Can You Brew Coffee in a Tea Infuser (Read to Know!)

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If you ask around, chances are almost 90% of the people you meet in your life have made coffee a part of their daily essentials. As a matter of fact, there are not many drinks as delicious, rich, and simple as coffee that we can pair with food.

Enthusiasts take their coffee very seriously. From the beans they choose to the brewing machine, there is more than one creative way to make coffee tastier and more enjoyable.

But can you use a tea infuser to brew your coffee?

You can brew coffee in a tea infuser. This device works like a strainer and allows you to control the infusion time. Using an infuser could prevent that bitter taste that results from the over-extraction of tannins in tea and coffee.

There are different types of infusers that you can find on the market. Depending on the variety and size, you will have to use other techniques to get the most out of the coffee that you want to brew.

Table of Contents

What Types of Tea Infusers Can You Use?

A tea infuser works as a filtering tool that soaks tea leaves in water, and it can be converted into a coffee infuser. The holes of the infuser allow the hot water to mix with the tea leaves or coffee grounds.

A tea infuser is definitely the cheapest tool that you can use to make your coffee. They aren’t costly like other machines and they’re easy to use and portable.

This way, you won’t have to worry about the office not having a coffeemaker because you can always have your infuser with you.

There are many types of infusers that you can use to make your coffee.

Tea Infuser Basket

This device generally has handles that can be used to place it on top of any pot or vessel in which you are making your drink. The filter basket allows hot water to pass through.

Tea Infuser Tumbler

This infuser bottle is equipped with a filter basket that fits in the bottle. Some variations are insulated and have double-glass sides to retain heat, keeping the water hot while preventing your hand from burning.

Tea Ball Infuser

A tea ball infuser has a fine mesh that retains loose particles. This infuser has a chain handle with a clip that attaches to the top of the pot containing water.

There are different variations of tea ball infusers with different shapes and sizes. Some are cylindrical, while others are ball-like.

Because of their compact size, they are also portable and economical.

Tea Infuser Egg

This type of infuser generally floats. It also has a chain or a handle that can be used to remove the infuser from the container.

Paper or Cloth Infuser Bags

These infusers are like fancy tea bags. Like a tea ball infuser, a paper or cloth infuser is pretty convenient for office use and people who are always on the go.

Tea Infuser Spoon

This infuser is fairly simple: a long solid handle and a ball-like mesh basket that opens like a pair of tongs.

Electric Kettle Tea Infuser

There are many types of electric kettles that come with removable tea infusers.

Electric kettle tea infusers are easy to use, have five different built-in temperature settings between 105°F and 212°F, as well as “keep warm” functions.

All you need to do is place your favorite coffee grounds into the stainless steel infuser contained within the stain-resistant borosilicate glass kettle.

Is There a Difference Between a Tea Infuser and a Tea Strainer?

If you ask around, you might get suggestions from some people that tea infusers are better than tea strainers.

And when you scour the internet, you find some reviews that say tea strainers might yield the same results that tea infusers do.

But there are some differences between tea infusers and tea strainers.

The main function of a tea strainer is to catch the beans or leaves that fall from the teapot into the cup. Meanwhile, tea infusers make the tea (or coffee) and go directly inside a teapot or a cup.

So, when you pour hot water into a tea infuser, it will hold the tea leaves or coffee grounds and allow them to steep.

Tea infusers also come in small or large sizes.

If you’re using large coffee beans or the tea leaves of green or white teas, the best infusers would be the large ones. This is because small infusers can’t soak the tea leaves or coffee grounds as well and thoroughly as the larger infusers.

So, your coffee or tea will taste plain or less flavorful if you use a small infuser.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Making Coffee With a Tea Infuser

Tea infusers are a great addition to your kitchen appliances and tools and make your coffee drinking experience more interesting and fun.

However, they are not foolproof devices that can replace your old coffeemaker.

Realistically speaking, there are some pros and cons to using tea infusers to make coffee.

First, let’s look at the benefits.

Pros

Tea infusers are cost-efficient. Coffee machines can cost three times as much as tea infusers.
Tea infusers are easy to clean and rarely stained.
You can also make a coffee without equipment by using infuser bottles. They also can retain heat and keep your coffee warm for a long time.
Many stainless steel infusers don’t affect or alter the flavor of your coffee.

Now, let’s take a look at the challenges of using tea infusers:

Cons

Fine coffee grounds can easily pass through the mesh into the water-filled infusers. Due to the large holes, you will have to use a paper filter or a filtration system to prevent the coffee grounds from going into your drink.
Some tea infuser balls and spoons that don’t come with tight-latching lids can spill coffee grounds into the water.
When coffee beans are soaked in hot water, they expand and absorb more water. So, depending on the size of the infuser, you might not be able to steep enough coffee to get your desired concentration.

Which Coffee Grounds Should You Use?

When brewing or steeping your coffee, the best grounds to use would be coarse coffee grounds. This is because finer grounds can fit through filters more easily.

Finely ground coffee will also steep faster and can create sour coffee if you let it steep too long.

Using coarse coffee grounds will also yield a coffee that tastes natural and flavorful.

Final Thoughts

Most tea infusers are easy to use, and they are definitely capable of brewing a good cup of coffee.

However, don’t expect to get the same taste because they don’t brew the coffee the same way as most coffee makers.

Some coffee beans are more suitable to be brewed in coffee brewers to get the most out of their taste. But there’s no harm in using tea infusers and rotating them with your coffeemaker to get a different taste out of each drink!

Can You Brew Coffee in a Tea Infuser (Read to Know!)