Sorry for the audio on this one. I ended up getting a bunch of hiss that I tried to get rid of. This was actually a reshoot after an audio issue the first time so I figured done was better than perfect. I will work out better audio for this set soon.
Ooo recently Glenn at SMG studios did a video about an incredible plugin for removing hiss and other audio unpleasantness. No idea whether you need it or if it fits into your work flow but thought I'd let you know.
iZoptope Rx plugins (depending on your editing software) are great 👍 Nevertheless, sounds fine on my phone and I found your explanation of pressurized portafilters enlightening.
James may be one of the only people talking about espresso (positively) who actually recognize 100 dollars as a substantial investment for a lot of people and I think that's quite refreshing
Pfft, You can't get no shit done with that stupid thing, If you're looking for a cheap espresso machine. You should invest atleast 1000dollars, if you can't do that, don't drink coffee. You're insulting coffee by not having a mere 1000 dollars for buying a basic espresso machine Get out amertures....
I am not someone who really likes coffee all that much. I landed on this channel because of the video James did with Tom Scott but I stayed and started binge watching all of the videos for a reason - this man, who probably has access to equipment that costs thousands of dollars, is not snobbish. $120 is a significant investment for an average person and he gets it. Now, like Tom, I'll probably follow some of his recommendations and find some coffee that I love. This is the right way to introduce people to a new hobby.
The NEO is the only sustainable step into espresso in my opinion. All those automatic 100$ machines will be replaced pretty soon or thrown away, but here you have the same base as a 240$ signature, capable of pulling really great espresso with some add-ons and a nice grinder. I use way less water with a Flair than a semi-automatic, it doesn't need de-scaling, yearly maintenance, etc. Pulling shots with this is a very rewarding experience. And more often than not, you can 'save' a shot when the grind size is off, by adjusting your pre-infusion time or how hard and quick you pull the shot. I've had tasty shots at only 5 bar, but on a semi-automatic machine that would have been a really bad shot. A Flair is actually capable of much more than 'standard espresso', you can do cold-press, turbo shots, blooming espresso, mimic a lever profile, etc. Besides the decent, not a lot of machines offer this level of tweakability.
This is a lot of the same reasoning I went through when getting the Neo and I 100% believe it was the right choice. Low maintenance, high durability, high versatility, modular and able to 'grow with you'.
yes, very versatile and user-friendly. I think the flair is going to be one of those coffee tools that people pass down to their grandkids. it is built solid, works well, and a single O-ring replacement would be able to make one of these work again 100 years from now.
@@LasstUnsSpielen but the in between shots cleaning is also the only cleaning you need to do. No weekly grouphead backflusing, yearly descaling, taking out shower screens, cleaning a portafilter and baskets, etc.
From my searches you've never done a video on decaf coffee - is there much to discuss here? Is it inferior in every way, or can you still get a good cup? It's all I can drink really ;_;
I really think decaf is lacking the darkness and soul. But jokes aside I dont think theres great speciality grade coffee scene at least in central europe. From what I've read on topic of decaf, beans have to washed with ethylene chloride that causes some of the flavour to vanish.
@@dakotapiner5389 Well it's decafe or heart arrhythmias for me. Of course, who doesn't love a good cup of high quality speciality coffee? I sure do, but I don't want to wind up in the ICU again. I get decafe is sloppy seconds to peeps who can drink full octane. It would be nice to have someone to guide me through the better of the worse. There is a market for speciality decafe. Everyone I know over 60 is buying crap store bought decafe. That's money walking if you ignore it.
I would personally look for a decaf from a company that decaffeinates their beans the hard way, with no stripping chemicals. My Cafe uses a local brand like that and the decaf is actually pretty good.
I’ve had great decaf at the London Coffee Festival and had a lot of fun exploring what’s out there. And I have a Flair Pro2 that I still feel helped me on that journey, and I don’t think it’s been any less interesting using that machine with decaf. CO2 processed decaf has given me good results, but other methods can be good as well.
Brilliant. I did exactly this. Backed it on Kickstarter, and then once I got the hang of it, I got the non-pressurised basket, and the pressure gauge. ‘Modularity’ was a big plus, and I was also really impressed by Flair’s customer service.
@@luisvdesign Hi. I got mine direct from Flair. Under ‘accessories’ on their website. I think they call if a bottomless 2-in-1 portafilter. Took a bit of trial and error at first, but it was definitely a fun upgrade.
James Hoffman since forever: Don't buy an espresso machine if you dont want to start a new hobby. Me: Ok. Good advice. I wont. Also James Hoffman: LOOK AT ALL THESE SHINY COOL LOOKING TOYS. ESPRESSO IS AWESOME!!1!
@@kruks Definitely, for first cup of the morning there is a balance between enjoyable routine and too much fiddling about. And when you have his palate and experience, I can imagine that it's easier to work with a less involved process (I believe he has drip in the AM), so that he doesn't micromanage to aim for perfection. Not that anyone cares about me personally, but I've found that an aeropress is an acceptable amount of work and is very portable allowing me to make coffee anywhere I can heat water (if I bring my hand grinder).
