HIC Kitchen Snap Ball Tea Infuser, 18/8 Stainless Steel, For Loose Leaf Tea and Mulling Spices

I purchased this snap mesh tea infuser after I gained a taste for loose leaf tea (everyone should experience tea this way, it is MUCH better tasting than the stuff that comes in teabags)This little mesh ball is big enough to hold about a tablespoon of tea in each side (good luck loading up more than one side at a time!)You can leave the tea submerged as long as you wish to steep it. I will note that sometimes you have to shake the ball a little bit to get the air bubbles to wet out and leg water get to the tea, but that’s a function of physics, not really a function of the design of this product.This item claims to be made of stainless steel. I can say that I have used this item 5 days a week for the past 18 months, washing it once a week, and have not yet seen any rust forming.It is fairly easy to clean. I just rinse it out in the sink every day between uses, and wash it in the dishwasher once a week. I have found that this cleans better in the dishwasher if you can keep the infuser ball open during the cycle. I have found the best way to do this is to clamp the infuser down on a fork head, so that the ball is slightly open and facing down. This seems to get the water from the dishwasher in the infuser, and keeps it clean.It is tall enough that I can leave it in a 16oz Tervis cup to steep, and still grab the hook on the top when done. I usually set the item so the rim of the infuser ball is on my cup, and let the water drain out. The only bad thing about a tea infuser is that you need a place to store it when it’s not in use. I suggest something small like a soy sauce dish, or use a disposable cup.I would rank this a 5/5. The price point and the amount of uses I have gotten out of this item make it worth every penny. I would suggest this to anyone looking for a good brew of tea.