Flair Espresso Maker – Classic with Pressure Kit: All Manual Lever Espresso Machine for The Home with Stainless Steel Tamper,

7 reviews for Flair Espresso Maker – Classic with Pressure Kit: All Manual Lever Espresso Machine for The Home with Stainless Steel Tamper,

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   MikeTheBlueCow – May 24, 2018

   Summary: For the price, portability, and simplicity of the Flair, it produces great espresso with control over temperature and pressure. This combination cannot be beat. It is hard to find this much control unless you spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on an espresso machine, which would permanently sit on your counter. I can easily make good quality espresso with the Flair, the process is simple, quick, and easy. You have to let expensive espresso machines heat up for half an hour to get a good temperature (but can still have little control over the precise temperature). But with the Flair, you can heat the parts up in minutes and easily control the temperature. The process takes about 5 minutes, including setup, hand grinding, heating up parts and water. Cleanup is quick and simple. Flair allows me to enjoy hand-crafted espresso even when I travel. If I had purchased a typical espresso machine, I would have spent hundreds more, would have to wait longer to let the machine heat up, and at best I would have had the same level of control over temperature but without control over pressure throughout the shot. The Flair is also a great looking device, and I can’t stop taking pictures of it for my Instagram!I’ve owned the Flair (Signature, Black) for just over a week now. When I was first looking for an espresso machine, things quickly got out of budget. Sure, you can find inexpensive machines (at least twice the cost of the Flair), but they offer very little control. Basic setups that included control over temperature were looking in the $600 range for used machines, and for a new machine with a good quality of parts and features you can expect to spend $1,500+. With the Flair, you can get control over the temperature and the pressure very easily, and for a fraction of the price. If you want to make milk drinks with the espresso, you can purchase other products to pair with your Flair in order to achieve that, and still be under the cost of even the lower-priced semi-automatic machines, and overall you’d have more control and better milk steaming capability than those lower-priced semi-automatic machines could offer.To get control over temperature with the Flair, you simply need a thermometer and a way to heat up some of the parts (mainly the brew cylinder). You can simply preheat by boiling the parts in water, or for metal parts you can use a direct heating method if you like (this is my preferred method because you can get temperatures above the boiling temperature of water, to better maintain higher brewing temperatures). Please note that if you use a direct heat/dry heat method, that you need to be careful not to get the metal parts too hot, because it will flash boil the water when you add it. For best results, heat it slowly and no higher than 250° F. This takes only a couple minutes. Before you insert the piston, you can use a thermometer to check the water temperature, which allows you to control at what temperature you begin brewing.You have control over pressure through how fine you grind, how hard you tamp, and how hard you press the lever. You are able to change the pressure throughout the press, which can give you different taste results. With the ability to control temperature and pressure, you can easily customize the taste of your espresso to how you like it.I am brand new to espresso making, so I had to hunt for the right grind size to use (which is typical for any espresso machine). Once you find the grind size that gets you the right amount of pressure; the taste, mouthfeel, and crema production of the shots are very similar to what you will find in coffee shops produced by equipment that costs thousands of dollars. The only requirements you need at home are the Flair, a good quality burr grinder, fresh coffee, water, and a heat source.Overall it only takes about 5 minutes from setting up the Flair to enjoying your shot of espresso, and that’s at a relaxed pace. Cleaning up is also quick and simple.The quality of the parts are good. The only thing is that if you are not careful, you can damage the plastic parts. I have somehow managed to gouge the plastic on my portafilter. Luckily all the individual parts are available from the company, and I can replace that portafilter if I want to for a very low cost. The damage does not affect use, so I don’t mind for now. If you are less clumsy, you should have no problems. I would appreciate seeing all-metal premium parts in the future, for those of us that are clumsy :)My biggest struggle with the Flair has simply been the learning curve for getting the right temperature, the right grind size, the right tamp pressure, the right lever pressure, and the right brew time. I had staler coffee for this first week of ownership and that makes a huge difference, especially with light roasts, so I’m looking forward to using fresh coffee that’s roasted a little darker for espresso.Another big selling point for the Flair is its portability. If I had purchased a semi-automatic machine, it would have to sit on my counter taking up space. With the Flair, I could leave it set up if I want to, or just pack it away in its case so it isn’t in the way. Setup takes no time at all. For this first week of ownership, I actually traveled with it and made espresso very easily while I was away from home—you can’t do that with a typical espresso machine.The Flair is very impressive for how simple the design is and for what it can produce for such a low price. The biggest challenge is getting a good brew temperature, which is vitally important for lighter roasts but not so much for darker roasts. Temperature management for light roasts is easy enough to achieve, and should be easier with the stainless steel piston option and through the use of dry heat on the metal parts.The only true con I can think of is that you are doing a lot of the individual parts of espresso yourself, rather than the machine doing it. Such as heating up the water and parts, and applying pressure. However, these are also benefits, since they give you more control than you could affordably find in a typical espresso machine. The only other con is durability of the plastic, since I’m surprised at how quickly I gouged a part, but that is also my fault for being clumsy.Overall, I’m very happy with the Flair. I’m able to produce quality espresso after only a few days with it. I can put it away so it isn’t taking up space on my counter in my tiny apartment kitchen, and I can take it with me when I travel since I have a hand grinder. I easily get good control over temperature and pressure, which are features that you only get otherwise on very expensive machines, and rarely together. The Flair can also do cold-pressed espresso, which will be fun to play with for cold drinks. I’m surprised at how quickly and easily I can produce espresso with the Flair. I’m finally able to make cafe quality cappuccinos and drinks for my wife (since I already had a separate milk steamer), as well as affogatos and straight espresso for myself!

2. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Cracky J. Squirrel – May 22, 2023

   I have been spoiled by a small coffee kiosk near my previous work that I believe actually houses the god of coffee. The espressos that I am able to get from that place are mind-blowing. Of course, since I changed jobs I am too far to travel there just for an espresso. I have been trying to make a good espresso for years with various affordable home solutions, that just do not come close. Regardless of name brand or whatever special feature they say they have.I am very pleased with the results I am getting out of this Flair. The system is very easy to use, very straight forward. The difficulty comes in dialing in your grind, amount of beans used, and the tamp pressure. The pressure is all derived from your grind/prep process. Too loose and it will pour out like a faucet, too tight you will barely get anything. Just the right prep will allow the proper 9 bar pressure and produce a beautiful espresso shot. I am very happy with the results after I have figured out my process. It is not as good as the small artisan kiosk I used to go to, but it is damn close.I would recommend getting the pressure gauge. It is the only way you will be sure what pressure you are actually applying. Too much pressure will break the machine, and that would suck.My only other recommendation is a no-brainer… Use GOOD coffee. Use the freshest coffee. I assume you are someone who wants espressos at home and actually likes good coffee. No matter how good your process is, if you are trying to throw year old 8 O’clock coffee in there you are going to have a bad time.I personally am going to be getting a hand roaster soon and start roasting my own coffee. But that is another coffee snob story for another day.

3. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Roberto Barrera – May 16, 2023

   Insuperable en su segmentoLa calidad de espresso que se obtiene cuando esta maquina es bien utilizada emparejada con un buen molido y granos de cafe adecuados, solo puede ser mejorada por maquinas de precios muy superiores.INDISPENSABLE CONTAR CON MOLINO QUE ALCANCE LA PARTICULA FINA ADEUADA PARA ESPRESSO

4. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   René Gast – March 28, 2022

