Flair Neo Flex | Can $99 Get You Actually Good Espresso?

[@macehead]

They actually made the frame that way so it would sound exactly like the Decent when brewing. It’s a feature not a bug. lol

[@ChaoticPesme75]

Big fan of Iron Lung there, the noise reminded me of it :p

[@emmereffing]

yes, it "makes espresso" just like a $4000 machine does!

[@Sprometheus]

@@macehead haha okay that gets a rare pinned comment, congrats my friend.

[@macehead]

@@Sprometheus I think I’ve peaked

[@danymeeuwissen5973]

A Flair Classic with a pressure gauge would be 140+56$, and the kit with classic - gauge - fancy tamper is 229$. So 99$ for the flex is really good value if you don't mind the creaks.🙂

[@Adam-ul2he]

I have had mine for a few months and love it. I have seen a few videos showcasing the creaking frame but mine is nearly silent... maybe I got lucky, maybe I push on it differently I don't know but I'm glad. I could see that as a big negative. For me really the only negative is the capacity. I typically use 15g coffee and would prefer more but I'm very comfortable with my dose and water up to the etched line. I get great shots out of it and enjoy the process. Their customer support is phenomenal too - I have had a couple of issues that were user error (water above the piston and fog in the pressure gauge) and they offered to replace the parts for free anyways. I recommend 100%!

[@FaithAndCoffeeBean]

I love my Flair Neo Flex. I have been having so much fun using my flex ☕️👍🏽😎

[@diegomev]

Non coffee related feedback. The latest videos are a wee bit too dark, making hard to see the machine details.

[@Sprometheus]

@@diegomev I get you. I’ve been remodeling the studio and went all-black thinking it wouldn’t be an issue and I’m currently struggling with lighting and all that.

[@Waisonian]

Thanks for the review of the Neo! I'm hoping you'll get the Flair Go shipped to you for testing, reviews and maybe even comparing to the Neo in the near future!

[@bogiesan]

I've been doing home espresso for decades and I have owned some great top-end HX and E61 machines. A completely manual lever appeals to me on so many levels these days. I bought the Flex about six months ago, totally based on the price, but only after I had thoroughly researched the little machine; I knew exactly what I was getting and understood the limitations a reasonable consumer would expect a $100 all-inclusive package to have, including the creaky frame. (I agree the additional $30-50 for the Classic may be the better decision.) My Flex shipped with defective o-rings and I had to wait a few days for replacements to arrive. Many Flex newbies get too much air trapped under the gauge and experience the "Flair Sneeze" when they ease up on the lever. That should only happen once. I added the precious little deluxe tamper and the second shot chamber. I quickly got into the rhythm of topping off the empty components with hot water while working with the other chamber. The whole process requires calm attention and time. If the potential user needs speeed and more consistency. the Flex is not appropriate. (I recently upgraded to the Flair Pro2 but I do not regret at all buying the NeoFlex.)

[@GlorifiedChessPiece]

You should mention the portafilter size. one of the most significant factors in getting this intro kit. The role it plays in producing quality espresso is undervalued.

[@YourBestFriendTrent]

I've had a neo flex for a couple months and my biggest complaint is that there is no double shot basket + brew chamber. Thats not that bad if I'm just drinking espresso, but if i want to make a latte for my wife it means double the workflow including cleaning a hot brew chamber & basket. That said I love making espresso in this thing. I've made 3 today while at work and it's just a delight. I don't have an espresso machine due to the cost, so finally having espresso at home without having to sell a kidney brings me no end of joy.

[@pimacanyon6208]

excellent review, many thanks. As always, I appreciate your honesty and thoroughness. I'm still a coffee guy, recently going from filtered immersion to pour over using the Hario Switch which has turned out to be an upgrade in terms of flavor and flexibility. Even so, I'm still fascinated by the rabbit hole of espresso and suspect that one day I may take the plunge. I had already thought that if I were to go for it, I'd do it with a Flair, so your review is helpful and bookmarked.

[@winexprt]

I have the new Flair Go coming via the current Kickstarter. I'm really excited as this will be my first espresso machine of any kind. The price & portability was just too good to resist. I hope you will be reviewing it. I would really like to have your take on it.

[@kevadu]

I have a Flair 58 so I'm hardly a stranger to Flair stuff at home, but when I saw the Go my first though was "why would anyone get this over the Picopresso?" So what made you get the Go?

[@winexprt]

@@kevadu First thing was price. I've been eyeing the more pricey Flairs (58 & such) and didn't want a several hundred dollar machine (as nice as it is) to be my first entry into manual. I figure I'm getting the Go for $134, which is much easier to swallow than $500+ if I didn't like the experience. I've eyed the Picopresso and watched just about every video on it, but was just not a fan of the one-handed operation, and bicycle pump style operation. I prefer the Flair design where I can use one hand to brace it as I add pressure. Also, because it has a pressure gauge you can more precisely pressure profile your shots I would imagine. The all aluminum construction was also what sold me. The Neo Flex just seems too compromised material-wise for my liking. Too creaky, with too many corners cut to achieve the $99 price tag. And the fact the Go folds up to fit in the palm of your hand is so cool. Anyway, I'm really excited! Do you own the Pico?

