Teabloom Universal Loose Tea Infuser with Lid

Very. Nine reviewers specifically mention easy cleaning as a highlight. Most just give it a quick rinse under running water and the leaves come right out. It's also dishwasher safe, though many reviewers prefer hand washing since it's so quick. Over time, tea can stain stainless steel mesh — one reviewer shared that a Magic Eraser works well to remove any discoloration. That's about the extent of maintenance you'll need.

The Teabloom Universal works by suspending loose tea leaves inside a fine stainless steel mesh basket that sits in your cup, mug, or teapot. Hot water passes freely through the mesh, extracting flavor from the leaves while keeping them contained. The basket shape is important — unlike mesh balls that compress leaves, this design gives them room to unfurl and expand, which reviewers confirm leads to better flavor extraction. The wide double handles rest on the rim of your vessel to keep the infuser in place, and it fits cups, mugs, and teapots of various sizes. Twelve reviewers specifically mention the universal fit as a key advantage.

The Teabloom Universal has this built right in — the lid does double duty. While steeping, place the lid on top of the infuser to retain heat. When steeping is done, flip the lid upside down on your counter and set the infuser on top. The lid catches all the drips, so you don't end up with a wet mess. Eleven reviewers specifically call out this dual-purpose lid as a feature they love. It's one of those small design touches that makes a real difference in everyday use.

Yes — the 'Universal' name isn't just marketing. Reviewers confirm it works in teapots as well as individual cups and mugs. The wide handles rest on the opening of the teapot, and the basket hangs inside. It's particularly handy for teapots because you can easily remove the infuser when the tea reaches your preferred strength, preventing over-steeping. Just make sure your teapot opening is wide enough for the basket to fit through — it may not work with very narrow-necked teapots.

The Teabloom is designed as a universal fit, and reviewers back that up. It works with standard mugs, large 16 oz mugs, narrow mugs that other infusers can't fit, and teapots. The wide double handles adjust to rest on different rim sizes. The only exception noted in reviews is very small teacups — the infuser may be too large for those. If you're using a standard coffee mug or larger, you should be fine.

This is the one area where some reviewers have a complaint. The rubber/silicone seal on the lid doesn't provide a completely snug fit — a couple of reviewers describe it as 'useless' for creating a tight seal. That said, the lid still works well for its main purposes: keeping heat in during steeping and catching drips afterward. It just won't create an airtight seal. For most people, this isn't a dealbreaker since you're using it in a stationary cup, not shaking it around.

It's one of the best options for someone just getting into loose leaf tea. The design is completely intuitive — place it in your cup, add tea, pour water, cover, wait, remove. No learning curve. The forgiving universal fit means you don't need to worry about whether it'll work with your mugs. The lid prevents mess and drips, which removes another common frustration for new loose leaf brewers. And the fine mesh means you don't need to worry about which tea types work with it — everything from fine rooibos to large whole leaves is fair game.

Reviewers report that yes, it works for coffee too. The fine mesh is tight enough to contain coffee grounds, and the basket gives you a simple way to make a single cup without a full coffee setup. It won't replicate an espresso or a pour-over exactly, but for a quick, clean cup of brewed coffee, it does the job. Just add your grounds, pour hot water, steep for 3-4 minutes, and remove.

This is an unexpected use case that several reviewers mention. Some people cut open their regular tea bags and dump the contents into this stainless steel infuser to avoid the microplastics that can leach from nylon and plastic-based tea bags when exposed to hot water. It's a creative solution — you still get the convenience of pre-measured tea bag portions, but with the safety of a stainless steel brewing vessel. Of course, the infuser is primarily designed for loose leaf tea, which avoids the microplastic issue entirely.

The majority of reviewers describe it as sturdy and well-built, with five mentions of durable construction. However, one reviewer reported theirs fell apart after less than two months of daily use. That appears to be an outlier rather than a pattern, but it's worth noting. Most users find it holds up well to regular use, and many buy multiple units — which suggests they're confident enough in the quality to invest in extras for different locations.

Reviewers have used it on the go — one specifically mentions taking it on a cruise. It's compact enough to pack, works with whatever cups or mugs you encounter, and the lid/drip dish means you won't make a mess in a hotel room or cabin. It's not designed as a travel infuser (no sealed tumbler or carrying case), but its universal fit and simple design make it more portable than most home brewing setups.

If you primarily drink from very small teacups (like traditional Chinese gongfu cups), this infuser is likely too large. If you need a lid that creates a truly airtight seal, you'll be disappointed — the rubber gasket doesn't provide a snug fit. And if you're looking for a large-capacity infuser for brewing multiple servings at once, this is designed more for single-cup brewing. For everyone else — especially beginners, daily loose leaf drinkers, and people with a variety of mugs — it's a solid, versatile choice.

For most loose leaf tea drinkers, a basket-style infuser like the Teabloom Universal is the way to go. The basket shape gives leaves room to unfurl and release their full flavor, which is a big advantage over tight mesh balls or novelty infusers. The Teabloom's fine stainless steel mesh is tight enough to contain even very fine particles like rooibos, while still allowing water to flow freely through the leaves. Reviewers consistently highlight the fine mesh as a standout feature, with 15 mentions specifically praising that no leaves escape into the cup.

A tea ball is a small, enclosed sphere with mesh or perforations — it works, but it compresses your tea leaves and limits water flow. The Teabloom Universal is a basket infuser, which is a wide, open-top cylinder that gives leaves significantly more room to expand and interact with water. This matters because tea leaves need space to unfurl for proper flavor extraction, which reviewers confirm this infuser delivers. The basket also has a much larger capacity than a typical tea ball, and the wide double handles mean it won't slip into your cup the way small ball infusers sometimes do.

A strainer sits on top of your cup and you pour brewed tea through it to catch loose leaves. An infuser, like the Teabloom Universal, sits inside your cup while the tea steeps — the leaves stay contained in the mesh basket while hot water circulates through them. The Teabloom works as an infuser you place directly in your mug, cup, or teapot, and the dual-purpose lid doubles as a drip dish when you remove it. So you get a cleaner, more contained brewing experience than pouring through a strainer.

Place your loose leaf tea in the Teabloom basket — the fine mesh means you can use almost any tea, including fine-particle varieties like rooibos that would slip through coarser infusers. Drop the basket into your mug or teapot, pour water at the right temperature for your tea type (boiling for black tea, around 175°F for green tea), and cover with the lid. The lid helps maintain water temperature during steeping, which reviewers specifically appreciate. Steep for the recommended time (usually 3-5 minutes for most teas), then lift out the infuser and rest it on the lid turned drip-dish. The basket design gives leaves room to unfurl and release their full flavor.

Drop the Teabloom infuser right into your mug — the wide double handles rest on the rim and hold it in place. Add your loose tea, pour in hot water, and cover with the lid. It's designed to fit a wide range of mug sizes, and reviewers specifically note it works with narrow mugs that other infusers don't fit. It's also been used successfully in larger 16 oz mugs. Once steeped, pull it out and set it on the lid to catch drips. Several reviewers mention keeping it right at their desk while working — it's that easy to use alongside other tasks.