Guide · Tea
The best tea infusers for loose leaf tea in the UK
Basket, ball, mug, teapot and gravity infusers for loose leaf tea compared on design and UK price, with every price checked 3 Oct 2026.
The best tea infuser in the UK for you depends on how you drink loose leaf: one mug at a time, a pot for the table, or a cup at your desk. We’ve compared the main types (baskets, balls, infuser mugs, teapots and gravity steepers) with picks from UK tea shops, and every price was checked on 3 Oct 2026. We haven’t tested this in person. Our picks are based on the retailers’ own product details and prices. Read how we compare.
If you’re still choosing the tea itself, our tea comparison page covers loose leaf alongside bags.
Types of tea infuser, and which suits whom
- Baskets sit in the top of a mug or pot and give leaves room to open up. They’re the most versatile type.
- Balls and globes are small mesh spheres on a chain or handle. They’re cheap and compact but give leaves less space, so you only half-fill them.
- Infuser mugs have a built-in basket and a lid, which suits desks.
- Teapots with infusers brew two to three cups at once and let you lift the leaves out so the pot doesn’t stew.
- Gravity steepers brew in a separate chamber, then drain into your mug when you sit them on top.
- Paper filters and sacs are single-use, useful for travel or as a gift add-on.
Mesh size matters. Fine teas such as rooibos can slip through coarse holes; Bird & Blend says both its basket infuser and its Brewdini steeper keep rooibos out of your cup.
The best tea infuser baskets
Whittard Mug Infuser. £10.95 at Whittard, checked 3 Oct 2026. A fine stainless steel basket with silicone handles that rest on most mugs, and a silicone lid that flips over to become a drip tray. See it at Whittard
Bird & Blend Loose Leaf Tea Infuser. £10.00 at Bird & Blend, checked 3 Oct 2026. A stainless steel basket for mugs, cups and pots, whose lid doubles as a saucer for the used infuser. See it at Bird & Blend
Who it isn’t for: anyone with very wide or very narrow mugs. Check the basket will sit securely on the rim.
Budget pick: a mesh ball
Whittard Teatime Infuser. £6.95 at Whittard, checked 3 Oct 2026. A stainless steel mesh globe that you half-fill, with a small teapot-shaped handle that doubles as a stand. See it at Whittard
For the absolute cheapest option, a plain strainer will do: the Morrisons Tea Strainer was £2.50 at Morrisons, checked 3 Oct 2026. See it at Morrisons
Who it isn’t for: anyone brewing big-leaf teas for a full mug. A ball cramps the leaves.
The best tea infuser mugs
Bird & Blend Tea Infuser Mug With Lid. £22.00 at Bird & Blend, checked 3 Oct 2026. A large stainless steel basket, with a lid that becomes a saucer for the infuser once your tea is ready. See it at Bird & Blend
Whittard Glass Pao Infuser Mug. £24.95 at Whittard (black), checked 3 Oct 2026. Borosilicate glass with a stainless steel infuser and a silicone-rimmed lid that doubles as a drip tray. See it at Whittard
Who it isn’t for: anyone who already has a favourite mug. A basket infuser costs less than half as much.
The best teapots with infusers
Whittard Pimlico Glass Teapot with Infuser. £30.00 at Whittard, checked 3 Oct 2026. A 600ml borosilicate glass pot, which Whittard says makes three generous cups, with a removable stainless steel infuser and a spring filter at the spout. See it at Whittard
Ingenuitea Teapot 470ml. £25.50 at Barista Shop, checked 3 Oct 2026. You steep the leaves, then sit the pot on your cup and a valve at the bottom releases the tea through a mesh filter. Barista Shop says it fits cups up to 95mm across and is dishwasher safe. See it at Barista Shop
Bodum Assam Tea Press (1.5L). £39.99 at Barista Shop, checked 3 Oct 2026; the 0.5L size was out of stock. It works like a cafetière: press the plunger and brewing stops. See it at Barista Shop
Who it isn’t for: anyone who only ever makes one cup. A basket is simpler to clean.
Gravity steepers and disposable filters
Bird & Blend Brewdini Gravity Steeper. £20.00 for 450ml or £30.00 for 850ml at Bird & Blend, checked 3 Oct 2026. You brew in the chamber, then place it on your mug and it drains through an ultra-fine mesh. See it at Bird & Blend
Finum Tea Filter Slim (100). £7.99 at Barista Shop, checked 3 Oct 2026. Bleached disposable paper filters that you can fold shut into a makeshift tea bag. See them at Barista Shop
Bird & Blend Tea Infuser Sacs (50). £8.25 at Bird & Blend, checked 3 Oct 2026. Biodegradable single-use sacs, handy if you’re giving loose tea as a gift. The 10-pack was out of stock. See them at Bird & Blend
Who it isn’t for: anyone wanting to cut waste. A reusable steel infuser avoids buying filters.
Cleaning and care
- Tip out the leaves straight after brewing; wet leaves are easier to shift than dried ones.
- Check each product’s care details. Barista Shop lists the Ingenuitea as dishwasher safe; for glass pots and mugs, follow the retailer’s instructions.
- Tea leaves can go in your food waste bin, depending on your council.
Downsides
- Fine leaves escape coarse mesh. Go for a fine basket or a steeper for rooibos.
- Glass needs care. Whittard describes its borosilicate glass as heat-resistant, but glass can still break if dropped.
- Stock varies. Several sizes and colours were out of stock when we checked.
Where to go next
- Picking a loose leaf blend? Our guide to the best English Breakfast tea includes loose options.
- Brewing rooibos? See the best rooibos tea.
- Need a kettle to match? See our kettles guide.
FAQ
What’s the best type of tea infuser? For most people, a basket infuser that sits in the mug, such as the Whittard Mug Infuser (£10.95 at Whittard, checked 3 Oct 2026). It gives leaves room and works with pots too.
Are tea infuser balls any good? They’re cheap and compact, but they give leaves less room. Whittard advises half-filling its Teatime Infuser.
Can you use an infuser for rooibos? Yes, if the mesh is fine. Bird & Blend says its basket and Brewdini steeper stop rooibos getting through.