@@BenHC - Yes, he's also said that he often pregrinds the night before and uses the timer function on his drip machine, but that's his dirty little secret. 😁
One new thing to mention is that the newer version of the flow control portafilter has a removable/replaceable nozzle. if you remove the nozzle, it acts like a regular portafilter. You don't need to buy the bottomless portafilter to try pulling real espresso shots anymore.
James: produces an In depth product review with details about who the product is for, how enjoyable it is, and tried to create a discussion with us about it. Us: Yeah that’s great. What jumper you wearing though?
When is the Sweater Patreon starting? Looks similar to this one but in a square knit style: www.heddels.com/2016/10/andersen-andersen-symmetrical-turtleneck-sweaters/
I always appreciate the honesty and transparency with all of your reviews and videos. This is the way reviews SHOULD be done; thanks for all your content and contributions to the community and for being awesome.
Ive had 2 flair machines, the first was inherited by a former barista who taught me a lot. I got a pro model and am very happy with it, mornings has become a ritual and I have really enjoyed the process and the espresso that is created. I have also learned so much from this channel and appreciate the work you do.
@@MorningNapalm In Dominican Republic my man. Small country. Only one barista coffee shop but 3 times I went there and the "main barista" wasn't there. When I find him there I'll ask for an espresso. Other guys aren't really trained at all.
I bought the flair classic a couple of years ago as a “stop gap” between machines. I absolutely love the espresso it produces and I’m still using it everyday. I enjoy the ritual of making a shot with it, the only issue I’d point out is that it’s a real pain to produce multiple shots - even with extra brew chambers. Overall I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who prepared to put in the effort
Agreed. I use mine daily for my coffee and enjoy the process, but as soon as I need to make more than one coffee, feels like I'm in the kitchen forever. Even with a 2nd brew kit. But for the small footprint it has and the quality of coffee it provides, I couldn't be happier with it.
I think it’s actually easier to switch basket instead of the whole chamber, so that you don’t need to preheat again. Just prepare the baskets first, then switch the basket and refill hot water.
I've been using a Flair classic for nearly 3 years. The only regret is not purchasing the pressure gauge. I use two baskets and find it's easy to switch the heads after each shot, taking less than 5 seconds to make the switch at this point. But upgrading to a larger basket and pressure gauge is likely in my future, and donating the original unit to someone interested in using it will likely happen in the next year.
Fun fact: If your NEO came with the flow control 2 portafilter, you can unscrew the bottom, remove the spout and then screw it back in to essentially make it "bottomless". No need to buy the bottomless portafilter. Ofcourse, a real bottomless portafilter has other advantages, but it's still better than nothing, especially to see how far you can push your current grinder.
That is not true and I hope your comment didnt ruin people's portafilter, the spout creates a pressure that is essential for the whole portafilter. removing it basically removes that pressure and then the delicate thin filter that you see when you remove the spout can get easily clogged because its not designed to withstand the pressure in the same sense a bottomless portafilter does. do not remove it if you want to keep your portafilter from clogging.
@@MegaLolStorm I haven't had any clogging issues, been using it for almost 1.5 years now without that thing. I think I actually had a clogging issue _with_ the pressurized spout installed than without it, back when I didn't have a good grinder. Lance Hedrick also recommended removing the pressurized portion of the portafilter in a recent video covering the cheapest good espresso setup.
After a year with the base model, I've just upgraded my grinder and bought the bottomless brew basket, pressure gauge and a set of scales. So happy to hear James approves my upgrades! I guess watching all of your videos has educated me well. Thanks!
If the process of making the espresso doesn’t change where you us a little pressure until the first drops and then exert the pressure what has changed in your process by adding the pressure gauge? Trying to figure out how it helps the process.
@@terrybanet3330 it really helped me know how to differentiate between say 5bars and 9bars. Eventually muscle memory has kicked in and I probably can brew a good shot without the pressure gauge. But it's a great feedback tool and allowed me to know when to make adjustments to grind size etc.
A tip for when you preheat the brewing chamber: you can push the piston in a little and then balance the brewing chamber on top of the piston. This allows you to pour preheating water into the brewing chamber directly without needing to let it sit in a basket filled with hot water. Also, when you're done brewing you can just remove the brewing system altogether and let it drip into the sink. Again saves you some hassle.
I wanted to get into espresso at home and I got a Flair Signature and a hand grinder to save money and break into the hobby. I think it is a great way to learn the process and learn how different adjustments lead to different results. I have also grown to really like the flow of pulling shots each morning as part of my routine before work. I upgraded to a nice grinder and got two Pro baskets/brew chambers and now I can pull two great shots within a few minutes each morning. I thought I would quickly find the desire to upgrade to an expensive espresso machine but with multiple brew chambers, an electric grinder, and electric kettle I dont feel the need to upgrade for convenience or quality right now.
I used to use the Flair Signature for a couple of years then upgraded the the Flair Pro 2. I've never had an espresso machine so I can't speak to that but I love my Flair and can't imagine wanting to get away from a manual lever machine. I love how much control I have to dial in and play around with. I don't think they are for everyone but if you like messing with things until the outcome is amazing then these are a lot of fun to play around with. I use mine every morning and make consistently excellent shots. I feel I can compete with any nice coffee shop I have been to on the quality of my shots. That said it does have kind of a steep learning curve, I feel like it took me months before I could consistently pull great shots, there is just so much to manage. In short if you like a hands on process and learning how to dial everything in by hand then go for it, the Flair is a wonderful piece of equipment, if not then it might not be for you.
