Ok, but not great for tea
345419
I got these for making big batches of tea.  It works ok at best.  The bags don't close enough to not let herbs out & they are super hard to clean & the strings tend to come out or bunch up to a point where you can't really use them again.  I think they would be nice for packaging soaps or other goodies, but do not suggest you buy them if you are looking for reusable tea bags because you'll end up having to throw them out anyway since they don't hold up (even to handwashing).
2639646
I like strong English teas and this was recommended by a friend in England.  It's designed to be steeped in hotter water than most tea and for longer a brew.  It just isn't what I was hoping for.  I've gone back to Bewley's and Glengettie.
2607041
This tea ball is best suited for a single cup of tea.  The stainless steel construction means that it's durable and easy to clean.  The latch is secure and has not loosened with almost a year of use now.  The mesh has also stayed in good shape with no fraying or discoloration.  The chain is the perfect length for a large mug, but a bit long for a traditional teacup.  The hook at the end of the chain is great for placing on the side of the mug for easy retrieval.  I did try to make a pot of tea once using this mesh ball and I regretted it for two reasons: 1) The ball is not quite big enough to give you enough tea for more than, at most, two cups. So the tea was very weak. 2) The chain is not at all long enough for a tea pot and it just kind of floated at the top, making it difficult to brew.
3326299
I was disappointed when I tried using this with a couple kinds of black and green loose leaf tea. It always let too much leaf debris pass through the holes, so I returned it.
3375928
OK, doeas not close all the way so tea leaves can go out in the mug
2960177
Inexpensive, but no depth of flavor so just sort of there.  I might as well be drinking Lipton.  The Bewley's is a much better tea at about double the cost if you want a decent Irish Breakfast tea.
297271
This definitely makes steeping my tea much easier but it still allows quite a bit of gunk through the mesh.  I think I might just get a cotton infuser instead.
1151228
I tried using these to clear roots in boiling Potassium Hydroxide as part of a mycorrhizal fungi quantification procedure. These were able to withstand boiling KOH (unlike some of the metal ones), but the holes were too big, and we lost bits of our root samples.
Otherwise, they are good for tea.
2463167
I am being stingy with the stars, mainly because I really like my tea, when I really like my tea, and because this tea is advertised as Assam, which I feel I know intimately, from at least a couple sources, and this tea doesn't resemble much my idea of it. Still, the leaves looked good, they had a fragrance to them, and the tea brewed to a nice color. It's not bitter. I just don't find it flavorful--in an Assam way or otherwise. I brew it dark--two heaping teaspoons to about 16 oz of water straight off-the-boil into a preheated mug. Still, it's mild.
1029668
I liked the idea of this tea ball; unfortunately, the design led to a couple of problems I hadn't anticipated.  The first is that some of the loose teas I use call for two heaping teaspoons per 8 oz.  Because of the way this infuser functions, I can't get more than about two level teaspoons into it, because when you close it, the top half of the ball slides over the bottom half of the ball, knocking off any leaves that are mounded up.  I should have anticipated this, because of the way this is designed, but it didn't even occur to me.

The other issue is I've run into is that it is very hard to rinse all the tea leaves out of this thing.  I usually end up having to get down into the side with my finger to push the leaves, because just running water, or even a high-pressure vegetable sprayer, just doesn't work.  When you open the thing, stuff gets caught in between the two halves of the ball.  If you've used a very tippy tea, this tends to lead to *a lot* of leaves getting stuck there.

That being said, this item shipped on time, came in in good condition, and functions as advertised.  The way it works is pretty cool, it just isn't a great idea for a tippier tea that you have to use more of per cup.  I did not have the problem others have complained of with leaves getting loose into my cup, but that could be because I was trying this out with a fairly tippy first flush Darjeeling.  A finer-textured tea might tend to escape more, but I've never used any tea ball that a fine-enough-textured tea couldn't escape from, so I'm not sure that's a valid criticism.
4071466
Works but not well. The "strainer" is NOT "extra-fine;" the holes are still a tad larger than necessary such that tiny loose leaves do make it into your beverage, rather than being caught. The tea then isn't as a smooth a drink as it should be.  Solved this problem by adding a coffee liner but it rather defeats the purpose of this tea infuser.  If I could return this I would.
2707984
Too small to fit much tea, holes too small to allow flow of water, nor does lid stay on well.
1494102
I really wanted to like this- I even bought it for my sister as well.  However, its just not a good design.

1) the infuser part really isn't that big, so there isnt' much room for expansion of tea, or for water movement
2) The size of the item causes a lot of water displacement in the mug, so I end up missing out on an inch or more of tea (I really love my tea, so that matters a lot to me!)
3) its tricky to clean.  The only way I can get out the brewed tea leaves is running water, and even then its not as thorough as it should be due to a rough lip at the opening.  its too small to get more than one finger in, so there is no real scrubbing you can do either.

I do like the little tray, to collect the drips, but for that to be of use you would have to be willing USE the item.

I do really love Tea Forte's designs for the most part- their double walled tumbler is one of my favorite mugs to use for loose tea, and I adore it!  I put it through its paces too!  But this design just falls short, unfortunately.  Its beautiful, but that's where it ends.
2089216
This did not work well for me - It's a nice concept and I like that the silicone handles stay cool. However, it does not strain my loose tea fully. I'd always have 3-4 little leaves in my cup. Not dust, but little leaves that should be caught by a good infuser. The seams on mine appear to not be sealed fully and that's the source of the stray leaves. If I use it for a second pass strainer, I can make it work but that's too much trouble. This is my 2nd try for a good infuser and the search continues.
2336361
The temperature control is not very well done.  Most of the range produces boiling water (212 F).  I'd be unhappy if I was using this for tea.  As it is, I just use it for coffee.  With a little testing, I found the right place on the dial.
2649439
Unfortunately, the two sections separate frequently.  The material is a pliable plastic, so it's difficult to get a good seal.  Additionally, the infuser holes are rather large, allowing tea leaves to pass through.
4888709
I bought this because I had a Vanilla Chai tea at a restaurant. This tea is a bit heavier and more bitter. I have solved that by not doing a full steep. Still, I would try another brand next time.