Flair Espresso Maker - Not A Review | Real Chris Baca
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- Опубліковано 19 лис 2024
- I found this Flair Espresso Maker in Jareds trunk and decided to open it up and play with it. Life’s never been so exciting. - Real Chris Baca
Flair Espresso Maker: amzn.to/2pk5rgK
Beginner Home Coffee Brewing Tools (starter pack for nwebs ^__^)
Clever Dripper: amzn.to/2EPYaiJ
Escali Primo Scale: amzn.to/2CFpsCh
Bonavita Electric Kettle: amzn.to/2CG4gMg
Baratza Encore: amzn.to/2CG4ItW
Current Favorite Notebook: amzn.to/2HHCoLD
Vlog Playlist: bit.ly/2d5kVNz
Music by Heebeejeebeats
Christmas Song (Ender) by Robert Bertha
This Week: Flair Espresso Maker - Not A Review
there's one more thing that I think is totally worth mentioning. All of the Parts are sold separately. So in the unfortunate event that something breaks, wears out, Etc, you don't have to replace the whole machine.
*This replaced a smaller Keurig that I owned for 6 years **MyBest.Kitchen** I wanted the convenience of the water receptacle and while this unit is much larger than the previous one, I'm very happy with my purchase. The only downside to this larger model is having to move it from under the cabinets to place the pod and refill it. I was able to rectify this by purchasing glide mats for small appliances. Now, it's perfect!*
Hey Chris,
Yep, you jaded ;)
In all seriousness, I have one, and have made no secret about the fact that I love it.
I have no interest in using it as a portable machine, but before getting it I was a La Pavoni user and have an entirely manual coffee prep workflow (I use hand grinders from Helor and Kinu, Kalita 155, v60, and aeropress).
The two obvious detractors to the Flair as I see it are:
1) The setup, shot-shot, and cleanup times.
I find the coffee making process itself (for all methods) to be stress relief/part of the charm, and so obviously this is a non-issue for me. I also find that, while having all the parts exposed might be initially overwhelming, it helps teach the user about how the machine actually works. There's no mystery.
2) It doesn't steam milk.
I'm all about straight 'spro (and lactose intolerant anyway), so that's also a non-issue. I do occasionally use a French press and heated soy milk to make lattes though, and it's fine. Others use a bellman steamer, but that suffers from the "time and effort" issue as well.
IMO, the pluses
vs. a pump machine:
- easier to clean than just about any other machine. No descaling, no routine tear-downs (well, technically "every single shot" is a routine of sorts) - not many places for stale coffee to hide and wreck a shot.
- Maintenance and replacement is nearly instant and tool-less.
- less wear on the seals because the are only compressed and/or exposed to high temperatures for a brief period of time.
- pretty consistent temps vs anything without a PID.
- pressure/flow profiling on the cheap.
- cheap, period.
vs. other levers (like the pavoni):
- Temperature consistency and repeatability. The Pavoni could swing wildly due to the water at >100c under pressure and the thermal mass of the grouphead.
- Dose and output: both are greater than my direct lever Pavoni, which maxxed out at about 15:30g at BEST. My normal with the Flair is 17.5g - 36g, but I've been able to output over 40g and have dosed ~19g on occasion too.
- still cheaper (especially here in Canada).
some tips:
- Get some tongs and just boil that cylinder submerged in the brew water for a bit. Fish it out, slip it on, and fill. This will both maximize absolute brew temp, but also lead to greater temp stability. This is also the most easily repeatable process, which means consistency.
- Blow the puck out. Sounds weird, but it works, is fast and super clean (wash it after, obviously).
- Grind size is a bit coarser than commercial espresso machines will take, ergo, contact time can/should be longer. Don't be afraid to pull with a longer pre-infusion and shot time. Especially with the really bright and light stuff, I've found that there's plenty of headroom to avoid over-extraction.
- If you want to pull longer "Rao"-style ratios, down-dose and adjust the grind accordingly. Unlike a pump machine, water supply is not unlimited, and the more you dose, the more brew water will be retained in the puck. You should be able to reach 15->45, but that's pushing it.
In the end, it clicked with me because it was different, low cost, fully manual, built well enough to be a daily driver, the team is receptive and responsive to feedback, and above all else, it's actually capable.
I pull pretty progressive coffees (including C&C's 'The Truth', your Costa Rican, Kenyan from Tim W, many Square Mile offerings and a lot of Pilot hear in Canada) and I've been able to get tasty shots.
Much love, as always.
-Aaron
Is it comparable to the La Pavoni? & if yes, how close?
