Gourd tea strainer / any decent tea strainer

[R-James]

I'm sick of drinking tea with bits in it, basically the clue is in the question, where can I get a decent and cheap strainer.


Nothing fancy just something that works

[thirdeye]

This is what I use when I make my tea.

[R-James]

I'm seeing nothing ray

[thirdeye]

HERE (http://www.inpursuitoftea.com/Easy_Steep_Cup_p/xc010.htm)

Hit the wrong damn button...It's early and it's Monday...LOL

[SepticTank]

I'm sick of drinking tea with bits in it, basically the clue is in the question, where can I get a decent and cheap strainer.

I use a cafetiere and have bit-free tea...

[ouch]

Stainless steel, $2-$3 at any Asian market. Pick one to fit your cup.

[Suzuki]

Stainless steel, $2-$3 at any Asian market. Pick one to fit your cup.

What he said.

I like the baskets - in particular one that is made of perforated metal instead of mesh - both more durable and functional than the mesh.

Here's one I really like - its designed to clip onto the edge of any cup and it even comes with its own saucer - about $10, so a little more money, but works better than the cheapies.

http://www.forlifedesign.com/infusers-strainers/398-color.html

[ouch]

That's really cute, but how do you hook them onto the little 5ml cups everyone seems to be using? :lol:

[Wisdom]

When I travel and don't feel like packing a nice Teapot, I use Three Styrofoam Cups to strain tea.

I poke small holes in the bottom of one with either a fork or the plastic coffee stirrers you find in any breakroom. I then add the tea leaves to this cup, place it inside another cup, and add hot water.. when it has steeped long enough, I lift the cup with the holes and the tea strains out into the other cup. When it is done straining, I place the strainer cup in to another empty cup so it doesn't get water all over everything.

Cheap, simple, ubiquitous.. to be honest, it makes lousy / barely passable tea, but it gets the job done.
-\Visdom

[desmoface]

I got's this one
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41B28T0ZJGL._SS500_.jpg
http://www.amazon.com/swissgold%C2%AE-TF-300-Tea-Filter/dp/B000G72D70/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1222717982&sr=1-1

Works pretty good.

Steve

[Scotto]

Hmmm, sediment actually doesn't bother me. I think it is part of the character of the tea. Must be a carryover from all those French Presses of coffee. I don't use a strainer.

[ouch]

Sediment is fine by me as well. Reminds me of a good wine.

One of your wife's stockings will do a good job in a pinch, but at the risk of her thinking that she's become incontinent. :001_rolle

[Proinsias]

I've got a few of these lying around:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stainless-Steel-Double-layer-Fine-Mesh-Tea-Strainer_W0QQitemZ280208987902QQihZ018QQcategoryZ1 238QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

They've always done a grand job when needed. I don't tend to use strainers very often these days, I brew green tea in an open glass jug so it's fairly necessary for that or if it's particularly dusty tea liu bao or very small leaf aged pu springs to mind.

I think Scott usually chucks in a free one if you buy a pot.

[Hobbesoxon]

Maybe one of you can tell me the reason why, but I can't abide metal. I really dislike it. Cutlery to eat dinner and a wedding ring are pretty much it for me - I even use a wooden-backed wristwatch. Using a pu'er knife I try to avoid, and a metal strainer for tea is a real no-go. I buy a bunch of $2 "hulu" gourd-filters (i.e., filters carved out of gourd fruits) from Yunnan Sourcing every now and again. I like a clean tea, it's a good indicator of decent processing I think.

Amusingly enough, the UK Jing business sells $2 hulu for £12 sterling. Ho ho ho.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

[Proinsias]

How do you boil your water?

[Doc4]

Here's the deluxe version ... http://shopstashtea.com/700082.html

You can get a cheap-o at any dollar store.

[TacoBell]

Maybe one of you can tell me the reason why, but I can't abide metal. I really dislike it. Cutlery to eat dinner and a wedding ring are pretty much it for me

Bamboo razors? Something I have missed?

[Proinsias]

Maybe one of you can tell me the reason why, but I can't abide metal. I really dislike it.

That's the silver tetsubin crossed off the christmas list then.

[ouch]

That's the silver tetsubin crossed off the christmas list then.

:lol::lol::lol:

[Hobbesoxon]

True, I do use a Vision + Feathers (fear me). Last time I checked, they were metallic!

