THE FLAIR 58 - The Review
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- Finally, after all the sneak peeks and teasers it's time to let the Flair 58 review loose onto the interwebs. This brand new addition to the Flair Espresso family is their new "golden standard" for homemade, hand-pressed espresso, and I'm about to take it for a spin. So buckle in home baristas, the time has come!
↓COFFEE ROASTED BY ME↓
- Little Giant Coffee: www.littlegian...
- Little Giant IG: / littlegiantcoffee
↓FOLLOW FOR MORE↓
- Patreon: / therealsprometheus
- Sprometheus IG: / sprometheus
- Facebook: / therealsprometheus
- Twitter: / realsprometheus
- Reddit: / sprometheus
↓THE MUSIC↓
Cerchi - Syncro
#flair58 #espresso #sprometheus
The Flair 58 giveaway is now closed! Good luck to everyone who entered!
Wow, what a Friday. First the much anticipated Aeropress video by James and now the Flair 58 by Sprometheus. It's a lot to absorb, I need a coffee.
hahaha exactly!!
A busy day for coffee TH-cam it would appear!
I thought the same thing!
J Hoffman finally releases an Aeropress video? Will have to wait, Sprometheus and his Flair 58 video goes first.
I’m sure he’ll be fine, haha.
Well actually I've done the opposite, I still admire you Sprometheus, but I was hooked a little more... It's like choosing beetween a Ferrari and a Maserati 😉
@@MAXXFIGO Who is Ferrari ? Is there Aston Martin somewhere ...
Let me explain how excited I am for this product: James’s Aeropress video and this video were right next to each other... I watched this one first.
The highest honor one can bestow
Coffee TH-cam is on fire today! First James starts his aeropress series, and now Sprom reviews the Flair 58!!
The world needs coffee now, more than ever!
Watching videos like this I wish there was a coffee "tool hire" company out there that I could rent all these wonder machines from for a day/week/month just to try them all. I'm envious of vloggers like yourself Spro who get to play with these toys while I can only sit, watch and drool...
Pro tip: Don’t preheat Flair Pro with water. Use the steam from your kettle. I take the lid off my kettle, and stick my V60 brewer on top and sit the brewhead in it. The temperature strip shows it heating up to the correct temp in seconds once the water starts boiling. Even Flair recommends this method.
I think preheating with water is ok, but you'll need to do it twice with boiling water. After that, the water temperature would drop to around 93C after pouring fresh boiling water for the third time, which is usually a pretty good temperature for espresso.
@@BkunS That’s the way I, and most people were doing it. But using the steam from your kettle heats it up in seconds. It cuts your workflow time down by a significant amount.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've been hovering my brew chamber on top of my stovetop Hario Buono V60 kettle with a pair of tongs - such a pain. I hadn't even thought to put my V60 brewer on top of it - so simple, so genius! This tip needs to be broadcast to the Flair Espresso masses!
thanks for another awesome review! I’m one of those who will upgrade 🤣
Sprometheus, how about reviewing a La Pavoni once?
Your Celsius -> Fahrenheit conversion at 2:05 has a typo; should read 203f ;)
Haha it never fails that I miss something. Oh well, it’s a test to make sure you’re paying attention.
@@Sprometheus hahaha I commented before finishing the video as a whole, so I will say the rest of the video was great.
I will say, another alternative to unlocking the pf to fill the headspace is, if you have the mesh screen, simply popping out the shower screen so it functions a little more like a Pro with it's drop-in screen (no trapped air). I have reliably gotten 20:60 and 15:70 with a few (admittedly super light filter roast) coffees with this workflow. ✌️
At $500 I'm confused as to why you wouldn't buy something like a gaggia classic?
That seems to be a common reaction. Apparently I need to compare the two.
Preinfusion and pressure profiling aren't available on the pumped machine.
Maintenance on the 58 is less costly - just O-rings as compared to boiler descaling and pump replacement.
That's a fair point but to me it still seems odd to spend more money on something with less function and more work load. It just looks like they are tweaking the design to make it function more like an espresso machine.
@@Sprometheus I don't mind the thought of more content haha!
it's interesting how cafelat and flair went in opposite directions in fixing difficulties with brew temperatures. robot arguable is a smart solution to minimize the heat loss in the first place, while flair seems to have picked the band aid solution here.
Robot still doesn’t maintain heat as well as the flair 58
Busy day for Coffee TH-cam
Indeed it is!
