Vietnamese Traditional Coffee Phin Filter 11 Ounce, Gravity Insert, 2 Pack

This works fantastic. Brews a very concentrated, smooth coffee which holds up great to either condensed / evap milk (vietnamese style) or a high ratio of heated regular milk (like a latte, but deeper & richer flavor). 11oz is a great amount for a more 'standard' coffee cup, rather than the smaller 'shot' of vietnamese coffee. Also, very good build quality.These are designed to be pretty foolproof with robusta "hard" coffee beans. But I've had a lot of success with various 'fancy' arabica roasts -- from medium to dark. I was having problems described in other reviews of the gravity insert tilting during the brew, lots of the grounds floating over the insert, etc. But discovered that the key is: 1) Grind the coffee fairly fine, but not powdery; 2) In the filter, make sure the dry grounds are spread evenly before adding any water (little shake / use the gravity insert -- this is important); 3) add just enough hot water over the insert to wet all the grounds, and wait about a minute or two until the grounds really get saturated & "bloom", then use the insert to tamp down the grounds and really set it firmly on the wet grounds; 4) Slowly & gently pour the hot water on top of the gravity filter in an even way (over the center works well). At this point, it shouldn't tip or float up. A few grounds may float up, but not that much. If the grounds were previously wet and even, they will stay put under the gravity filter for a great concentrated brew. **When I was having problems the first couple times, it was because either the grounds were uneven or not fully saturated so they keep expanding and unseat the gravity filter.

I was initially really disappointed with these filters. We must have gone through half a can of coffee trying to get the drips right. The filters just doesn't fit snuggly enough and the water you pour in just drips through too fast, making the flavor very weak.After a week of frustration, we decided to drive across town to by the smaller ones with the screw in filters you see in the pho restaurants. These worked perfectly, but, it only makes about 4 ounces, so I went back and gave these one more try.All of the tutorials online were with the smaller ones and they all said to add about 2 teaspoons. I nailed it on the first attempt. As I was packing these up to return, I decided that since it was double the size, I should add 4 teaspoon instead of the 2-3.The flavor came out so much better, so now I am going to keep these b/c I want a bigger cup of coffee. I just need to experiment with the water - coffee grind ratio a little more, but if it's dripping through to fast for you, just add more coffee grind to it.

It worked surprisingly well. My favorite is a press-pot but I keep breaking the glass and it's hard to clean. I need simple and unbreakable. I used Vietnamese coffee and brewed my first cup today.This has a double filter on the bottom and not much, if any, grounds went through. There was a slight sediment present (this is what I love about a press-pot)...just enough to add to the coffee flavor but never gritty. I can only see one fault and that is the steel gets hot when you need to lift it off of your cup...easily remedied with a towel. The filter had a bit of rust under the rim of the lid.If I ever don't like the sediment or want to use a finer ground coffee, I would cut a paper coffee filter to add on the bottom of the filter. Glad I ordered this larger size...just pour in the water and come back in a few minutes to a finished cup. I hope after using it a while I can come back and give it a higher rating.

Well, where have these little wonders been hiding all this time?I now own these and the AeroPress and can compare.Ease of use: both are easy, but the AeroPress is a bit faster. Also, the Phin requires a mug to rest on as the coffee drips through the filter.Coffee usage: the Phin uses less and brews stronger, the AeroPress is a hog in comparison.Cleanup: both rinse clean, with the AeroPress you unscrew the bottom and "shoot" the used grounds and filter into the trash, with the Phin I simply rinse the grounds down the drain. Not bad for getting rid of smells either...The AeroPress uses paper filters or a mesh filter purchased separately. The Phin uses s double filter system that works well unless the coffee is ground too fine. But I then simply use a filter from the Aero Press which fits nicely into the Phin. Problem solved...Speed: the AeroPress brews in 20-30 seconds, the Phin can take up to 4 minutes. That also explains the stronger brew.I love both systems, but when it comes to being economical the Phin is definitely the better choice.

If you're the type that just needs a quick cup of coffee in the morning forget it. This is meant for those times when you can relax and savor the flavor of Vietnamese coffee. I got the 11 ounce because making multiple cups is a pain and if you want less you can just pour less water in. It requires a bit of practice to use but the learning curve is about 1-3 cups of coffee. Clean up is super easy just watch the metal bits when you go to take it off the cup. I take one star away because one of the filters was a tad bent and I had to form it back into shape. Makes interesting conversation piece as well as great coffee.

I was new to making Vietnamese coffee but I wanted to find a traditional filter. I looked at different sizes and compared the gravity ones to the screw downs. I figured that being new to the whole thing I should try to gravity one. Well, I absolutely love it! The 11oz. size is perfect for a regular coffee mug. The filter itself is very easy to use and made of good quality. The one key to using this is finding the right grind of coffee to use. Since I grind my own beans, I had to play around a bit to find what worked the best. If the grind is too coarse, it won't brew as well. If it is too fine, you end up with a lot of grinds in your cup. Regardless, it really isn't difficult to master and is really neat when using it on a clear glass mug.