   Exzellenter Espresso dank HebelwirkungIn einer anderen Rezension (nicht zu diesem konkreten Artikel) habe ich gelesen: “Das Teil macht Espresso – mit guten Bohnen auch einen entsprechend tauglichen. Das war’s aber auch schon.” Vollkommen richtig, genau darum geht es! Ich habe mir deshalb die Fair gekauft, weil ich ohne schwere Maschine und ohne besonderen Reinigungsaufwand Espresso zubereiten wollte. Und ja, man braucht einen gewissen Workflow, kommt aber locker in ca. 3 Minuten zum gelungenen Shot: Mahlen dauert bei mir ca. 20 Sekunden, getempert wird in etwa 10 Sekunden. In der Zwischenzeit habe ich die Brühkammer mit etwas Wasser vorgeheizt und kann nun den Espresso mit kochend heißem Wasser durchlaufen lassen, was ca. 30 (bis zu 45) Sekunden dauert. Die Reinigung, die ich meist vor dem nächsten Shot vornehme, dauert i. d. R. ein paar Sekunden, weil da nicht viel zu reinigen ist.Ich trinke übrigens Cappuccino: Für (nahezu) perfekten Milchschaum nutze ich – nach wirklich langem Suchen und einigen Fehlschlägen – den NanoFoamer inklusive Milchkännchen für den Herd. Insgesamt brauche ich somit ca. 4 Minuten für einen exzellenten Cappuccino, also nur unwesentlich länger als mit einer herkömmlichen Siebträgermaschine.Wem es nicht auf zwei Minuten ankommt, für den ist die Flair ein interessanter Espresso-Maker. Wichtig ist m. E., dass du zwei, drei Sachen parallel machen kannst. Du brauchst ein ordentliches Mahlwerk, wie etwa das von Flair – ich selbst nutze eine Eureka Mignon, zugegebenerweise dann doch auch ein schweres Gerät.Anfangs hatte ich das Problem, dass der Espresso wahnsinnig schnell durchlief. Ich stellte die Flair sogar für einige Zeit in die Ecke, weil ich dachte, dass es einfach nicht funktioniert. Nun habe ich den richtigen Mahlgrad, den richtigen Workflow und es ist einfach perfekt! Jetzt klappt alles, ich muss mir da keine Gedanken mehr machen. Ich empfehle dir, die Flair zunächst als “Side-Projekt” zu verstehen; vielleicht funktioniert bei dir alles auf Anhieb, bei mir hat es das nicht. Heute will ich mir meinen Espresso bzw. Cappuccino nicht mehr anders zubereiten. Die letztlich ekligen Vollautomaten habe ich dadurch erfolgreich hinter mich gelassen und stattdessen einen (vergleichsweise) minimalistischen Weg gefunden, hochwertigen Espresso zuzubereiten.

5. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Philippe Leroux – July 3, 2019

   makes very good espressojust get your grind right and get a consistent and delicious espresooactually better than my home brevile barista espress (using the grind from that machine)I use it at work and on weekends tripdelicious

6. 

   Rated 3 out of 5

   leanneTee – October 12, 2019

   Great coffee, not so great build.I bought this Flair espresso maker having gone through a journey of discovery over the past few years, trying to find the best, non electronic option for home espresso-like coffee. Stove tops have not got me even close, and my most recent nanopresso purchase was good, but still not near enough to that wonderful pure flavour of espresso extraction.First off, the positive is that the coffee from this Flair maker is GREAT. It is by far the best I’ve tasted from non-mechanical home makers. It is better than all the pod-systems and low to mid range electronic makers that I have tried too. Provided you attend to a few things like fresh beans, grind size, correct amounts of coffee and ensuring all the water container is heated up first, you will get a really good extraction of expresso-like coffee. I am really, really happy with it from this perspective.The negative side is the build quality of the maker itself. The parts for the coffee making are very well made and the metal water and coffee container parts are really well thought through and constructed. The lever and base are less well made: the base does not sit flat on the work top so the whole thing wobbles dangerously as I lower the lever, despite the base having rubber feet to prevent this happening. I have to put it on a tea towel to stop it wobbling. The lever arm also has a lot of lateral play in in creating wobbles as you press down on it. It is only supposed to go up and down, so the wobble makes it more difficult to maintain an even pressure. THe movement also gives me concern as to how long it will last.The flair comes with a nice carry case, and nice touches like a funnel to use for getting the grounds into the holder, and a nice little tamper. I would have happily forgone these for a better built main coffee maker.SO, coffee great, but let down by the build quality, which is disappointing given the high price for this maker.

7. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Dillon – January 18, 2018

   I likeIt takes a bit of time to find a perfect combination of grind and tampping pressure, but once you find that sweet spot, it makes an amazing coffee. But by a few extra dispersion screens( The little piece of aluminum with the silicone wrapped around it, that goes over the portafilter), they’re only about three bucks, but they have a life span of about two months if you have two coffees a day.