A tea strainer is of the utmost importance when making a fresh cup of tea. If by chance you don’t have one handy, then this article is for you.
Table of contents
What is a tea strainer
Tea strainers can be substituted with the two cup method, Gaiwan, sieves, kitchen roll, a slotted spoon, a fork, a tea infuser, and tea bags. All these options remove tea leaves from your tea, just like a strainer would.
A tea strainer is a kitchen utensil used to filter the tea leaves. It is simply placed on top of a cup or a teapot and you pour the tea through it.
The best thing is that it’s straightforward and quick to filter tea leaves, resulting in a smooth delicious cup of tea.
Tea is a delicious beverage but it starts to lose its appeal and rich taste if unfiltered. Taking a cup with particles of tea is uncomfortable and not the soothing experience you may be looking for with your tea.
Therefore, filtering is a practice that has been around since tea leaves have been used to make tea.
Now, let’s get into more detail. Here are several tea strainer alternatives that you can use if you do not own a strainer or whatever the reason.
Related: Coffee Filter Alternative
Two cup method
This is a simple filtering method that requires two cups and a mug.
After the tea is prepared, it is poured into a mug using another cup as a barrier to stop the tea leaves from flowing through into the mug.
This method can be cumbersome but gives you the desired results.
Sieve
Most families use the sieve method. This is a kitchen utensil that works just like a tea strainer. You simply place it on a cup or your teapot and pass your drink through it. It is a fast and efficient utensil to use hence its wide use.
Gaiwan
Gawain is a bowl with a lid. The lid holds and filters out tea; you have to put your tea into the bowl before pouring it into your cup. From there, pour your tea into the cup, and the bowl will filter out tea leaves. This bowl is popular in Chinese culture.
Kitchen roll
This is another interesting filtering method, and the kitchen roll is folded and placed on top of the cup. The prepared tea is poured through, and tea leaves collect on the roll. Cleansing the roll may be necessary to prevent paper taste in the filtered tea.
Slotted spoon
This is a special type of spoon used to hold the tea leaves back as tea is being poured into a cup. It’s not highly efficient, but it is a good option if none of the above are handy.
Slotted spoons are also great for use with boba tea (bubble tea).
Related: Can Boba be Refrigerated?
Tea infuser
The tea infuser has a basket where your tea leaves are held. This infuser is put into a mug with hot or boiled water. It works like the tea bag and is removed from the mug or teapot after the right concentration. I think this is the best tea strainer alternative.
Fork method
This method is somewhat cumbersome because a fork is used to hold the tea leaves as the water is filtering through. It may not be easy, and not 100% effective, but it is a good alternative.
Teabags
This is an efficient method where tea leaves are put in a specially made teabag. The teabag is placed inside the cup with hot water and removed after adequate tea concentration is reached.
It is an efficient method of ensuring proper filtration.
Conclusion
The wide variety of alternative straining methods makes it easy for you to find an excellent option if you do not have a tea strainer in your kitchen or if you’re camping away from home. Enjoy making tea with your tea strainer alternative!