Why would you want Flair to advance to semiautomatic? Lever brewing is more fun and more interesting-with less headaches.
Considering the positioning of this product in the range, the build quality of that preheater switch device looks god awful.
I would like to see the electrical components be a little more robust that’s for sure.
I've been so impatient for this video I checked your channel a good 15 times today.
Love it, great video, great brewer imo!
Thanks for watching! If you’re subscribed with notifications on it should let you know as soon as new videos drop. Could save you a little time, haha,
@@Sprometheus Yup, I never turn on notifications because I hate having my mailbox full, but I'll turn them on for this channel
Very cool, should be very reliable. Ideal synergy of manual and mechanical.
Definitely will be reliable and easy to maintain!
Preheating and a standard 58mm basket/pf are game changers. I'm itching to preorder. Itching. Thanks for great review!
Don't mind me, just stopping by to say hello to myself.
I have been into specialty coffee for six months now, using a V60, and tea bags and a mason jar for cold brew. I have been dying to get into espresso, if I win this giveaway I’ll cry lol
Best of luck to you my friend!
Bear in mind that you will need a proper espresso grinder to pair it with. Best of luck though.
@@SlimBarista fair point but I don’t got the money for everything, so getting a free espresso maker will help with getting everything else
Do you foresee any improvement in shot quality when using either a metal, paper, or no filter?
I tried both, and I prefer using the metal filter over the paper or no filter.
It really locks the puck in and minimizes movement and turbulence.
Cannot wait to receive mine! Great review Sprometheus, thank you as always
Thank you friend! I appreciate you.
Every one of us in /r/cafelatrobot was triggered by the paper bag and preheat comments, guaranteed. XD Great review, Spro! We anxiously await the Flair Robot shootout...
Haha of course, and the Robot vs 58 video is coming!
Exactly. Cafelatrobot still seems more user friendly for someone who is not Sprometheus or James. I also just saw Flair's hand grinder that also missed inclusion in shoot outs, as did my Feld47.
@@Sprometheus super excited! Will you do a round without electronics? I feel like the electronic preheat is quite the advantage for the 58. Re: Flair grinder. I didn’t even know it existed.
1980 Pontiac Trans Am For sale on eBay it’s white with TTOPS has a la motor in it done by Petrie performance out of Alabama good for a collector car as well as a driver
Love it! Went to buy one as soon as I got the email and the presale had already sold out. Great piece of kit!
Yeah I was sure they would sell out quick! I’m sure they’ll be making more though.
Wow! Super nice and honest review! Hats off Sprometheus, cheers from Prague :) What coffee did you brew?
Good show, ive entered the comp, so good luck everyone🤞🤞👏😎🇬🇧
Good luck!
Good luck to you too!
Was waiting eagerly for this review, soon after its announcement by flair, thought it would take time like with the Neo because of its availability and such. Then again always had a feeling it might happen here for no reason.
Also for the nano foamer review, lastly for latte tasting video with James Hoffman enjoyed everyone one of the released videos. Thus thankyou for the time and effort put into everyone one them.
Thank you my friend! I appreciate the kind words and support. Being a TH-camr is a lot harder than I ever thought it would be, glad the effort comes through.
If this is the pinnacle of Flair, it will be similar to La Pavoni or Olympia Cremina: no major upgrades but can be treasured for many years to come! I certainly hope they find something to surprise us though.
I “upgraded” from the Aeropress to the Flair Signature. Wow, what a jump, from a wanna be to the real deal. Not sure what more I will get from the 58 but if you want to send me one to review, well, I will give it a shot. Sorry for the pun. Nice review of the 58 BTW. I want one.
Hi Spro, Do you still recommend it after one year? I never buy anything when it comes out hut rather wait until i have full conviction. I usually make 2-4 espressos per week, and I don't mind at all foaming milk with a french press so getting a machine might be overkill, for me. I got a picopresso but want something better
I've been waiting for this! 😍
Glad it’s finally here!
58mm mean you can grind finner than Pro2.
Thanks ! I am adding this to my wishlist!
Great balanced review as always! I ordered one this week which I’m very excited about. I feel like the speed of preheat and workflow for back to back espresso is a huge upside, arguably on a semi-auto in some cases. It has a lot of hype to live up to but seems solid
Thank you! I’m sure you’ll enjoy the 58, that workflow is really the winning piece in my opinion.
Baristas of hand pressed espresso cafe’s are going to love this for it’s speed of workflow vs the flair pros
I would be really interested to hear how you feel this stacks up against your Linea Mini! Also, I was thinking/wondering the same thing. I obviously haven’t worked with the 58, but I’m not sure how Flair could improve on a newer model.