Hi ! Thanks for your comment ! I'm thinking of buying one, but more to learn how to make proper expressos, understand the concept and then I would buy a more expensive expresso machine (automatic), in a few years (say three). Should I buy the pro2 or a signature with the pressure gauge would do the trick ? I guess the shot from the signature are still good enough right ? Why did you upgrade ?
@@jonjon.B I upgraded for a couple of reasons, my signature was the oldest model and it couldn't upgrade to the bottomless portafilter. It also didn't have a pressure gauge. I was getting good shots out of my signature and I think I could have been pulling great shots if I had the pressure gauge. I think the pressure gauge is basically needed if you want to really dial in your shots. I also wanted to understand my extraction better which is where the bottomless portafilter comes in. It helped me understand blooming and channeling a lot and my shots got a bit better. Now most shots I make are excellent, far better than at most coffee shops. I think the flair can go toe to toe with great really expensive espresso machines, you just have to really learn how to use it and do a lot of experimentation. My biggest tip is that your brew chamber should be as hot as possible. I drop it into my electric kettle while I boil my water.
Thanks for your answer and tips! I think the newest signature have a botomless portafilter. I will probably go for that one and later upgrade the portafilter or buy a nice automatic one, depending of my needs
I've been dying for this video. I was recently gifted a Flair and have been having an absolute blast dialing everything in. Including brewing terrible.. horrible.. just.... Bad shots. Haha. But! After a few good tries, some fine tuning, I can get some decent espresso out of it. And for the price point, it's quite great. Edit: James! I'd love a discussion about entry level grinders that are decent for espresso, without breaking the bank for people to pair with these Flair's.
He has done a comparison of both budget hand grinders and higher-priced hand grinders which might interest you: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dn9OuRl1F3k.html
yeah, i also had some trouble dialing it in, the Flairs have a rather steep learning curve. as far as "cheap" espresso grinders go: i recently discovered that Eureka has a budget grinder in their Mignon line: the Eureka Mignon Manuale (or Mignon Notte in some countries). it is a very simple version of the grinder with just a simple grind-button, no timer and just comes in one color (black). the grind quality is as good as in the other Mignon models, so it really is a great entry machine into the world of good espresso grinders if you can live without all the extra features. i got it for 250 bucks and am really happy with it.
Hand grinders will give the best bang for your buck. The 1Zpresso grinders seem like the most popular in the Flair groups these days - good quality and an intermediate price by the sound of things.
Two things - one, this is the first time I've considered getting ANY sort of espresso maker; and two, I appreciate that you say that $120 is not a small investment in a coffee maker.
This! As someone in the hobby for years looking at EG-1s, Monolith Maxes, Decent DE1XLs, Lelit Bianca etc. can make you forget that $120 is quite daunting for someone new to the hobby, and I'm glad he has the presence of mind to remain aware of that!
Daily Flair user here. I can agree that the modular nature of the Flair is a great feature. I started with a flair signature, but I upgraded the brewhead to the pro series for its larger capacity, and better quality basket. I use my Flair every day and I absolutely love it. Sure it is more work to use, manual grinding doesn't help (although a KinuM47 does!), but it has become a routine that I look forward to so much that some days I need to stop myself from prepping a shot because it is way too late. I preheat by boiling the chamber inside my kettle for maximum heat and I have gone as far as getting a custom distributor and palm tamper. I think that the ability to perform pressure profiling at this price point is unrivaled. By the way, I would love to see a video on how different distribution techniques play a role in espresso, noticed the blind shaker in this video and I remember you mentioning a distribution tool you were testing. Or, if you are feeling masochistic, a dialing in espresso video with a flair. As always, thank you for the amazing content and information. I had a great time for the WLCT (both years!). Happy brewing!
same Flair Signature with Kinu M47 classic user here. This combo is unrivaled for perfectly manual setup. Pure FUN. Take note Pro2 brewhead mass is double the Signature brewhead size, so preheating part need to adjust. Kinu classic is perfectly capable to dial in the size that we need, as yesterday's beans is different today.
Unless you’re doing something wild With your aero press this is way more involved just for temp management alone, not to mention pressure dynamics. Results are probably way better though! 🤗
not sure about that. I ended up with a Cafelat because of how many parts the flair has besides the thermal issue. Think about trying to quickly pull a shot in a pinch first thing in the morning.
i have used the flair pro for almost two years. After understanding the process with the flair, a shot from start to finish really doesnt take more than 5-6 minutes for me now, even with my kinu m47 hand grinder. love the results, and have a great sense of accomplishment!
Love this review. I bought the neo as my first espresso machine during the semi-early bird on Kickstarter. I bought the regular basket at the same time. Started with the pressurized basket, then basically immediately started using the regular one. Kind of wish I got the pressure gauge, but I still get good results for my purposes without one. I make my brew process simpler by just putting the cylinder in the kettle while it boils (I'm in the US where electric kettles are less common, so I just stick it in my Hario gooseneck kettle while it boils on the stove). Grab it out with tongs when the water comes to a boil, place it in a towel for a moment, then assemble > fill > press. Everything is piping hot and I don't have to mess with a separate bowl of water or double heating like some people suggest.
I’m new to espresso - and to the flair Pro2 which I recently acquired. I already had the BPlus Apollo manual grinder. However, with the optional temperature strip on the larger Pro2 brew chamber, I notice the temperature easily stabilizes at 95C when steaming inside a stovetop pot with lid, placed on a vegetable steamer. However when removing it with thongs and immediately assembling, the temp strip drops to 75C even before I get to depressing the piston for the pre-infusion. Soooo... I need to post in the flair groups, maybe this is normal for the heftier Pro2 chamber but it’s frustrating that I don’t seem to have temp retention even for 15-20 seconds. I think I read the inside of the cylinder stays hotter than the outside where the temp strip is mounted. With my inexperience, I don’t even know of the shots are any good haha... although the milk drinks are very good...
Thanks to this review, I bought Flair Pro 2 almost two years ago, and I haven't looked back since. It's worth every penny and still works flawlessly, all o-rings still intact. Paired with a french press for milk frothing and latter art, you can easily become a one man coffee house. I should note, though, that my pressure gauge got a few small cracks on the side for some reason, which is odd because I've always tended to keep the pressure at 5-9 bar. It still works fine, though!
I'd been using the Flair (no-suffix) for a couple of years. And I had added on the pressure gauge, and was really happy. I recently upgraded to the Pro 2 (yes $$$, but...), and am really enjoying the extra freedom the bigger basket and chamber give me (I like a double ris, and the no-suffix doesn't carry enough coffee for a double). I am also pretty enamored with the aesthetics (it's the copper/chrome one), sometimes I just gaze at the thing on its shelf. One thing to consider about the Pro 2 though is that it's harder to use. The larger cross section of the piston means that you need more force on the lever to get the same pressure as the no-suffix/Neo, and it's noticeable. (I calculated about 18-19% extra force - based on my dodgy piston diameter measurement). I'm reasonably corpulent, and holding that force for 30 seconds is not too hard, but definitely nontrivial. That said, I love the process. I love the physicality of it. I can *feel* when the grind's not right even before the first drips. Also, as you get into the rhythm of it, you do get more efficient and it feels less fiddly. Off to make myself one now. :)
I bought a Flair Pro 2 about a month ago. I'm not the best at making coffee but i know i love drinking it. So where do i start in making my favorite drinks than with espresso. I did my research and laughed at how expensive good quality producing espresso machines are. But then i found Flair. With the Pro 2, there is certainly more to it than just a price. The Machine (thing lever whatever you want to call it "manual espresso machine) feels great, the parts are not cheap you can tell its design and production was given a lot of thought and care in producing it. Overall its solid. It does take sometime to set up, but i enjoy it. Preheating the chamber, setting up the parts, weighing the coffee, using the "adorable little tamper" provides a rewarding experiences that creates a different perspective towards coffee and its process rather than only viewing coffee as an iced or hot drink. Hoffman is right, as you produces more espresso there will be that thought of "how can i make this better", "what do i need to produce the best". Everyone wants the best, and honestly in my own personal opinion the Flair can bring you somewhere very near if you have the right tools. The right tools and knowledge matter when creating an espresso. Now this is my experience using the Flair pro 2. I failed big time the first couple shots, but that's because i didn't know what i was doing. I knew what i wanted which was good coffee but i didn't know how to make. Having the right grinder to grind my coffee was the first thing i noticed that i had to change because the one thing that's different that the Neo provides that the flair pro 2 doesn't is the pressurized porta-filter which acts as a very conveniently handicap if you dont have a good quality grinder or grinder than can grind fine enough ( which was the case for my failed attempts at making espresso) Because i knew i needed a Finer grind and my grinder could produce it, i had my favorite coffee shop grind the coffee for me when i purchased a bag of their beans. After that, BOOM!! i was making great espresso or espresso that i thought was good. It looked beautiful had flavor and all i had to change was just my grind. After that i started to make my coffee everyday and it didn't feel like a hassle. Yes, automatic espresso machine can produce it quicker but they cost way much more than what Neo or the other products Flair provides. Again, Hoffman states something very true about this espresso maker, you have to view it as a hobby and hobbies cost a bit more down line once you get familiar with the general and desire better quality. This can mean upgrading your grinder, the quality of beans you purchase, tools you use to make your coffee but the one thing that remains the same is the quality of the Flair espresso maker. I genuinely love making espresso with it and i dont even know if im making them right. Ive just been watching videos and learning what to do and not to do.
I am on a flair signature pro and I have learned so much about espresso from it. With the naked portafilter I could see my miserable tamping and get better at it. After a while I learned how correctly ground coffee felt like, because there is such a direct feedback when pushing the water through the puck. The pressure gauge helped me on the way there. I have since experimented with different brewing temperatures, even though I can not directly measure that, I have control over the temperature of water going in, while maintaining the same strict regime of preheating the chamber. I am a scientist by education and I am in love with manual espresso making.
100% agree, I have learned so much about the brewing process!! The flexibility of this thing is actually insane, with pre-infusion, pressure changing, messing with different water types SO easily, it actually has a lot of advantages over some of the great commercial machines (obviously a lot of disadvantages) but you’re totally right Jensen
flair themselves have a grinder to go with their Lever called the Royal and if I'm to understand that it mates perfectly with the flair then its ideal. I think the cost is 179 which is a real good espresso grind price.
I started with the Pro (this wasn't offered then) and I love it. I use it every day, and I've learned more about espresso making using it than I did when working as a barista for over a year. It's definitely fiddly to brew and challenging to dial in, but I like that challenge! Since I've never used the NEO I have no opinion on it, but I appreciate that it's giving folks a low cost of entry into this hobby, and like you said, I like it's upgradability.
4 года назад
I bought Flair Pro 2 and a Comandante grinder a year ago. During that year both devices were with me on some trips - in mountains, in a forest, on a sea... I just love it and the coffee it makes is fabulous. But. 1. It is challenging to prepare multiple shots in a row (especially on a wavy sea). 2. Everytime I had a Flair in my hand luggage on the airport I was stopped on a border control because everyone was curious what the hell I have in my backpack. So bear it in mind and go to the airport few minutes earlier than usually. :) In the past me and my friends were using French Press to make a coffee. Now we take French Press on trips to use it as milk frother. If Flair Neo is in 50% as good as Flair Pro 2 I can recommend it. However, still... I would consider buying higher model instead buying upgrades.
While the flair isn't at all something that seems like what you'd want when you go camping, I do appreciate that it doesn't require power. I have a butane burner, a denatured alcohol burner, and in a pinch a kerosene stove. So, even without electricity I can't make hot water. I'm thinking the flair is the next step up from my aeropress
Daniel Thorpe For camping I would put the Kompresso before the Flair on the next step from the Aeropress, because of size, price and capability. Unless you are talking about camping with a vehicle the American way ;)
Flair signature with the case has been on multiple camping trips and flown a few times to vegas. Very nice to pull out a hand grinder, boil some water, and have the same espresso you've been sipping on at home., anywhere.
I'm in the exact same boat! Didn't see why I should dump 300€+ for a coffee machine so I just went ahead and bought the areopress. Now that I've used it for a while I kind of thought about getting into the espresso game. This one might be the right tool for me.
@@NOV3LIST The aeropress is awesome. No denying it. But it's not espresso. It's not even a french press. It's just a really nice way to make regular coffee. And for the price it's unbeatable. Going camping- aero. Trying a new roast-aero. Too tired to mess with espresso measurements -aero. But it will never make espresso. Then again, neither will anything else if you don't have the grinder to match.
@@JC-fj7oo exactly! I knew it's not possible to make espresso with the aeropess but I couldn't find cheap ways to make great espresso. That's why it's so cool that James reviewed this device :)
I love my Neo! This is exactly how my espresso journey began. Bought the Neo, and when it cane I enjoyed the shots out of the pressurized pf for a week or two and decided to put down for a nice hand grinder (Kinu m47) to see what an espresso tastes like out of the bottomless upgrade. I was absolutely blown away at the differences, but I’m also not quite sure I would have been interested if it wasn’t for first tasting my results out of the pressurized pf. A few months later, My SO surprised me with a Niche and so my workflow has gotten a bit better (15-30 seconds less I suppose). And recently we put in an order for a Decent! But all of this would not have been possible without first getting my Neo.
I like the Flair because it reduces waste and impact to make the same espresso I would make with a machine. I live in the wilderness where my electrical usage is only provided by the solar panels I have. With my fridge, freezer, basic electronics and stove range using up 93% of what I produce, there is little power I have to share before I would have to use a gas generator. Plus I love to make espresso outside, half the time I take my flair hiking with me and make it on top of a mountain or wherever I happen to go.
Thank you for reviewing neo version. You've just dispelled my doubts about this version of Flair. I was thinking about buying it as a gift to my friends and for myself as well. Being a beginner and not haveing not much experience leeds to desaster and NEO will save me from it) I also like Flair becous i can upgrade it while progressing in understanding espesso. Thank you from Belarus :)
I have a Flair classic with the pressure attachment that I have used almost everyday for the last couple of years and I still love it. Durability is not an issue. The only problem I have is that my wife is impatient with how long it takes her to get her shot. I do 20g of coffee to 36-38g of espresso out, 20 sec pre infusion followed by 28-40 sec of pressure at 8-9 bar. The espresso is usually quite good, and better than most coffee shops in my area, but never quite as good as the espresso from my favorite shop. I use a 1zpresso knockoff hand grinder and a drill to grind my beans and it does a pretty good job.
@@skiqwerty12 At the time of my purchase (2018), I got the first gen 1zpresso manual, which was a knockoff of another more prominent brand whose name I can't remember (probably also a chinese brand tbh). It came in around the 85$ pricepoint, of which I see many listings now imitating the 1zpresso. I really like my grinder and I'm not knocking 1zpresso by any means. their stuff is high quality. In fact for the last year I've been using a power drill to run the grinder and it has held up great.
Got the Flair last Christmas and it's been a great entry to espresso as a hobby. I'm getting the pressure gauge and bottomless portafilter this Christmas to take my next step up. It's been a really enjoyable journey. Would recommend.
This seems fab for anyone who lives student accommodation and likes to get up really early. A hand operated espresso machine is nearly silent and wont wake up your housemates/neighbours. Swear they make the walls of student accommodations out of paper lol...
Flair Neo to Normal Basket to Pressure Gauge is actually the exact upgrade path that I took. This is a nifty little machine. And now I meed to upgrade my grinder to get more consistent results with the normal basket.
I really like this product for another reason as well: space. If you don't have much room in a small kitchen and/or no available inlets for a larger or more complex machine, this still works. Great review overall, I enjoyed it~
I have had my Classic Flair for a couple of years now, I love the shots that produce, the ritual in the mornings, the crema and everything else. The best buy I had in years.
I wish that modularity was used more in design for a lot of products where the users needs might change change over time. (I'm looking at you, electronics industry! That's right, I know you're listening.)
I've been using the Flair Classic since March once work from home began and I was unable to visit my favorite coffee shops. Since then I've pulled countless shots and really learned the process. It's relatively slow and definitely takes effort, but the result is a pretty good shot! I typically make one latte for myself in the morning and then I'll often host friends for coffee as well. This machine is great for one or two lattes, but anything beyond that is quite a hassle. However, I've loved this machine and will continue to use it! I'm looking to add the pressure gauge to ensure I'm hitting the proper resistance. Thanks for the review of the NEO!
Got a Flair Signature that was delivered yesterday, and "practiced" with some weeks old coffee beans and Lido 2 grinder. Did several shots to play with the thing and I'm happy that I had a decent enough grinder to have not considered the Neo (and could afford it), however it was informative for me to taste sour shots and bitter shots. I think I have to work the variables and taste some more bad shots now as a reference point. Pay upfront and have the chance at good espresso now with the classic or signature instead of good enough espresso with the Neo and upgrade later. That's the bottom line, isn't it? This morning I dialed in a grind with some fresher, darker roast beans and bracketed in a setting that I thought was balanced for me and my taste. With all the variables, this is a nice ritual or exercise for coffee, because before this Pandemic response, I drank maybe a couple of cups of coffee a quarter at those events or conferences some of us get to go to. I rarely went out of my way to get coffee at a cafe. Like James has said, this is a hobby and I now want to share espresso with my friends and neighbors (who can tolerate the wait with this workflow on the Flair). I appreciate his perspective on the Neo and the place it has in giving someone an opportunity to fill their needs for good enough espresso. It could be just the gift for that friend or relative who you think could do with a good enough home espresso, that they pulled themselves.
I've had the pro 2 for about 6 months and it is by far one of the best investments I've made. I use it daily, if not more. I personally like the larger basket; I brew about 20 grams in and 40 out. If I had an easier method for heating and frothing milk this might be different. There is a process to it, but it really doesn't take too much time. The Neo seems to be a great starting point. It's great as you said, allowing for upgrading later down the line. I had to upgrade my grinder when I bought mine knowing I wouldn't be able to get the quality/consistency.
I'd planned to buy myself a great coffee machine for Christmas however I only drink espresso anyway and this actually fulfils everything I need. I love the idea of no power required and easier cleaning. I think I'm in! I'll pick one up asap.
In love with my Flair PRO 1. It’s been a steep learning curve, and you’re right about having to spend money to get the right equipment to reach the higher levels of enjoyment. Worth it though. Love the ritual in the morning - very satisfying.
I just got one for Christmas and I'm loving it! I did upgrade the portafilter, gauge, tamper, and drip tray right away, but the Neo and the Gauge were the gift so it wasn't a huge investment to upgrade the pieces I wanted and I already had a good burr grinder.
Love this video and the idea of combining the Neo and the Classic for a fair assessment of what each can do! I absolutely love my Flair Signature, and use the Neo PF for the occasional pre-ground coffee away from home. One plus of the Flair not often mentioned: portability. Some complain of fiddly-ness due to multiple parts to assemble, but this allows the ability to dismantle, pack up in the case and take it with you to hotel rooms, vacation spots, guest houses. Other manual levers are much more cumbersome to travel with. Thanks for this!
I love the flair. I have a flair pro and a barista express, the flair produces a much better shot but barista express is more convenient. But the Flair ecosystem, as you said, is awesome. On the Facebook group they have tips about cold extraction, pre infusion, time, and other things. Using it over the years taught me so much about espresso
I bought the flair signature and a grinder and took it to my barista to help me setup had it for the last 4 months absolutely love it he runs a cafe racer and we pulled shots together and they were comparable. Once you get the routine down pat U can get great espresso even with 18g.
I was looking at a Flair but ended up getting the Cafelat Robot a couple of months ago, a bit more expensive but thermal management and the workflow are so much simpler I think it was worth the higher price point. Makes awesome espresso paired with a Niche Zero!
I used this channel for all my coffee setup purchase choices. I'm a graduate student with not heaps of money to spend on $$$$ coffee setups and am limited in terms of space as well in my dorm room. I got a Timemore Chestnut C2 Manual Coffee Grinder (£76 on Amazon) and was really impressed at it's build quality, not at all plasticky and makes light work of my coffee beans. I got a Flair Neo for Christmas and love using it in combination with my grinder. Being able to make an espresso start-to-finish manually means that I have no "black boxes" in the process and can control everything precisely. Just using the pressurised portafilter is enough to make some really great looking espresso which tastes delicious by my standards.
