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Yerba Mate Bombillas
Design options, material options, demystified
Learn the different yerba mate bombilla options, how bombillas work, what they are made of, and which will work best for you. Powerful yerba mate straw designs including spoon, globe, spring loaded, coil, and flat. The list goes on.
A friend asks me which bombilla to use...
The quick and simple answer is that I tell my friends to start with a stainless steel spoon bombilla because they have the least chance of getting clogged, are easy to maintain, and can be used for multiple types of yerba mate blends.
All bombillas serve the same purpose of keeping the yerba leaves out of your mouth. The difference is the aesthetic, the ease of maintenance, and any additional functionalities they may serve. I recommend trying multiple types of bombillas to find your visual and functional favorites but start simple.
What is a bombilla?
Bombillas are basically metal straws with a filter attached to one end and a mouth opening on the other.
Conventional tea filters are used to strain out the tea prior to ever drinking it. Yerba mate bombillas are instead filtering the tea in real time via the power of suction.
How Bombillas work
Take a sip from the bombilla and it will pull the yerba mate infused water from inside the mate cup, through the small holes in the filter, up the straw and into your mouth.
The yerba mate leaves are left in the mate cup and don't travel into the bombilla.
Bombillas in Yerba Mate
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Here's a cross section view representing how the bombilla sits in a full yerba mate gourd.
The filter of the bombilla sits at the bottom center of the gourd ready for water to be poured over the yerba.
What are my bombilla options?
Bombilla filter options
Spoon
Spoon bombillas are closer in resemblance to spoons and are very common for yerba mate because they are great at filtering, are easier to place into the yerba mate gourd, and can be used to press the yerba into intended shapes.
Spring Loaded
Spring loaded bombillas are known for the ease of cleaning. The bottom cap is spring loaded to easily move to the side so you can freely pass water from the mouth through the bottom for cleaning.
Coil
Coil bombillas have more of coil affixed to the bottom of the bombilla and the water passes between the gaps in the coil.
Globe Bombilla
Globe bombillas resemble a sphere with filter holes on the top and bottom. They have similar benefits to the spoon bombilla.
Half Globe
The Half globe bombilla is similar to the globe bombilla except it's a half sphere with a flat bottom. The flat bottom helps it sit flat against the bottom of the gourds.
Flat or Fan
The flat or "fan" bombillas are usually flattened out from the mouth to the bottom filter with a few slits cut into the bottom of the bombilla to act as a filter. Simple yet effective.
What is a bombilla made from?
Stainless Steel: There are three main yerba mate bombilla materials. The most popular is stainless steel because they do not rust, are easy to clean and maintain, and are affordable.
Alpaca Silver: Another popular material for handmade or custom bombillas is Alpaca silver (also known as German silber). Alpaca silver is neither made of alpaca or silver but it visually resembles silver. It is made up of 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc. It is popular for its beauty, it can minimize the temperature of the bombilla, and is both malleable and durable.
Bamboo: Bamboo can also be used for bombillas and is mostly popular with the colder brews like tereré. It can also be used for hot brews but it's less popular than the metal bombillas.
Buy Your Bombilla from Yerba Crew
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$8.99
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BUNDLE CONTENTS - Two 6.1" silver stainless steel Bombilla straws with built in strainers to filter out any loose leaf tea ensuring all the tea leaves remain in the cup and not in your mouth. Utilize the included stainless steel and nylon cleaning brush to clean out the bombilla periodically.
EFFICIENT - Use the bombilla to drink any loose leaf tea, specifically Yerba Mate. The bombilla acts a reverse infuser keeping the tea leaves on the outside of the strainer rather than on the inside. The bombilla also acts as a spoon to scoop out any fruits or flavors included in infusions like the cold infusion Terere from Paraguay.
Keep Learning about Yerba Mate
Choosing Yerba Mate
Start simple. Check out our page explaining yerba mate exactly like we explain it to our friends and family.
Choosing a Mate Gourd
Learn the different options for mate gourds along with the pros and cons of each. Many options, many opportunities.
Order your Supplies
Order the supplies you need to get started. We have a selection of high quality mate gourds, bombillas, and yerba mate.