Loose-leaf tea is typically made up of whole and broken tea leaves, as opposed to bagged teas which come in individually packed tea sachets filled with broken or ground tea leaves. Loose-leaf tea is brewed by placing the tea leaves directly in hot water—or in a tea ball or strainer—and steeping the tea long enough for its flavors to infuse in the water. This type of tea is usually packaged in paper bags, glass jars, or tea chests.

While bagged tea is apportioned by the tea company, loose-leaf tea is prepared by the individual, allowing for more control over flavor and strength. Loose-leaf tea is also considered high-grade and pure because it is most likely that the tea leaves remain intact and yield a stronger flavor in comparison to lower-grade forms of tea—like tea dust or fannings—which are ground down to powder form, and commonly found in tea bags.

The biggest difference between bagged tea and loose-leaf tea is the cut and grade of the tea leaves. The highest quality teas use only the most intact leaf buds and are picked by hand.

At the top of this grading system are full leaf teas, which are intact leaf buds that are picked by hand, and are often reserved for brewing loose-leaf teas. Broken tea leaves are the next grade below loose-leaf tea, followed by fannings, which are broken-down pieces of the whole and broken leaf teas, and finally, tea dust, which is a powder ground from higher-grade tea leaves.

Tea that comes in a typical tea bag is usually made up of fannings and tea dust, which significantly affects the flavor of the tea. When tea is ground into dust, more tannins—which are organic compounds responsible for the astringency flavor found in tea and wine—are released, causing the tea to taste bitter or coat the mouth. Loose-leaf tea maintains much of the tea plant’s original flavor without the bitterness.

Loose-leaf tea has a few advantages over bagged teas, including:

1. Quality: Teas packaged in bags can be crushed and degraded, and often contain an anonymous blend of various teas. Loose-leaf tea, however, is made using whole or partially broken tea leaves that have not been blended.
2. Flavor: Loose-leaf tea, as opposed to tea fannings or dust, maintains much of the original flavor of the plant that it was harvested from. Multiple steeps of the same teaspoon of loose-leaf tea will maintain the flavor and aroma of the original cup, while tea bags are usually only good for one steep.
3. More control: Loose-leaf tea allows you to control the ratio of tea to water that you prefer, while bagged tea contains a predetermined amount of tea. Certain teas like Oolong tea require a higher leaf-to-water ratio than other teas, which can be difficult to control if you are just using tea bags.
4. Less waste: Loose-leaf tea usually comes in a single bag sold by weight whereas tea bags are usually packaged individually and sold in containers by quantity, which means bagged teas create more waste.

The way in which you brew your loose-leaf tea depends on the type of infuser or filter you use. Here are just a few ways to brew yourself a cup of loose-leaf tea.

1. French press: If you have a french press for making coffee, you can use it to make tea. If your french press has been used to make coffee, thoroughly wash your french press to get rid of any lingering coffee flavor. Then, simply put your loose leaves inside the french press, pour water over it, allow the tea to steep, and push the metal mesh down for a flavorful pot of tea.
2. Tea ball: A tea ball is a type of infuser that holds your tea leaves within a perforated metal cage. Scoop your desired amount of tea leaves into the tea ball, clasp the container shut, steep, and remove the ball when your tea is ready.
3. Strainer: A basket infuser or tea strainer is a cup-shaped mesh pouch that can fit into a mug or an entire teapot. A basket infuser can be placed into a tea kettle and easily taken out when your tea is finished steeping, which makes it great for brewing tea in larger quantities.
4. Teapot: Many classic teapots have a built-in strainer for use with loose-leaf teas. You simply put your desired tea leaves into the pot, add hot water, let steep for a few minutes, and pour into your teacups. You can simply keep adding hot water to your teapot until the leaves are spent. Note that if you don’t replenish the hot water, what team remains might become concentrated and slightly bitter tasting.

Finding the perfect balance for brewing your perfect cup of tea can be a trial and error process, but it is absolutely worth it. Here are a few tips to help get you started:

1. Get the ratio right. The flavor and strength of your tea will depend on your ratio of tea to hot water, as well as the kind of leaf you’re working with. The general rule of thumb is to measure one teaspoon of loose-leaf tea for one eight-ounce cup of hot water.
2. Choose the right tea. If you prefer mild caffeination, a Chinese green tea like jasmine or dragonwell may be perfect for you. If you require a little bit more of a boost, black teas like Assam, earl grey, and English breakfast tea typically have a higher caffeine content.
3. Experiment with timing. Many loose-leaf tea merchants will put the recommended steeping time of their teas on their containers. Some may even contain suggested serving size and the ideal temperature of your water. Herbal teas—teas made from herbs and spices like peppermint, or chamomile—will require the longest steeping times (three to five minutes). Black and green teas usually only require one to three minutes of steeping.
4. Brew multiple cups with the same serving of tea. You can use the same batch of loose-leaf tea for multiple cups, often up to six or seven. The flavor profile of your tea will change the more you steep it. The first steep will be the strongest, but the taste will evolve as the process continues from steep to steep.