Pour hot water into a cup, drop the stick in, wait three minutes, then stir and take it out. That's how simple the basic promise of Mesh stick tea is. Unlike traditional tea bags, you don't have to deal with a dripping bag, hunt for a teaspoon or put up with tea dust left at the bottom of the cup. The rest is about how this new format makes your life easier.
How is it different from a tea bag?
The biggest difference is in the mechanics. In tea bags, the paper filter absorbs water and releases the tea into it, but it loses its shape completely in the cup. When you want to take it out, it always drips, and you need a saucer so you don't make a mess. You also need a teaspoon to speed up steeping or to dissolve any sweetener you add.
In the stick format, the packaging itself works as a stirrer. Thanks to its solid form, when you take it out of the water it doesn't shrivel up like a paper bag, doesn't drip and can go straight in the bin. It keeps your desk clean and leaves no dishes.
How do the 1,150 micro-holes work?
The stick has 1,150 micro filter holes that are hard to see with the naked eye. When it goes into boiling water, the water enters through these holes, circulates around the tea leaves and returns to the cup carrying their aroma.
The size of these holes isn't accidental. They let the tea's flavor pass fully into the water and are small enough to keep tea particles from spilling into the cup. The result is a cup that isn't cloudy, is smooth and leaves no sediment.
The standard for desk hours
When you're working at the computer, a drop of hot tea can be a disaster for your keyboard or your papers. The stick tea format was designed for exactly this desk culture. Without losing focus while you're at the screen, you steep and stir your tea with a single stick. There's zero risk of dripping on your desk or carpet while you carry it to the bin.
The quality of the tea inside
The most common misconception about tea bags is that they're filled with "tea dust". Inside Mesh sticks there's no dust, but quality leaf tea in a specially sized cut. Dust turns bitter quickly on contact with hot water, while whole leaf gives up its aroma in a more balanced, slow and smooth way.
What temperature, how long?
The steeping time and water temperature change with the tea you're drinking. If you're steeping a classic Black Tea, the water must be at a full boil and you should wait 3 to 5 minutes. Tough leaves give up their aroma at high temperatures.
But Green Tea leaves are delicate; boiling water scorches green tea and makes it bitter. For green tea, after boiling the water, let it rest for two minutes (about 80 °C) and keep the stick in the cup for 2 to 3 minutes.
Don't leave the stick in the cup
When the ideal steeping time is up, turn the stick a few times in the cup to stir, then take it out of the cup. Forgetting the stick in the cup with the thought "let it steep more, the taste will get stronger" makes too much tannin pass into the water, especially in black and green tea, and the tea takes on a harsh, bitter taste. To keep the flavor profile from changing over the 15 to 20 minutes you're drinking it, end the steeping when the time is up.
Frequently asked questions
Is the stick packaging resistant to hot water?
Yes. Mesh sticks are made entirely of food-safe materials of European origin that withstand contact with hot water (100 °C) and meet international health standards (BPA-free). They don't lose their shape in boiling water or leave any taste or smell in the water.
How many cups does one stick make?
One stick is portioned for exactly 200 ml (a standard tea cup) of water. Trying to steep the same stick a second time gives you pale, flavorless water.
Do I need a teaspoon with it?
No, that's the biggest advantage of the stick packaging. Since it's rigid enough, you can turn it in the cup like a spoon to help your tea steep, or stir in sweeteners like honey, sugar or lemon.
What's next
Once you're used to the practical way of steeping, you can carry this ease into other hours of the day. For a quick start to the morning, without even needing a kettle, you can try Coffee sticks with water from a hot water dispenser, or if you're looking for a caffeine-free alternative in the evening, you can wind down the day with our Fruit Tea collection.