Flair Pro 2 Review: A Delightful Home Lever Espresso Machine

The US-based company Flair has designed an excellent manual lever espresso machine, for brewing great espresso. But it doesn't come without practice. This manual espresso machine gives excellent sensory feedback, in form of feeling the pressure applied, and tasting the extraction based on the temperature of brew water used. This great learning tool, coupled with excellent build quality, make for a delightful experience when brewing espresso. See the links below for more information and for product links. Flair: flairespresso.com/products/es...
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0:00 Intro
1:09 What does the Flair Pro 2 come with?
2:59 Why the Flair is a great learning tool.
3:24 How to preheat the brew chamber
4:34 Experiment 1: extracting pre-ground coffee
6:35 How is cleaning the Flair?
7:03 Experiment 2: extracting freshly roasted beans
9:29 Pros & Cons
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#TomsCoffeeCorner #flairespresso #espresso

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Thanks for watching! Comments welcome! Product links in description or here: kit.co/tomscoffeecorner/flair-manual-espresso-makers Flair: flairespresso.com/products/espresso-makers/ **Kit and Amazon are affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, as no extra cost to you.

[@yonicozac]

Great video! After 2 years with the pro2 I found it much easier to pre-heat the chamber by placing it over an open-lid kettle. The steam bring it up to 100c quickly.

[@PositivelyNice]

I love your presentation - keeping it real while being professional. I like seeing the size of objects compared to human and the real workflow involved and I can see these from your camera angles.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

That's so kind of you to say - thank you. 👍

[@King-di3bx]

once again a very interesting video, about a very nice machine🙄🤗☕

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching! 🙋🏼‍♂️

[@luckyx69]

Finally found someone tried ground coffee! I tried Illy ground coffee, got kind similar result. Guess the ground coffee isn't fine enough. I managed to get better result by applying long pre-fusing, around 30 seconds at very low, almost no pressure.

[@TomJones-tx7pb]

Nice review. I have been using a Flair 58 with built in heater and longer lever. If you have a good espresso grinder, and you dose, WDT, and tamp properly it is almost impossible (for me, at least) to pull a bad shot. I have used many different coffees and am now at the point where I blend different beans and roasts to get the exact taste I like. My extractions get logged onto my phone for pressure and flow rate, which is also a fun training tool. My DeLonghi was very picky about what I did, but not so much the Flair. In fact, I cannot imagine going back to using a typical pump machine.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Thanks for those insights, Tom. I think what makes the design forgiving, is that you have immediate control over flow, and therefore pressure. With a normal pump machine, you just have boolean control; on or off. Glad to hear you are enjoying your Flair 58. I would like to try one someday, but up on deck I have a vintage La Pavoni to try next....Cheers!

[@TomJones-tx7pb]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Exactly so. I adjust the pressure based on the flow I am seeing. It is slightly different on every extraction.

[@daddy895]

Hi Tom. Nice review, I really enjoy all of your videos they are really good even a "noobie" can understand and you are not that kind of guy who says "you can't do great espresso with cheap machine", appreciate your work keep it going ;) Also could you please review if you have the chance a flair neo flex by itself or next to cheaper semi autos like ecp 3420 or the dedica with the accessories and money needed for the best results ?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Thank you! I will have to keep the Neo Flex in mind. But I really prefer the ECP, as it heats the water for you...

[@PositivelyNice]

By the way, if your scale is sensitive and accurate, the first mass reading was probably 14 g because some coffee landed on the scale and not in the basket. Considering Flair recommends 16 g, 2 g difference is quite significant. I still love your video. =) Final temperature being over 60 degC is great for me! Nice drinking temperature is 54 degC and lower. So, thanks for this info!

[@spookybets]

Good evening Tom, I would like to say I love your content. My newest hobby is espresso and I’ve been indulging all I can find. I must ask, do you have any good recommendations for a perfect mug? Thank you 🙏🏼

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Hi Dakota! Thanks for those kind words! When you say mug, do you mean espresso cup, or coffee mug? For espresso, I use the Kruve among others. For coffee, I like the Yeti to keep it warm. Here are a couple of ideas: Kruve espresso glasses: bit.ly/3xueKgn Yeti tumbler: amzn.to/3TQDbhx (the above are affiliate links - they help support the channel at no extra cost to the clicker).

[@spookybets]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Thanks for the response! I guess I was meaning more of a cappuccino mug. I will check out those recommendations, I appreciate your help.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

For cappuccino, I find porcellan the best, like this: amzn.to/3zehcJI Just make sure they are pre-warmed on top of the espresso machine, or in the microwave. Room temperature cups will cool down your drink way too fast. Cheers!

