Tea Bag Vs. Loose Leaf Tea: Why & How You Should Switch

Growing up, I only knew how to make tea using tea bags, and I never thought twice about it. But, after reading this, you’ll want to make the switch from tea bags to loose leaf tea just as I did. 

I’ll admit it, tea bags are extremely convenient – they’re hassle-free and ready to brew. They also work well when you’re on the go, and you can also find them in any grocery store (for much cheaper than any loose leaf tea options).

But there are so many benefits to using loose tea leaves, and once you find a steeping method that you like, you’ll never look back to tea bags again. Switching is the first step tp making the perfect cup of tea every time!

So, here’s why you might want to invest in tea leaves and how to brew tea with loose leaves.

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

The Origin Of The Tea Bag

Tea bags were originally created for an entirely different purpose than for what we use them for today. In 1908, Ed Sullivan created silk bags to package tea to protect the tea leaves during their overseas journey to America.

But!

Americans didn’t know they were supposed to discard the silk bag and steep their tea normally. Instead, they dumped the whole darn thing in hot water, as we do with tea bags today. They thought it was a genius idea, so convenient! And so the tea bag stuck.

You can read more about the invention of the tea bag here.

The Tea Bag Vs. Loose Leaf Tea: Why Should You Switch?

Since tea bags seem so convenient, why would you ever consider switching from tea bags to loose leaf tea?

Well, here are four reasons that might change your mind.

It’s All About Quali-Tea

When Ed Sullivan invented the tea bag, the intent was never to lower its quality of the tea inside the bag. But all that changed with mass consumption.

This to me, is the most important reason to switch from tea bags to loose leaf tea. The quality of the tea in a tea bag just doesn’t compare to that of loose leaf tea anymore.

Let’s just say you can hide quite a bit inside a tea bag. They know no ones going to open up the bags. So there’s a lot hidden inside our beloved tea bags that we just can’t see and don’t necessarily want to be ingesting. Like what you might ask?

Well, they’re most likely giving you low grade tea with twigs and broken leaves. But unfortunately, there can also be a lot of dust and even unwanted chemicals in tea bags.

The reality is, you can find all that and more in your typical tea bag – you just don’t know what you’re actually drinking.

Lack Of Information About The Tea

Another reason to switch to loose tea leaves is the lack of information there is when you buy tea bags. If you visit any respectable tea shop, they’ll tell you when and where the leaves were harvested.

Choosing a specific harvest affects the flavour and the bitterness of the leaves. But, I’ll be honest, buying specific harvests can be expensive and for avid tea drinkers not the most important to focus on. 

But what is important to know is the amount of time and temperature to steep your tea at, which is also key for getting that perfect brew every time. Every tea is different!

You’re In Control With Loose Leaf Tea!

Buying loose leaf tea gives you so much more control over the strength of your tea. Instead of having a set amount of tea in the bag where you can only control the brew time, with loose leaf tea, you can just steep less tea or even more!

You want a strong brew? Double the amount of tea you’re adding. You want it to be weaker? Use less! You’re in total control. 

You also aren’t locked in to any one amount. If one day you need a stronger brew but another day you just want a light flavour. You can do it all!

You Can Even Create Your Own Tea Blends

Creating your own tea blends is one of my favourite perks of buying loose leaf tea. You may not take advantage of it right away, but it’s a lot of fun once you start knowing your tea and the different flavours.

You’re able to easily mix and match different teas and even tisanes. Every time you can adjust the amounts until it’s just right! It can be as simple as adding some flower petals to a base tea like black tea or even rooibos. I love adding a few hibiscus petals to my morning brew every once in a while!

Where To Buy Loose Leaf Tea?

There are a few places you can buy good loose leaf tea (and no, this does not include DAVIDsTea… that’s mainly sugar!).

You should be able to find a local tea store in your area, but you might need to do some research online first. In Montreal, the go-to spot is Camellia Sinensis. I find it a bit expensive, especially if you’re just starting to get into tea. 

