6 Best Vietnamese Coffee Makers: Tested By Coffee Pros
The Vietnamese coffee maker is an excellent choice for experimenting with brew methods. Some people swear they won’t make coffee any other way again. Yet, others aren’t so happy with traditional Vietnamese coffee.
The bottom line is that the Vietnamese coffee maker (aka phin) delivers bold coffee, which divides the audiences. Will you be in the yay or nay group? To know, you must first buy the best phin for your needs.
At A Glance:
- OUR TOP PICK: Thang Long Vietnamese Coffee Filter Maker Press
- BEST VALUE: Vietnamese Traditional Coffee Filter (Phin) 15 Ounce
- BEST FLAVOR: Nguyen Coffee Supply Original Phin Filter
Home Brews Coffee is here to help. We listed, tested, and reviewed some of the best Vietnamese coffee makers. So, let’s dive in.
What Are the Best Vietnamese Coffee Makers?
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| No products found. | Thang Long Vietnamese Coffee Press |
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| No products found. | Gladiator Vietnamese Coffee Maker Set |
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| No products found. | Nguyen Original Phin Filter |
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| No products found. | Vietnamese Traditional Coffee Filter |
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| No products found. | Gladiator Coffee Single-Serve |
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Ceramic Vietnamese Coffee Maker |
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Nowadays, Vietnam is one of the most prolific coffee-producing nations in the world (1). Vietnam is still the main market for Robusta coffee, with over 90% of all Vietnamese coffee exported (2).
We’ve chosen the best phin filters based on their ease of use, build quality, and brew flavor. Those made with stainless steel are the most popular choice.
But if you are an artsy person, you’ll love a ceramic Vietnamese coffee maker that is often hand-painted and features timeless aesthetics.
Here’s our list of the best Vietnamese coffee filters that’ll have you making Vietnamese coffee like a pro!
1. Thang Long Vietnamese Coffee Filter Maker Press
Material: Stainless steel
- Capacity: 8 oz
- Filter: Screw down
There is no more authentic Vietnamese coffee maker than one manufactured in Vietnam. This Trung Nguyen Vietnamese coffee maker is made with meticulous attention to detail. Its stainless steel build is sturdy and durable, which ensures you’ll use it for years.
The use is straightforward. Simply add your desired coarse coffee grounds into the filter, place it on top of your cup, and pour hot water. This traditional Vietnamese coffee maker ensures a slow drip process and thorough extraction. As a result, you get a full-bodied and aromatic cup of coffee. Its capacity is 8 oz, and it brews 6 to 7 oz of coffee.
The screw-down filter acts as a coffee press, so you can change the intensity and brew duration. The size fits on most cups and mugs, and it’s dishwasher safe.
2. Gladiator Vietnamese Coffee Maker Filter Set
Material: Stainless steel
- Capacity: 8 oz
- Filter: Gravity insert
Gladiator Vietnamese coffee maker is a premium-grade coffee device replicating the traditional phin brewing style. It’s made of high-quality stainless steel. The construction is durable and resistant to rust and corrosion. We gave it top marks for the build quality because of the meticulously designed filter. The filter has small perforations at the bottom. As a result, the brewing process is slow and steady with the maximum extraction of flavors.
Cleanup and storage are easy with the Gladiator Vietnamese coffee maker. The filter is a gravity press, which is great for beginners. You put the filter in place, add the coffee grounds, and pour hot water over them. That’s all. You can control the steeping time and adjust the duration based on your coffee preferences. The manufacturer says you can use it with any ground coffee, but we found it works best with medium-coarse beans.
3. Nguyen Coffee Supply Original Phin Filter
Material: Stainless steel
- Capacity: 4 oz, 12 oz , or 24 oz
- Filter: Gravity insert
Nguyen Coffee Supply is the first American specialty Vietnamese coffee company. Sahra Nguyen founded it in 2018. Nguyen Coffee Supply imports coffee direct-trade from Vietnamese farmers and roasts the beans in Brooklyn, New York (3).
Nguyen Coffee Supply phin coffee maker is made of stainless steel and uses a gravity press. The design is classic, but we liked the premium feel of this brewer.
The lightweight coffee maker makes strong and flavorful coffee. We recommend using a 1:2 ratio of coffee to water for best results. Start with 42 grams of coffee (around 6 tablespoons) for the 12-ounce brewer and increase or decrease the amount to your taste. For a true taste of Vietnam, pick up some Nguyen Coffee Supply Robusta beans.
Available as a 4 oz , 12 oz, or 24 oz phin filter
This coffee maker is available in three sizes. The 4-oz size is suitable for a single serving, the 12-oz size serves two people, and the large-capacity 24-oz phin filter can serve up to four.
4. Vietnamese Traditional Coffee Filter (Phin) 15 Ounce
Material: Stainless steel
- Capacity: 15 oz
- Filter: Gravity insert
If a single-size Vietnamese drip coffee maker can’t get you through the day, you’ll love this 15 oz one. This is another gravity-fed model. Simply drop the screen insert on top of the coffee grounds and wait. The plate detaches from the tank, allowing for double output filtering.
The manufacturer, Heirloom Coffee, includes detailed instructions on using this Vietnamese phin coffee maker for hot and cold coffee. You even get suggestions on which coffee to use, which is great as we quickly found out coffee selection is crucial here.
Choosing coarse grounds will give you an authentic flavor, as fine ones drain too slowly. Adding all 16 ounces of coffee within the first minute is another advantage. There’s no need to stand and pour for minutes.
The coffee maker is made of heavy-duty SAE 316 stainless steel, so it’s durable and corrosion-resistant.