[@dingnextstop]

Hi Tom, nice quality item! My only gripe really is the time it takes to heat the group and without a temp gauge not really knowing the brew temp, other than that it appeals to me personally as I’m on the boat and it doesn’t use mains power! Great video once again 👍🏻

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Thanks for your feedback, Andrew! Nice to hear from you. I quite like this little machine, despite the warming up. It's hard to put my finger on, but it is satisfying to use. I think if you just use a dark roast, and preheat once while preparing the basket, it would probably be good enough...at least for the first necessary coffee in the morning. :) Cheers, Tom

[@dingnextstop]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner I’ve been looking at the La Pavoni Europiccola on eBay 😉… it looks a wonderful piece of equipment plus it has a boiler and a steamer! I’ll have to sell everything to buy one though! 😂

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Haha, yes! I bought one recently on the used market, but I have not played with it yet. I am curious to see how it does. Probably in the next couple of months. Cheers!

[@FaithPvP]

Flair sells those little temperature stickers you can slap on the brew head for under $5, ordered two of them with my unit.

[@slimegadosh-92]

So perfect 👌 thanks 👍😍❤️ New sub here

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Thanks and welcome! Tom

[@rolandlickert2904]

I'm considering the Grace or V3 Elisabeth now I like the Flair Pro and the Cafelat Robot . The advantage not much can break easily with Flair and Robot and the heating time with the Robot is Zero! however, do they produce similar Espresso as let's say Lelit grace or Elisabet?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

In my opinion, no. Because they cannot hold the temperature stable. The Grace and Elisabeth are PID controlled, so the temps are stable throughout the extraction. But, the manual lever machines are cheaper, and also fun to use. You will have to decide yourself which one to go for. 👍

[@FaithPvP]

Ok, I did giggle quiet loudly at the "some beans did make it into the grinder" bit. My big reason for ordering one is the size. I used to have a Silva with a PID but it took up so much counter space! Between the kettle, my grinders, and my nespresso, I want to occasionally pull a nice shot with something I can just tuck under the counter after cleaning and not have to worry about unplugging outlets and stuff.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

That is a good point, Faith! It is a machine that does not consume a lot of room, and I found that it is very fun to experiment with, too. The haptics are a delight to use. Cheers! Tom

[@WASD-1]

Hi Tom, are you still using your Flair Pro 2? You probably can get nicer shots out of this one than cheaper entrance automatic machines like the Dedica, Bambino or the ECP right?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Well, I had the Flair on loan from an acquaintance. But I would say the ECP makes the best shots of the above mentioned. The challenge with the Flair is getting enough temperature.

[@WASD-1]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner So ECP is even better than the Flair? That would be really interesting and cool because of the big price difference

[@fatso_lee]

this is a excellent tool to learn expresso. I learnt about heat, grind size, temping, types of pressure when pulling a shot. it's a fun entry tool for newbie. Please buy a nice grinder. Have fun guys!

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Totally agree, Lee! Even for a guy like me who has been using different machines for a while, this suddenly gives you much more feel for the variables. Cheers!

[@kyleladd7426]

I just bought this online, it'll be here in 2 day. My concern is the amount of 5ime it's going to take me to brew this every morning before I leave for work. When I used my French pres sit was only a few minutes. I didn't even have to think about it. Now I'm going to have to schedule time to make coffee. Man I hope it's worth it.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I find espresso so much more satisfying. And the brewing process is part of the fun. Cheers!

[@gothicpinkk]

Purchased this couple months ago, and the brewing process is what I really enjoy. It’s like tea making - an art. I love the time it takes for me to brew it, forces me to slow down, very much like therapy.

[@cldream]

I guess if you need to know, time yourself on a day when you're off work so you can wake up how much time in advance for the prep, brewing, and cleanup.

[@marcozg77]

Preheating is easier and more efficient using steam. I use the lower part of a Bialetti and just put the brewing chamber inside, with the lid on so the steam can't escape. But you know, if I have to go to the office I get up at 5:30 and have to catch a train and while in theory I could spare the 15 minutes it takes me to pull a shot (including the entire cleanup), I don't do it because for me it's a relaxing thing. When I work remote, I can make a long lunch break and then I will pull a shot with the flair.

[@upurbum_Official]

A lot of work to make an xpresso. Not sure when I wake I can do this

[@painpeace3619]

Good.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Thanks!

[@wildanrosyada7787]

id like to know the grionder you use, wehats its name?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

That's the Timemore Chestnut Nano.

[@polus2494]

I just started looking into upgrading from my pod machine. It looks like making real espresso is more trouble than it's worth. Who has time for this? Cool looking machine though.

[@polus2494]

Update: I now make at least two espressos per day, every day, at home. It's worth every second. I hereby retract that stupid thing my former self said

[@mcpulya6890710]

What grinder do you use?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

That's a Timemore Nano.

