NEW, Vietnamese Coffee Filter Set, Coffee Infuser Set, Slow-Drip, Single-Cup Serving, Stainless Steel

Much of this review is about Vietnamese Coffee Phins (filters) in general since they are all very similar:Pros-Incredibly cheap-Makes VERY strong coffee (Great tasting!)-Easy to store-Easy to travel with-Can be used anywhere you can get hot water from-Easy to clean-Does not require (paper) filter replacements (no waste)-Can be used with ground coffee/tea without the need of extra filters/attachments (I'm looking at you Senseo and Keurig brewers!)-Brewing process can be done to the individual's taste/preference-Does not make an excess of coffee (no waste)-Durable (at least stainless steel ones)Cons-Assembly quality may vary-Must be cleaned after each use-Not a fully automatic process-Brewing time can be long (3-10+ minutes depending on your techniques)-Long brewing time can lead to a luke-warm cup of coffee-Does not make enough for a full travel mug (e.g. 24oz)-Only makes coffee for 1 person (at a time)-Brewing process can be tricky to learn and even harder to perfect (no 1 button push here!)-Easy to make a mess-Nearly impossible to avoid having sediment in the bottom of your cupThe unit I received personally:This filter only holds about 5oz of water, even if you add creamer or condensed milk to this you still will not have a full cup of coffee so I often will add more water half way through the brewing process so that I can get a full cup. While 7 and 8oz (about 1 fluid cup) units are fairly common, it can be difficult to find a seller that has labeled the size of the filter you are buying (Trung Nguyen even sells 11oz filters) and so when I got my filter I was not only surprised by it's small size, but uncertain as to if this was the standard size. Another side note is that the unit was not 'perfectly' assembled and the screw on top can be very difficult to remove afterwards (I usually use the butt of my stirring spoon on it like a screwdriver).Overall I really like the coffee this makes, and will be buying another, bigger, unit! The only reason I give these things a 4 star instead of 5 is because you will pretty much always have sediment in the bottom of your cup. The rest of the cons are pretty negligent in my opinion, but that may differ depending on the person.

I had read the reviews about the grounds falling through the filter holes--- but purchased it anyway ---and the first time I used it, that is exactly what happened. But, after doing some research, this little device brews a GREAT cup of coffee. Here's what I'm doing now, that works every time:1. Remove the screw-in press portion and set the main brewing pot on the lid.2. Add 1 Tablespoon coffee grounds (approximately to the ridge)3. Tap it lightly on the sides to even out the grounds.4. Screw down the press portion fairly tightly.5. Place it on the cup.6. Add about 2 tablespoons of boiling water, and let it sit about 20 seconds(***This is the essential step. If you skip it, that's when the grounds fall through the holes.***)7. Fill it close to the rim with slightly-cooled boiled water.8. Unscrew the filter slightly if it is draining into the cup too slowly. (It should take 4-5 minutes)9. Put the lid on top, and try to wait patiently.I am using a fairly finely ground coffee. I don't have any condensed milk at the moment, so I've been microwaving about 1/3 cup of regular 2% milk, then filtering the coffee into that. Otherwise, this is exactly the same device as was used at the Pho restaurant my son took me to. It's a bit shinier than it appears in the product picture. It may be somewhat cheaply made, but it does the job just fine, especially for the price.It holds about 1/2 cup of water. I tried filling it twice to make a larger cup of coffee, and that seemed to work (although one internet site said that if you want a larger cup of coffee, you should add hot water to what you already brewed, as adding more water might make the coffee a bit bitter.)I can't stress enough that STEP 6 is essential. Apparently letting that little bit of hot water sit in the device for about 20 seconds either swells the grounds a bit, or creates a meniscus (surface tension) that holds the grounds in. (Maybe both things happen?) The scientific type explanation doesn't matter so much as the fact that the grounds don't wind up in my cup!I may order a second one to take to work.

I really like my little coffee maker especially it's small size, but it does have a few negatives. 1- it doesn't have any instructions I couldn't even tell that it came apart so I put my coffee on top of the filter the first couple times I used it until I looked up the instructions. 2- there is usually grounds at the bottom of your mug. 3- by the time it's brewed and I add my stuff to it, it's too cold and I have to warm it up.So when you first get it, you need to unscrew the filter and wash all of the parts with hot soapy water. Them you are ready to begin. All you have to do is put about a tablespoon of grounds in and give it a few taps get them to a more even layer then you screw the filter on (but not too tight) and put it over your cup and pour in some boiling water wait a min and add a little more water. (They suggest adding any sugar or creamer first. I usually add mine after.)

For the record, I received a 3-piece filter with the tray connected and a screw-down center piece.Likes:1. Easy to clean.2. Sturdy.3. Easy to use4. Been using it for a couple weeks and I'm happy with it.Dislikes:1. The holes on the bottom were misaligned in one spot. (Though it doesn't seem to impact function, thankfully. )2. Have to be careful how much coffee to put in if you want the center piece to catch the post in the center & twist on. It would be nice if the threads on the center piece went down to the base of the center instead of starting a little way up.It's much better than the $10 one I also bought that turned out to be aluminum where the center plunger is too big to properly tamp down the grounds.Overall though, I like it and I have enjoyed using it. It's easy to use and works well. And for about $6, I would definitely recommend it to others as well.