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....
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. 😁
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.
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.
@@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.
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.
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.
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.
Hey James, i wanna just leave a comment and thank you for the way you deal with ads and sponsorships. I love that you don't do mid-video ads (the reason I listen to your channel is because your voice is oddly soothing, don't take that the wrong way), and not having someone shout in my ear mid video really helps and is one of the major reasons I often binge watch your videos. And your sponsorships and disclosures are always on point, properly disclosed and even redistributed to people in need of great coffee. You could cash in a lot harder on the success of your channel, and I appreciate that you don't. You're awesome.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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!
I bought the gray one, and my wife calls it my "weird elephant sculpture." I added on the bottomless portafilter, pressure gauge and tamper through the Kickstarter. I use the thing every day and love it. I only use the red pressurized portafilter to use up accumulated odds and ends of extra coffee grounds of various grind sizes, and even then only occasionally. Along with my Lido-E hand grinder, I can pull a world-class espresso at home after investing less than $400, and I don't mind the extra work involved.
The lidos are semi reasonable to use lol. I used a lido 3 for like a month and a half before the Niche came. AFAIK the difference in the E is the thread pitch for the adjustment only, so outside of ease of adjustment actual grinding should be about the same... Id be curious to mess around adjusting the E, the standard one is actually not THAT bad to dial in espresso (but I have worked with a lot of mechanical equipment with similar jamb nut adjustments some seem to struggle there for whatever reason).
It was worth investment, especially in COVID-19 season, being able to drink coffee with café quality is, good. Just add some milk frother / manual steamer and you can enjoy Cappuccino every day.
I just bought a Flair Neo Flex [May 2024] and it comes with both baskets which is great and it does a fantastic job. It only has a plastic tamper and no drip tray - I don't care about that.
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 had the Flair Pro for almost 2 years and love it. The Pro comes with a silicone lid that can assist with pre heating the chamber (no bowl). We use ours 2-3 times a day. No issues or replacement parts as of yet.
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...
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 just pulled my first shot from my Neo this morning. I forgot to buy beans yesterday, however I had the remnants of a pre ground (pre grinder days) Italian brand of beans that had been sitting in my fridge for months, if not a year.... Long story short, the first shot was miles ahead of the capsule machine I currently use for Lungos and Espresso. The second shot this morning from the capsule machine was insipid and acidic by comparison (but it's still better than 99% of the "barristas" in my town can make. Looking forward to grinding some beans in 24 hours and having a fresh shot... THREE MONTHS LATER It IS a Hobby and it's a messy hobby! There are grinds all over the kitchen, despite my best intentions. Three months later and I had to chase my tail due to the portafilter nozzle becoming hopelessly blocked and impossible to clean... I'm enjoying far better shots now, better than the best Barrista in town (which I use to "calibrate" my experience). Going finer on the grind, pre infusing, matching all the variables to get what I regard as a good espresso, and consistency. the reddit community has helped immensely. removing the inner "spot" with the second filter has yielded good results. I am however, getting nowhere near the crema I see on the video. but my shot has good body and sweetness. I want to get a bottomless portafilter, but they're out of stock in Australia and I think a gauge would be of assistance to gain a better shot. I kind of wish I spent more money on the signature, but that's where I am atm.
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'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: th-cam.com/video/dn9OuRl1F3k/w-d-xo.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.
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 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.
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 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.
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!
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.
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've been using Flair Signature to produce my daily espresso for 2 years now and I love it. Sometimes I make up to 6 shot a day (all my family loves coffee too) and I'm saying that I truly enjoy the 'ritual' that it gives , I haven't upgrade the portafilter nor the pressure gauge, but I must say I'm satisfied by the result I get with the default portafilter and gauge. Love your reviews man, keep up the good work. Sorry for my bad english tho
What grinder do you use? We are having trouble finding a grinder that has the perfect grind for the flair signature. We have come to the too course or too fine conclusion but can’t seem to get it just right.
