UPDATED PRO 3 (White) - All manual lever espresso maker with a stainless steel brew head, pressure gauge, shot mirror and a small size

As an espresso enthusiast venturing into the world of home brewing, my exploration led me to the Flair Espresso Maker PRO 2 – a beautifully designed marvel, as much a piece of art and conversation starter as it is a tool, that has redefined my perception of what's achievable in the realm of home espresso. This espresso maker not only delivers world-class results with the right effort but also stands out as an exceptional value that has surpassed my global espresso experiences. Seriously - you'd have to pay 10x as much, or more, to make equal quality espresso with an automatic machine. Incredible Value Unveiled: From the outset, the Flair PRO 2 establishes itself as an extraordinary value proposition for those willing to invest the time and attention it deserves. As I delved into the world of home espresso, the PRO 2 became a beacon of affordability without compromising on the quality of the brew. Its manual lever operation may seem like a challenge initially, but the rewards it offers in terms of espresso quality make it a worthwhile journey for enthusiasts seeking an exceptional bang for their buck. Unlocking World-Class Espresso: The Flair PRO 2 transcends its price tag when paired with the necessary equipment, transforming my home into a haven for world-class espresso. My journey to espresso mastery was paved with the understanding that additional tools are not mere suggestions but prerequisites for unlocking the full potential of the PRO 2. A high-quality burr grinder, a temperature-controlled kettle, a distribution tool, and an accurate scale are indispensable companions on this quest for perfection. My Perspective on Espresso Excellence: Having tasted espresso from renowned establishments around the US and Italy, the Flair PRO 2 has set a new standard in my home. The manual lever operation allows me to connect with the brewing process, turning each shot into a personal masterpiece. The stainless steel brew head, pressure gauge, and adjustable features empower me to experiment and tailor each cup to my exacting standards. The Learning Curve: While there is a learning curve, particularly for a beginner like myself, the Flair PRO 2 becomes a patient mentor, guiding me through the nuances of tamping, extracting, and refining my technique. The journey is not just about brewing espresso but about mastering the craft with hands-on experience. Remember, refine your technique, take notes (mental or otherwise), and you will blow yourself away with the quality of your end result. Conclusion: In conclusion, my journey with the Flair Espresso Maker PRO 2 has been nothing short of transformative. From unlocking incredible value to crafting world-class espresso, this manual lever espresso maker has elevated my home brewing experience to new heights. For those willing to invest the effort and embrace the learning process, the Flair PRO 2 isn't just a machine; it's a ticket to an espresso adventure that rivals the best around the globe.

I recently decided to dive into the world of home espresso. I am a professional cook so the extreme manual nature of the flair ecosystem got my attention right out of the gate. I also love camping and I find the idea of really great espresso at the campsite very appealing. So I decided on the flair pro 2 over the flair 58 simply because this being my first espresso machine ever, starting out at $1000 investment after machine and accessories seemed a bit irresponsible given that I've never really even attempted to pull a real shot ever up to this point. The pro 2 put me into the $500ish range with grinder and that seemed more appropriate for me. I have had this machine for a little over a month now, have pulled roughly one full Peetes coffee bag worth of shots. So I believe I can give a decent review now from the viewpoint of a professional cook but novice beginner espresso machine user. I have spent the month watching countless youtube videos from Lance Hendrick to James Hoffman and others. I learned about bean types, grinders, grind size, dose size, water temp, brew pressures and so on. When it comes to kitchen matters, I tend to dive in and learn as much as possible. So now to using the product. It is really well built, it is pretty intuitive on how to use it and if you know what you are doing, you can pull consistent shots. I however am not good at it(yet). So with everything you get from flair you can pull shots. Sometimes great shots. And if you are good at espresso already you can probably pull consistently good shots. I struggled out of the gate because even though I created a very consistent and efficient work flow, the one variable I couldn't be consistent at was tamping. The tamper that comes with the flair is decent. It seems high quality and well made but for me, it's too small for my oger hands and getting a consistent flat and evenly pressed coffee bed with it is difficult. It didn't seem to matter what my grind size was, what my dose size was, randomly some shots would pull with little to no resistance and squirting channels everywhere. Others I couldn't even get to pull at all. And this is with me making wild grind size changes, 16g dose to 22g dose, it didn't matter. It became clear that the issue was my tamp. So I decided to invest in the normcore distributor and spring tamper. Oh, I had also bought the normcore WDT tool with the flair 2 pro. These extra tools have completely fixed all of my issues. The first shot I pulled using the distributor and spring tamper I pulled an 18g dose in 24 seconds with zero channeling which I'd never been able to do prior. I went two clicks finer on my grinder and pulled a second shot which pulled in 34 seconds, no channeling and was basically perfect. I almost cried haha. So, my very long winded opinion is this. Flair makes a great product for coffee nerds. If you are already good at making espresso, meaning your form and knowledge are there, you will have fun with this machine right out of the gate. If you are an extreme novice like me, I would suggest at a minimum getting a spring tamper until you are a pro at tamping. Tamping seems to be the most important part with the flair to getting consistent results. Having said all of that, I am most likely going to be moving this to my camping gear and replacing it with the flair 58. The work flow with the 58 is probably better for everyday use. handling the boiling hot billet water chamber and basket after every use is a little annoying but nowhere near a deal breaker by any means. If your budget is $500, get this. If you can afford $1000 all in or you already have a good grinder, get the 58.

