The short answer. Stick tea is a single cup of tea filled into a thin perforated stick, and you may also see it called "çubuk çay" in Turkish. You put it in hot water, stir and take it out, with no spoon, tag, squeezing or saucer. For several glasses, loose-leaf tea is the better choice; for one cup, you may prefer stick tea to a tea bag. Mesh Stick is made of food-contact OPP plastic and stayed within the EU 10/2011 limits in migration tests.
When people in Türkiye think of tea, two things come to mind: loose-leaf tea and tea bags. Stick tea came along later, so it's easiest to understand with all three side by side.
| Stick tea | Cup tea bag | Teapot tea bag | Loose-leaf tea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How much does it make? | One cup (200 ml) | One cup | Several glasses | Several glasses, depending on the teapot |
| What do you need? | A cup and hot water | A cup, hot water, a spoon and a saucer | A teapot and a stove or kettle | A teapot, a strainer and a stove or kettle |
| How long does it steep? | 3-5 minutes in the cup | 2-3 minutes in the cup | In the teapot, for the time on the pack | 10-15 minutes in the teapot |
| What happens afterwards? | You lift the stick out without drips and throw it away | You squeeze the bag, it drips, you put it on the saucer and wash the spoon | You throw the bag away and wash the teapot | You wash the teapot and strainer |
| What does the tea touch? | Food-contact OPP plastic film | Paper, cellulose or plastic fiber | Paper, cellulose or plastic fiber | The teapot and strainer |
How do you steep stick tea?
The leaves or herb pieces sit inside the thin perforated body. You put the stick in hot water, stir with it like a spoon and take it out a few minutes later. Unlike a tea bag, it does the job of both a teapot and a spoon. You don't need a spoon, a strainer or a saucer for a used bag. The leaves stay inside, so no sediment is left in your cup either.
Stick tea isn't a brand name. Like tea bag, it's the name of the way the tea is sold. People who say "çubuk çay" mean the same thing. Its limit is clear too: it makes only one cup and doesn't work in a teapot.
We make this tea under the name Mesh Stick, and its body has 1,150 micro-holes. The stick is made of food-contact OPP plastic film. In migration tests, the results stayed within the limits of EU Regulation 10/2011 and the Turkish Food Codex. We cover this in more detail in Is Mesh Stick plastic?
Our stick tea range includes black tea, herbal teas and coffee too.
Stick tea or a cup tea bag?
If you're making one cup, we recommend stick tea. The difference shows up in the small jobs while you make your tea.
| Cup tea bag | Stick tea | |
|---|---|---|
| Stirring | You need a spoon | You stir with the stick itself |
| String and tag | Usually hang over the rim of the cup | None |
| Taking it out | You catch the bag on a spoon and squeeze it | You take it out without squeezing |
| Does it drip? | It drips on the way to the saucer or bin | No |
| When you're done | A saucer for the bag, and a spoon to wash | No saucer or spoon needed |
You notice the difference most at the office or on the road. Without a spoon and saucer on your desk, you start wondering where to put the bag, while stick tea needs only a cup of hot water. You can make it the same way in a park with hot water from a thermos. Each one is individually wrapped, so you can drop a few in your bag too.
As for the taste, you leave the stick in for 3-5 minutes as the box says, stirring now and then. As you stir, water passes through the holes and carries the brew into your cup, and you set the strength with time. What's inside is written on the box: the Earl Grey stick, for example, holds 98% black tea and 2% bergamot flavoring. To see the difference, make the same variety once with a bag and once with a stick, and drink them side by side.
Cup tea bags have their good points too. They usually cost less per cup, almost every supermarket has them and they're ready in 2-3 minutes. A stick, on the other hand, makes just one cup.
Tea bags or loose-leaf tea?
If you have a teapot at home, loose-leaf tea is the better choice. Loose-leaf tea is the leaf tea you measure out of the pack and steep, and most of what supermarkets sell as "regular tea" is exactly this. You decide how much to use and how long to steep it, and one teapot makes several glasses. In return, it asks for a teapot, a strainer and 10-15 minutes.
With tea bags the amount is already measured and you don't need a strainer. Cup tea bags make one cup, and teapot tea bags are for the teapot. It's hard to say for certain which tastes better, loose-leaf or bags, because what really decides it is the tea's garden, harvest and processing.
Teapot tea bags or loose-leaf tea?
Both steep in a teapot, and the difference is in the measuring and the washing-up. If you're making tea for a crowded table and want the same strength every time with little washing-up, teapot tea bags will do the job. If you want to set the strength yourself and steep without a bag, choose loose-leaf tea. If you buy teapot tea bags, read on the pack what they're made of.
Which one should you choose, and when?
- If you're making one cup and don't want to look for a spoon and saucer, get stick tea. A cup of hot water is enough.
- If price comes first and you already have a spoon and saucer at hand, a cup tea bag is enough.
- If you're making tea for a crowded table and don't want washing-up, teapot tea bags will do the job. You still need a teapot, but no strainer.
- If a few of you are drinking at home and you have a teapot and the time, steep loose-leaf tea. It's the easiest way to set the strength.
Loose-leaf tea is usually the cheapest per cup. Individually wrapped teas cost more.
Common misconceptions
- "Loose-leaf tea is always better quality." Both have good and ordinary versions. Check the pack for the tea's garden, harvest and origin.
- "All tea bags are plastic." There are paper and cellulose bags too. You can't easily tell by looking, so you need to read the pack.
Frequently asked questions
What does stick tea mean?
It's the English for "stick çay": a single cup of tea that comes inside a thin perforated stick.
Can I use stick tea in a teapot?
No. The stick was made for one cup, or 200 ml of water. If you want several glasses, loose-leaf tea or teapot tea bags are the better choice.
What's the difference between loose-leaf and regular tea?
Usually there isn't one. The black tea you measure out of the pack and steep is already loose-leaf tea.
Can I use a teapot tea bag in a glass?
You can, but because it's made for a teapot, it's too much for one cup and the tea comes out strong.
If you have a teapot at home, you can start with loose-leaf tea. If all you have on the table is a cup of hot water, one stick of tea is enough.