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.
The intended use discussed here is exactly what happened with me. I purchased the Neo as my entry into espresso without having to fork out big money for a grinder. The extent of my home espresso experience prior had been a nespresso machine, but I very much enjoy being more hands on and ritualistic with my coffee making. I added the non pressurized basket and pressure gauge just in case I ever decided to get an espresso grinder. I ended up getting Flair's Royal Grinder, and I have been very happy with all of it.
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~
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.
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.
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.
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'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!
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.
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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.
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 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’ve had this for a few months now, went from pressured to the normal basket. All the videos make it look so easy, think when people say use a fine grind they aren’t as fine as you imagine lol still figuring it out 🤣
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.
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.
Watching this whilst drinking a Morrison’s own brand Instant coffee, never in my life had anything ‘fancier’ than a McDonald’s Latte but for some reason I’m binge watching your videos, thoroughly enjoyable watching somebody knowledgable, passionate and enthusiastic about a topic, even if I’m clueless about that topic!
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.
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.
Don’t care about the audio, I really appreciate that 1. You don’t start each video with ‘what is up’ and 2. you don’t end with ‘hit like and subscribe’ . For me, these things make a significant difference. Thank you 😊
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.
Really enjoyed your review James, I liked what you said about making espresso as a hobby as I have never thought about it that way, I know myself when I find some new coffee or gadget for my espresso machine I get excited to try out, just like guys who collect model railroads, I get the same way about coffee. Big thumbs up.
I bought a Flair Pro 2 about a year ago. I had no experience with espresso, but I was willing to learn. I absolutely love the Flair, and I use it every day. It does take a little extra prep work, but it feels more rewarding in my opinion. I would highly recommend the Pro 2 (It also looks amazing).
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 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 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
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.
I just bought a flair pro 2 for my 8th wedding anniversary. Was frustrated the first 2 weeks till i got hold of a decent, affordable grinder. Even then, I am down to the last 2 finest settings. They recommended to start with inexpensive beans , but It just hard to dial in to maintain above 6bars of pressure as the density changes over the quality of the beans. Thanks to your espresso brewing series i have learnt to dose more, 20g for the cheaper beans which also means i would be over caffeinated. Now I limit to brew only twice daily, splitting the shot with my wife. I am considering getting the split spout. I must say that its not the easiest contraption to understand over a short period but so far the learning process has been most enjoyable and the good shots that came out of it has been very pleasant. It’s been enjoyable watching you content, thanks James and team...!
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!
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.)
Nice review James and yet another quality video. One thing I find weird is how people think it's a lot of "work". I can get a shot on my classic in well under 4 minutes (including boiling water/grinding/pulling the shot). I put the cylinder directly in my kettle and use tongs to pull it out. Grind and prep the coffee while the water is boiling. Most machines take that long to heat up... Another plus is one never has to descale a lever machine. Cuts costs and time later on. The most time consuming thing is brushing the little bits of grounds off my 1ZPresso Pro hand grinder and the funnel/tamper, but it's a nice little Zen moment in my day with the soft brush that comes with it. Takes 20 seconds over the sink. So yes, one has to be willing to do the "work", but I don't see how it's any slower than a regular machine (assuming machine isn't already up to temperature) once you've got a good workflow.
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
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 :)
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.
@@reyavalon Like he said in the video, it's a pseudo-espresso maker out of the box, but it allows you to upgrade pieces over time to make real espresso. It grows with you as you learn and get better grinders and expand your ecosystem. Or you can drop 230 on the classic w/ guauge and have a really sweet espresso maker that will beat out any $230 espresso maker on the market. Another thing modularity gets you is easier repairs. If that $300 espresso maker blows a pump or breaks, you basically buy a new machine or hope it can be taken apart and fixed. With a flair, what is there to break? orings are $20, the baskets are 24, the gauge is $50... Everything else is a big chunk of solid metal.
