The basic idea is the same: use hot water to pull the flavors and whatnot out of some plant matter. So why pour water right through coffee grounds but let tea steep for several minutes?
In: Chemistry
I’m a bit unclear on your question – they’re two different drinks, with multiple sub-categories. Take coffee for example… If you consider all the different methods of brewing coffee, for example:
Espresso, French press, drip/filter, boiling grounds with water in a pan then separating (quite common in Sweden) etc…
All these methods give different results. French press will leave you with a lot of the natural oils in the bean, filter/drip will remove these so you get a cleaner brew.
Different coffee beans and roasting levels, and grind fineness will yield different results and require different preparation… French press coffee is generally very coarse and needs steeping before being ready. Espresso on the other hand is extremely fine and the idea is that water is forced through it and then it’s ready very quickly.
As to “why”… That’s just because variety is the spice of life 😉. I generally drink filter but often, usually in the evenings I’ll be in the mood for an espresso… It’s preference.
Edit – re-read your question and realised it was specifically relating to the difference between coffee and tea. I’ll let this sit anyway. Incidentally, there are teapots which operate on the same premise as French press coffee pots.
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