Coffee maker
Vietnamese phin filter
A small metal drip filter that sits atop a cup, slowly drip-brewing strong coffee in the traditional Vietnamese method.
How it works
Coarse-to-medium ground coffee sits in a small metal chamber with a perforated press disc on top; hot water poured in slowly drips through under gravity into the cup below, often over condensed milk.
Who it suits
- users wanting an inexpensive, portable, traditional single-serve brewer
- users who enjoy strong coffee with condensed milk
Who it may not suit
- users wanting a fast brew
- users brewing for several people at once
- Starting dose
- 15g
- Starting water
- 150ml
- Coffee-to-water ratio
- 80–100 g per litre (typically 90)
- Grind
- Medium-coarse.
- Capacity
- 1 cup
- Brew time
- 4-6 min
- Skill level
- beginner
- Noise
- quiet
- Space
- compact
- Cleaning burden
- low
- Convenience
- medium
- Manual control
- medium
Descriptive grind labels like this are illustrative starting points, not precise measurements — the same label can mean different particle sizes on different grinders. See the grind size guide for how to dial this in on your own equipment.
Uses the Vietnamese phin brewing brewing method.
Equipment
Requires a separate grinder.
Advantages
- low cost, no electricity needed
- compact and portable
- well suited to traditional condensed-milk serving style
Disadvantages
- single serving only
- slow relative to automatic methods
Steps
- Add condensed milk to the serving glass or cup, if using.
- Set the phin chamber on top, add ground coffee, and gently level it.
- Place the press disc on top and pour a small amount of water to bloom.
- Fill with the remaining water and let it slowly drip through, then stir before drinking.
Cleaning & maintenance
Disassemble and rinse all parts after use.
Minimal — inspect the press disc and chamber for wear.
Common faults
- drips too fast and tastes weak
- drips too slowly or stalls
Cost
Purchase cost band: budgetWidely and inexpensively available.
No filters or pods needed — ongoing cost is beans and, traditionally, condensed milk.
Suitable roast levels
Not sure if this is right for you? Try the coffee-maker selector.