Loose leaf or tea bags for your actual day
Choose a format around the way you drink tea, rather than treating a bag or an open leaf as a verdict on quality.
Convenience is a real feature
If making tea happens between meetings, a bag can be exactly the right format. It contains a ready portion and is easy to remove without finding somewhere to empty a basket. Loose leaf offers more freedom over quantity and makes it easier to inspect what you are brewing. Neither advantage cancels the other. Begin with the practical question of where the tea will be made, how much time you have, and where the used leaves will go.
A bag is packaging, not a single grade of tea. Some contain fine particles for a quick, robust cup; others contain larger leaves with more space to open. Loose tea also varies widely in leaf size and quality. Judge the resulting drink and the clarity of the product information rather than assuming that one format always contains the better material. A well-chosen everyday bag can be more satisfying than an expensive loose tea you do not enjoy.
Compare the tea, not just the format
For a useful trial, choose similar styles. Comparing a strongly flavoured fruit bag with a delicate plain oolong tells you little about bags versus loose leaf. Look at the ingredients, intended cup size, and recommended preparation. Make each in a way that suits it, then ask which you would willingly drink again. If one tastes thin in your large mug, check the portion before deciding that the format itself is at fault.
Loose leaf does not require an elaborate collection of equipment. A suitable basket in a familiar mug can be enough, but it still needs washing and somewhere to drain. Conversely, individually wrapped bags take up space and create packaging to handle. If waste is part of your choice, check the exact bag and wrapper materials and your local disposal rules. A word such as plant-based does not by itself tell you which household bin is appropriate.
Keeping both can be sensible
There is no need to make a permanent declaration. You might use loose tea at home and a small supply of bags at work, or bags for guests while keeping a favourite loose tea for yourself. Buy quantities that match those uses. The useful outcome is a cup you enjoy making and drinking, not a cupboard arranged to demonstrate loyalty to one side of an argument.