Its not the same, but you can get quite decent espresso out of it. Like, I can make better than most business in town (not that small town). :D
If i dont want to drink to thick coffee can i add water again and press it again 3 -4 cycle times if it possible? And what about the coffee bean? Is it grind coarse, fine or ultra fine?
add hot water to your "thick" coffee (espresso) and you can drink an americano which is espresso watered down. If you like real acidic coffee you can cycle it and get weak flavor, full acid coffee.... on second thought, why not just do drip coffee or french press, forget about buying a nice espresso machine to drink something not even close to espresso.
@@SaltheartFoamfollower its not the same, by dripping or french press the flavour of the coffee did not come out well enough for me (which i have both) , i can see why espresso taste very good because using press machine or manual can force the oil and the aroma come out from the grind bean, for my prefference i like to drink good americano with a taste of espresso while smoking in the morning, i never had espresso machine before but my eyes is lookin at flair since so many youtuber give a good mark on this espresso machine, for newbie like me manual espresso machine considered the easiest method to enjoy without spending to much money, sorry for amateur question, i just want to know if i can cycle the step 2-3 times so the taste will be like starbuck coffee or better , thanx for ur answer....
We use the Flair espresso machine everyday and we love it! We don’t really have the budget to get a powered espresso machine so we are stoked to be able to make espressos at home!
Flair is quite pricey, though. I got myself a La Pavoni espresso machine for no over $100 on the top of the price of Flair and I couldn't be happier with it! You can also steam milk for your flat white on it. Works like a charm.
where did you get it at that price?
Vojtech Pilar Please share where you got a (hopefully legit) La Pavoni espresso machine for $100. I would LOVE to know. Not saying you're lying, but I've never seen a LP machine that cheap/inexpensive.
Still impressed with the price altho he surely means 100 PLUS whatever he thinks the flair costs (read: 199 for the signature version with the bottomless included)
I purchased one and love it! Mine appears to have a few other options or upgrades?? After a small learning curve, I would put this cup of espresso next to just about anything else I have had in any shop. I pre heat both parts of the group head unit. Once you have used it a few times, it does not feel like too many parts - every one of them is absolutely necessary. The one option that to me is not optional is the pressure gauge. With that I make a perfect cup every time. I have had lots of machines, commercial and otherwise, and to your question, I needed something to work off the grid. Therefore this has been an amazing treat!!!
Absolutely love my Flair. Makes great coffee, and I'm loving the whole ritual of pre-heating, grinding, pre-heating again, and pulling a really great espresso 9 times out of 10. I'm new to making espresso, and dialling in my grind every time I get a new bag can be a bit of a chore, but that's not the Flair's fault!
I know this is over a year old, but I wanted to chime in. I love my Flair because I, as a college student, can experiment and pull actually pretty excellent shots of espresso in a dorm or apartment without breaking my wallet. Plus it doesnt take up much space and can be stored away easily if need be.
I love my Flair Pro 2 and one of the reasons is actually its modularity. Obviously, a direct lever machine is not for everyone.
The workflow may look tedious at first, but is real easy once you get the hang of it.
Yes it takes some time. On the other hand you are completely disassembling and re-assembling your machine every time,
which leaves you with a clean, dry machine that has no stale water and doesn't really need any maintenance.
But even if the workflow looks intimidating, the process is actually really a joy.
You really understand the machine, all its parts, and with the lever you feel the resistance of the puck, and are in full control of everything.
Quality wise, the flair even beats my Quickmill Carola which already is an outstanding E61 pump machine.
The flair produces thick, sweet ristretto-style espressi.
I use the Flair for few month now and I am happy too. My BZ99 only used for parties, die Flair is my new EveryDay. Some tricks you learn with time like the pre-warming method: piston goes in a little and then flip it, warm with fresh boiled water while grinding and then the water into a glas/bowl/.. then preheat again (the 2. time!) with the still hot water after grinding and use the now ~94°C Water for brewing. I fill the champer 8-10 mm under the line for the exact amount of espresso. Dark Roast goes better with 14-15g, lighter with 16-17g.
Cleaning gets better with time, the routine is the key. Sometimes the best method is to blow out the puck from below right!
I love it. Simple, effective, powerless, portable... perfect for the 1-2 Espresso a day!
Steven S. Thanks for sharing your dialed in process! 👍🏻💪🏻 FYI, the brew chamber and piston was designed to operate optimally WITHOUT any air in chamber. By underfilling as you are, there is a blade of air now sitting between the bottom of piston and column of water. Obviously you are enjoying your results but know that it affects the system pressure. Air is 20,000 times more compressible than water, ergo we say water is "incompressible" as it relates to small quantities and systems such as the brew head.
