Are you looking to ditch the tea bags and brew loose leaf tea instead? If the regular tea infusers on the market don't appeal to you, then you can try a novelty tea infuser instead! Whether you drink black, green, or herbal tea, a novelty tea infuser can bring out their full flavor while adding some personality to your cup.
Choosing the best novelty tea infuser can be confusing, so that's why we've done the research for you! We picked the Dinosaur Loose Leaf Tea Infusers by Tilevo as our favorite, as the tea leaves don't escape and they are easy to clean. We’ve also put together a top 10 list for you to consider and created a handy buying guide to help you make your choice!
Quick List - Top Novelty Tea Infusers
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
Table of Contents
Before buying a novelty tea infuser, there are a few points you should take into consideration such as material, size, and shape. To help you with this, we’ve put together this handy buying guide!
There are several types of strainers and infusers and they all have their advantages and disadvantages.
A tea basket sits on the lid of your cup. It dips into the cup and ensures that the tea leaves are underneath the waterline. They are generally spacious and allow for the tea leaves to expand and the flavor to be infused.
Baskets can be used with tea leaves of any size, depending on the mesh of the basket. Their wide design also makes them easy to clean.
A tea ball infuser is fully enclosed and often comes in the shape of a ball. It usually breaks open so you can fill it, and it has a hinge to keep it securely closed. It typically has either a long handle or a chain you can use to remove it from the cup.
This type of tea infuser is convenient and easy to use, especially for tea that has fine leaves or particles. However, a tea ball infuser can be too small to allow the tea leaves to fully expand and release their flavor.
A tea stick has a long handle, with a smaller fully enclosed basket at the end. This infuser often doubles as a spoon; simply use the handle to stir the tea. Gravity will make sure the tea stays inside the basket.
The amount of tea it can hold is usually quite limited due to the small size of the infuser, so it's not suitable for tea leaves that need to expand. It can also be a little tricky to clean since getting to the end of the strainer might be a challenge.
The majority of novelty tea infusers are made from one of two materials: silicone or metal.
Silicone infusers can be found in an almost limitless number of shapes and colors and will offer the most variety in novelty designs. It's a heat-resistant material and, in general, is dishwasher-safe. However, due to silicone infusers' size and fewer number of holes, the tea might not be able to develop the flavor as fully as with metal infusers.
And if you're worried about Bisphenol A (BPA), you can look for a silicone infuser that's BPA-free, although the FDA has confirmed that BPA is not harmful to humans in low dosages. Still, you might want to be on the safe side, and there are plenty of options to choose from.
Metal has long been the most common and standard material used for tea infusers, due to its durability, strength, and heat resistance. Metal infusers can have fine mesh or a large number of holes, ensuring the flavor of the tea is able to fully develop.
However, you won’t find as many novelty options as there are with silicone. The color options will be also be greatly limited when comparing metal to silicone.
A good tea infuser is one that is easy to fill with tea. Make sure it can open in a way that makes putting the tea leaves inside an easy task. No matter what shape or size your novelty strainer is, one that has hinges and can open into two halves will be the easiest to deal with.
It’s also important that the tea leaves are easy to remove! Some novelty tea infusers can have little nooks and crannies where tea leaves can get stuck and it might be difficult to get the tea out again once it's wet. That's why you should look at the overall shape of the infuser before you buy it.
Some of these small and awkward spaces might just be for design and are not part of the actual infuser space. Check inside the infuser if you can, or read reviewers from previous buyers. If many buyers report difficulties in filling the infuser or cleaning it, you may want to avoid it!
The easiest way to clean a tea infuser is to remove as many of the tea leaves as you can before washing it. Most infusers are dishwasher-safe, but it's always best to check this before you place them in your machine!
A novelty tea infuser is a perfect gift for any tea lover. These quirky but useful items will remind your giftee of you whenever they brew a calming cup of tea with one. If you’re buying for someone else, you should first consider what they would like.
