Customer Reviews

Swissgold TF 200 Tea Ball

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This one is part of my daily use implements, even though it has a couple of flaws:

It looks dirty. I have cleaned it after every use, and even popped it in the top rack of the dishwasher, but it is stained. The gold mesh looks dirty. Doesn't affect how it works, just bugs me.

Unfortunately, my favorite loose teas, Twinings English and Irish Breakfast, are pretty fine. This strainer does the best job so far in keeping the leaves out of my cup, but some still end up there. This is a flaw in every strainer I have used so far. Pouring boiling water over the ball makes it worse. I find that filling the cup or pot with boiling water and then immersing the strainer helps. Now, understand, I never went to the British school of brewing real tea--just switched to loose teas this past year, so maybe I am doing something wrong.

I wasn't paying attention a couple times and did not make sure the top was secured and ended up with leaves everywhere. It's not difficult to get it right, but darned easy to do it wrong.

It's also super easy to drop the chain into the teapot. The hook is good for nothing--too small to grab anything. So hang on to the chain or you'll end up with a bitter brew by the time you get to your second cup.
I also don't care for the plastic parts. I try to avoid plastic eating and drinking utensils.

I am using this one every day for now. Still on the hunt for the perfect infuser.

I just bought this (in addition to loose tea) for adding whole mulling spices to warmed cider, mulled wine, chutneys, and cranberry sauces. Most tea balls are not big enough for a pot of cider.

Further, the main reason I picked this model was because most tea balls I have seen open in the middle which makes loading a couple tablespoons of tea/spices a real pain (fill each half and try to get the 2 together quickly without spilling too much). Also emptying the darned things...pull apart and watch the used tea/spices fly! This has a nice little lid. (P.S. Williams Sonoma has really nice whole mulling spices (so you don't have to buy all the ingredients separately yourself...try it!)

I am very satisfied with the SwissGold Tea infuser. It is very easy to clean, and I like the fact that it does not let tiny particles into the brew.

I have recommended this to various tea-loving friends, and the one who has tried it loves it also.

This little infuser has come in handy for a variety of warm-beverage tasks. I definitely use this for tea, but I also use this in conjunction with a coffee press when the grounds are too fine for the press' sieve. This Swissgold infuser measures about 2-inches high and 1-1/2-inches in diameter. So, my guess is that it would hold up to 2-tablespoons of loose tea, depending on the particle size of the tea. Definitely recommend this for it's durability and functionality.

I was using those bloody tea balls that are round and you have to fill both halves and then figure out how to clip them shut. Is it just me lacking dexterity or is that a really flawed design? Anyway, this infuser is perfect. Unscrew the top, toss in however much loose tea you want (A couple of Tablespoons of Chai but just one scant Tablespoon for the Earl Grey with extra bergamot), screw the lid back on and steep yourself some wondrous tea. Clean up could be easier but couldn't clean up always be easier? I love this infuser and will be buying a couple more just so I never have to worry about losing this or damaging this one.

I like tea. Real tea. Made in big pots. With good whole tea leaves. But when I use shredded tea, I use a tea infuser.

The Swissgold® TF 200 Tea Ball is the best tea infuser I've found, and I own several others. It has become part of my tea making routine.

It works as expected. Quality manufacturing.

My only peeve is that part of it is plastic, and I try to avoid plastic in my life.

Also, since it's not really a ball, more of a sloping cylinder shape, they should have called it a tea infuser rather than a tea ball. They probably hired a coffee drinker to name it :-).

I haven't actually used the swissgold for tea yet, but it works GREAT for mulled cider--a must this time of year! It's large enough to hold all the spices for an entire gallon of cider, and it's so nice to be able to clip it to the handle of my pot!

The swissgold TF 200 has performed excellently with the loose leaf tea products I have used. It's easy to fill, easy to clean, and I have not notice any tea leaves in the tea. The gold sides are a bit delicate but it has cleaned well and I would definitely buy one again. Great product for the price.

I got this tea ball after being fed up with other variants I had with pores that were too large and allowed tea to fall into my cup. This infuser works wonderfully, albeit at a higher price than I would prefer.

My only complaint besides the price would be the size. If you're the kind to leave the tea ball in your cup, bear in mind that this will take up most of the mug.

I've been a daily herb tea drinker for 6 years, since drinking vitamin rich tea is much more appetizing than taking vitamins. I pack loose herbs into a hand-held, spring, tong-like tea ball that opens when the metal handle is squeezed.
This has worked ok, but as my experimentations with mixing herbs has become more intricate, I thought simply dumping measured herbs into a large tea ball such as this Swissgold would be easier.
The challenge: find a tea ball that was big enough to hold my formulas, small enough to fit in a mug, and fit well in my oversized mugs, some of which resemble a soup bowl.
I considered the TF 300, since it is all-encompassing with a cover. But was doubtful if the cover would indeed span my wide favorite mugs--meaning I'd have to use foil as a lid anyway.
So this TF 200 tea ball seemed the best option. And it's GREAT.
1. My tea tastes better--and stronger.
2. So I'm using less tea and saving money! Like I said...these are GOLD in more ways than one.
3. My mugs are cleaner between uses. You would think that fewer particles staining the sides would mean the tea would be weaker, but it just isn't so. (Maybe someone can add a comment explaining this magic.)
4. Maybe it's the magic of the gold. The gold metal is amazing. I had to get used to not squeezing it and just handling tea ball by touching the sturdy plastic parts (the gold part is somewhat delicate, but it hasn't broken--just gives a little when squeezed...to be expected).
5. The only design improvement I would make would be to improve the bottom surface. It's a bit tipsy when sitting on a counter, as it balances on 3 small bumps the size of pin heads. But once I realized it doesn't tip when perfectly balanced, it has been fine (I just don't touch the tea ball when fillng it, dumping all carefully in from a distaince above it).
PER OTHERS COMMENTS
6. My gold metal parts haven't discolored at all. Granted, I've only been using two of these tea balls every day for two weeks, but the outcome looks consistent. I let my tea steep for 20 - 30 min, then empty & rinse containers for next use.
7. The hook on the end works just fine. I bent it out a little, and doing so customizes it to fit over the edge of any mug I use.
8. The screw top lid works just as it should. It's not a typical threaded screw top--it's more of an interlocking system where you line up the tabs and channels...and simply twist.

So am very happy with this product. Would buy again, even for gifts. Thanks, Amazon!