Flair Espresso I know this from the ROK but with the Flair in daily use I made with my method the same shots as with a normal filled champer. I dont press until I hear the Air, I stop the brew when the Extraktion lowers. Then there is only a few drops of water left in the champer and the puck is moisted but solid. With a normal filled champer the puck ist wet and I cant knock it out in one piece
Steven S. many users find inverting pf over sink and forcing puck out by blowing through spout very effective and easy solution 👍🏻
I bought one of these about two months ago. I wanted to bring it to work because I thought it would be a nice portable option to bring to work. But I agree with you, I think there are too many parts. It's definitely portable, but the time to assemble, disassemble, and clean is not something I can easily do at work without annoying other people.
However, for home, it's actually quite amazing. The Results you can potentially get when you consider Quality + Price vs Speed is significantly better than some espresso machines under $300. But it does take some tinkering to perfect.
I love the ability to control every aspect of making espresso (even pressure profiling if you decide to really hone in on your technique). We have a Breville 870 and its nowhere near as controllable as the manual. For me there was no joy in making espresso until I got the Flair. There is challenge and technique and reward.
I am leaning to getting one of these for home use. I think I would like it as it seems to make a little more professional drink than the ROK that I currently use.
It’s definitely better than the ROK, and cheaper.
I had search and bought several portable espresso makers only to find them disappointing... We needed something that we could take in our RV or when traveling to another country... This is the only portable machine that I have found to make a decent shot of espresso... Very happy with it. And yes, a lot of parts, a lot of clean up work afterwards... but being able to have a quality shot of espresso makes it all worth it... at home, yeah, I don't even bother... I go straight to the E61 machine we have... The Flair is kept in the RV or when we get on a plane to go somewhere...
Been using our Flair daily (2 shots a session) for over a year now, so I guess you could say we like it. If you can, it's best to let the expended grouphead drain and cool completely and when you go to clean it, sort of pull it apart with a snap and the puck will usually come most of the way out. Then, a little puff on the spout end will pop the puck out in one dry piece for easy composting/disposal.
As far as it not steaming milk, we're barbarians and microwave a little half-and-half in a glass to heat and use a Bean envy hand whisk to whip up a big cloud of hot foam in just a few seconds.
A friend has the Espresso Forge, it is simple and amazingly forgiving. Great for camping.
I had a Mypressi Twist, it stopped working so I sent it back for a refurb and never saw it again.
I really wish someone else would start making the Mypressi Twist again.
The Flair is perfect for my purposes. I'm a college student (who lives in a dorm with limited space), so I don't really need maximum portability. I love the Flair because it's far more finicky than my Silvia at home--I can manually control temp, pressure, and preinfusion (which is possible on many machines, but I find myself gradually increasing pressure throughout preinfusion, and I get my first drops after about ten seconds). Interestingly, the Flair does very well with long shots, so I sometimes finish extraction at around 45 seconds. Clean-up is somewhat of a hassle, but it's not terrible once you get used to it. The best way to preheat the cylinder is to put the piston/plunger bit in it, then let it stand up. Since the piston has the o-ring gasket, water will not come out, so you can simply invert the piston and pour your water in. This saves water, cleanup (it's one less thing to dry), and time. I typically preheat before I begin grinding with my Lido E-T, and once I tamp my coffee, I dump the water out and go straight to brewing. Also, heating the cylinder is much faster than allowing at least 15 minutes for the espresso machine to heat.
If i dont want to drink to thick coffee can i add water again and press it again 3 -4 cycle times if it possible? And what about the coffee bean? Is it grind coarse, fine or ultra fine?
Freaking love my Flair. Okay, yeah. It disassembles into a thousand pieces. But come on. If it didn't, you would complain that you couldn't clean it like similar machines. Plus, everything is Manuel so you control everything. I'm not saying there's not a learning curve. I'm just saying that my wife and I loved mine so much that I had to buy her a second one to use at home while I travel
Yeah I like not caring about my water and not having to really wash anything ever
This machine is not for only instant espresso, but for meditation while brewing.
Put this many pieces together and slowly prepare the coffee while meditatively enjoying both processes.
This is the main thing in this activity.
Try it and enjoy.
There a newer versions now.. in particular the Flair Pro 2.. it includes a pressure gauge, amongst other improvements made. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’ve pulled the best tasting shots I’ve *ever* had.. and that includes fancy Italian cafés in London. It might be a bit frustrating at first, getting to know how to dial in and controlling the pressure (pressure profiling), but it definitely is worth every penny I’ve spent on it. I use it more often than I do my semi-auto.