I have the Signature (gauge and non pressurised basket). I love it! I have had a couple of plugged in devices over the years and the Flair easily out performs machines under £500. It’s also totally portable and I have already taken it to work and showed it off. My only missing piece is a manual grinder for holidays. A good grinder and the Flair = coffee that beats all but the specialty coffee shop shots.
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
Another excellent video, thanks James. I have had the flair classic for about 18 months now and use it with a kinu m47. The espresso quality surpasses anything I have found at cafes around my area (Hornsby in the far north of Sydney). Like any espresso method one has to dial the grinder in when changing beans but once dialed in the quality is top notch. I recently got a Gene coffee roaster too and while the setup was a significant investment, I love making great coffee from green beans at home. And I don't mind the work, it became part of my morning ritual. Btw it would be nice if you could do a video on home roasting.
Yes James..take us on a roasting balcony over looking the streets of your home. Like most, I too enjoy your quirkiness, torn sweater cuff, ever changing eye glasses, hair colors & rad styles. My bet is your entire family is proud of the scientist they have to call when they need any sound advise🎈
I have recently got hold of the flair pro as I was desperate for espresso whilst my Oscar 2 was being repaired. I really like it and think you can get a really good espresso out of it. It is time consuming but given the work you put in, I more appreciative of what you get out from it. The fact that you in control over the different aspects of making espresso, it gives you a great understanding especially with trying out different pressures with your pull and what this brings out from the profile of your coffee. If you are thinking about getting one, the pressure gauge and basket are a must as James said in the video. I would highly recommend!
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...
@@larssorenson9916 @Lars Sorenson This is why you should always put water as hot as possible when you're about to start brewing. Don't worry too much about it though, the ideal temperature is within 85-96°C with lighter roasts needing higher temperatures to extract. This is not to say that dark roasts don't taste good brewed at higher temperatures, but anything above 93°C is excessive in my opinion. But of course, remember, as James has said before, the best way to brew coffee, is the way you enjoy it.
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.
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.
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.
Aah too much low pass filter. Have to say that it’s not as bad on my phone compared to my monitors.
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.
Didn't notice tbh :X
No worries James -- your Saturday morning uploads always go great with my morning shot :)
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
Ikr
He's one of the most realistic guys out there who review any sort of gear.
For a award winning barrista, he's not a snob like other amateurs on TH-cam who think less of people who can't afford high end espresso machines.
Man shows true class. Not the pretentious snobbery that I see so often among coffee fanatics.
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....
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!
I recall James saying in another video that he doesn't have an espresso machine at home. So he lives his own advice, I think.
@@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. 😁
@@kruks He doesn't really need one since he has access to espresso machines all day at his work and can mess around with them whenever he's free.
I think the answer is clear.... you should start a new hobbie.
MasterClass should really hit up james Hoffmann, man's on different level.
Big facts!
Here, here
Yes!!!
Hard agree
i heard those were just for entertainment more than learning
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. $120 is a significant investment for an average person and he gets it. Now, like Tom, I'll probably follow some of his recommendations and find some coffee that I love. This is the right way to introduce people to a new hobby.
Said perfectly
The NEO is the only sustainable step into espresso in my opinion. All those automatic 100$ 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.
Good point on sustainability. Too many broken electronics in landfills. Something durable is worth the bit of effort.
For me: I don’t get the Neo in comparison to other lever machines. It’s much more effort to clean it in comparison to a normal portafilter.
@@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.
Even with a coarse grind, the granularity here is very enjoyable :)
can coffee be considered a "sauce"?
It's like it was a recording I read it in your voice
@@rajeshmohanty2070 There's red-eye gravy, which is made from the drippings of pan-fried country ham mixed with black coffee.
I swear I read that in your normal video voice
Seing Alex commenting here it's the same as meeting a friend on the the streets, it's a pleasure!
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.
Agreed, they have terrific service!
especially at the kick starter price of under $100 that is just such an easy start.