It’s hard to compare the two to be honest. They both make espresso but I feel like there where the similarities end, and the differences begin.
@@Sprometheus curious to understand why you say that? The Linea Mini pulls shots at 9 bar constant. If you use the same grind size on both and pull the Flair at 9 bars constant, and same water temperature (checked by thermocouple) wouldn’t that be a fair way to compare both shots?
Nice video. Think I'm good with my pro2 for now. Just need a wdt. I'll skip upgrading to the 58. Beautiful machine though!
Thanks! I appreciate you watching, and the Pro 2 is a solid workhorse!
2:06 temperature mistake!
Nice review. If you have used one, how does it compare to an olympia lever or la pavoni levers? Since that is what it is getting close to Without adding a boiler.
Thank you! It’s been a long long time since I’ve used a Pavoni Lever so I can’t really say on that unfortunately.
Hope to win!! Good luck to everyone!!
Good luck!
Good luck everyone! I am still using the Pro 2 kinda wish they retro fit something that will heat it up.
A bit turn off by the price of this to be honest, it sits higher in price than some of the Breville machines new. They can pull reasonable shots, and can steam milk.
More finite control over the preheat temperature would be one improvement and maybe larger boilers for a bigger dosage
You didn't say exactly why it's not a good idea to heat your brew water with the heating element of the 58. What happens if you try this? It seems like a good idea to me.
hi can the flair 58x handle/ portafilter fit the IMS basket 58.5 mm? Thank you.
Yep, it should be.
@@Sprometheus Awesome! Thank you !
Thanks for great review. If I get one in get away I will sell my La Pavoni pro. As this one does the same job plus have much bigger head, which allows grind smaller, roast lighter and overall better extraction.
I think an option for the future would be to have the preheat control being able to stay on a previous selected setting. That way you could use a timer/smart plug to have the machine ready to go in the morning etc.
Yeah I’m sure they could do an update on the electrical system and maybe Bluetooth.
5:50 You made me laugh, piña colada is a beverage from Puerto Rico.
It’s what I always think of when I think of relaxing, not sure why.
Looks amazing. Might come even before a la pavoni on my list of coffee machines I want but don't need anymore 😅
Next : cafelat robot vs flair 58
Ive been using a flair classic with the pressure gauge for a year with pretty good results and I am really happy with the results but I still really wonder how this bigger flair 58 compares to like a gaggia classic pro or a good pump machine because you're now much closer to their price range.
I actually would be curious too. I haven’t had a Gaggia shot in ages!
The big difference is the reliability. When the Gaggia breaks this will keep going even if electronics stop working if you preheat the brew head with water like the other models because of its simplicity
I think the Flair will last longer. If anything broke you can replace it easier. I'm looking forward to own one
I was pretty stoked to see the announcement of the 58. I was about to pull the trigger on a used rancilio Silvia but now I’m pretty torn being a flair pro 2 user atm.
I ordered and can’t wait to get mine. Do you need to buy the screen separately? Does it come with a bag?
I like the mechanism of this coffee machine. Hope one day to try it. Thnks for the review.
I agree with the chassis. I think they should really go in the direction of a La Pavoni style lever machine
also entered.. I couldn't resist 😅
Maybe they will! Time will tell.
I don't see how Flair could be upset with that. I own a flair pro and it's wonderful for what it is but it won't replace my Rocket Appartamento. I do love watching their growth and I hope that they can hit the another milestone that might make me want to upgrade again. (for the most part I use my fair for pulling cold shots and it's wonderful for that)
nice content... btw we don't have reviews for eureka mingon XL...
About espresso maker, is flair 58 the best espresso maker for traveling?
Flair 58 might be not as good as the real espresso machine but after i see the workflow, maybe flair 58 is the only espresso maker which can be nearly good as machine compared to any portable espresso maker.
Thanks for calling out the gratuitous b-roll. Well-done.
ive been eyeing a flair classic for awhile but this would be much nicer!
This video pretty well sums up what I have thought about the 58 so far. Can’t wait to get mine in May! I already have a new Decent v3 tamper waiting to be used with it
Great review!! I would love to know more about dialing in. Can you use the same grind setting with the Linea Mini? If so, is it hard to push around 9 bar with the flair 58?
I found myself usually even a slightly finer grind with the 58 than mini with the ability to use low pressure pre-infusion and profiling. But there is no different there with the grind size.