I went with the Portaspresso for a portable espresso unit. I couldn't be more happy with my choice. I like the process and routine of making espresso and the build quality and shot quality are amazing.
Just pulled the trigger on this and it's coming later today!
I’d love to see you try out fellow’s attachment for the aeropress, I really like the cup it makes , but there’s a lot of controversy on it. just made a cup with “the truth” blend and that was crazy good
for travel, i am a bialetti-brikka guy.
small grinder, and a little foamer = fresh cappucino on the way
I've used the espresso forge v2 for the past 2.5 years or so and am very happy with it.
Hear, hear! Me too, I love the control, being able to use commerical baskets, and the ease of maintenance.
Hi Chris, I have bought two Flair, one for me and another for my brother-in-law after using mine for about a month. This thing really does work and make an excellent espresso with good control over the shots. I thik that it will definately be too "fussy" for a lot of people, and travelling with it is probably not as easy as an aeropress, but having a lever machine in my kitchen next to my Sylvia and Rocky, and using the ROK grinder is a lot of fun, and I find myself using the Flair a LOT more often than my other machines.
I enjoyed the "not a review" format of your unboxing. Paul in Mt.
To tell the truth, after some time using the Flair, I feel like it is very easy to use. It is a bit overwhelmed at first due to learning curve and a lot of parts, but after a while getting used to the settings, the machine is very simple to use and clean. The only downside is you cannot do multiple shot in consecutive without using different grouphead.
In answer to your question Chris -
For portable espresso - I'm looking for a quality shot, high portability ("camping") and ease of use & cleanup.
For that, I LOVE my "Handpresso". For the pressure, it has an integrated bicycle pump action, to pre-infuse you simply turn it over, it has a read out on the bar pressure that you can tune to, and clean up is super easy. Just need hot water. (which you can even order a special thermos from them that keeps hot water super hot for a long time, and gives you a read out of the temperature).
While this Flair LOOKS super snazzy,...I'm not attracted to all the parts/cleanup/setup/etc.
Also, the handpresso is only $75 vs. $200, and can fit in your back pocket.
Just my 2 cents.
...and keep up the lovely vids (and podcast, and stores, and...well everything)
I began with vintage manual levers. This machine looks like you can pull pretty damn good shots once you figure it out. Then you have something that can’t break (only gasket replacement), is PORTABLE, and with a decent travel grinder, figuring you buy the latest #2 Pro version-what $600-700 +beans for a very respectacle kit. Is it a Slayer with a Monolith MAX? Is it s Synesso Hydra? No. But try putting one in your suitcase, or try to use an ATM after you pay for those suckers.
I bought the signature pro today . It’s amazing . I’m working on dial in a shot
Hey Chris. I have a twist and a cafflano compressor. I've been home barista'ing for 10 years. I've repaired home machines for years. And the Twist is hands down my favorite portable. The cafflano compressor was a disappointment. Especially having to press into a plastic cup. Less heat control than the Twist.
But I'd love to give the flair a try someday when it gets thrown back into Jared's car.
-juan with KoHi Labs
I’ve had the Flair for about a year now. Bought it indirect through Sweet Maria’s (Flair was new at the time so there was a trust curve). First impression was exactly yours. I don’t mind the moving parts until after clean up and then only if I look down and see how long the process took. It almost seems that a tagline would be “It works with a little luck”. However when I do get a “good shot” it’s comparable to what I was pulling off of a commercial Strada EP which is crazy coming from a machine that was like $200! I call it a win for engineering and reminds me a lot of the elegant principles behind the Chemex. Great for events, home, and farmers markets. I know of a slow bar cafe that uses those exclusively but they would have to have a ton of those groupheads.
Anyway! Have really gotten into your podcast and I’m stumbling into these videos - thanks for all you do!
Also, the way they treat their customers and followers is on point 👍🏽
Zan hearing this makes us smile on the inside, warm and fuzzy like 🤘🏻
could you explain what the "elegant principles behind the chemex" are? I havent used or read into it much into it, but i assumed it was just a simple pour over device.
if you want to save time and get a higher temperature on the brewing cylinder, stick it in your kettle while the water's boiling. then take it out with a pair of rubber tongs just before the water finishes boiling.
Steam is better. You can use a metallic sieve or a food-grade conical silicone funnel on the top of the kettle. Can be easily manipulated afterwards without the use of tongs.. plus, steam heats better than boiling water.
