throw away, no cleaning. I think the paper filters let the flavors steep better. I can remember the first time I used a paper filter that the tea tasted so much stronger (and better) than using the tuffy steeper.
That is good to know- I have also wanted to use the paper filters, but I seem to have some kind of obsession with being able to see the tea while it is steeping. I love to see how the leaves are going to unfurl! I need to give that up and just use the filters :)
Okay- received the filter, tried it out over several days, with several types of teas. Here is the review, finally. I will list the pros and cons:
Pros:
- It folds flat
- It appears to be pretty sturdy.
- The holes are small enough to keep out most of the small particles, but large enough to get almost 100% drainage back into the cup. Not as good as a Finum basket in that aspect, but good enough.
- Cleaned easily, with just a rinsing with water.
Cons:
- It retains odors/ tastes.
- And that would include the odor it came with. Retailer obviously had some pleasant-smelling potpourri in the shop, which is permanently embedded in the steeper and adds an unpleasant taste to every cup of tea I make. Tea and potpourri do not mix well.
- It is very, very wide, so I could only use it in a very wide, relatively shallow mug. Otherwise it did not sit down inside most mugs deeply enough for the water to reach the tea inside the basket completely.
- Did I mention yet that it retains odors/tastes?
So, I would have to say it did not work out for me. The odor/flavor it came with is still not completely gone. On top of that, it has also taken on a bit of odor/flavor from every tea I have used so far. And the only mug I am able to use it with is almost like a soup mug, it is so wide & short. These two things make it rather limited in how I can use it, and so would not be really useful for travel (unless I took my own mug and only wanted to brew one kind of tea in it forever).
Yup I love them. Use them and offer them for purchase on my site www.iHeartTeas.com. However, I don’t use them for everything. I perfer finer filters for Rooibos and many herbal teas. They work great for everything other tea I steep. I hope that helps, good luck. :)
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