But the easiest place to buy loose leaf tea is online. My go-to is Tealyra, I’ve never been disappointed with any tea that I’ve ordered from them.  If you’re in the States, Adagio Teas sells tea at a reasonable price. Or, you can simply order loose leaf tea on Amazon.

How To Brew Tea With Loose Leaves?

In order to make loose leaf tea, you’ll need to invest in a good way to steep it. It’s no longer as easy as throwing a bag in a cup of hot water. You just have an added step of measuring out your tea first (usually 1 tsp for 1 cup of water) and putting it in a tea bag for loose leaf tea.

You should follow the instructions for the type of tea you have for how much to add and what temperature to boil the water.

Surprisingly, there are a lot more steeping methods than even I initially thought. It’s all about finding the one that works best for you.

Stainless Steel & Silicone Infusers

Stainless steel and silicone steepers are the most common materials used for steeping loose leaf tea. There are two types of stainless steel steepers you can buy to make loose leaf tea. You can either buy one that rests on the edge of your cup or one that you fill up like a tea bag.

Nowadays, you can actually find mugs and teapots that already come with the stainless steel steepers (like this mug or teapot on Amazon). The problem is that unless it’s a standard sized mug or pot, it’ll usually only fit the one it was sold with.

You can also opt for a silicone steeper to make your tea. They come in cute AF designs (like these on Amazon) these days. These can make really fun gifts for tea lovers.

Stainless steel and silicone steepers are pretty similar in terms of function. But I’m not a huge fan of using the stainless steel steepers – I hated washing them! The leaves always get stuck in the holes, and the metal ends up staining.

Silicone steepers are easier to clean because the leaves don’t get stuck as easily, and they don’t stain as quickly.

For a long time, these were the only infusers I knew about, but you have a few more options…

Cloth Steeper For Loose Tea Leaves

Another option to make loose leaf tea is to use a cloth infuser (see on Amazon). I’ll warn you in advance though, it stains like crazy if you use black tea in it.

It’s also a bit annoying because you have to hang it to dry otherwise you risk it moulding. But most are dishwasher safe!

Mesh Tea Bags For Loose Tea

Mesh tea bags are the only infuser option that isn’t reusable. Disposable mesh bags are my go-to steeping method because they’re the easiest to use (and easiest way to transition from tea bags to loose leaf tea). Now I’m able to have the good quality tea with the bags I’m used to. See mesh bags on Amazon. 

I prefer these for two main reasons: it doesn’t give me anything extra to clean (I don’t have a dishwasher so everything counts!), and I can pre-package them every week. I fill them up to bring to work and have some pre-made bags at home. So it’s just like I’m using a tea bag, but this time I know what’s inside.

Tea Press To Easily Steep Loose Leaf Tea

If you want a real hassle free method, then a tea press is another good way to go. It works the same way as a french press does with coffee. You throw the leaves directly into the water and press down to stop them from infusing.

Bodum sells a great  teapot press for larger groups (see on Amazon), or you can pick up a tea press travel mug (see on Amazon). Sometimes I even use it when I stay home instead of my regular mugs. It keeps my tea warm, it’s eco-friendly, and I don’t have to wash an extra steeper.

How To Make Loose Leaf Tea: Use Nothing At All – Grandpa Style!

Yep! You read that right. You can brew tea without any type of steeper at all, it’s called grandpa style brewing. This is my favourite loose leaf tea brewing method of all, although it doesn’t work for every tea. 

It won’t work for fancy floral teas with pieces of dried fruit in it. It’s mainly for the hardcore camelia sinensis teas You know, black, white, oolong, and green tea ( if you need a refresher, go back to the tea basics!).

Shop Loose Leaf Tea & Accessories On Amazon

Have You Made The Switch To Loose Leaf Tea?

Did I convince you to make the switch? Let me know in the comments below, and why not share to help others make the switch from tea bags to loose leaf tea!

Looking For More Tea Resources?

• Learn about how tea can help you live longer
• What’s grandpa style tea drinking?
• What’s the difference between each breakfast tea? English, Scottish Vs. Irish Breakfast
• What’s camelia sinensis and the difference between teas?
• Teas you should drink/avoid on your period

Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API