This is my favorite basket.

I concur with Oak on the basket suggestion. I'm a fellow tea snob. :-) Though, I have to confess, I love my insulated keep warm gadget. I don't notice the lack of O2, and the convenience is worth it for me. But that's far from the simple solution for you.

Simple Instructions for Black Tea: boil the water (in a pan or a kettle or something - can be hard to do in the microwave). Pour over the leaves. Start with 1 tsp a cup (8oz). If it's really dense (little pieces), use less. If it's really fluffy (big leaves), use more. Remove them in about 4:30 for most black teas (darjeelings are odd - if it feels like you have a mouth of cotton at that, you probably have one and need to steep for a lot less time). There are different guides, and you can adjust to your taste - but that's where I start with new black teas.