We've tried the Flair Espresso Maker and it totally works for us. : ) Once you get it 'dialed' in, it's great. ^ ^
watercolour squirrel 👍🏻
We appreciate you too Chris, you also make our days better 🙌
Spanish gun maker Astra manufactured a semi-automatic pistol decades ago that was affectionately named "the garbage can" by intelligence agents, as it could be trusted to reliably fire the worst quality rounds, which is sometimes the only kind available in the field. My Rok espresso maker is my "garbage can", because of its ability to deliver passable shots with substantial crema from old beans that would never work in my Flair, Ponte Vecchio Export, or La Pavoni Europiccola.
This would be great for the person who loves their espresso and likes to go camping where you don't have electricity, but you do have a permanent camp like a vacation cabin.
I had the Rok manual espresso maker and it was a little underwhelming. This looks like it solves some of the problems I had with the Rok.
Will Ruck agree, been using the ROK and never could get it dialed in
So much ASMR in this video, especially the sound of espresso falling in to the cup with no pump sound.
i'm glad i wasn't the only one who jerked off to this
Thanks for the video. Side note: You dumped the coffee ground in the disposal? No, a lot of it will stay there and accumulate the grease (washed from pots/pans) and other tiny bits of food and eventually make you shell out a few hundred dollars for Roto Rooter service.
Chris... .you don't post enough videos to keep spreading your positive vibe... you spoiled us back there @the beginning of 2018 with the dailies! Peace!
How about a revisit to the flair / flair pro 2? Are you still using yours? Have you upgraded? I searched your channel and it seems like this is the only vid on it.
Wondering how many clicks did you use on your comandante grinder for your shots?
Hey Chris, cool video. I noticed the position of your Oracle and it seems the grinder is not accessible unless you move the machine, Is this because you don't use the auto grind and tamp? I've just got myself an oracle and the tamp is inconsistent.
Cool video Baca, thank you.
I am always after classic/traditional espresso machines for home use, and I have a Rocket Appartamento at the moment.. On the go, I actually avoid espresso machine and just stick to other brewing methods: moka, chemix or even aeropress
why do I want a "portable" espresso machine? I have a tiny, tiny kitchen with zero space to dedicate to a traditional machine. the flair's footprint is not appealing (to me), it has too many plastic parts, and too many parts, period. The requirement to pre-heat parts is also a negative (preheating a machine is also a downer). I got a cafelat robot instead and so far so good. Dead simple to use, and the only "extra" part compared to a traditional machine is the dispersion screen. It's solidly built, fun to look at, has a small footprint, and it's producing nice shots even after just a few days of getting to know it. I found my dream machine :)
The best impression. ‘Should you get it? I don’t even know, u tell me!’ Nice video Baca :)
Chris, I've actually been looking into the Flair for myself. My main thing is that I have limited space and cannot keep even a small espresso machine on my counter, the Flair can be packed away in it's case and reviews state it's a pretty quick setup, it is comparable to other brew methods for me where I might take a minute to set them up and preheat them. Other benefits are the ability to travel with it, if you are into that. The thing is that there is a competitor, Espresso Forge, which is definitely aimed more towards someone who is serious about espresso, but it is easily the same price as an entry level espresso machine. The Flair is more straightforward, and inexpensive enough to say it's a good device for an introduction to espresso for someone who does not want to commit a lot of money, space, and dedication to it. I feel if I were to buy an actual espresso machine, since it would take up so much space and be so expensive (for anything worthwhile), it would need to become my main method. The Flair allows me to justify only using it sometimes, rather than all the time.
Another big thing with the Forge is the fact that you can't buy them, and haven't been able to for nearly a year. I think Andre is working on production again, but it's simply not as accessible.
- Former EspressoForge Coveter
Too many pieces???
Are you kidding me?
You can't keep track of a couple of items?
It has to be the easiest espresso maker to clean!
and you don't have worry about mineral build up on a boiler.
There is so much maintenance with a regular electric espresso maker!
The Flair is so simple and easy to use....and you can regulate the temperature and pressure....to pull a great shot of espresso!
Serious SpaceParty preach!!✌🏻
He looks like a clutz anyway
What a joke
If i dont want to drink to thick coffee can i add water again and press it again 3 -4 cycle times if it possible? And what about the coffee bean? Is it grind coarse, fine or ultra fine?
@@DaiLoo888 i dont think its good to press it too many times. I don't own one but i think if you dont like it thick, better add water (americano)
Hi Chris how’d you get 18g in? After WDTing even 13.5g is too much.
My concern with this design is ensuring the seal does not get compromised with fine ground coffee that will build up over time.
I like it though. Its simple and minimalist.
