Top 5 compared
The best tea infusers
Loose-leaf tea in an ordinary mug, with no leaves in the last sip.
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The top 5 at a glance
An infuser does the job of a tea bag with room to spare. Loose leaves swell as they steep, and a roomy basket in the mug gives them space to open fully. When the tea’s ready, you lift the whole thing out and the leaves come with it, so a second cup is as clean as the first. A tea ball on a chain is smaller, but drops into water bottles and travel mugs where a basket won’t go.
Every infuser here holds back small leaves like rooibos with fine stainless steel mesh or etched holes, and the baskets all go in the dishwasher. The baskets come with lids that hold the heat in while the tea steeps, and some turn over afterward to catch the drips.
What matters
- Handles or a rim wide enough to sit on your mug.
- A deep basket, for tall mugs and teapots.
- All-steel construction, if you’d rather avoid plastic.
- A tea ball that screws shut rather than snaps.
#1Reinmoson Extra Fine Mesh Tea Ball Infuser
Under $10
One little ball for however you brew: hook it over the rim of a mug, drop it into a teapot, or slip it into a water bottle or travel mug where a basket won’t go. The 1.5 by 2.2 inch ball has a screw-on lid that won’t pop open mid-steep, a 4.3 inch chain with an S-hook, and fine holes that suit small-leaved teas such as rooibos and chai blends.
What owners say: Owners say it keeps every leaf inside, cleans easily and comes through the dishwasher fine, and one ball holds enough tea for a big pot as well as a mug. The screw lid stays securely shut.
A closer look: Fill it only about halfway, since the leaves swell and need room to move. The little saucer gives it somewhere to sit after steeping instead of dripping on the counter. Between pots of tea it doubles as a spice ball, hooked over the side of a pan of soup or stew.
- Lid won’t pop open mid-steep
- 4.3 in chain with S-hook
- Doubles as a spice ball
- Suits rooibos and chai blends
- Fill it about halfway
Best for: Mugs, teapots and bottles alike
- Style
- Screw-top ball on chain
- Material
- 304 stainless steel
- Mesh
- Ultra-fine holes
- In the box
- Ball, saucer
- Fits
- Mugs, teapots, bottles
#2OXO Brew Tea Strainer Basket
$10–$20
A large stainless steel basket that sits deep in a mug, so the leaves have room to open, with an etched hole pattern that holds back even fine particles. The lid keeps the heat in while it steeps, then turns over as a drip tray, and silicone touchpoints stay cool.
What owners say: Owners call it the best infuser they’ve used: sturdy, easy to clean, dishwasher included, and good with loose leaf in mugs and cups. Its size divides them, right for coffee mugs but too big for some, and so does its durability, as some had it fall apart.
A closer look: It rests on the mug’s rim, so check the opening is wide enough for the basket to drop in but not so wide that it slips through; that keeps the mesh well under the water. A heaped teaspoon of leaves per cup is a sensible start. Afterward, tap the leaves into the compost and rinse it, or let the dishwasher do a deeper clean.
- Sits deep in the mug
- Lid doubles as drip tray
- Cool-touch silicone grips
Best for: Big-leaf teas in a deep mug
- Style
- Basket with lid
- Material
- Stainless steel, silicone
- Mesh
- Etched fine holes
- In the box
- Basket, lid
- Fits
- Mugs, teapots
#3Ohtomber Fine Mesh Tea Infuser Basket
Under $10
A big basket: it holds more than a tea ball, so chunky fruit teas and maté have room to move, while the extra-fine mesh keeps in the powdery bits of Japanese green teas. Two handles hang it across mugs, cups and teapots of different widths.
What owners say: Owners say it cleans easily, fits most mugs, 11 oz travel mugs included, and takes as much or as little tea as they want while filtering it well. Durability divides them: some find it holds up, others had it come apart.
