HIC Kitchen Fine Mesh Strainer with Helper Handle, 18/8 Stainless Steel, 2.75-Inch

This works great for loose leaf teas that come in small pieces. I recently bought a green tea that came in straight leaves (meant for a teapot), and I have to squish those down and break them into smaller pieces so that there is enough for how much I want to steep.I use this device to prepare tea for the morning and for my vacuum sealed bottle. The conical mesh focuses water out the tip, so even if I'm pouring hot water around the edges to catch all the leaves, the end result still comes out centered. This is nice.**Note:** This device isn't meant for steeping, but just for pouring hot water over the leaves. This works great for black leaves and rooibos, but I let green leaves sit for a couple minutes after the first pour just to get them to moisten up and draw the flavor to the surface (basically a crude steep). It works fine.I first pour the appropriate temperature hot water through this thing (with my tea of choice) and into a mug, and then I let it sit for a minute or two, place it over the mouth of my vacuum sealed bottle, and pour more water until full. Then I seal the bottle for work, and drink the cup before heading out. So far, this has worked well.**Note:** This is my bottle. Highly recommended for the office worker.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KZ6JZ5F

I like that it has the extra lip so it rests on a bowl or cup. Works great and cleans up easily.

I've been using this to strain my tea almost every day since I got it. It's a sturdy little thing that I wash in my dishwasher after giving it a tap in the sink to empty the bits that don't want to go into the compost. So happy I bought this.

I don't even remember if it was a movie or a tv show but one of them had fancy people drinking tea and using a much fancier version of this. Unfortunately, the fancier ones out there are too small for my mug. I wish this one had a longer hook or handle on the top but it still works well for me. It's not the prettiest but it works. I have a really large 5-1/2" wide mug I use for my tea and this strainer device thingy fits across it just fine and does exactly what it's supposed to do. If I drank tea more often, I would probably buy an antique version but for now, this suits my needs perfectly.

I didn't review this right away because they all seem fine at first right? Anyway I've had it for months now, and what we use it for is filtering the gunk out of homebrewed kombucha, which means it soaks in fairly acidic liquid a few times every day. We do take care to rinse it off right after use. But still, I think if it was gonna rust it would have rusted at least a little by now. I am convinced it's genuinely made of quality stainless steel. (Our old sieve disintegrated because of the booch, which is why we needed to buy one) I also pour my tea through it (I put loose leaves in the pot) so it's subjected to that type of corrosion too. I scrub at it with baking soda once a month or so because the tea seems to leave a film which clogs the screen (it is a VERY fine mesh) and with all the scrubbing and flexing involved in that process, I am confident I've tested the durability of the edges too- zero signs of coming apart.I am very satisfied with this item.

This is the handiest strainer I have! It fits right on a regular quart jar and I use it almost daily to strain grease. I like the small size for small daily jobs. It is easy to clean as well.

Bought the 2-1/2" one to use as a tea strainer.Basic and made well. Does exactly what it is made for.It is just right for average mugs and cups (which are around 2-3/4 to 3 inches inside diameter).Properly balanced, sits solidly on mug without tipping and without needing to hold it while using.Fineness of the screen is appropriate for whole & chopped tea leaves. Not fine enough for ground teas, but I don't think any 'screen' would be fine enough for that - those preparations require filters (or a desire to drink the fines).Unlike some others have posted, it did not rust - really is all stainless.An application note for others - this is a strainer, not an infuser. It is used to pour tea thru that you have infused loose in the pot/kettle (the best way to produce the most satisfactory/flavorful brew).It will not satisfactorily produce a tea infusion if used simply to pour hot water thru loose tea placed in it nor if trying to immerse said loose tea into a brim-filled mug of hot water. There are different devices made for these methods of infusion.

I've looked for these for so long! I have one my father gave me that was on its last legs. It is absolutely perfect because it is balanced correctly. The light handle design (exactly like the one my father gave me) is such that it stays on whatever you have placed in onto (cup, measuring cup, bowl). Other strainers don't stay because the heavy handle makes it fall unless you have an extra hand to hold it in place. I have put up with this for so long. Now, the best strainer is back! I was so happy my husband bought 2 of them. The price is right!It is a fine strainer & small. It can sit on top of your coffee cup, or across a measuring cup (fits the smallest 1 cup -- up to the quart size). I strain tea and lemon/lime juice through it. It catches the smallest seeds and pulp.Highly recommended.

The strainer is great, not too deep as that’s what I needed. Only thing is it arrived with a dent on the side of the mesh, likely due to the packaging.

The strainer works for any sized cups. I wish the mesh was finer as my tea can still go through. Otherwise, the size is great. It is pretty easy to hand clean, and I've also put it through my dishwasher with no problems. For the price, I would recommend. Some other options on the market are much more expensive and probably work the same.

This item is inexpensive and the quality shows that. It does work fine but don't expect it to last forever. Still, with light use it is totally functional and a good value

I purchased this as a gift along with some whole leaf tea and a mug. It sits on the mug as it steeps and the handle is convenient to flip out the leaves when finished. It was much less pricey than the typical tea infusers I use in my pots and mugs but worked perfect for making the little daily mugs of tea I do. No smell or taste to worry about and sits as it should. I wouldn't use this for a big tea pot necessarily since I like to put on a lid and tea cozy to retain the heat as the tea steeps- and some family like stronger tea and would use my deeper strainer for that.

Using since 4 or 5 months. Quality is very good, no complaints or no rust so far.