I think when you notice it’s not sealing good just replace the gaskets.
Hi! I just got one of theses, and well... I’m only watching this video because I’m trying to figure out WHAT IM DOING WRONG???? I have barista background as well, and the reason I bought it is because of its simple design. I don’t need a bar maintenance person to service it! I can easily see what’s wrong when something is wrong and fix it myself. We like to go camping a lot and it’s crazy portable! AND! Da da dahhhhh! I don’t have to pay for a crappy cup of coffee that I didn’t make. I have myself a little milk steamer as well. Whip up a fancy latte. Yes! But I need to get the hang of this little bad boy. Something with the grind actually. Also I can’t get the recommended amount of coffee to fit into the portafilter....
to be determined, but when I figure it out, it’s going everywhere with me.
Loved the video! I busted a gut laughing. You’re funny, and I’ve just been there.
Hey Chris, when you do coffee by the cup at C&C what's the volume out from the 21g in? Sorry it's totally unrelated to this video. Thanks man.
So, after a minute, what kind of grinder would you suggest with this thing? Do I need to go get a super heavy duty espresso grinder? Or can I pull this off with just a cheap burr grinder?
a cheap burr grinder will yield exactly what you expect, over and under extraction all in one cup. Baratza Encore and Breville Dose Control are the cheapest electric we've heard users having good results with...but why not go all-in on manual with a hand grinder!?
I got a Baratza Sette 270W. I am not disappointed.
Hi. I am Iran. How can I get the device? Please answer, thank you.
Up date, I am moving, so I had to put my flair into it’s case. That has made me incredibly sad. I do have a stove top moka pot, cafetera or greca, but it is not the same. I will be happy again when I can reassemble my flair and push some hot water through freshly roasted beans to smell and drink that wonderfully intoxicating elixir.
For those of you on the fence about getting this. Don't. Flair has both defective units back that they sent me. They required me to pay return shipping and now refuse to send me a working unit or a refund.
Put coffee grounds in the trash! It’ll ruin your drain!
Yo my jaw dropped when he dumped the first puck into the sink but then I cringed so hard when he dumped the second puck into the sink, rip drain
Love the style of this video baca! Really well edited!
I think true portable espresso is a fable. The truly portable machines don’t make true espresso (eg. Minipresso) and the machines that make close to real espresso either aren’t very portable or have lots of parts you can lose like the Flair. After trying a few things I’ve settled on soft brew equipment for portability (Aeropress and V60) and I actually have a The Little Guy stovetop espresso machine which I absolutely love and even use at home sometimes.
Every good espresso machine requires a portafilter and tamper at a minimum. Flair only requires the addition of piston and cylinder to complete brewhead. Perhaps you stop seeing this as an impediment and more as a feature--you can remove and clean thoroughly with simple rinse, staving off need to backflush, descale and use a special cleanser to remove coffee residue built up over time. FYI, red pad is no longer part of system, funnel is a nice accessory but not necessary. Little Guy is a beast. Not very travel-friendly if you're honest. We own it ourselves. Nice to have the steam wand but the Flair beats the espresso quality hands down.
Whats up with all the grounds in the sink Chris? I read somewhere that was a bad idea for the plumbing and I've been super careful about it since but here you are dumping grounds out willy nilly
Could you please review the cafflano kompresso?
Omar F. Issa أهلا
I just opened and assembled mine yesterday. So far, I've had 15 cups of the stuff. There is a slight learning curve as the "machine", if you can call it that, is a little finicky, but the product is delicious if you start with good beans. Don't love the many steps, but I do love the liquid it produces.
(- looking for answer) a matching portable grinder, so I don't have to suffer horrible hotel coffees! car trunk portable espresso, luggage/plane size portable espresso & grinder setup.
I spy a linea mini on the shelf! Loving the quality of these vids.
I'm selling my cheap espresso machine(like 140$, I really am disappointed, I expected it to be better, was my first machine btw)
Is it worth getting the flair(250$ cad) over a cheap machine? Anyone knows how much better(or worse) the flair tastes?
It’s better than what you’d get from most cafés! Once you get the hang of it, I’m certain you’ll be pulling some exquisite shots.
I have a flair. It beat all the cafés and I only made 3 shots. I got mine for around 100 USD used. The NEO is about 89 usd when on sale. Highly recommend
Chris your face in the beginning when you finally got that meth cracking is priceless
You're a Spyderco bro! 👊🏻 Great review! Oh, wait it wasn't a review. Uh yeah, portable espresso machines. Those that use them are pretty hardcore with their espresso game. I'll stick with my Aeropress or Steeped Coffee for portable coffee.