Standard shapes, like hearts and flowers, might be suitable gifts for almost anyone, and you can look for that if you're going for something safe. But, if you know your giftee well, look for a shape that's in line with their interests for a personalized touch.
If they’re an animal lover, why not get an infuser in the shape of their favorite animal? You can find the most common animals shaped as infusers. You can also find tea infusers in shapes inspired by various entertainment franchises for your geeky friend. For example, you can buy infusers in the shape of the TARDIS from Doctor Who or Link’s sword from Legend of Zelda!
It’s also worth checking if the tea infuser comes as part of a set. Some are paired with teacups, whereas others might have a complementary tea infuser twin in a different color packaged with them.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tilevo Dinosaur Loose Leaf Tea Infusers|2 pack | ![]() | Cute, Long-Necked Dinosaurs That Sit in Your Mug | |
2 | Marha's Horse Tea Strainer | ![]() | Suitable for Mugs and Teapots | |
3 | Bekith Tea Infuser With Included Drip Tray|7 pack | ![]() | A Matching Set of Seven Infusers | |
4 | Genuine Fred Slow Brew Sloth Tea Infuser | ![]() | Take Things Slow With This Sloth Infuser | |
5 | Coolrunner Skull and Bones Tea Infuser|2 pack | ![]() | Brew Your Tea With Spooky Skulls | |
6 | Leden Extra Fine Mesh Cute Tea Strainer | ![]() | Tea Leaves Don't Escape From This Relaxing Infuser | |
7 | Tovolo Pig Loose Leaf Strainer | ![]() | Brew Your Tea in This Bright Pink Infuser | |
8 | RSVP International Just Ducky Floating Tea Infuser | ![]() | Brew Your Tea While a Duck Floats in Your Cup | |
9 | DecorChiq Tea Infuser Set for Loose Tea|5 pack | ![]() | A Set of Adorable Animal-Shaped Infusers | |
10 | Z Metnal Unicorn Silicone Tea Strainer | ![]() | A Magical and Colorful, Jumping Unicorn |
This is a pair of two cute, long-necked dinosaurs that come in green and turquoise. Their necks are long, so they'll poke out of any mug. They're also curved, so they can hang on the sides of tumblers, making them easy to remove. The manufacturer does not recommend these for tea that is either powdered or finely ground.
The holes on these dinosaur infusers are small, and several reviewers say that they're too small to fully infuse the tea. If you like strong tea, these may not be the best choice for you. However, reviewers love how cute they are and say they are easy to clean. Due to the small holes, it's very rare for any leaves to escape.
This basket-style novelty tea infuser comes in two designs: a horse and a dog. They feature a large stainless steel basket that drops down into the mug, and an oversized handle to keep the basket in place. The handle is cut into the shape of the animal and is large enough to be used not only with mugs but also teapots.
One reviewer points out that this strainer isn't suitable for slim tumblers. There are also a couple of reports of small tea leaves escaping into the tea. However, most reviewers praise the construction and sturdiness of this infuser. They say it's easy to clean. It's a big hit with owners and lovers of the different animals.
If you have a large family or regularly drink loose leaf tea in groups, then this pack of seven tea infusers has got everyone covered. These cute leaf tea infusers have a basket made of stainless steel and a handle made of silicone, offering the best of both worlds. Each infuser is a different color and they all come with a drip tray.
A handful of reviewers say that the holes are a little big, and fine tea leaves might escape through. Still, the majority of reviewers love the look of these infusers. They say they are easy to use and easy to clean, and many appreciate the matching set.
Slowly brew your tea with this equally slow sloth. It will hang onto the rim of your mug as the tea infuses from the bottom of the infuser. You can easily fill the sloth as it opens in the middle to give you full access to put your tea leaves inside. It's both microwave and dishwasher-safe and is made from BPA-free silicone.
