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Tea Bags vs. Loose tea leaves

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  • Loadsabob
    Loadsabob Posts: 662 Forumite
    For you tealeaf users - how many medium strength cups from a bag of leaf tea? (250g / 500g, whichever you use, I may buy either tomorrow when I make the switch!)

    I've long thought it must be cheaper to buy leaf tea. I only buy fairtrade tea, so won't be able to save money by changing brands, but perhaps with leaves...

    I have made tea from loose in a cafetiere in the past - I may strain it as well. Some loose teas have much larger leaves than the stuff in bags, so less tea dust perhaps?...
  • mink35
    mink35 Posts: 6,068 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Sorry - never tried to work out how many I get to a box. Taste outweighs the cost as far as I'm concerned so although I have teabags in the house as well I rarely use them :)
    Mink
  • ocemeer
    ocemeer Posts: 414 Forumite
    Ive just switched to loose tea (prompted by my gran giving me one of those tea bells and it being yellow stickered) as everyone has said the taste is soooo much better than tea bags (especially if like me you have a love of posh teas like assam and earl grey). Tea balls are about £2 in kitchen shops so quite cheap , but i now use a bodum teapot with the inner for tea leaves, which i got from a charity shop for....£2.
    now if only the DH would drink instant coffee (he does not drink tea), unless anyone knows of good strong 'real' coffee at a decent price.
    Herbal tea, for some flavours you can make your own.
    Peppermint, Nettle, Danedelion, just pick the fresh young leaves and dry like you would herbs (whether in the airing cupboard or it is possible to do it in the microwave), when dry store in airtight jars and use as you would loose tea, lovely and good for you.
  • Midas
    Midas Posts: 597 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    Yes the main thing about loose leaf is the better cuppa you get at the end of it. I haven't done the maths, but I think it works out about roughly the same cost, but the better taste makes loose leaf better value.

    As Ted says, it definitely works out cheaper with speciality teas (green etc) as these are relatively expensive. You need a little pot to really make these nicely though, whereas the bags are nice and easy to use at work or whatever.

    The best policy is probably to have both in: bags for when you're in a rush, and leafs for when you have the time to appreciate a good cuppa.

    The lovely people at the [URL=
    http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com/tea/ ]nice cup of tea[/URL] website seem to favour bags...


    http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com/tea/
    Midas.
  • Mado
    Mado Posts: 21,776 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
    OH gave me once a very POSH teapot... Italian Aventi which has a built-in very fine strainer; not a single debris in my tea ever and always tastes really good. (I like Waitrose own Gold mix for everyday). Also pour beautifully.
    I know they are not cheap but at least being metal it should last forever.
    pop in the dishwasher regularly.
    I lost my job as a cricket commentator for saying “I don’t want to bore you with the details”.Milton Jones
  • idiot_3
    idiot_3 Posts: 136 Forumite
    the cost is not really an issue on this one. a nice cuppa is essential, and leaves are the only way to ensure this. :beer:
  • pol
    pol Posts: 643 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    We've been drinking loose tea for over 30 years, there is no comparison as far as taste goes. Hubby drinks breakfast tea and I like Earl Grey. I bought Earl Grey teabags once and ended up throwing them away, they were disgusting. The only teabags I buy nowadays are the fruit ones which I make wine from.

    pol
    37 mrstwins squares, 6 little bags, 16 RWB squares, 1 ladies cardi, 4 boobs, 20 baby hats, 4 xmas stockings, 1 scarf, 4 prs wristwarmers
  • THIRZAH
    THIRZAH Posts: 1,465 Forumite
    I've always used leaf tea but can no longer buy my favourite- Typhoo. Does anyone know if it's still avaliable.
  • moggins
    moggins Posts: 5,190 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Tea!!!! Yuk yuk yuk :(
    Organised people are just too lazy to look for things

    F U Fund currently at £250
  • nearlyrich
    nearlyrich Posts: 13,698 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Hung up my suit!
    I agree the taste is more important then the cost, I use Twinnings Assam Tea Bags, last time they were on offer I cleared the shelf and I still have a couple of boxes left. I sometimes use loose tea in a Bodum tea pot and I can't say I've noticed a difference in taste.
    Free impartial debt advice from: National Debtline or Stepchange[/CENTER]
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