[@曉p-p7t]

Same, also backed the Flair Go as my first ever espresso machine.

[@曉p-p7t]

As yall discussing Picopresso : - Like @winexprt said, pump style has the problem where you have no control over the extraction pressure profile. Maybe not everyone is that enthusiastic into learning about pressure profile, but its nice that Flair considered giving us the options to learn more about espresso.

[@BlizzardWind99]

I hope you would make an unboxing video

[@caycaycoffee]

Thanks for this review. Some really interesting insights there. I find myself making two espressos in a row, one for my partner to take in her thermis to work and one for myself, all first thing in the morning while getting the kids ready for school, so it is good to know that setting two up requires two up work. ❤

[@o.c5362]

Sir, good video and all. Curious to know brand and where do you purchased that sleeve shirt.

[@Sprometheus]

@@o.c5362 thanks, and it came in a recent StitchFix box. But the brand is Even Tide.

[@cheekster777]

Thank you my friend. ☕️

[@Sprometheus]

@@cheekster777 of course! Thanks for watching my friend!

[@DaneButler]

I think manual espresso makers are the best entey level to espresso as it forces you to become aware of all of the variables needed to get a good shot. It makes you understand what you are doing. I've had my Flair 58 now for 3 years and had the Pro before that. Do I want to go to a pump machine? No. But if I did I feel like my time with levers has helped me make better shots than had I started on some like a Gaggia.

[@brownzys]

I started my espresso hobby with a 9barista I love that thing! With the ims basket and 53MM Paperfilters I can do light roasts as well and ive just gotta dial the grind setting and how much coffee I put into it! Sometimes I want to have 2 shots on the weekend tho so I got myself a picopresso as a secondary for that 😊 thinking of getting a 58+ at the moment for more controll 😁

[@Sprometheus]

@@brownzys the 9Barista is so so good. I need to do some blind tasting tests between that and some other kit to really put it to the test. But it is pretty expensive for an intro machine.

[@DraganIlich-r1s]

Thank you Sir.🎉

[@tummy_fritters]

The thing about a manual machine is that it gives you total control. For a beginner who doesn't understand the impact of each change, it creates a very steep learning curve. But the price point is so enticing, which is why I started that way. But it makes it easy to try and run before you can walk. If I were to recommend a manual machine for a beginner, it would be the picopresso. I feel like it's less obvious how to do profiling on it, so beginners are less likely to get brave before they know how to pull a basic shot. They could later upgrade to the gauge and explore that.

[@ChaoticPesme75]

99 sure beats 300 to 700 for a manual press, I might give it a shot now.

[@alanroderick7153]

Thank you for the video. I have been considering this as an addition to my dual boiler machine just to try a manual machine before possible more robust piece of kit. Those creaks would definitely worry/irritate me. I guess the clue is in the name;" ... Flex". I also feel the pressure gauge ia a little bit of a gimmick with no actual pressure values on it. Maybe I should pay more and look to the Classic Pressure kit option. Stay safe

[@Sprometheus]

@@alanroderick7153 yeah I think the Flair line have always been pretty high quality in terms of build, and this one takes a dip for a reason it seems, but the Classic is the same cylinder, get the pressure kit and you’re all set.

[@winexprt]

Sounds like The Titanic going down @8:07 😂

[@stevegee218]

Hey Spro, what would you throw in a suitcase for morning espresso if you had to stay at a hotel for a week for work?

[@Sprometheus]

@@stevegee218 personally the thing I enjoy about traveling is trying their local coffee scene so probably nothing, but for the sake of the conversation the best travel espresso in my opinion is the Picopresso.

[@jeffjones6667]

i wonder if the new more portable version of this would be less creeky?

[@Sprometheus]

@@jeffjones6667 which new version? This the newest one I’m aware of.

[@jeffjones6667]

@Sprometheus oh, maybe im confused, thought they advertised a GO version that folds up ? maybe not

[@Malthan]

In the advertisments I've seen for it they seem to be heavily playing up the fact, that this is a portable machine due to how easy it is to dissasemble. I was hoping you would touch on this in your review, as it seems to be a big factor in the choice of material it's made from - I imagine the light weight was supposed to be a feature.

[@Sprometheus]

@@Malthan personally, I’m not a big portable espresso person. When I travel it’s usually to areas that have cafes that I’m interested in trying. But honestly, anything as large as the any Flair wouldn’t be my first choice. I’d go Picopresso, super small, has a non-pressurized basket, and makes super solid espresso. I have a review of it from years or so ago.