Where can I buy the non-pressurized basket you got?
@@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.
@@phil6904 so neo can use bottomless porta?
Going to need a Hoffmann knitwear rundown video at some point
Listen. I'm just sticking to the coffee. I have enough in my life without taking up knitting.
his jumpers look so cozy, i feel cozy just watching him
Rob Collingridge yep
@@FreshApplePie Excuse me, but what are you doing here? This is a coffee channel
@@fastenedcarrot9570 i totally forgot that was my username haha
This man describe coffee like nobody else and now I’m start questioning myself whether I really tried good coffee in my life at all?!
I'm pretty sure I've never had a good espresso in my life.
@@sebastianschumacher9772 If you are in Berlin, try Pakolat or Sagers.
@@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.
Same here always thought espresso has to have a kinda sour note
Once you raised your standards the more often you will be disappointed. Be content with what you enjoy now.
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.
Nice.
Nice.
Nice
Very nice 👌
Thank you! I have the newer version and was about to buy the bottomless
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.
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.
I think it's super important to note that if you have a crap grinder and get the Neo, you can always upgrade when you get a better grinder in the end.
My wife just heard me watching this and now I think I own one. Thanks James! 🤙
Hey James, i wanna just leave a comment and thank you for the way you deal with ads and sponsorships. I love that you don't do mid-video ads (the reason I listen to your channel is because your voice is oddly soothing, don't take that the wrong way), and not having someone shout in my ear mid video really helps and is one of the major reasons I often binge watch your videos. And your sponsorships and disclosures are always on point, properly disclosed and even redistributed to people in need of great coffee. You could cash in a lot harder on the success of your channel, and I appreciate that you don't. You're awesome.
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
Fire your friends and family, it's simple.
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.
@@JamesYoungAH The answer to everything !
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.
So much beauty produced by this little thing. I love how minimalistic it is.
The espresso maker isn't too shabby either.
Then you would love the robot
What have I learned from James is that I make awful coffee and am too poor for espresso.
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.
Really decaf is the dark souls of coffee
@@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.
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?
For real what sweater is he wearing? I want one.
i read that as 'US' not us and though who tf says jumper? then i realised you probably didnt mean US
Yeah tbh I could not stop staring at his sweater
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/
@Jim Bond wears cargo shorts
I have no interest in even getting an espresso machine but the way this man does a review is an art form. So much care taken.
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.
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.
@@simon.lipson thanks!
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.
They now sell it as the Neo Flex with both a pressurized and bottomless portafilter in the box at the price point that was advertised in the video.
Thanks to James, I got a classic flair. Possibly the best coffee related purchase ever. Thanks James!
Oversaturated James isn't real, he can't hurt you.
Oversaturated James: 4:23
I knew I saw something for a moment, but didn't rewind to see what
LMAOO
An exquisite joke with a perfect twist. May your grinds be always uniform.
👁️
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!
I bought the gray one, and my wife calls it my "weird elephant sculpture." I added on the bottomless portafilter, pressure gauge and tamper through the Kickstarter. I use the thing every day and love it. I only use the red pressurized portafilter to use up accumulated odds and ends of extra coffee grounds of various grind sizes, and even then only occasionally. Along with my Lido-E hand grinder, I can pull a world-class espresso at home after investing less than $400, and I don't mind the extra work involved.
The lidos are semi reasonable to use lol. I used a lido 3 for like a month and a half before the Niche came. AFAIK the difference in the E is the thread pitch for the adjustment only, so outside of ease of adjustment actual grinding should be about the same... Id be curious to mess around adjusting the E, the standard one is actually not THAT bad to dial in espresso (but I have worked with a lot of mechanical equipment with similar jamb nut adjustments some seem to struggle there for whatever reason).
It was worth investment, especially in COVID-19 season, being able to drink coffee with café quality is, good. Just add some milk frother / manual steamer and you can enjoy Cappuccino every day.