Some reviewers report that there isn't enough space inside, so it's difficult to brew a strong tea. A few add that it doesn't reach very deeply into the mug. Still, most reviewers love the cuteness of this sloth and say it's well-made. It's easy to clean and easy to use, and makes a great gift.
If you like both tea and all things spooky, this skull and crossbones tea infuser might be exactly what you need! This is a pack of two skull-shaped silicone infusers that are on a chain connected to crossbones. The top of the skull pops off and lets you put the tea inside.
Some reviewers report that the holes in the skull are too big for finer tea and small leaves can easily escape. However, many reviewers appreciate that they don't stain and are easy to clean. They praise the seal on the skull, saying it's easy to open but is secure when closed.
This tea infuser is made of both silicone and stainless steel. It's also available in several colors. The figure on top comes off and you can then fill the cylinder with leaves. Once set in a cup, the figure will look like it's relaxing in a pool of tea!
Reviewers say that the cylinder for the tea leaves is narrow, making it difficult to fill without spilling any leaves. However, leaves don't escape into the cup due to the tight mesh of the cylinder. Many love how cute the figure is and say this infuser makes them smile.
Filling this pig-shaped strainer is easy, simply screw the base off. The majority of the pig's body is available for tea leaves. A chain is attached to the pig so you can remove it from your mug easily. There are small holes in the side to allow the tea to infuse, and it is dishwasher-safe.
Some reviewers say that the holes in the pig are too large and tea leaves can seep out. However, they agree that the infuser is very fun and cute. Many say it's easy to clean and stays sealed when the base is in place. The color is praised for being vibrant and bright.
This tea infuser consists of a cute, yellow duck made from plastic and a stainless steel tea basket. Once the infuser is filled with tea, it will remain under the surface of the water, but the duck will float on top. It also comes with a stand, so you can remove the infuser and keep the duck in view.
A few reviewers warn that the infuser pops open and water may seep inside the duck, causing it to struggle to float. Some also advise drying it out completely to avoid mold. On the other hand, many reviewers report no problems and say that their duck floats well and looks very cute! They praise the size of the basket, saying it holds a lot of leaves and diffuses well.
With this set, you get five adorable animal-shaped tea infusers. They are all different colors and animals, making them ideal for family members to choose their favorite. Four of the animals are shaped to rest on the side of your mug and the owl has a chain, making them all easy to insert and remove.
For some reviewers, these are a mixed bag. They say that some infusers can hold more tea than others and some sit too far above the waterline when placed on the rim of the mug. However, the adorableness of these infusers is not in doubt! They made for popular gifts, and reviewers say they are easy to clean.
Shaped like a jumping unicorn, this infuser is made from silicone and comes with a drawstring bag. The body is white and it has a colorful many to draw attention. It splits in the middle, giving full access to the rear of the unicorn to be filled with tea.
There isn't much room inside the unicorn for tea leaves, according to reviewers. They also say that some of the holes are too high and sit above the waterline. However, despite being white, it's super easy to clean. Tea stains are not a problem, some say. Many bought this as a gift and say it was well-received by the recipient.
Looking to brew the perfect cup of tea? We have some recommendations that might come in handy. Check out these articles for tips on how to make the best cup of tea.
No. 1: Tilevo|Dinosaur Loose Leaf Tea Infusers|2 pack
No. 2: Marha's|Horse Tea Strainer
No. 3: Bekith|Tea Infuser With Included Drip Tray|7 pack
No. 4: Genuine Fred|Slow Brew Sloth Tea Infuser
No. 5: Coolrunner|Skull and Bones Tea Infuser|2 pack
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
Health
Beauty
Home goods
Home electronics
PC
Camera
Food and drinks
Kitchen
Fashion
Accessories
Kids and baby
Interior
Hobbies
Outdoor
Home, garden, and tools
Sports and fitness
Pets
Media
Games
Apps
Automotive
Gifts
Mobile devices