Fred Manatea Tea Infuser

A gray silicone manatee that lounges in your mug, holding loose tea in its belly and hooking its flippers over the rim like it’s resting at the edge of a warm spring. It’s 4.25 inches long, weighs about a third of an ounce, and it makes a cup of tea look calm in a very literal way.

Fred and Friends makes it from flexible BPA-free silicone that handles heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The bottom half pulls off so you can spoon in loose leaf tea, and there’s room inside for the leaves to expand while they steep. It sits on most standard mugs, goes in the dishwasher and is microwave safe, so it’s as practical as a plain mesh ball, just much happier to look at.

It’s a sweet, low-risk pick for a family or office exchange. It suits the coworker who keeps a stash of tea at their desk, the friend who loves sea creatures, or anyone who could use a smile during a midafternoon break.

The catch: it only works with loose leaf tea, not tea bags. If the winner doesn’t already keep loose tea around, the manatee will sit in a drawer, so it’s worth tucking a small tin of loose tea into the wrapping.