I just bought a Flair Neo Flex [May 2024] and it comes with both baskets which is great and it does a fantastic job. It only has a plastic tamper and no drip tray - I don't care about that.
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
@@jonjon.B yeah they changed the signature a while ago so it can be upgraded to a bottomless portafilter.
I’ve had the Flair Pro for almost 2 years and love it. The Pro comes with a silicone lid that can assist with pre heating the chamber (no bowl). We use ours 2-3 times a day. No issues or replacement parts as of yet.
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.
That's my process too. Easy peasy.
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...
@@larssorenson9916 maybe let it heat longer then, it takes time for the big cylinder to heat inside and outside.
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 just pulled my first shot from my Neo this morning. I forgot to buy beans yesterday, however I had the remnants of a pre ground (pre grinder days) Italian brand of beans that had been sitting in my fridge for months, if not a year.... Long story short, the first shot was miles ahead of the capsule machine I currently use for Lungos and Espresso. The second shot this morning from the capsule machine was insipid and acidic by comparison (but it's still better than 99% of the "barristas" in my town can make. Looking forward to grinding some beans in 24 hours and having a fresh shot...
THREE MONTHS LATER
It IS a Hobby and it's a messy hobby! There are grinds all over the kitchen, despite my best intentions.
Three months later and I had to chase my tail due to the portafilter nozzle becoming hopelessly blocked and impossible to clean...
I'm enjoying far better shots now, better than the best Barrista in town (which I use to "calibrate" my experience).
Going finer on the grind, pre infusing, matching all the variables to get what I regard as a good espresso, and consistency. the reddit community has helped immensely. removing the inner "spot" with the second filter has yielded good results.
I am however, getting nowhere near the crema I see on the video. but my shot has good body and sweetness.
I want to get a bottomless portafilter, but they're out of stock in Australia and I think a gauge would be of assistance to gain a better shot. I kind of wish I spent more money on the signature, but that's where I am atm.
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'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: th-cam.com/video/dn9OuRl1F3k/w-d-xo.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.
The Baratza Viirtuoso is excellent.
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.
@@mattscarf Best espresso capable grinder among 1zpresso lineup - JE-plus (12 microns per step), not sure the durability.
My dear you are wearing such a nice and cozy jumpers, so elegant as always. And a brilliant review of the flair machine.
I'd be willing to grab a Neo after your next "grinders under x amount" vid. Looking forward to it!
Was just thinking the same about grinder reviews!
The cheapest grinder for real espresso is the 1zpresso jx pro
@@ianlittle1653 you don't need that for a Neo though ... preground or most any grinder should work if it can get pretty fine.
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.
@@ianlittle1653 i rate the 1zpresso better than the comandante I have JE-plus
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.
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.
Exactly what I do lol
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.
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!
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.
your vlog + flair = (much)better espresso appreciation; I love the intricacies, the science, the chores, the process to get a good espresso!
A 14 minute video has never been so easy to watch. Brilliant stuff.
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. :)
Thanks for the information what do you think is better neo or classic
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've been using Flair Signature to produce my daily espresso for 2 years now and I love it. Sometimes I make up to 6 shot a day (all my family loves coffee too) and I'm saying that I truly enjoy the 'ritual' that it gives , I haven't upgrade the portafilter nor the pressure gauge, but I must say I'm satisfied by the result I get with the default portafilter and gauge. Love your reviews man, keep up the good work.
Sorry for my bad english tho
What grinder do you use? We are having trouble finding a grinder that has the perfect grind for the flair signature. We have come to the too course or too fine conclusion but can’t seem to get it just right.
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.
The intended use discussed here is exactly what happened with me. I purchased the Neo as my entry into espresso without having to fork out big money for a grinder. The extent of my home espresso experience prior had been a nespresso machine, but I very much enjoy being more hands on and ritualistic with my coffee making. I added the non pressurized basket and pressure gauge just in case I ever decided to get an espresso grinder. I ended up getting Flair's Royal Grinder, and I have been very happy with all of it.