I still love my Nomad by Uniterra. I use it daily.
I would really love to have somethin like this machine... but the import fees to my country is more than the value of the Flair itself... Brazil sucks :´(
Miss your coffee Vids..
Why to preheat? Thinking about to buy for holidays instead of a normal Espresso maker.
if you don't preheat, the brew temperature will be way low and under extract the coffee
Your espresso would also just be warm not hot. Preheating the cylinder is very simple... just boil a bit extra water and put the cylinder in a mug and pour water over it
@@joewerling6076 That's less of a concern. The primary thing with preheating is not to lose heat for the extraction. You may underextract if the temperature is too low.
this is why i make filter/drip at home! Its the least amount of work and stress! I'd rather you make my espresso than me go to make it myself at home!
but if you get your hands on the Fellow Prismo I'd love to hear it
Hi Chris, I am actually checking on this Flair Espresso Maker. For the price point, it is not cheap(at least among manual espresso machine out there). Not sure if it worth it. Not much review on it too. Reason for looking for a manual espresso machine is due to budget constraint, and also I am not really into milk base drink. Wondering if this stuff can do better espresso than those entry level machine?
I fully appreciate the light-hearted tone of this video, and the very clear indication that 'this is *not* a review!'. What I hope is that after spending some time with it to dial in a shot properly (which will definitely be different from the commercial machines you normally work with), I would appreciate your insight on the Flair's ability to generate quality espresso, which is no small feat.
For those comparing the Flair purely on price, I would like to highlight that this machine is purely manual, with all its advantages and disadvantages. I would just like to point one serious benefit: pressure throughout the pull is completely controllable.... pressure profiling!
To be completely transparent, I must state that I've been using the Flair for a few weeks and have completely fallen in love with it!
the flair does amazing shots. the only reason i would buy an actual machine is for entertaining.
Bob Low hey Bob, thanks for sharing your experience with Flair.. how do you think about the durability of it? From the outlook, it seems like o-ring is the only thing that might spoil, and it is so easy to replace..any other things that you feel that along the way it might spoil? Also, will it be difficult to repeat a shot?
Lai Guan Keat There doesn't seem to be anything that can wear out other than the o-rings you mentioned. I also thought so, so purchased an additional set along with the bundle. However, looking at the short travel distance of the piston and the minimal movement between the filter and the cylinder, I have a feeling it will be years before they will need replacing. The other part could be the dispersion screen, not so much for wear but my colleague has already managed to throw one out with the grounds and I've misplaced a couple myself (for a while).
The press itself looks like it will outlast me, as it is rated for 38kg of pull, while only 24 is required to generate 9 bar.
Lai Guan Keat On the matter of shot repeatability, I think the Flair is actually more forgiving than many other espresso devices. My opinion is based on the on the fly adjustability of the pressure, so if the grind isn't perfect, or the coffee itself has some minor defect, you can compensate during the pull itself. Furthermore, the portafilter is narrow but deep, which I think reduces the chance of channeling.
One frequently mentioned concern is temperature stability, and on the Home Barista forum there's a ton of analysis and testing on this. Bottom line is, if you preheat using a constant method, and don't waste time between the cylinder assembly and hot water pour & cap, the overall temperature is quite stable and can keep the standard 94c throughout the pull.
What knife is that?
You should check out the pro model that releases recently :) I have the regular flair as shown in the video but I bought their pressure gauge kit recently and getting their bottomless portafilter this week. The pressure gauge kit dramatically changed my consistency and quality
Portable espresso machine is the one I can move myself in a car, without calling a couple of dudes with a truck)
Nice video as usual. I own a espressoforge for travel and i love it, this fliar look a little bit more like a toy compare to the espressoforge.
Nice Video Chris, thanks for taking the time. Ya know the different strokes saying ... The technical complexity as well as quality of machining you noted seem like positives to me, I think I,LL go buy one :-)
dude these are great! I like this style. very Peter McKinnon of you...in your way!
Nice 'non-review' really enjoy your style
Rick Flair drip go woooooo
I appreciate the video, thanks!
But how is this not a review....?
Yo Jer, lemme get dat Flair.
Used grounds down the sink, Chris? Get a compost mate! :)
"You don't even pocket mulch!" ua-cam.com/video/RtuMIaOGRy8/v-deo.html
great review!
I love the concept of a "more simple" lever machine but I hesitate to call the Flair portable. The Twist, Handpresso, and Nanopresso are far more travel friendly. That said, I think the Flair is gorgeous but, agreeing with you, TOO MANY parts. Oh, and the thermal management... ugh. It's the bane of all portable and non-energized espresso makers. My go-to up until recently is/was the Handpresso.
