A familiar form,
reconsidered.
Phin S begins with the familiar form of the Vietnamese phin, then rethinks the parts that define how water, air and coffee move through the brewer.
The filter, body and lower structure were developed together as one brewing system for specialty coffee.
We wanted to control
the flow, not fight it.
When we started brewing specialty coffee, we found ourselves reaching for other brewers.
With a traditional phin, the flow could become a slow drip, making it difficult to control the brewing speed and repeat the same result.
When air could not move freely through the space between the filter plate and the phin body, the flow could also stop. In practice, the filter sometimes had to be lifted before the coffee would continue flowing.
Fine particles could also accumulate around small openings, making the flow slower and leaving more visible sediment in the cup.
At the same time, we wanted to brew without a paper filter. We wanted to keep more of the coffee’s natural character while working toward a cleaner cup and a fuller body and mouthfeel.
So we rethought the geometry of the phin itself.
52 OPENINGS
The base of Phin S uses 52 openings to create a larger total flow area through the coffee bed.
10 MM CLEAR CENTER
The central 10 mm area of the brewer base is intentionally left without openings.
PAPERLESS FILTERING
The filter plate uses a 10 mm opening with a 1 mm raised platform, designed to create a lower zone where fine particles can be retained.
One brewer.
One system.
Every part of Phin S is designed as part of one system. From the filter to the way coffee flows through the brewer.
Designed around
the brew.
Phin S brings together the filter, the coffee bed and the flow of water as one brewing system.
From the initial bloom to the movement of water through the coffee bed, each part of the process is considered as part of the Phin S system.
Brew without
paper.
Phin S is designed to brew without a paper filter.
Instead of adding another filter layer, we redesigned the geometry of the brewer itself.
The brewer base uses 52 openings, while the central 10 mm area is left without openings.
The filter plate uses a 10 mm opening with a 1 mm raised platform. As coffee moves through the brewer, the geometry creates a lower zone where fine particles can be retained.
The design is intended to reduce visible sediment while keeping the brew paperless.
Without paper, the brew can retain more of the coffee’s natural oils and create the fuller body and mouthfeel associated with a metal filter.
Water in.
Air through.
The lower structure of Phin S was designed around the movement of both water and air.
The 52 opening pattern increases the available flow area, while the larger opening beneath the filter plate creates a more open path between the filter plate and the brewer body.
The goal was simple: allow the phin to keep flowing without relying on a paper filter.
Calculated for
paperless flow.
Designing a paperless brewer required more than simply increasing the number of openings.
The flow had to be considered as a complete system: coffee bed, water volume, opening area, filter geometry and air movement beneath the filter.
The number, size and distribution of the openings were developed to increase flow capacity while maintaining the intended brewing behaviour.
Phin S by spec.
Why aluminum?
Phin S is made from AA1050 aluminum, selected for its lightweight construction and suitability for forming the brewer’s geometry.
The surface is anodized to create a durable finished surface while preserving the character of the aluminum body.
From a familiar object
to a new brewing system.
Phin S is designed by Nguyen Thanh Dao [reddoorspace.saigon], in Vietnam, evolving from one of the country’s most familiar brewing objects.
The form remains recognisable. The system has been reconsidered for specialty coffee.
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