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~
This man is the MKBHD of coffee content !
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.
This does intrigue me. And it doesnt look like any more hassle than the aeropress that I already use. Tempting.
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.
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.
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'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!
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.
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.
Great sweater, Mr. Hoffmann.
Not
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!
You had me at "James will be talking in this episode." I'm in.
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.
Now after 6 month on this machine i'll really understood how it works😂. Thank so much!!! So instructive.
did you encounter any issue with the porta filter? (like clogging of coffee grounds)?
I’ve had this for a few months now, went from pressured to the normal basket. All the videos make it look so easy, think when people say use a fine grind they aren’t as fine as you imagine lol still figuring it out 🤣
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.
I just bought a Flair classic last week, in part due to your video on it. As a newbie to home espresso, it's some of the best home espresso I've had.
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.
Watching this whilst drinking a Morrison’s own brand Instant coffee, never in my life had anything ‘fancier’ than a McDonald’s Latte but for some reason I’m binge watching your videos, thoroughly enjoyable watching somebody knowledgable, passionate and enthusiastic about a topic, even if I’m clueless about that topic!
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.
Niche is much better than kinu?
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.
Don’t care about the audio, I really appreciate that 1. You don’t start each video with ‘what is up’ and 2. you don’t end with ‘hit like and subscribe’ . For me, these things make a significant difference. Thank you 😊
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.
are you calling 1zpresso a knockoff brand? or you got a random chinese grinder that's attempting to knockoff the 1zpresso brand?
@@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.
Really enjoyed your review James, I liked what you said about making espresso as a hobby as I have never thought about it that way, I know myself when I find some new coffee or gadget for my espresso machine I get excited to try out, just like guys who collect model railroads, I get the same way about coffee. Big thumbs up.
You are not the only one!
I bought a Flair Pro 2 about a year ago. I had no experience with espresso, but I was willing to learn. I absolutely love the Flair, and I use it every day. It does take a little extra prep work, but it feels more rewarding in my opinion. I would highly recommend the Pro 2 (It also looks amazing).
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 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.
Think the Flair would be an excellent teaching aid when training Baristas about the espresso process and what’s the machine is going for you
It is! And once you start exploring different flow profiles, a traditional semi-auto machine feels limited.
Definitely, the fact you can break down everything “piece by piece” to explain things separately would be really helpful
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
Plasmonaut I have the same machine and coffee-hustle as you my friend!! Keep it up, love to see other Flair-ers
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.
If you insert the pressure gauge, you can turn the whole chamber upside down and rest it on the edge of your sink and fill it with water for preheat
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.
I just bought a flair pro 2 for my 8th wedding anniversary. Was frustrated the first 2 weeks till i got hold of a decent, affordable grinder. Even then, I am down to the last 2 finest settings. They recommended to start with inexpensive beans , but It just hard to dial in to maintain above 6bars of pressure as the density changes over the quality of the beans. Thanks to your espresso brewing series i have learnt to dose more, 20g for the cheaper beans which also means i would be over caffeinated. Now I limit to brew only twice daily, splitting the shot with my wife. I am considering getting the split spout. I must say that its not the easiest contraption to understand over a short period but so far the learning process has been most enjoyable and the good shots that came out of it has been very pleasant. It’s been enjoyable watching you content, thanks James and team...!
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!
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.)
Nice review James and yet another quality video. One thing I find weird is how people think it's a lot of "work". I can get a shot on my classic in well under 4 minutes (including boiling water/grinding/pulling the shot). I put the cylinder directly in my kettle and use tongs to pull it out. Grind and prep the coffee while the water is boiling. Most machines take that long to heat up... Another plus is one never has to descale a lever machine. Cuts costs and time later on. The most time consuming thing is brushing the little bits of grounds off my 1ZPresso Pro hand grinder and the funnel/tamper, but it's a nice little Zen moment in my day with the soft brush that comes with it. Takes 20 seconds over the sink. So yes, one has to be willing to do the "work", but I don't see how it's any slower than a regular machine (assuming machine isn't already up to temperature) once you've got a good workflow.
