Phin vs French Press vs AeroPress
Three small, affordable brewers, three very different cups. How they compare on grind, time, taste, clean-up and price, and which one fits the way you drink coffee.
Short answer: choose a phin for strong, concentrated coffee and Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk, one cup at a time. Choose a French press for several mugs of full-bodied coffee at once. Choose an AeroPress for a fast, clean single cup. The phin is the only one of the three with no paper and no plunger to push.
Side by Side
| Phin | French press | AeroPress | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Slow drip through a metal filter | Steeping, then a mesh plunger | Steeping, then pressure through a paper filter |
| Grind | Medium-fine | Coarse | Fine to medium |
| Brew time | 4–5 minutes | About 4 minutes | 1–2 minutes |
| Cups | One small, strong cup | Several mugs | One cup |
| Body | Heavy, concentrated | Full, some sediment | Clean, light to medium |
| Consumables | None | None | Paper filters |
| Best for | Cà phê sữa đá, strong black coffee | Coffee for two or more | A quick cup, travel |
Why the phin tastes different
A phin uses a lot of coffee for little water, about 20 g for 100–120 ml, and lets it drip slowly. The result is a small, dense cup that stands up to sweet condensed milk and ice. A French press and an AeroPress make longer, lighter cups that would be lost under condensed milk.
Which One for You
You want Vietnamese coffee as it is drunk in Vietnam, you like it strong, and you enjoy five slow minutes. How to use a phin.
You brew for a household and like a big, heavy cup. Coarse grind, four minutes, press slowly.
You want one clean cup fast, or something light to travel with. Our Da Lat Dawn is a good match.
Try the phin
The PHINOI phin filter: aluminium, four parts, no paper, no machine. CHF 20.00, shipped from Winterthur.
FAQ
Not better, different. A phin makes one small, strong cup, ideal with condensed milk. A French press makes several fuller, longer cups at once.
You can get close. Use Robusta-rich coffee, less water than usual, and pour it over condensed milk. It will be lighter than from a phin.
"Medium fine (Phin / Aeropress)" for a phin or AeroPress, "Medium (Filter / V60)" as the closest option for a French press, or whole beans if you grind at home.
The AeroPress pushes out a dry puck. A phin rinses under the tap in four parts. A French press takes the most rinsing because of the mesh.
The phin and the French press need no filters, so after buying them, you only pay for coffee. The AeroPress needs paper filters.