5. Gladiator Coffee Single-Serve Coffee Maker
Material: Stainless steel
- Capacity: 6 oz
- Filter: Gravity insert
This Gladiator Vietnamese coffee pot is perfect if you only need to make one or two cups of Vietnamese coffee. Its capacity is 6 oz, which makes about 4 oz of coffee. You can use it with coffee — Robusta, Arabica, Starbucks, Trang Nguyen, and more.
With a QR code, you scan to get instructions, even though they aren’t detailed enough. Luckily, the filter is easy to use, as there’s no plug-in needed. You pour hot water over the ground coffee beans and wait a few minutes for your brew.
It’s an ideal single mug or glass size, and you can take it with you while traveling.
6. Ceramic Coffee Maker
Material: Stainless steel
- Capacity: n/a
- Filter: Gravity insert
If you want the best Vietnamese coffee dripper that not only makes great coffee but also looks stylish, this ceramic Phin is for you! It comes in five pieces: the coffee filter (made up of a filter, pressure cap, a lid), a coffee cup, and a brown saucer. The best part is that you can drink Vietnamese coffee from a beautifully designed cup.
It’s made of ceramic, which maintains heat during the brewing process. You’re guaranteed a hot brew. However, ceramic is also a con. You must be very careful handling this phin coffee maker, as it can crack easily. The manufacturer says you can wash it in the dishwasher, but we suggest avoiding it, as the high heat of the dishwasher can cause enamel to crack.
How to Choose the Best Vietnamese Coffee Phin
There are several things to remember when choosing the best Vietnamese coffee maker. You must consider the material, size, and type of filter the device has. We’ve broken down these considerations to help you choose the best phin.
But first things first, what is a phin?
A phin (pronounced feen) is a traditional Vietnamese coffee brewing device. It’s a small, portabile filter, specifically made for brewing Vietnamese-style coffee.
Phin coffee makers consist of four parts.
A phin functions similarly to pour-over coffee drippers. However, the main difference is that you don’t need a paper filter to make Vietnamese coffee, as phins have a reusable metal filter. The coffee slowly infuses in the filter chamber and drips into your cup.
The taste is similar to two espresso shots but not so intense.
Durable Material
Vietnamese coffee makers can be made of several materials:
- Stainless steel — The most popular choice. It’s durable, and resistant to rust and corrosion. Excellent heat retention helps with consistent extraction and the best flavor. It’s usually dishwasher-safe.
- Aluminum — Second in popularity, next to stainless steel. It’s lightweight and heat-conductive, which helps coffee brewing. Due to its poor durability, aluminum phin coffee makers are easily scratched or dented and can’t go in the dishwasher.
- Ceramic — A ceramic Vietnamese coffee maker is often hand-painted and is a great aesthetic addition to your kitchen. It holds the heat very well. However, it’s extremely fragile and requires careful handling, so you can’t use it on the go.
Right Capacity
Vietnamese coffee makers are available in various sizes. Therefore, you must consider how much coffee you drink. This is a slow dripping process, so ideally, you want to make all your coffee in one batch to reduce wait time.
The most common sizes are 6 to 8 oz, 8 to 12 oz and over 20 oz. The last one is rare and it lets you brew larger quantities.
Remember that the size of your Phin affects the brewing time and coffee strength. The larger size needs coffee-to-water ratio adjustments.
Filter Matters
Vietnamese coffee makers can have screw-downs or insert filters. A gravity filter is placed on top of the ground coffee. It relies on the force of gravity to let water drip through the grounds. It usually has small holes, which let water pass through and retain coffee grounds. This is a slower extraction process compared to the screw-down.
A screw-down filter uses a screw mechanism to press down on the ground and create pressure.
This mechanism compresses the grounds and speeds up the brewing time. This filter is a better choice if you want to use pre-ground coffee.
The Verdict
We’ve seen that Vietnamese coffee makers consist of four parts, including a lid covering the filter and a press disk keeping the coffee on the bottom. The body is where coffee and water are stored, and finally, the plate holds the filter firmly in place.
Each of these coffee makers can make excellent brew results. However, our vote for the best one goes to Thang Long coffee maker.
Its build is excellent; sturdy and durable. Best of all, you can change the intensity and brew duration thanks to the screw-down filter. The capacity is enough for two cups of coffee, which will keep you fueled all day.
FAQ
The main difference between Aeropress and Vietnamese coffee makers is their brewing methods. The Aeropress combines pressure and immersion brewing, producing a clean and versatile cup of coffee. The Vietnamese coffee maker uses a slow drip or gravity-based method. That’s why you get rich and bold Vietnamese-style coffee. Aeropress is more versatile and takes less time to brew coffee.
Yes, you can make Vietnamese coffee in a regular coffee maker. Use a French Press, French Drip filter, or a Moka Pot. Medium-coarse ground beans work best. However, these may produce a different flavor than a traditional Vietnamese coffee maker. All because you can’t achieve the slow drip or gravity-based brewing that Vietnamese coffee makers do.
Yes, you can use regular coffee with a Vietnamese coffee maker. We recommended using coarse to medium-coarse grounds for the best results. These grounds have the best extraction and ensure a flavorful cup. Fine grounds take too much time to brew. By clogging the filter, you won’t get authentic Vietnamese coffee flavor.
References
- Szenthe, A. (2019, May 29). Top Coffee Producing Countries. WorldAtlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/top-coffee-producing-countries.html
- Nguyen Coffee Supply (n.d.) The history of Vietnamese robusta coffee, Nguyen Coffee Supply. Retrieved from https://nguyencoffeesupply.com/blogs/news/the-history-of-vietnamese-robusta-coffee (Accessed: 11 July 2023).
- Supply, N. C. (n.d.). Our Story. Nguyen Coffee Supply. https://nguyencoffeesupply.com/pages/about-us
