Customer Reviews

Swissgold TF 500 Tea Filter, Black

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!!! :) ).

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.

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. :)

It's a bit tall for some mugs but I think it's totally worth the money.It makes tea-making and washing easier and hence increases the amount of tea I drink everyday. I also bought TF300 but did not quite like it as much. See my review for TF300 for a comparison. TF300 is not only small but also lacks a filtered bottom which decreases the diffusion rate of tea particles. I promise I will upload a picture soon.

This IS a really nice product but measure the cup/travel mug/teapot first so that you are not surprised if your cup is too short or teapot's opening is too big. The filter will still do it's job but you have to be careful that the hot water does not spill out and/or the filter does not fall into the teapot. Also be sure to rinse out the tea leaves immediately or they will dry out and stick to the inside of the filter and it becomes a bit difficult to clean out.

This is so much better than a tea ball, and it's bigger than the other swissgold models. Perfect fit for one mug, but also big enough to use in a big teapot. Very happy.

The Swissgold TF 500 is a good infuser. Having been a big tea drinker on and off for years, tea balls just don't cut it when dealing with many loose teas. The TF 500 is a little taller than a standard coffee mug, and due to it's design doesn't raise the water level hardly at all, so there's little chance of making a mess on the counter. It will tarnish over time, but given the acidity of tea, anything you put in it daily will begin to show those signs eventually.

I bought this specifically to use in a mug. When it arrived and I opened the box, it seemed a little too big, but when I tried it out it was perfect.

The lid sits on top only and doesn't click or squeeze into place. Once you've brewed your favorite drink in a mug, open the lid, take the filter out and rest it on the upside down lid - it acts as a drip tray. (as described on the box) Ingenious.

I use this all the time as I go through lots of green tea.

The real Gold filter really turns heads and I get lots of questions and remarks about the filter at work - it looks classy.

There are no taste impairments in the drink and the filter is very well made.

Cleaning is a little troublesome - it won't work to simply rinse the filter on its own as green tea tends to stick a little to the filter - I found it a lot easier to put the filter back in the empty mug, head over to the sink and rinse the filter while its still in the mug. This helps because water in the mug washes the green tea off the inside of the filter.

This is the second swissgold TF 500 I have purchased -- not because the first (purchased 2 years ago) is worn out, no, but because this is one of those products which is so perfect that I fear it will go off the market and I will not be able to get another! Also, I can use it in 2 tea pots at once. In fact, it is so versatile that it can be used to steep just 1 cup at a time, or a large pot.

I usally fill my 12oz mug to the rim with either chai latte or jasmine tea. The size of strainer is perfect for the mug. Practical and convenient, the lid is a wonderful invention; how many time have you pulled out a tea bag at your desk and wonder where to put it? I always time my infusion, so when the tea is ready, the leaves need to come out, very clever design team at swiss gold.
I think the 500 is the biggest, and it's perfect for the amount of tea that I drink, I wouldn't want to change to a smaller size.
To clean, I usally run the strainer under plain water, but sometimes brush lightly with dish soap and pad. No problem with discarding used leaves after infusion.
Discoloration of strainer comes with frequent use. Absolutely not a flaw, but a testament of how often this product is used.
Kudos for people at swissgold for making this product.