A closer look: Grip it by the handles, not the basket, when lifting it from a just-boiled mug, and give it a few seconds over the cup to drain before it goes on the lid. It packs small too, so a second one can live in a desk drawer at work or in a travel bag for hotel-room tea.
- Room for chunky fruit teas
- Two handles across the rim
- Lid doubles as drip tray
- Packs small for travel
Best for: Fruit teas, maté and Japanese greens
- Style
- Basket with lid
- Material
- 304 steel, silicone tips
- Mesh
- Extra-fine mesh
- In the box
- Basket, lid
- Fits
- Mugs, cups, teapots
#4Yoassi Extra Fine Double-Handle Tea Infuser
Under $10
Yoassi makes it entirely of 18/8 stainless steel, so there’s no plastic in the hot water, and its two long handles span 5 inches to sit firmly on a big mug instead of sinking or floating. The roomy basket stands 3 inches high under a sturdy lid, and the extra-fine holes hold back rooibos and green teas.
What owners say: Owners like the all-metal build, how easily it cleans and how well it works in teapots as well as mugs, with loose leaf and powdered teas alike. Many expect it to last for years, though some had the bottom come away from the basket.
A closer look: Those wide handles suit big mugs and teapots best, which is where the roomy basket earns its keep. Lift it straight up by both handles so it doesn’t drip down the side, and every so often brush the mesh under running water so the fine holes stay clear.
- No plastic in the water
- 5 in across the handles
- Basket stands 3 in high
- Lid keeps the steam in
Best for: Loose leaf without any plastic
- Style
- Basket with lid
- Material
- 18/8 stainless steel
- Mesh
- Extra-fine holes
- In the box
- Basket, lid
- Fits
- Mugs, cups, teapots
#5Finum Brewing Basket, Large
$10–$20
Finum sets its stainless steel micro-mesh in a heat-tolerant, BPA-free frame, and the large basket is slim and deep enough to reach well down into a tall mug or a teapot. Its lid holds the warmth in while the tea brews, and once the basket comes out it flips over to take the drips.
What owners say: Owners count it among the best teaware they own, above all with good loose teas: the leaves have room to expand and fine particles stay out of the cup. It fits mugs of every size and small pots, and it cleans easily.
A closer look: The large size is the one for deep mugs and teapots; Finum’s medium basket is the better fit for small mugs. Lift it out when the tea is ready and knock the leaves out once they’ve cooled a little. Coffee drinkers can use it the same way to steep grounds for a single mug.
- Lid flips over for drips
- Steeps coffee grounds too
- Stands 3.74 in tall
Best for: Tall mugs and coffee grounds
- Style
- Basket with lid
- Material
- Steel mesh, BPA-free frame
- Mesh
- Micro-mesh
- In the box
- Basket, lid
- Fits
- Deep mugs, teapots
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Reinmoson ball | #2OXO basket | #3Ohtomber basket | #4Yoassi basket | #5Finum basket L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best basket | Best budget | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 9.3 |
| Price | Under $10 | $10–$20 | Under $10 | Under $10 | $10–$20 |
| Style | Screw-top ball on chain | Basket with lid | Basket with lid | Basket with lid | Basket with lid |
| Material | 304 stainless steel | Stainless steel, silicone | 304 steel, silicone tips | 18/8 stainless steel | Steel mesh, BPA-free frame |
| Mesh | Ultra-fine holes | Etched fine holes | Extra-fine mesh | Extra-fine holes | Micro-mesh |
| In the box | Ball, saucer | Basket, lid | Basket, lid | Basket, lid | Basket, lid |
| Fits | Mugs, teapots, bottles | Mugs, teapots | Mugs, cups, teapots | Mugs, cups, teapots | Deep mugs, teapots |
| Best for | Mugs, teapots and bottles alike | Big-leaf teas in a deep mug | Fruit teas, maté and Japanese greens | Loose leaf without any plastic | Tall mugs and coffee grounds |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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