There's a trade-off to portability while not sacrificing quality. If you're happy with the output of Handpresso and Nanopresso, so be it but if you want cafe quality, you'll need something more capable. The ONLY extra parts to the Flair required to make espresso that you don't find with other machines is the piston, cylinder and screen. There's arguable no other manual espresso machine on the market that can compete on thermal management.
I'd be willing to try a shot-to-shot comparison if you're willing to lend a unit for the test. I'd especially like to test the veracity of the thermal management assertion from above.
Just buy a Europiccola. As for a portable espresso machine, just find a café 😁
You remind me of Adam Horwitz, also your videos are super cool and I love watching your channel!! It would be so awesome to work with you and just have fun making coffee instead of the high volume starbucks atmosphere I'm in.
Looking for something that is portable that makes great espresso easily and repeatable every time is what need to happen. Also needs to be simple for the non-barista coffee lover. Kinda like the Aeropress is for coffee. I have the Rok espresso machine. It’s finicky as heck, not super compact and portable. Some ones gotta come up with a better way to make espresso easily on the go.
Check out cafflano kompresso or handpresso
I love Flair. I travel with it often. Super compact. I've seen comparison videos of ROK vs Flair and Flair definitely wins by miles. I haven't used the ROK myself, but I don't need to now since I have the Flair. I actually prefer my Flair-made coffees to coffee at the local coffee houses. The only sad thing is I don't feel compelled to check out coffee shops as often since I prefer my own coffee now.
Try rok presso gc please baca,
good crinkly sounds, chris. the unzipping sounds are good too. #coffeeasmr
Anyone else notice the spyderco pocket knife
liked your “not a review” video, kinda funny one 😆
I dont know but I'm just really skeptical about these espresso makers. Ok, it produces crema. Well, crema is just an indication of fresh the coffee beans are. What's the TDS% on these?
The grind is super duper picky with this thing. My Cuisinart can't grind fine enough and my hand grinder is too fine. The extraction process is easy enough, but frankly my 100.00 DeLongia makes better espresso. Nothing matches the 1960s hand-pull machine I used to have, but that was a beast requiring a water supply and 220v.
"Hand grinder too fine" does not compute, sounds like you need to dial that in. Your other machine uses a pressurized portafilter and is therefore extremely forgiving while non-pressurized pfs like that found on the Flair require more exacting grind and dose combo to achieve proper resistance & flow
Was Sergio fine with you posting his cellphone number on a public video like that...?
I have the Flair.
Pre-heating is super important and you really can't pre-heat too much with it. Average extraction temp is probably not much bigger than 90C / 195F, no matter what you do.
Its a total, absolute pain to get things dialed in. Even with 2 group heads. Luckily, if your grind is a bit off, you can compensate by pressing less or more (preferably less). You wont be doing straight 9 bar for sure anyway.
As a home user what I love about it the most is that *theoretically* I can get a really, really good shot with medium to dark roasts. Everything can be controlled quite well (except temperature which always drops down during the shot) - if you're willing to go far enough. Custom starting temperature, custom pre-infusion time, custom pressure or flow profile. Can you heat the cylinder with a heat gun while pressing? I don't know, you probably can!
What I don't like is that sometimes, I really just want very tasty latte, not a 15 minute experiment / cooking session.
Spiun666 it's all about the workflow. it doesn't need to take you 15m. thanks for feedback
Thats with milk steaming on Bellman CX-25 (with long air purge to get wet steam for latte), grinding with Aergrind, filtering my terribly hard water through BWT Mg2+ magnesium enrichment filter and full cleanup included :) The end result is definitely $1000+ range though.
Also to be fair, once I'm dialed in on a particular bean and remember my aergrind setting for it, it pretty much just works with that setting, always (no further tweaking necessary if I pay attention to flow rate and adjust pressure accordingly, and remember to tweak a little for next time based on how the resistance felt - if needed - usually not needed)
sounds like when you're dialed in it all flows nicely 🙌🏻💪🏻
RIP mypressi 😢 this thing could
Be part of Jared’s CrossFit setup??
Reezy Resells. I have one that is starting to loose pressure. I've been thinking of taking it apart and fixing it. Wan me to try to fix yours? In in SC also.
Just boil the water more and you don't have to preheat the cup anymore.
Comandante grinder + Flair Espresso = Good Espresso
have you tried Rok Presso? To me, its better than flair
we would love to hear your thoughts on what makes ROK better than Flair, please share