@@Sprometheus how did you find the taste difference between the shots on the Flair 58 and the Mini
Really looks sleek!
It does! Love the familiar angles.
The next variation: maybe a spring lever?
good review, you don't talk too much and stick to the essential which is not very popular on TH-cam
Thanks for this in-depth review. Exciting product, indeed!
Definitely seems like a lot of quality of life improvement over their previous offerings. I think one easy improvement would be to have a mirror under the flair so you could see how it's extracting as you pull your shot. Could open the door to adjusting your pressure as the shot starts to blonde. (This is also something that could be modded pretty easily)
We will be offering a shot mirror from the webstore next week in fact
@@FlairEspresso perfect!
I always wondered. If a mastered shot made on your LM is a 100 points, what's the mastered shot on Flair?
That’s a good question. Honestly, there is something about the texture and depth of a shot on a pump machine. Not sure if it’s the consistent pressure, or more thermal stability, but the Flair shots are just a bit different. I’d say 90.
Pouring water into the boiler will start preinfusion because the water touch the coffee puck, can It be a con?
I’d love to try this, manual espresso is a world I’m dying to be a part of!
Wow
It just doesn't beat the simplicity of the robot.
This blows away the robot for repeated shots and thermal stability
Already signed up for the give away, lol
Great review! Love your honest opinion about it. I just bought the Flair Signature after the new year and upgraded it to Pro2 a month after with the accessories. Doesn't look like it's gonna worth it getting a whole new machine. Plus, I much prefer the shiny chrome look of my Signature than this dark, all-black 58. I'll save my money for a Kinu hand grinder.
I have the pro in flat black I love it, it doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb in the kitchen. My drink of choice is a cappuccino or a latte so I’m not sure if a La Pavoni would serve me better. Flair is making milk steamer too though
How fast does the brew head preheat to the desired temperature?
5 to 10 minutes depending if you want it to really stabilize
I love a good giveaway!
Always a good way to start a Friday.
just curious as to why your shots always look very thin? It seems that in every video, your crema is always very light..?
That comes down to a few factors. For one, it should be said that thick crema isn’t something that determines quality. But in terms of what you see on my shots is I tend to prefer lighter roasted, washed coffees which produce less crema overall. Also, I like to rest most of my coffee for at least a week before pulling them as shots, and some up to three.
Piece of junk. As Lelit Bianca V3 owner
Wow I seriously can't wait. Great review
Thank you for making this. Yes a handled portafilter is nice and I like things that are easy to clean, but I also don't care for the look of the preheater or the price tag. I wish they'd make a fully manual 58mm without all the grey plastics or any bell and whistles really. Grey plastic on black machines bugs me. The grip on the pro bugs me, compared to the more affordable models.
Especially in this price range, which is still affordable by espresso machine standards, but not by what is essentially a piston, a lever and a basket.
I feel you. If enough people feel that way and want a fully manual 58 maybe that’s something they should look into.
The brew head is surrounded with silicon to retain heat stability, I’d take that over looks and it doesn’t look bad to me
@@pantac4493 The brew head is black. I was talking about the GREY plastics. You do you, but I said what I mean. Home cafes are as much about aesthetics as functionality for some which is why the customization market exists.
@@Onyxaxe it is kinda dumb they use grey silicon on the pressure gauge but black on the brew head. Would look much better if it was all black
Flair 58X is the same like this, except it didn't have any pre heating element
There are broken links to your TH-cam and Instagram page on the giveaway page. Btw thanks for setting this up with them. These are awesome.
Thanks for the heads up, Flair got them fixed.
I need this! Been wanting heard the news of the 58. Finally I can find a worthy replacement for my old flair :)
this thing cost 600 dollar.....
This looks like a prototype. Not the level of finishing they should put on a production model, especially for over $500.
I like the look personally. I think the raw, Matte black is a safe choice. Not sure what would be expected. That whole $500 isn’t just paying for the machine, it’s recouping the years of R&D and time spent developing it. So that’s part of what you’re paying for.
@@Sprometheus I understand paying for R&D, but like you pointed out, some details like the power supply and temperature control just look cheap. A little refinement would’ve gone a long way.
It is so beautiful 😍
Yeah!!!!! I so want one of these! It’s everything the Rok should be but isn’t.
Definitely an upgrade from the Rok!
Sure would be a shame if all those other giveaway entries dissapeared (slides $2.85 and a half used chapstick across the table)....if you catch my drift
Is that chapstick Dr. Pepper flavored?
