Tea Bags vs. Loose tea leaves

maryb

I've been using loose tea for two months now, having started when I realised that tea bags contained plastic. However I'm finding it messy. I empty the teapot into a sieve in the sink but it doesn't drain very well and when I empty the sieve into the food waste bucket it drips on the floor and small clumps of tea leaves shoot sideways onto the floor. Also my sink looks horribly stained.

I'm heartened to see that some food manufacturers say they are going to switch over to a material made from corn starch for their tea bags. Looks like the market will come up with the solution and I will happily go back to tea bags

Susan1962

Not 100 % certain but I think the better quality the tea, the bigger the leaves as teabags are full of jus dregs! Perhaps switching to loose leaf but goin "up" a brand might be the best option?

[Deleted User]

tea bags are handy for me and at the moment I am happy with the twinings I bought via a money off voucher .My late Mum swore by her brook Bond Divi tea and we all grew up drinking it (I think she liked the 5/- postal order that came every so often when her divi card was filled up with stamps ) I don't think I would return to loose tea as living alone ,even though I have a small tea pot I could be bothered with the mess.Hopefully the tea compaanies will bow to public pressure and produce a environmentally friendly tea bag soon.

JackieO

Kjd

I watched a document last night on how teabags are made and now will be switching to loose tea!
Tea bags have plastic added to the paper membrane! There’s no way that can be healthy having plastic dunked into your mug of boiling water and drinking it!
Just my opinion and I’m going with my instincts on this one! Definitely loose tea from now on!

maisie_cat

I stopped using t bags when I realised that the bags were plastic a couple of years ago. Loose tea tastes so much better and is cheaper. We always used a teapot anyway, so no change there. I empty the teapot in the garden somewhere.

richj

maisie_cat wrote: »

I stopped using t bags when I realised that the bags were plastic a couple of years ago. Loose tea tastes so much better and is cheaper. We always used a teapot anyway, so no change there. I empty the teapot in the garden somewhere.

where do you get your loose tea from? It always seems more expensive to me.

pws52

The big supermarkets sell loose leaf tea although not the range that they used to.
I buy Yorkshire tea and mix it with own brand.
Keeps the cost down a bit.

Farway

richj wrote: »

where do you get your loose tea from? It always seems more expensive to me.

It is more expensive except for the cheap own label stuff from likes of Asda, morries etc

You may love this, many must or it would not be on the shelves. I find it is mainly dust so I buy my loose from W/rose, plenty of choice but maybe not MSE enough for your requirements?

tiredwithtwins

im a convert to loose leaf tea, cant stand the taste from teabags now!
I have a glass square teapot that has an infuser down the middle .. a heaped teaspoon and a bit makes about 3 or 4 cups (I just top up with boiling water when ive poured a cup!). the last cup is a bit on the weak side (I like it really strong) but you can still really taste the tea. I usually have this last cup to wash my tablets down with lol.
bag of marks and sparkles loose leaf tea for about £1.80ish lasts for about 80-100+ pots of tea ...

gerrade

of course loose tea leaf, because the Chinese loose tea leaf is better quality than tea bags.