As a Flair 58 owner I think there is one more thing worth mentioning - once you're used to the machine and know what you're doing it's almost impossible to pull an undrinkable shot, even if you're not perfectly dialed in. It's especially apparent when you're constantly trying out new coffees. Quite a lot of shots (usually first tries and experiments) I managed to save due to having a full control over the pressure would be wasted on a flat pressure pump machine.

You guys helped me to choose the flair 58 and not the semi automatic! The case breaker was maintenance and cleaning- no one yet took it into consideration. Thank you!

Your channel deserves a factor of at least 100 in subscriber count! You're doing so well!

I think a better point of comparison would be the Flair vs. a Gaggia Classic, Turin Legato (or other make/models of this particular machine), or a Rancilio Silvia at the high end. Most home baristas don't have $3K to drop on a machine. People with Flair 58+ budgets will be looking at $500 - $1K machines. Then there's the manual lever competition: SuperKop, Bomber, and Cafelat Robot. I have the Bellman steamer showed on this video. It needs 15 - 18 minutes on a 5,000 BTU flame to have enough force behind the steam to make a proper vortex. So, you'd preheat the Flair's grouphead and fire up the Bellman almost simultaneously.

I would argue that the consistency on a manual machine is higher. If your puck prep is not perfect for a specific shot, a semi automatic will pump out an imbalanced over and under extracted shot. While with a lever you can feel the pressure and back off, increase infusion time and proceed at a much lower pressure. Even a spring lever beats a semi-automatic in this common scenario.

The epic music is kind of what goes through my head as I’m preparing myself to flip my inverted Aeropress

Well done!! This was super informative!

Another great video! Love your attention to detail and thoroughness, I need to get better at this for my videos 😆

Love the 58. Great price, great Espresso and you can do so much with it. I find it reasonably consistent in the important aspects if you have a little bit of experience with it. Knowing your flow rate and pressure helps but mostly relay on puck resistance is already close enough. Never had inconsistent shots once dialed in.

What a great video. I am glad that I ordered the Flair. Should be here in 3 days!

Totally agree with all the points you mentioned!! Great video too.

Yeah, This channel has a bright future for sure!!

Great video. I have the flair 58 and a Sylvia and use the fair 99% of the time.

While I don’t make espresso, I do mostly make Aeropress and Moka Pot. The Aeropress, in terms of consistency, is the semi-automatic and the Moka is the Flair. On a day in, day out basis, the Aeropress makes “better” coffee, as in my average satisfaction level is higher. It takes a long time (about 15 minutes, start to finish) using Jonathan Gagné’s method, but nine of those minutes are waiting minutes, where I can be doing other things, like starting breakfast. The Moka, on the other hand is not much faster and you have to watch it like a hawk the whole time. It’s finicky and sometimes it results in coffee that is merely ok. I typically us it to make a 50/50 Americano type coffee based on James Hoffmann’s recipe. But the extra satisfaction I get when I brew the Moka’s version of the “god shot” makes that coffee even better tasting somehow. I know of one KZfaqr who used a Breville Oracle in the mornings and his Apartamento in the afternoons and weekends. Sometimes the craft is, and sometimes you just want a great coffee without the fuss. But I still grind for the Aeropress with a J-Max at (for those that want to know) a 2.2.0-2.3.0 setting. Super yum!

Flair all the way baby. You just feeling like wearing a custom made suit every single time! Even if the shot comes out not perfect it is still veeery enjoyable.

"It also ruins your coffee, which ruined your day, which ruins your entire life." feel that, brother 💀 I do think it's worth mentioning that while your pressure is less consistent on a manual machine, the pressure on an non-lever machine is highly dependent on puck prep... maybe to a degree that makes the "human error" moot. Plus, on a manual machine, you have full control of pre-infusion and can easily pull at lower pressures, which further makes everything more consistent and less error-prone.

Actually laughed out loud at the head-shake at 4:40

I've had my 58 for well over a year as well. Very hard to get a shot wrong, you can feel if it's starting to channel and fix it. Thankfully that's rare and usually comes to bad puck prep. A WDT, spring assisted tamper and of course the puck screen, great results consistently. There is also the option of a La Pavoni like a mate of mine has. You can pull a lever shot and steam milk. Now personally I love my espresso as espresso, but if my kids are anything like me they will be wanting lattes every day when they reach their teens, so maybe that won't be a bad choice. Or a Nespresso Aeroccino because it's not like I'll drink it 🤣

The Flair 58 is so damn awesome. The amount of money it costs for flow profiling is insane when the Flair does it for 20% the cost. Friggin love my Flair 58

Gotta say! Loving the new sarcastic bits!! 😆😆😆

The last round makes me smile in approval. Hahahaha

My SOFI72 just arrived!

I love your humour 😊

My Flair Pro is nearly perfect in its simplicity and ability to make great espresso

I have been discussing this with my wife. She wants to buy a single head machine, I would love to buy the Flair. We have a Fellow Ode with the standard burrs, I have read and heard that it will not be able to grind fine enough, or is not made to grind enough, for the Flair. However, I do see a glimpse at 1:52 of the Fellow Ode in the video. Do you use that for grinding for the Flair?

Great video, but showing the Fellow Ode could give one the idea that it's capable of grinding for espresso....which it's not.

Can you also do a review on Lelit bianca if possible

um, the Flair 58 only takes around 5 mins to heat up...not sure where you're getting 20 mins from...

I suggest a Flair vs La Pavoni for the next video :p

My noob question is : Technically you could make the same espresso quality espresso as the 3K coffe machine making with the Flair ?

my flair 58 only takes 4 min to warm up to the highest setting 🤔

Where are you based sir

Some of the best b-roll in the business

When will the profitec review be released?

The Flair 58 can heat the water (this was confirmed from the company). After the 20min preheat to get the PF hot I add room temp water into the chamber and in less than 10minutes it’s at 200deg f.

Is there any way for us budget mortals to drink espresso?

Ehhhhhh good video but expected it to be focused on shot extractions.

Why is everything so zoomed in? 😅

Cafelat Robot is more consistent than Flair in terms of making shots (needs lower skills)...

Espresso machines all beak and they are very expensive to fix.