@@Sprometheus its whatever flavor gets the job done. You want Dr Pepper? You get dr pepper. You want unicorn tears?.....I know a guy
Houu that looks nice!
Definitely a nice looking kit!
I think the temperature for the high setting is wrong. The low and high were listed as 185F. What’s the temp for highest setting? Also, is it possible to use a scace and see what the temp is at the grouphead? Thank you for a great video!
In your video, you mentioned flair pro owners shouldn't necessarily upgrade immediately. What about if you were considering getting a flair pro 2? I've been eyeing the flair pro 2 for a couple of weeks now and have been thinking about jumping into manual pressing. Would it be better to go ahead and start with the flair pro 2 or should I just jump in with the the 58?
I’d say there isn’t massive differences between Pro and Pro 2. But if you’re looking to make the plunge into manual espresso, have the budget and don’t mind waiting a little bit I’d go straight to the 58. If you end up not liking it, you can likely quickly resell it.
But if you want something right now that makes great espresso and just doesn’t have all the bells, whistles, and accessory options you won’t be disappointed with the Pro 2.
@@Sprometheus Hey, thanks for the reply. That's kind of what I was thinking.
Great honest review
low budget james hoffman
i have never clicked a video faster in my entire life!
Haha, thank you I appreciate the support!
Very sexy. And the Flair is nice too.
The reason I got my Flair was to be able to store it away off my counter space, and it's a low cost of entry. I really like the 58 overall but it 1) becomes a bit of a permanent appliance on the counter and 2) isn't a value versus say a Gaggia Classic Pro. Sure, it's cheaper than a Rancilio Silvia, and maybe the manual workflow suits some people better, but it's probably not for everyone.
For sure, it’s still relatively storable. I have it on the shelf under my Mini at the moment. I do see the argument about the Gaggia though in terms of price. I may need to get a Gaggia for a comparison.
Yeah, it's definitely not a big footprint. The Flair Sig and Pro are like a bit of a compromise for some - going manual to save cost/trouble from a automatic machine and still getting great output. I think the 58 serves more to those who live for manual control, less for average consumers. The coffee nerd in me loves the idea of this, but sometimes all I just need is the shot and I could have a machine make it for me at the same cost. =) So it's a hard upgrade for me to justify for myself.
@@onewaydown I don’t like the maintenance of a pump machine and that’s why I bought the pro. The only other thing I might consider is something like a La Pavoni that works without a pump and just a boiler. I’d rather use the 58 over the pro for its ease
Was the winner of Flair 58 announced?
Yep, they were emailed as well as tagged on Instagram and in my TH-cam stories.
love the music!!!
Thank you! It’s one of those little details I actually spend a lot of time messing with, glad people notice it!
Plair yg baru ini harga y mantap bosss q
Great and fair review! Thanks Sprometheus
Thank you my friend! I appreciate the kind words and support!
My main question is .. it's about the same price as a gaggia .. which is making better espresso?
Their target consumers are different. Flair is you want a bare bones easy to maintain, no descaling, no back flushing, no plumbing problems, it’s useful life for the average person is much higher. With the Gaggia you’re trading all those things for a machine that pulls the shot for you. I had a Gaggia before I bought the flair pro, I didn’t like having to flush the Gaggia out with new water if it’s been sitting their for a while unused, the flair is always ready to go and clean even after a year with no use
@@pantac4493 eh.. maybe . I know many coffee professionals who use the gaggia and many that use the flair at home . They seem to appeal to the same people , and are the same price .
Just noting a small typo at 2:06 on the Fahrenheit temp for high heat, but otherwise great video and a super exciting addition to the manual espresso world! As for how they could improve, you're right that if they add the ability to heat water directly and steaming capabilities, then it is basically a La Pavoni competitor, but perhaps La Pavoni needs some competition? If they can add the functionality, keep the 58 mm portafilter, and keep the price under $800-900, then I think it'd be super compelling.
no shit...... i could get Breville 870 at flair 58 price.... this one over 600
after tax...
Realizing this review is.. by ‘net standards, ANCIENT…it is a concise yet thoroughly informative and entertaining video. In no way should Flair have an issue with it. I’ve owned 7 manual and spring levers over the years. It might now be 8… with the newest 58plus iteration in mind.
Is this going to be your new daily driver?!
Nah, back to the Mini for me. As much as I enjoy using manual machines, I don’t want to use them on the daily.