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
Which fb group?
@@gabrielpirovani brew with flair.
Entra lá 🤣
@@henriquemorato kkkkk valeu!
I think this is the earliest I've ever been to a youtube video, and it's even for something I've had my eye on.
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 :)
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.
YES MORE AFFORDABLE ESPRESSO GEAR THAT DOES A GOOD JOB!!!!
its kinda pseudo-espresso maker which omitted dialing-in step with a good grinder.
This is probably good enough for the average person making milk drinks.
@@reyavalon you've completely missed the point
@@reyavalon Like he said in the video, it's a pseudo-espresso maker out of the box, but it allows you to upgrade pieces over time to make real espresso. It grows with you as you learn and get better grinders and expand your ecosystem.
Or you can drop 230 on the classic w/ guauge and have a really sweet espresso maker that will beat out any $230 espresso maker on the market.
Another thing modularity gets you is easier repairs. If that $300 espresso maker blows a pump or breaks, you basically buy a new machine or hope it can be taken apart and fixed. With a flair, what is there to break? orings are $20, the baskets are 24, the gauge is $50... Everything else is a big chunk of solid metal.
@@aboveaveragebayleaf9216 I've seen James Hoffman's face when he drinks mediocre espresso. If James says it's good espresso I believe him.
I have the Signature (gauge and non pressurised basket). I love it! I have had a couple of plugged in devices over the years and the Flair easily out performs machines under £500. It’s also totally portable and I have already taken it to work and showed it off. My only missing piece is a manual grinder for holidays. A good grinder and the Flair = coffee that beats all but the specialty coffee shop shots.
PLEASE do a review on their new grinder!! The price point is extremely tempting and wondering if the quality can compete with some of the big hitters
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
Another excellent video, thanks James. I have had the flair classic for about 18 months now and use it with a kinu m47. The espresso quality surpasses anything I have found at cafes around my area (Hornsby in the far north of Sydney). Like any espresso method one has to dial the grinder in when changing beans but once dialed in the quality is top notch. I recently got a Gene coffee roaster too and while the setup was a significant investment, I love making great coffee from green beans at home. And I don't mind the work, it became part of my morning ritual. Btw it would be nice if you could do a video on home roasting.
Yes James..take us on a roasting balcony over looking the streets of your home. Like most, I too enjoy your quirkiness, torn sweater cuff, ever changing eye glasses, hair colors & rad styles. My bet is your entire family is proud of the scientist they have to call when they need any sound advise🎈
I have recently got hold of the flair pro as I was desperate for espresso whilst my Oscar 2 was being repaired. I really like it and think you can get a really good espresso out of it. It is time consuming but given the work you put in, I more appreciative of what you get out from it. The fact that you in control over the different aspects of making espresso, it gives you a great understanding especially with trying out different pressures with your pull and what this brings out from the profile of your coffee. If you are thinking about getting one, the pressure gauge and basket are a must as James said in the video. I would highly recommend!
Try preheating by steaming with an egg cooker, most efficient way I've found
Temp stickers also helpful
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...
@@larssorenson9916 @Lars Sorenson This is why you should always put water as hot as possible when you're about to start brewing. Don't worry too much about it though, the ideal temperature is within 85-96°C with lighter roasts needing higher temperatures to extract. This is not to say that dark roasts don't taste good brewed at higher temperatures, but anything above 93°C is excessive in my opinion.
But of course, remember, as James has said before, the best way to brew coffee, is the way you enjoy it.
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.
🔥Flair is coming up with a new model called “Flair 58”. Hope it’s on your radar and hear what you think about it.
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.