[@littlestar5737]

Tom, get a big scale. Put the whole machine on it. Remove drip tray. Tare and pull the shot.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Whole machine? You'd wreck the scale with all that force on it, wouldn't you?

[@littlestar5737]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner No man. I was kidding. We need some humor in comments section. People are so serious when it comes to making coffee. Cheers!

[@marexmal]

At some point in my life I really wanted the Flair - I think it looks amazing and the manual lever experience seems so cool. But - boy oh boy - that preheating is so much work, time + a waste of water and energy...

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Hi Marek, well some people pour the water back into the kettle to reheat, saving water at least. I probably would not be so picky on a daily basis. Maybe preheat 1-2 times and call it good. By the second shot for the wife, it would be majorly preheated.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

@@dyu4634 Hi! Yes I have seen someone do that, but I have the wrong kettle for that. Also, I am guessing it would take a very long time for that 500 grams of steel to warm up to 80 degrees just from the kettle steam. But it would be easier, that's for sure! Cheers

[@alang253]

you can heat the chamber passively above your kettle with the steam. Yes there are many steps and it is involved but it becomes natural and even fun and in the end the total time is how long it takes to boil water + 2 minutes to pull the shot. Arguably the same or less time it takes to heat up a machine. I bought my pro2 as a hold me over and the experience and output is so delightful it became 'end game machine' for me. I cannot recommend it enough.

[@elciad9903]

hello, can you please tell me if the c2 and the nano have the same grind degrees? using 16g I tried with 9 and 10 clicks, but the coffee either does not go down or goes down too quickly

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Hi! I think they are similar, but I am not sure. How fresh are your beans?

[@elciad9903]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner have been roasted for 6 days.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Hmm, those should be fine. Maybe check the burr alignment: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5Kmkn58oKxgqJY It was off on my grinder, and after shimming, it was better.

[@elciad9903]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner I checked and the component indicated in the video, in my case it does not make any particular movement. I read a post on reddit that says that another way to evaluate alignment is to count up to how many clicks you can hear a contact squeak between the burrs and if it's between 1 and 6 then everything is fine.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

How many clicks for you?

[@Barak121213]

hi Tom! I wanted to write few things: I dont see any advantage of those flair without a heating head (flair 58) over the Robot (Cafelat). the robot is much better with temperature (a bit disadvantage in those machines). and if someone likes (like me) medium to dark roast - Picopresso is doing the same job but cheaper, faster and with 10% of the footprint. (but picopresso fits less light roast cause you have to master the pressure better)

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Hmm, well I have not tried the robot, but I like the aesthetics and haptics of the Flair quite a lot. Have you tried both? I have yet to try a Picopresso too, but I have to say that I really don't like the encapsulated designs of such machines, because they include more parts, and are hard to clean and dry properly. At least that is what I found with the Nanopresso and Staresso Mirage. Thanks for your input! Tom

[@Barak121213]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner agree - roblot looks worse. 100%. but so much more functional. produces fantastic tastes even with light roasts. With pico, from start to finish (before boiling water until finishing cleaning the pico) it takes me 4 min. 90% of the parts touching only the water (so they are clean) and only need to put a bit of water to clean the basket. the shower screen of the pico is one of the best I have seen. I use it daily for the last 1.5 years (I buy here locally roasted beans, the pico prefers fresh)

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

@@Barak121213 Thanks for the information. I will have to see if I can get my hands on a robot one of these days. As for the Picopresso, I have not tried that myself. Is it much better than the Nanopresso?

[@Barak121213]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Day and night. I can promise you that. as if it's a different company. it produces a high-end-machine espresso (with medium to dark roast beans).

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Ok, I will have to try a Picopresso then. I was disappointed, that the Nanopresso can only fit 5-7 grams, so hopefully the Pico is better. Cheers!

[@radbcc]

Seriously, who travels with an Espresso machine?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Haha, I don't know. I think an Aeropress is a little easier yet to travel with. But it packs down pretty small.

[@danchan5620]

Hard disagree, the Robot is the better manual machine. Flair P2 is too finicky. Robot is just better designed and easier workflow.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I would be curious to try one someday. Thanks for your comment! Are the robots heated, or are they passive also?

[@danchan5620]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Yes is similarly passive. But much cleaner setup.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

@@danchan5620 Really? Can you recommend a video on it?

[@danchan5620]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner I find this is interesting take on Robot kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqC6haVprNd8hZY

[@marcozg77]

I don't find the Flair finicky at all. And I don't like the design of the Robot. Also, the Flair can be completely disassembled and cleaned, which IMHO is a huge advantage. So, while the robot may be better for YOU, it is not better for everyone else.