Spoon tannin free tea leaves that can brew indefinitely directly into the glass flask insert the filter and the leaves stay in the flask when you pour for tea that only needs to brew for a few minutes spoon the leaves into the filter instead fully depress the plunger after brewing and pour it is not necessary to remove the tea leaves or the filter the tea maker is drip free and has a tip up lid that automatically opens when you pour the neoprene cover keeps your tea nice and warm