I think I could *cough* probably put up with silver *cough*. :ihih:


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

P.s. For boiling water I'm currently using a "Kamjove" I picked up in Chengdu, but which DTH have started selling (link here (http://cgi.ebay.com/Temperature-Adjustable-Induction-Cooker-220V-0-6L-800w_W0QQitemZ280208995413QQihZ018QQcategoryZ13370 5QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem)). I've used it for years and it's still going strong, just don't use the temperature-control because it's woefully inaccurate. I just take the kettle off the hotplate when the water is getting frisky (before a real full-boil).

The clear downside to this otherwise great system is the cooling fan under the hotplate, which really messes up a nice tea atmosphere. For that reason, it is our intention to buy a spirit-burner-and-clay-kettle arrangement, but I don't want to buy one over the internet, and we're waiting for our next China trip to find a decent one. Given that we will have to use it for every single tea-session, we want to get it right, and internet purchases are so random in their results.

I looked around for silent hotplates once, but couldn't find anything. I also considered removing the fan from the Kamjove (or at least disconnecting it), but figured that Mainland Chinese electronics probably wouldn't withstand much tampering...

[Ltltony]

These are kind of nice

http://www.strandtea.com/shop/images/uploads/teatiger(1).jpg

http://www.strandtea.com/shop/tea-tiger/prod_5.html

[TacoBell]

HERE (http://www.inpursuitoftea.com/Easy_Steep_Cup_p/xc010.htm)

Hit the wrong damn button...It's early and it's Monday...LOL

Ray

Good to see we not only have the same (impeccable) taste in vintage gillette razors and blades, but in tea strainers as well.

Here is a link to our favorite tea pot:

http://piaoiteapot.com/

[ouch]

I had a teapot modeled after Joel's avatar.
http://images.goemerchant.net/StoreData/n/necessiteas/Images/P10_T21_1.jpg

[Proinsias]

Very nice but what we really need to know in this thread is what kind of strainer it has; one hole, multi hole, ball filter?

[ouch]

:lol:
Ball filters would be the least likely to clog, but multi holes work just fine.

[Proinsias]

But which one does your lovely pot posses?

I'm all for having fun but what's the world coming to when one can just drop in pictures of lovely pots during a discussion on strainers and not bother mentioning the strainer?

[ouch]

That pot isn't mine, but I believe it's a multi hole.

[Proinsias]

*sarcastic pedant relaxes*

[ouch]

*sarcastic pedant relaxes*

If I didn't know better, I'd think you were begging for a custom title. :lol:

[Proinsias]

might help clear up future misunderstanding

[expatCanuck]

Maybe one of you can tell me the reason why, but I can't abide metal. I really dislike it.

Perhaps something like this (http://cgi.ebay.com/Kombucha-Scoby-4-Plastic-Strainer-Set-Instruction-link_W0QQitemZ320301054573QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item 320301054573), then?

[Poulin]

These are kind of nice

http://www.strandtea.com/shop/images/uploads/teatiger(1).jpg

http://www.strandtea.com/shop/tea-tiger/prod_5.html

My wife and I each have one of these. VERY handy when travelling and not wanting to drink the "tea" that is free in the hotel room in the morning. I love these. I've seen glass ones for sale from a tea merchant I have dealt with in China.

[Poulin]

The strainer is a metal screen. I wish I had my camera here.... my wife took it this week to go visit family out of town. I would've been happy to post pics.

If you like loose tea these are very handy to have.

[Hobbesoxon]

Perhaps something like this (http://cgi.ebay.com/Kombucha-Scoby-4-Plastic-Strainer-Set-Instruction-link_W0QQitemZ320301054573QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item 320301054573), then?

Hmm, a bit plastic-y!

We started off using these hulu (gourd filters):

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t24/HobbesOxon/Volume2/1997-Xizihao-Yiwu-02b.jpg

but they become blocked too easily, so we're now using a charming muslin filter from Yunnan Sourcing:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/teefanatiker/strainers/clay_strainer_grey.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/teefanatiker/strainers/clay_strainer_grey1.jpg

I like the ceramic nature of it and the wide brim, because it allows you to pour the tea around it such that it cools down nicely before drinking. It's slowly turning a rich, brown colour as the tea deposits collect...


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

[expatCanuck]

Hmm, a bit plastic-y!
You're starting to remind me of Goldilocks.
This one is too metallic.
That one is too plastic-y ...
:biggrin: