WE NEED TO TALK... 

Honestly, idc if you buy the machines or not. Your videos are very thorough, insightful, interesting, fun, and easy to understand so unless you're outright lying to us about something that we ended up sinking money into then it's fine if you get free stuff or whatever. It's just more hands on testing and use-case reviews for everyone on more products. I feel like you're being hard on yourself and maybe because of dumb people making dumb comments to you because they don't understand RU-vid. Thanks for the update though 👍

I’ve been on this platform a very long time and I’ve yet to see a RU-vidr so nonchalantly honest about what they’re making from their content. You clearly have a great respect for your viewers which is NOT a given for today’s content creators. No matter what you make or how you make it, we’ll still be watching!

I admire your dedication to integrity. It is rare.

I know this may be the minority opinion-and maybe it’s not-but I don’t mind if you receive things free. At all. I trust you to give a fair and honest review, to the best of your ability, whether you paid for it or not. Don’t go underwater to prevent bias which cannot be prevented in the first place. Love you Lance!

If there’s one person I look to for everyday honesty and coffee, it’s you Lance. Never doubted you for a second. Keep up the great work!

Lance, our coffee review goat! We love your style and honesty! Looking forward to 2024. Cheers from Switzerland.

Thanks for the constant transparency and update. I started my coffee obsession around the time that you launched your channel. Bought the flair 58, then the gaggia classic (now modded) and Baratza Sette 270. Izpresso Q2 hand grinder with my aero press and a V60 with my fellow kettle. Now my wife and I are considering purchasing a 30k coffee trailer business. Thank you for being a constant resource that we can trust!!

Thank you for making this video Lance and congrats on all the success. Well deserved. It’s a tricky line that we straddle between making unbiased content for the viewer and building and maintaining relationships with brands and manufacturers who are very much part of this amazing industry that we’re in. We’re working towards the same goal of being able to buy everything we review but we’re a few hundreds of thousands of subscribers short at the moment. And we don’t have a Hugo. Haha. Happy New Year! Have a great one and hope to see you in person at some point this year!

Let’s continue to help this guy grow. He’s open, upfront, and makes amazing videos.

Respect for sharing all this financial information and for making this channel possible while working full-time. Your reviews are very balanced - keep on rocking!

It's not about the equipment it's about you and your expertise that has helped thousands of us! Absolute legend

Lance - we love you! Owned, borrowed or other

Salute to you!! Your transparency is refreshing and I applaud your forthrightness. 👍🏿

Don’t let them get in your head Lance. Stay the course. The community trusts you.

Lance, what has been written below speaks loudly to what you have brought forth to your viewers! Keep up the incredible work you do. Cheers from Canada!

Your videos are incredible. I subscribed to your Patreon last year because I truly love supporting you and want you to go further. You and Hugo provide some of the best coffee-based videos on the platform. Not just because of how it’s easy to digest the content, be it on your regular channel or your unfiltered channel, but it’s also deeply rooted in you ensuring transparency, showing your passion, and explaining things scientifically. Lance, I do hope you realize that, even though you started making these videos for the professional barista, you have inspired and educated so many people across the world. I don’t just mean the professional barista. I mean the home barista, the person who wants to just get into coffee and is not sure where to start, and those who are just looking for something interesting to watch. A primary example is myself and my brother. Both of us watched your milk steaming and latte art tutorial series at least three times before we started trying to steam our milk for the first time. I am coughing nutcase, and really care about my morning cup of Joe. My is a baby in the world of coffee. So, once again, thank you for everything you and Hugo do. Keep up the good work, and know that there’s more love in this world for you, Hugo, and your content, than there is hate.

Awesome, BUT! I’m not actually as worried as you are. _Your reputation stands, I know you will state what you think._ You are for sure worried more about it than I am. I have loved the last three years. I hope you have too! ☕️☕️

I HIGHLY enjoy the deep dives especially when I have large swaths of time like at the gym and stuff. Also! Idea for video series “maybe deep dive” is you traveling and finding best coffee shops in major cities, and maybe meet and greets. Maybe a whole ass Channel of you just vlogging your daily grind etc.

What a great video. A lot of respect for your honesty and transparency

You are the only coffee channel I really enjoy watching. The others are dry, boring or lack passion. You are a breath of fresh air. Thank you for all you do and I hope you do one day blow up and make millions, you deserve it. Your passion is key. You ave afan for life here and I will always push your channel to friends and coffee lovers. Than you Lance, I hope 2024 is your year!

Your videos are top notch and your values are clear and admirable. Don’t worry too much about buying fancy equipment. Enjoy your experience creating content. Your commitment to the craft shines through and the views will come with it.

My channel is a baby compared to yours and I’ve thought many times about not doing it anymore cause it’s so hard to thread the needle with bias, I can’t imagine what it’s like at your level. I don’t have the founds to buy anything major so pretty much everything I review and show is given to me and it does make it difficult. It’s an internal struggle to figure out how to word things where people hear my true thoughts but I also don’t feel like I’m biting the hand that feeds me. It’s way more difficult than most people think and I have a huge respect for any creator in this position. Either way I love your videos and your channel has been a huge inspiration for me. Cheers and happy new year Lance and Hugo!!!

Every youtuber ever after new year's: It's time for a change... Thanks for your great videos!

MKHD sports tech videos??? YES. I’m here for it. As for collabs, you should consider James Hoffman. He’s the main coffee guru/spokesman probably in the world. His aesthetic is on point and he’s also at the forefront of coffee tech on a global scale, looking at the process from farming to roasting to brewing. Would love to see a collab between you two

I started getting into coffee, especially espresso with your channel, as it was the only one that had content of the level of detail I looked for. I started supporting you on Patreon shortly after, as I wanted to support your unique detailed and scientific view on all topics around coffee making, roasting, equipment, etc.. The fact alone that you care so much about not only being transparent, but also being biased shows that you are more concerned about your community than 99% of the content creators. You have to make a living, so just accept the sponsorings and as long as you are transparent about it, probably no one will have a problem with that. Keep up the great work!

Would love to see you explore roasting. I feel like home roasting is so undervalued by the coffee community in general, when it’s what your beans are made of.

Hello Lance, I watch all your video, thanks for all the content you provide to the coffee community. Especially the how and WHY, I also support that perfect bias-free can't be achieved, but the way you address it with total transparency is what makes your content so enjoyable. The accusation and criticism which are addressed to you is just a really small minority compared to the silent majority that support you and are found of your content ! Good luck for the next years, looking forward for the future ! :)

Bro, you are going a great job. Look forward to the new content.

not a barista , home enthusiast but really like your personality and videos and transparency

Good luck!

Hi Lance, you have been a really good mentor for all of us and I appreciate that. Don’t sweat about trust because we do trust you. Keep it up with the great work sharing amazing content and most importantly, keep it up with all the fun. Thank you.

Hey hey- I was a director on a very famous car review show- topgear and The grand tour. The thing that mattered the most to the presenters was journalistic integrity- being able to be honest. The way the presenters managed this was to keep personal cars and review cars separate- they never once got a deal or a freebie on a personal car. The manufacturers lent us every car because they knew a good review would be good pr- and they took the chance because they had faith in their product. So what I am trying to say is that it doesn’t matter if you get loans from manufacturers as long as you are honest and have journalistic integrity. Keep your personal machines paid for and make the manufacturers foot the bill for the demos. It’s in their interest to get air time from you. You deserve to make money and they need you to get their products out there. Don’t undervalue the benefit brands get from you. ❤

Thank you for being so transparent!

You're amazing bro. Full stop.

Nice. Love this channel no matter what you can or can’t do

Tbh, I feel like you're already doing what you mentioned in this video - Reviews have always felt fair and impartial. My only request - More rants please! I love the golden nuggets of information that pop up

Very much agree with all the positive comments! keep up the great work and thanks for edutaining us in your very unique way! ❤

Hey Lance, coffee newbie here. Love your content across both channels. It’s informative, entertaining, and has given me more than a few good laughs. Keep up the great work! I just tried implementing some of your slow-feeding tips while making my coffee this morning.

I'm sure you'll get a bunch of comments saying you don't need to do this and that folks will trust your reviews either way, I know I would. Regardless though, I've got a ton of respect for this move and how hard you've been working to build up the channel the last few years. It's been awesome to watch it all grow and the production values skyrocket. Looking forward to what's in store for 2024!

This dude rules. More power my man.

When I first found your channel, the draw wasn't necessarily WHAT you were covering or reviewing, its HOW you articulate fluently, precisely, informatively and what I perceive as brutal honesty on whatever topic you're covering. Every human being on this rock we call home has a bias, another word would be preference I suppose. I hate all things apple and love androids, that doesn't make me right or wrong. Its very clear to me at least, you have a wealth of knowledge to draw from and genuinely enjoy sharing it and that's what brings me back for every video. No I cant ever afford a 7k espresso machine, but I'll watch anyway just because I enjoy learning from someone who truly enjoys teaching it. In a nutshell, I'm here for the person in front of the camera, not necessarily whatever the topic of the day is. Cheers my friend, being truthful and genuine can never be a fault, no matter who may try to tell you otherwise.

Lance you rule, thanks for existing homie!

Hey man, i have only just discovered your channel (Hoffman is my normal go-to coffee guy) and I just watched I believe one of your first videos (how to steam milk for latte art) and have just seen this one in the sidebar, it is great to see how your channel has taken off over the course of 2 yrs and your presentation style has changed remarkedly between the two videos. Personally, i think it is fine that you get equipment for free or loans as long as you are honest with your reviews still, but I appreciate that you feel that you can be more transparent if you pay for everything yourself. Fair play my guy. obviously subscribed now.

Thank you for your work and channel(s). Don‘t worry about bias, thanks to your channel (and others) we are all educated enough to build our own opinion concerning your reviews. They are great! Best regards!

thanks Lance, you rock! will keep following both channels all the way out from our dear Jonathan Gagne’s part of the world, in Quebec! cheers!

I've culled all my "coffee presenters" down to two. You, and that pommie guy with the well-kept hair .. LOL. Between the two of you, I'm pretty confident I have all the reviews and up-to-date research available. Keep up the great work Lance. 👍

Love your content. It appears to be genuine. Its informative, always fun, and at times slightly whacky. Do your thing and don't worry about other peoples opinions. Haven't seen a Utube vid from you that I haven't liked. Congrats on a great job, you deserve more than 500K subscribers. Ps. I don't really drink coffee much (well not yet), but I still like watching your content :)

Lance, 🙌 protector of integrity! This is why I'm a Patreon and others should be too!

Thank you so much for making this video! We love you and your transparency, Lance! Keep doing you!

I honestly hold you up there with Daddy Hoff in regards to honesty and integrity. Keep doing what you're doing, you're doing great.

Congrets on that stepping stone!

I love who you are and have learned so much. I will continue to follow you as long as you keep being this transparent. I got into espresso about 6 months ago having never pulled a shot before. Because of your videos, I bought a Bambino and a DF64. I learned about WDT and other techniques. Then I ended up getting a Flair 58+. I am making some delicious coffee! I don't understand the people who say dumb things about you. Ignore them.

Lance, thanks for this informative video. I have a simple mantra for you. It is my mantra for watching you. What fascinates me about your channel is the depth much more than the breadth. The depth is great! the breadth is good too, but I watch you for the depth. -Toby

I've said this before,but I've been around since short hair,no facial hair Lance and I thank you for being transparent like this ! It takes integrity to be so honest,we need so much more of that in every aspect of life..

You brought up a bunch of great points and your business plan w the second channel is totally reasonable. I appreciate the vids you’ve made so far and you seem like a genuine guy. Keep going, man!

When I read the header I thought this video would be the last one…..But luckily you keep up the good work!!!

LOVE the separation of deep dive videos. Thats a ton of extra work, very appreciated

How can you do a full time job and this channel. Sleep much? I doubt it. You are the Man!

Love your videos. Learned a lot and started a journey into my first machine a month ago. I guess there is a lot of internet people that just like to bash everything but the silent majority is just there to listen and enjoying your content. They TRUST you because they can see who you are, no matter what you say. Keep the good work.

i think you've got your head on right about this. i think you're right to recognize that you can't be unbiased, but that you can situate yourself and recognize that some experiences you're getting aren't representative of what we would experience if we bought the same thing (maybe you get 1:1 conversations with a PR lead at the company where we would be talking with contract workers in customer support; maybe someone listens to you if you complain about a thing and a future revision addresses your issues in a way that nobody would listen to us; maybe if you encounter an issue, they deliver a replacement unit via overnight rush delivery - something that we would never see). but it's the smaller stuff too - you have an ongoing email thread with someone at a company who has earnestly asked you to take a look at something and give feedback, even if it's harsh. that's such a different life than most of us experience lol and i'm totally 100% ok with that. the thing i care about is the fact that you have enough perspective to realize that some of these things are not representative of what we would experience, and you can put all of that at arm's length enough to give a review that's **useful** for us. it's not unbiased, but we know that you're thoughtful about your biases and we can calibrate your enthusiasm or disappointment at a product against... all the other reviews and all the other things you've said (including this video). i really appreciate this video and videos like it. i appreciate the proof that you're thinking carefully about all this stuff and being really thoughtful about the relationship you maintain with people who come here for your perspective on stuff. it makes me feel like i'm right to value your judgment.

Lance i appreciate your reviews, but i still think that the first milk steaming and two pouring videos were the best content you made. I would love to see more tips and excersizes to do to improve pouring latte art if possible.

Straight up legend! Appreciate your work, honesty and sacrifice!

subscribed. you don't know me, but as far as I'm concerned we hang out every day. thanks for the content old friend.

Love your content and honesty, Lance! Though many of your videos are insightful, our favorite to date is the reel of you singing in response to 30% EY. 😂

I love the transparency, honesty, and content. You have my respect now and before.

I join with those who don’t care if you’re given equipment to review, as long as you continue to be transparent about who gave what and whether there were any strings attached.

You seem knowing well your stuff, I like listening to you

Love your videos and your work Lance. I understand the need for impartiality but I don't think you've ever done anything that would question the integrity of your vids. Keep up the great work 🙏🏼

Your work is brilliant Lance, wishing you much growth this year!

I hear you and can only imagine what you go through. However, as you already know, you’ll never please everyone. And at the end of the day, as you readily admit, these are just your own personal opinions and not everyone has to agree with your opinion on a specific topic or product. In any event, you should do what you feel is right. I’m just one follower, but I appreciate what you do and have learned so very much, and will always enjoy your content and teaching. I wish you all the best. Happy New Year! 🙏🏼

I’m half here for your take on these products, and half here just because it’s you. You come across as truly as an authentic, genuine person who truly cares and passion shines through. Your integrity is palpable and is a cornerstone of your content. It’s rare and captivating.

You are my favorite coffee reviewer, but you kind of grew on me. I wasn't a fan of your earlier videos, but now, you are a must watch. As many have commented, you have one of the most informative coffee channels around. You and James Hoffmann are my "everything coffee" gurus. You are informative, very fair, and bring humor to your channel. In my coffee RU-vid journey, I used to watch Seattle Coffee Gear (Gail) but I lost interest in the channel once she left. I have watched a number of coffee RU-vidrs, (roughly 12) over the years and have always come back to your channel for detailed product reviews or to hear detail on complex coffee processes. Thanks again, and keep it going.

Thank you for your frankness and transparency, something increasingly rare these days, it seems. Thank you as well for all of your videos and other content. Good luck to you going forward and keep up the great work!

My go to RU-vidr for coffee!! Keep it up 💪

Good channel and I appreciate the integrity.

Lance, the important part is for you to try hard to be as impartial as possible and reject limitations or pre-approvals from providers. And keep the good work!

I’m new to your channel but you’re great company, keep it up.

Comment for the algorithm. Thanks Lance.

Good luck Lance!

appreciate the honesty, will always disregard the haters.

If possible, I would like a video on the Breville Dual Boiler and do a in depth set up on how you had your settings or to better explain the pre infusion settings, Temp settings for shots and steam etc.

Luv the videos and look forward to 2024 Thank You

Full transparency, I prefer the deep dive topics to reviews (both are still great), which is why i subscribed to your unfiltered channel as well. I watch for the details, passion, and your unique flair!!

'Patron Saint Daddy Hoff'. praise be his quiff.

Aww you're welcome Lance! Love your content and the amazing amount of effort you put into all your work!

Really appreciate your transparency and extreme thoughtfulness with all coffee videos. No disrespect to Daddy Hoff, but you are actually more fun to watch these days imo

I'm glad you acknowledge that we all have unconscious bias. I think most of your followers realize that you are very honest in your reviews.

I've been watching you since day one - you're amazing - nerd, honest, super knowledgeable, and what not :) So here's a story that will probably make you happy - only half a year ago I decided after years of falling in love with coffee to buy my first espresso machine, a single boiler machine. I had zero knowledge about grinders, different types of machines, how to dial in properly, how to steam milk, and so on - It's only *thanks to your channel* (OK, and Hoffman's) that I was able to learn all of these skills *alone* without training, and two weeks ago I purchased my first second-hand, dual-boiler machine - Profitec Pro 700 with flow control, that I'm so in love with. I'm able to pour hearts and tulips better than most baristas from the local coffee shops, and I'm now even helping others in our local barista group :) And just an FYI - you're the *first* channel that people link there when someone asks a question about coffee that cannot be answered briefly. Keep doing what you're doing - I'll keep supporting you on Patreon and on the second channel - and I wish you the best of success with all the wonderful things that you do

I have the almost respect for you Lance as an Australian barista I look to you as an Idol. I watch your videos to help me have a higher understanding of the coffee industry to help my journey of baristing.

As a guy with an old and tattered MBA and related business experience, I was really interested in this episode. It's a great case study on the challenges of making a "living" on RU-vid and its related media. You started off targeting baristas who were under pressure because of the pandemic. But the audience widened just because that's the way a broadcast media like RU-vid work. And also because everybody, no matter how much money they have to invest in their hobby/professional development/passion, is interested in sexy stuff and *technique.* But today as you continued to talk about your 2024 plans, there was very little about who your target audience(s) is or how you might shade and shape your episodes to focus on the needs or wishes of one or another of the segments of your channel. There is tremendous pressure to upgrade or "expensify" the gear that one shows / revues. And it is a common technique used to push the *status* value of a product, i.e., the status value in contrast to the *use* value. So, long story long, I'm wondering if planning your episodes with more thought to who precisely you want to talk to would help? Maybe even to the extent of labeling episodes for a particular segment. The challenge: what *are* your audience segments? Does RU-vid help you by providing any information, e.g., demographic, income, profession, gender, etc., of the people who follow you? They should. I'd suggest you focus on the communication problem rather than the gear acquisition problem: what is it you want to say about coffee and to whom. Great work, Lance; your passion and engagement speak for themselves and, above all, you are a good person. So don't let the trolls and cynics get you down.

People say they want unbiased but the best way to get that is a specs sheet. Definitely love to hear your opinions and experiences because you are *authentic*, even if it sounds counter to different popular opinions ❤. All the love to the Burr Man

I can’t believe it’s been 2.5 years already!! Maybe it’s fit to have a bit of a space for a testimonial to your mission in the early days about helping baristas maintain their jobs/get new ones/essentially level up. I get paid significantly more today than I did three years ago. This last job I just started specifically hired me, among my neurodiversity fueled organization and bar flow, for my latte art skills that I would’ve NEVER been able to hone this far if it hadn’t been for your early videos and all your help. Taking up your milk steaming technique was like learning to walk again as a barista, it was wild but it worked. And all that, as you may recall, had already spilled over into other young baristas with whom I was able to share your knowledge and help them level up their skills, too. I still point people towards your early videos today. So thank you, Lancey, for all you’ve poured out of yourself and into the community. Pun 100% intended. You’re an absolute gem and gift for the industry! 🫶🏻

Love the transparency of this video.

Super excited about what is to come! And I would love to see, if possible, more collabs like you have done with Pepe, Scott, Samo, and Noa. Even if it is just one of the people you bring in to help taste and test, it would be awesome to see and hear from them.

My boyfriend doesn’t drink coffee and still love watching your videos with me 😅 Love your channel 😁

I'm grateful for your stance in the coffee business and the platform you've created. Cheers to you and an impressive goal for 2024.

Been a subscriber since the early days, loved every minute of it. Its been like having my very own big brother teaching me all about coffee. Thanks for the transparency and thanks for all the videos its clear how passionate you are and also love the humour. ❤

I don't care what you do or whether you take a "freebie" or purchase like the rest of us. I already think you're a fckn legend. I discovered your channel years & years after I thought I had learned everything about coffee. But I find myself regularly watching your content because it's entertaining, informative and honest. I'm old enough to have a pretty good bullshit radar. I was around before the internet and the comments section. From the first vid I watched I could immediately see your character is sound. Your knowledge is deep. Your honesty is real. Don't doubt yourself - you're doing great things. It's all gratitude from me.

your transparency is commendable - keep up the great stuff!!

Well done and a big thank you Lance! Keep up with your great work and wishing you a great 2024