Yeah, I've been really enjoying my Flair. The carrying case, I swear, is like a full 20% of why I have it, ha! But also, I've gotten WAY more consistent results out the thing, compared to the cheap pump machines. I'm quite happy with it.
When i got my classic Flair, i bought the pressure gauge right off. Ahem, and a real grinder. After about a week of pulling shots, I started getting good espresso. 2 years later, I can gauge my shots w/o the meter. And I get great shots consistently. Thanks, James, for such a fun channel.
Initially I kinda regret not having this video a week ago when I bought the Pro 2. But then your summary matched my exact reason for going with the Pro. So seriously, Google is your friend, I learned a lot just by Googling stuff. That said, it's very nice that you, James, are very distinct about subjective and objective observation about the product you review. Great video!
For real though, I have a porlex grinder (much worse than the Timemore), and have actually gotten some great results with the Flair classic. It just takes a lot more effort to dial, when with a better grinder you could just make micro-adjustments. Usually dosing, tamp pressure and pressure/time require "faffing" and half of a bag of coffee. I'll never invite friends over (lmao especially not now) with a new bag of coffee, but usually spending a week with a new roast I get consistent results.
Angel Bravo I’ve heard the grind time for some people has been approximately 1g per second, but for the slim model especially do you not need to grind presumably 2 or 3 times to get enough coffee to brew with your Chemex? Or am I underestimating (or caring too much about?) the volume of the grind chamber? Cheers for letting me know regardless :)
@@JayCee5375 do not buy one from AliExpress, please avoid it at all costs, especially the I recently bought a Timemore Slim a few months ago, I waited 2 months+ for it to arrive. I was super excited to use it as I thought it'd be an upgrade from my Skerton PLUS. oh boy was I wrong. after taking it out of the box I immediately looked at the burrs and passed some light from the bottom, to my surprise light passed a lot more from one side than the other side. from this I instantly knew that the burrs were misaligned, I looked on reddit and turns out the production company warehouse had changed, so there were a lot of misaligned grinders being shipped. I recently upgraded to a comandante about a week ago and omg it is amazing. please dont skimp out on a grinder and go for a comandante no matter how long it takes. Happy brewing!
It's nice to see that even you get a few extra drips from the bottomless basket along with the main stream. Makes me feel like I'm not doing it entirely wrong
I will concur with the quality grinder assessment. After getting a really good grinder, all my brew methods have vastly improved. I used to drink coffee, now I enjoy coffee. I recommend a grinder for whatever method you brew, then experiment with brew methods.
I had been considering entering the world of espresso brewing for a few yrs now. I'm not a big coffee drinker, just like lattes. I was close to getting an entry level machine during the pandemic but availability was a problem. I came across the Flair Pro 2 and the option of a manual grinder ( Kinu Simplicity) to produce quality ground beans for espresso. I took the plunge and have been quite happy. James had made a nice video covering the use and nuances of how to use one of these espresso makers. I'm definitely one of those who just likes the process. After getting the hang of I recently took my tools to work and made a couple of lattes for staff at lunch which was well received both the drinks and watching the process. Not something you can do with a big electric machine. The last comment brings me to a key point to make. Just after placing the order I came across an article regarding home brewing espresso. The writer talked of his own dive down the rabbit hole and began with advising against doing so, as James mentioned, it's a hobby not plug and play electronics. The article did mention a manual tool is a good way to start off. It helps you understand how to manage all the variables. Watching James's videos has been helpful. I don't know if my results are that good but they seem to be. Please keep sharing the skills and knowledge needed for this hobby James especially anything Flair related. One more thing this brewing system is well built and so easily cleaned and maintained another huge factor for my satisfaction with it.
Just starting on an espresso journey. This Neo seems like the right way to proceed; the first step on the road. It seems like a well-built unit with upgrade possibilities and won’t stress the budget horribly. I still need to get a grinder and a scale. Then coffee. Lots of yummy coffee beans! And storage containers. And then spoons and cups and a kettle and and.... ah well, things to look forward to. Thank you, James, for explaining this whole process so well.
Also, bought the Flair Neo off the Kickstarter and got the pressure gauge and regular portafilter at the final survey. I almost immediately upgraded to a nicer hand grinder that can do espresso to some detail. I have been very happy with it, but do now have a pressurized portafilter that I don't use. Actually started watching your channel after getting this machine and getting more into coffee from being a tea person.
Great review, concise and articulate. I have an original Flair from 2017 that I upgraded with the pressure gauge and bought a Feldgrind to go with. I am very happy with the results. The customer service from Flair was a bit dodgy as my original basket was too tight and would get badly stuck in the cylinder. Sort of how you press a bearing into a heated sleeve and it locks in when cooled. I asked them to replace the basket since it was defective and they flat refused. They offered me a significant discount to buy a whole new Flair as a remedy. I found a replacement basket on Sweet Maria's for $14 and it fits perfectly, so they did correct the problem in later runs. I guess that's the risk of being an early adopter.