[@mvc3tuber]

The creaking sounds is mostly at the base But this can be eliminated by adding a piece of cling wrap plastic before attaching the base and removing excess if needed. Now my new flex is so silent.

[@spandanmusser]

It’s called the Neo Flex because the frame bends under pressure 😂

[@glencwilson]

Have the older flex. Getting the pressure gauge ( even though it isn't meant for it) has been game changing. Those old test and pressure discs gave no real indication of the pressure and the espresso was so variable, not with the gauge. The plastic construction does feel the worst part of the device.

[@davenelson8592]

I'm always a little confused by Flair. I bought one early in my espresso journey and struggled to get anything good out of it at all because I had no idea what I was doing. To me, a lever machine only makes sense when you already know what you're doing. They always seem to be aiming at newbies or espresso on the go and I don't think these are at all newbie friendly.

[@emmereffing]

you don't have to know what you're doing. but the machine should give the newbie some sort of benchmarks and guideposts so they can learn along the way. i learned on a la pavoni - it's solid, consistent, and you can manage a streamlined workflow. a newbie with this and a $150 grinder is going to have a bad time for a long time.

[@mexicanhalloween]

on the contrary, I think it's the perfect tool to teach you espresso fundamentals that can then be applied to all machines. for not much money you can experiment with dose, yield, flow, pressure, grind, temperature, distribution, tamping, pre-infusion, blooming shots, and turbo shots. it's like a beater manual transmission car that can teach you all the right habits, but it's definitely not for someone who wants an automated appliance.

[@tyson_J]

I truly don't understand why they would include a gauge with no numbers, seems like something done exclusively the hamper the product and encourage people to make unnecessary upgrades. The only other reason I could think that they might want to do this is so they can have lower QC standards as far as actual pressure readings, which still seems pretty bad.

[@SuperPandaren]

Yeah it was kinda bumped to see the pressure gauge without the actual values. But since the pressure gauge in the Flair Neo kit is like 50 USD, I think it's a compromise they are willing to get the price of the Neo Flex under 100 USD.

[@88sstraight]

I would hesitate to purchase a machine that relies on ‘polymers’ for structural integrity. The Robot will outlive us all : )

[@AndyGait]

I don't think anyone is buying this thinking it's an endgame product. At this price point, if I get a couple of years out of it, it's more than done its job IMHO.

[@88sstraight]

@@AndyGait Which is a problem in terms of materials waste and pollution.

[@AndyGait]

@@88sstraight True, but than that's a different issue altogether. I can put small domestic appliances in my recycling collection box at home. Not sure that this would count though. Maybe Flair have a recycling scheme?

[@88sstraight]

@@AndyGait Recycling is largely a scheme developed by corporations to make us feel better about buying more stuff. Even recycled aluminum, one of the stars of this process, accounts for only about 35% of the beverage cans that we buy. Steel is one of the few mined products that is regularly put back into the manufacturing cycle.

[@AndyGait]

@@88sstraight So damned if we do, damned if we don't.

[@jeffjones6667]

sorry jumping gun on my comment, flair go is just now on kick starter and looks like be quite bit more money

[@winexprt]

I was a bit late and was able to back the "Grounds" version for $134. The initial round was at $124. IMHO a VERY good price for what you will get (pressure gauge, travel case, tamp, etc.).

[@Tom-sq9co]

Bummer about the frame fit.

[@Sprometheus]

@@Tom-sq9co yeah, it’s really the only major issue in my mind.

[@greysuit17]

Not something you want to be saying when pulling a shot “Come on, hold it together!”

[@Sprometheus]

@@greysuit17 this is true. But on the bright side it does add a bit of excitement to the morning routine haha.

[@greysuit17]

@@Sprometheus 😂😂😂 I don’t enjoy living that dangerously in the morning.

[@pisto14]

It sounds like the Decent

[@Sprometheus]

@@pisto14 I hadn’t even thought of that, but painfully true haha.

[@KrishnenduKes]

Couple of years with the Flair 58+. Will hang on to that for the moment. Waiting for my Meticulous!

[@MadScientist7]

I gave up waiting

[@KrishnenduKes]

@@MadScientist7 Lol!

[@SmuggiNOLA]

I can’t get a shot out of this thing to save my life. I got tired of wasting beans

[@SmuggiNOLA]

But I might try again…

[@emmereffing]

at this point, just make a v60...

[@Sprometheus]

@@emmereffing I see your point, but as an espresso lover, sometimes a V60 just doesn’t fit the bill.

[@diganta2329]

What a waste! Made for the dump. Eat potatoes for a week and get the Classic 😅

[@Sprometheus]

@@diganta2329 haha potatoes? What happened to ramen?

[@diganta2329]

@@Sprometheus Potatoes are the European ramen 😅

[@DraganIlich-r1s]

Thank you Sir.🎉