It's a world apart, Kelly G! I thought as I read this thread it's been several months since I've had bag tea... well, LOL, except for yesterday when I had coffee with friends at Starbucks. I had tea there.
Loose tea is just wonderful... there isn't any dust, or bags, or anything. The leaves plump up and give out all their luscious flavors. YUM.
I am fortunate enough to have a Teavana store nearby. The maker pictured above in Pixie's link is what I have used since January. I love it! It has a hollow bottom that pours out the liquid when it's atop a mug but not when it's just sitting there. You pour your tea leaves and water into the upper portion and let it sit for as long as it needs to, then put the whole thing on top of a mug and the tea goes into the mug, leaving the leaves behind.