"All Hail the Cheaper Steeper!"

I've been getting into (loose) tea in a big way after several forum members gave their favorite tea recommendations in a previous topic. And recently I picked up a nifty collapsible silicone tea basket/steeper from the Teaspot based in Boulder, CO to steep my favorite, their Japanese Sencha green tea called oddly Boulder Blues. The strainer's $9, but I found it at a local store on sale for $7:



I got a bright yellow one so I wouldn't lose it on the trail. But when I got home to weigh it, it came in at a whopping 1.4 ounces (even without the cap that comes with it):



The aluminum tea ball I'd been using, the one I picked up at a garage sale for 50 cents, weighs in at only a 1/2 ounce:



So I gave the new contraption to my spouse to use in her heavy, gargantuan Toucan tea mug; I'll stick with my old ball on the trail:



Lesson learned: "Newer ain't necessarily lighter."

Yeah, I was recently touting my stainless steel tea ball in a thread about the lightest way to get the best coffee.

I used to have one made of a screen mesh. It was probably lighter, but I don't think it worked as good.

I use mine with coarse ground coffee, but I like tea too, so I may have to dig up the thread you referred to.

Bill

bill:

Speaking of coffee, I finally got a 24-pack (three 8pks) of Starbuck's VIA instant coffee for morning trail breakfasts for $16 at Costco. That's .67 a cup -- alot cheaper than standing in line at any of their outlets trailside.