Great video, James! I picked up the Neo a few months ago and I’m quite chuffed with it. I’m brewing with it almost daily and really enjoy it for the most part. I’m new to brewing espresso, and was not ready to invest in a nicer grinder and expensive machine, so I think the Neo was made for me. The only thing that I found a bit odd was that grinding on the finest setting on my Baratza Encore was too fine for the Neo (I was pulling over extracted shots, or could not even pull the lever all the way down). I actually found I pulled better shots between the 4-7 range, even though my grinder is certainly not meant for espresso. I plan on upgrading the Neo eventually, but maybe once I upgrade my grinder. I didn’t purchase the pressure gauge, but I did get one of the tiny tampers. I mean how could you not.
The encore can definitely go fine enough to choke your flair, the reason it's not advertised as an espresso-grinder is because the steps in that range are a bit too big if you use a regular portafilter. With the NEO's additional pressure, you can get away with that. If your grind is too fine, try pre-infusing a bit longer and gradually increase pressure, don't go immediately from 1 to 9 bar.
I have a Flair pro and it is amazing. When I started out I used a cheap Smart Grinder pro from Breville. And it works no doubt if you are just getting into espresso. I then upgraded to a step less prosumer grade grinder and night and day difference. Espresso is a hobby for me and it isn’t cheap I have the flair that I use when I travel and a Breville infuser for home use. Those two together are about $900 then the two grinders I have are another $800 so I would recommend find what you like and make the investment
I managed to snag one of these (white) from Kickstarter at $89 (+10 for usa) as my first real espresso maker. I upgraded to the cutest little tamper and a normal brew basket alittle later when they ran a 20% off accessories sale. It is a great intro into the espresso world for me and would do it again in a heart beat.
They have a split spout for a higher level machine, I think their Signature Pro has that. Alternatively you can get 2 chambers. Or if you're just making traditional Italian lattes or caps, you can just split the shot.
@@uadhlagash7280 Making the first shot would still pre-heat the chamber for the second shot. All you have to do is knock out the water and re-fill the coffee. Shouldn't take significantly longer than pulling two shots on a regular espresso machine. That said, a second basket is $24 so it might be nice to have it already tamped and weighed. Just pop out the basket, add the other basket, add water and press. If you have 2 people one could be rinsing and tamping the basket while the other is pressing. You could theoretically make a shot every couple minutes. In the Philippines they use cheap manual espresso makers in professional cafe carts.
I bought a second basket when the naked portafilter came out. very handy if you want to pull a shot for yourself and a friend. that's the great thing about this Flair pricepoint. you can buy the device and 2 extra portafilters for less than any pumped machine of similar quality output.
I found that 14g shots worked the best for me before I upgraded. I found the narrow, tall basket was pretty forgiving for grinders too. I really like that they've got a modular upgrade path capable from low investment pre-ground grocery store coffee in a pressurized basket shots to obsessively precise light roast blooming espresso shots.
I legitimately don’t even drink coffee, but RU-vid recommendations at 3:30 in the morning hit different. I also think this review was very well worded and I learned from it. Thanks!
I have, it's good. Also much less expensive than a red clix commandante. It has a good balance between grinding speed and effort, and the 0,02mm steps are ideal for me.
Flair Pro user here, both with the old Pro and also a Pro 2 filter. The older screen is slightly better. The Pro 2 filter can take less minimum amount (~11.5 g) and more maximum amount of ground coffee, ultimately more versatile. Using 13 g finely ground coffee (with a Bplus Apollo manual grinder), I get around 55-60 g espresso out of a fully filled group. This is my preferred balance so far. Temperature control: always using boiling water, single preheat ~= 90-91 Celsius, double preheat ~= 92-93 Celsius water temperature inside the group. The espresso is bold, rich, chocolate-fruit flavored, from dark roasts. I like to play with various pressure curves, which is hard to do with most other lever machines. It's a great way to play and learn. Temperature range is limited, though, and more than 2 preheat sessions won't rise it any more. However, a quite consistent process is possible, and I can pull nearly identical shots, most of which give me the "ahh, life is good" feeling after that first sip. I am fine with the cumbersome manual process and I got pretty fast at that. I am yet to find its peer that would give similar "best case" quality in a shorter process with half the tweakability at reasonable cost (ideas welcome, looking at La Pavoni, Ponte Vecchio, Electra). Plus, this is quite portable.
The audio sounds a bit off in this video not up to your usual standard it's muffled and noisy. I love your videos but on headphones, this was kind of hard to listen to.
The NEO Flex is now $100 w/the pressure gauge and both grounds cups included. That seems like a pretty solid deal to me, all said. I'll be trying this out soon. Next, I have to figure out my best option for an effective, low cost burr grinder
Amazing lighting, set looks interesting, content is second-to-none. Hair is on fleek. Sally didn't show up with the sweater de-linter today, and with that I spent much of the video trying to figure out what the lump on James' sweater was (lav mic.) Someone needs to send James a good shotgun mic, field recorder, and show up to slap the bits off his sweaters before recording. Please pardon the nitpicking. Anyways, I'm really enjoying many of your videos James, thank you for the great content!
