Disclaimer: Brand new tea baby here.
I am shopping for an infuser cup and see that many of them have a metal strainer and some a porcelain one. Is there a difference in how it effects the final brewed tea?
Thanks!
~Ironica
Jan 7th, '10, 11:19
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bsteele
Re: Infuser cup advice
Some may say they taste a difference from the metal... I'm not one of those persons 
I would go with the metal just because it's durable and I know that I smack my infuser basket around.
I would go with the metal just because it's durable and I know that I smack my infuser basket around.
Re: Infuser cup advice
I have not been able to sense a metal taste either, and much prefer them due to the finer holes. Also no worries of breakage. Plus if you get a nice big one, you can use it in most any cup. Great for travel. Infusers are a great way to begin your tea journey. 
Jan 7th, '10, 14:34
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Dreamer
Re: Infuser cup advice
Great question!
I have several metal infuser baskets...I use one daily in the morning to "decant" the tea from my PersonaliTea into a serving pot. It does not "do" anything to the tea that I can taste.
My two kyusu also both have metal filter screens. I've got one on the way that has a ceramic filter.
For Christmas I received a ceramic mug with a ceramic infuser and lid. The infuser has only a few small holes (larger than most metal infusers). I love it for "big" leaf tea. However, it does not work well with Japanese greens...it allows lots of smaller particles thru and the larger particles clog the holes and cause it to take way to long to drain. It was a disaster with kukicha...the stems completely clogged the few holes and it refused to drain. Also I'm guessing that it is not going to be too forgiving when it gets clunked against the lip of the cup.
The water comes to my faucet in metal pipes, I put it thru my Berkey filter and store it in a stainless reservoir, heat it in a stainless kettle...I don't think using a metal infuser basket is gonna change it much.
(Having said all that, I really don't want to heat, store, etc my hot tea in aluminum...too many questions about ingesting that "soft" metal for me to use it for hot tea.)
Hope this helps!
Dreamer
I have several metal infuser baskets...I use one daily in the morning to "decant" the tea from my PersonaliTea into a serving pot. It does not "do" anything to the tea that I can taste.
My two kyusu also both have metal filter screens. I've got one on the way that has a ceramic filter.
For Christmas I received a ceramic mug with a ceramic infuser and lid. The infuser has only a few small holes (larger than most metal infusers). I love it for "big" leaf tea. However, it does not work well with Japanese greens...it allows lots of smaller particles thru and the larger particles clog the holes and cause it to take way to long to drain. It was a disaster with kukicha...the stems completely clogged the few holes and it refused to drain. Also I'm guessing that it is not going to be too forgiving when it gets clunked against the lip of the cup.
The water comes to my faucet in metal pipes, I put it thru my Berkey filter and store it in a stainless reservoir, heat it in a stainless kettle...I don't think using a metal infuser basket is gonna change it much.
(Having said all that, I really don't want to heat, store, etc my hot tea in aluminum...too many questions about ingesting that "soft" metal for me to use it for hot tea.)
Hope this helps!
Dreamer