Swissgold TF 500 Tea Filter, Black

by Frieling

Product Features

• 24 Karat gold-plated foil filter is neutral and won't alter the taste
• Precisely defined openings hold back unwanted residue while letting the flavor carriers through
• Non-absorbent gold-plated foil does not absorb flavors
• Smooth gold-plated foil is easy to clean, dishwasher safe
• It also eliminates waste.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.8 x 4.2 x 4.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000G72D7K
• Item model number: G3539
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,752 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)
  • #52 in Home & Kitchen > Kitchen & Dining > Coffee, Tea & Espresso > Tea Accessories > Tea Strainers > Tea Ball Strainers

Product Description

Serious tea aficionados understand the need for a serious, permanent filter system. The true magic is the 24 Karat gold-plated, scientifically engineered foil filter. The precisely designed openings of the SwissGold® permanent filter hold back only the unwanted solids, while allowing the desirable flavor carriers to pass through for a perfect cup every time. This extra-large cone-shaped tea filter is intended for larger pots of tea, allowing enough space for the tea leaves to develop their flavor freely. Dishwasher safe black high quality plastic frame with 24 Karat gold-plated foil filter. The lid preserves the fragrance of your tea and serves as a drip catcher.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SIMPLY THE BEST-FORGET THE REST!!!, October 10, 2008

By 

ELECTROSAUR (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Swissgold TF 500 Tea Filter, Black (Kitchen)

I bought one of these in January of 2008, I have known about them forever, but never got around to buying one for whatever reason.

The TF 500 comes in black as welll as clear,and mine is the former of the two; I just don't know WHY I didn't buy one of these before...I have to say that I am very pleased with this item's performance!

Tea-balls are pretty-much going the way of the dinosaur in my tea-making gadgetry dept.!

I have always felt that tea-balls are as cumbersome as they are ineffecient, since the leaves usually expand much, much more than one would expect as has been evidenced by my usage of the TF 500 (you'll be amazed at just how much space your tea will take if you give it the room!), in comparison, the tea would expand in the tea-ball so much so, that it would not permit adequate circulation of the brewing water to the leaves, which means that much of the tea I was using was not actually "yielding" brew, and I was simply wasting precious tea.

I now get optimum yielding of my tea with the TF 500, (using less because of the full circulation around the leaves vs. the "bunching" that occurs in a tea-ball) better flavor, and negligible sediment, the design is smart, the top serves as a stand for the infuser after the brewing is complete, and cleanup is as simple as rinsing under warm water.

I think that the "tarnishing" issues are probably due to the harsh chemicals that are present in automatic diswasher detergent (these can and often include:T.S.P., Chlorine and Sodium Hydroxide=lye), if you must clean it, it was suggested to me that a soft towel and a little bit of baking soda make a good, neutral means of cleaning without harsh chemicals, or the possibility of introducing the potentially lingering flavor/scent of liquid or automatic dishwashing detergents into your infuser, and subsequently into your precious tea; "Dawn Original Gunpowder Green" somehow just doesn't sound very good!

It also bears mentioning that it fits my two-cup teapot(2.5"/64mm opening) as well, it just sticks up on the top, so you may not really need the TF 300.

I didn't mean to write so much about this item, but I felt an "obligation" to spread the word to all who enjoy loose-leaf teas, so if you're sitting on the fence, and are hesitant about this item, I encourage you to purchase it without hesitation...and "no" I'm not employed by the company!

The bottom line is that I wish that I had bought one of these a LONG time ago! I love it, and HIGHLY recommend it....don't waste your time with anything else (like I did!!! :) ).

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great tea filter, March 31, 2008

By 

Trevor Dennison (Rogers, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Swissgold TF 500 Tea Filter, Black (Kitchen)

This filter makes a great cup of tea, and is very easy to clean up afterwards. The holes are really tiny, so even fine tea leaves are no problem. It may not be totally clear from the product description, but the lid does not attach in any way - it just sits loosely on top. So, you can't submerse the whole thing (like if you wanted to brew a pitcher of iced tea directly in the pitcher), but it works great in mugs, where the lip of the filter keeps it from going all the way in.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Size For Expanding Loose Tea, December 4, 2008

By 

Woots (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Swissgold TF 500 Tea Filter, Black (Kitchen)

I made sure to get the biggest size possible to permit the expansion of tea leaves. I wanted the flavor to distribute well from the open leaves and this size accommodates.

I have a large 20 oz mug and I sit this right down in the middle. Works like a charm. 3-5 mins later I swirl it around 1-2 times lift it up and down a couple times to drain in and out the water and distribute the flavor properly. The lid acts as a drip tray and infuser holder so you dont need to make a mess or make a special trip anywhere.

If you dont want to mess with yixing pots or gaiwans at work. Or you just want to keep it simple and still use a good tool with your loose teas... i recommend this. Will last a lifetime as long I would imagine. The foil is very thick and sturdy .. its not like aluminum foil.. has some rigidity to it.

To clean.. I just spoon the bulk of the leaves into the trash. I then turn it upside down at a 45 degree angle (bottom facing up and to the side) and run water right along bottom edge... this shoots the clingy leaves out easily. Took me a couple weeks to perfect my cleaning technique.. so remember what I said here.. now I can clean this in seconds not minutes. :)