There are so many videos on these I don’t know what to add but this. I have a coffee shop. Opened two months ago with a used originally 20k machine from 2013. We have had so many issues and Saturday it shot out water to the ceiling. So we had to close. So I decided to order this to re open. So I’m comparing this to a top of the line commercial machine. And wanna know what trully sucks and makes me so angry. Inhale exhale. It’s making shots better than some of my shots. Not all but enough that my 400 dollar payment is making me mad. However it’s a lot of work. But not too much. Like on my commercial machine I grind into a ports filter this would be hard. Who cares I’m upgrading to the 58/2 on their web site. So It takes a little practice but not much. It’s like pancakes. Be prepped to toss the first one. I don’t work for the company or do they have me anything however…. I’m in St. Louis. Boom n brew. Laugh. The process is like this. My 100 dollar grinder. I put it on 12 it was too small put it on 14-15 it was better. But for me the issues had nothing to do with this. My grinder was stopped up. My sc New scalled would not set. So you’re gonna boil some water and put the top on the pot. Grind some beans. Do this. Use the funnel and put in 20 grams in. Pack it with the funnel. Take off the funnel out on the screen. Put the porta filter on the machine. Put a bit of water in in let it soak. It’s to release carbon dioxide. Go get your hot preheated water thingy. Put it on top. I’d say for me trying to use this commercially this is the part that challenges me personally because I need to be able to dump and pump wood fire. It’s hard cause the thing is hot. But hotter water makes smoother less bitter shots. In general. But I have high medium standards and there are coffee shops all over town with bitter shots. So then you filll with hot water. Off the boil for me I want it hot and I know it’s going to cool. So a small change that is me being stuoid and picky is when you fill it it’s easy to over fill. However I just shoved the meter in and it over flowed a few drops fine. Remember I’m thinking commercial. Then your going to want a small as in a very small litttle square scaled. Under a glass and the scale should be zero we’d out. Because your going to measure the volume. It takes a smidge of holing the meter to get the lever centered at home you will get use to this. Then you adjust your mirror so you can see. Start pushing down softly. You want that bottom screen in the mirror to show a circle of coffee. I had a half and realized me 159 year old home was crooked. To I leaned a little right and there was a full circle so look at me being picky. After you see it kind of comming out you push hard till the gage is at 9 bars. You don’t have to be exact. But for people who really get into this you will be able to kind of work the pressure for timing. Etc. For a espresso or any drink that is like 50 percent milk or water or less like a machiotto (shame on you Starbucks calling a latte a maciotto when it’s supposed to be a “dollop” of milk) laugh. Then make that shot 40 grams. If your making like a cold lattes with sweetener and milk etc you can go to 45 even 50. But in general 20 in 40 out. They say up to 18 but that what we do and that’s what I did with this. And it worked. The beans I used were nine months only not ment for espresso. Dark. And still. Dang it. It was good!!! I hate that. I spent so much money. So manual shot are better with someone who has practice the machines are better for speed and consistency. The only real issue for me is lack of heating element. I have not tried a non heated shot. But for others it could be fine. If you’re making drinks with flavors and milk it’s fine but here’s the deal. Even though I’d rather go to a shop and have someone else make it no one can do that every day. This will make you shots that are cafe quality. That sucks for me. Laugh. But you will miss out cool atmospheres and fun conversation. But seriously. I’ll know more after the end of this week. And I’ll try to update if it is worth it to get the 58/2 that new. It’s not on Amazon.

Updated. Got the grind dialed in correctly. Very pleased. A 35-second extraction with the dial midway is the best. Do not refer to ChatGPT for help. It was giving fundamentally wrong directions that I needed. Refer to the original manufacturer for directions. Lessons learn. Challenging but eventually good manual espresso machine. The first machine shipped to me by Amazon was used. Amazon corrected this issue and sent a new machine. The machine construction is top-notch. The basket is solid stainless steel and rather hefty. Once you have the grind dialed in correctly, that's one of the challenges; the machine will produce beautiful and tasty espresso shots. Lovely creme. I use the provided funnel to preheat the chamber over my Fellows EKG kettle and have not experienced any significant coffee temperature issues. The chamber is solid, and the gaskets, thus far, have not leaked. The overall size of the machine allows it to fit just about anywhere. Please note that there is a bolt that must be tightened that connects the arm to the base. Other than this needed piece of hardware, the machine may be assembled and disassembled easily. The provided carrying case is well-built as well. The accessories are rather nice as well. The tamper itself, often a piece of junk in other machines, is very solid, stainless steel as well. If you are looking to go deep into manual espresso creation, this machine is it. Don't expect perfection with the first shot. It will take practice. It is worth it, though. Great machine for the espresso lover. Recommended. Sorry, no photos. This machine requires both hands.

This is the best espresso machine at this price, if you're willing to put on the work. You can make every kind of shot you'd want: soup, turbo, italian espresso. Whatever you like

I bought this to experience espresso like never before, it did not disappoint. I learned about pre heating not only my cup but the machine itself, which is beautifully simple to use and maintain, it will last a lifetime. Grind size has never been more important, this Flair has taught me how to better dial in my automatic espresso maker.

It has taken a while to nail down the right fineness in my grind, the right amount of grinds and the right amount of tamping down. Now I make the perfect espresso after the next. I am highly sensitive to caffeine and have just one too many and I start feeling nauseous. First few days I couldn't stop at two and had to have a 3rd, now I just make sure I am mindful and savor each sip and stick with just two. Some people complain about the amount of work/effort, I see it as pouring my passion into making an espresso that is exactly how I love it. Like a mad scientist brewing the perfect espresso without breaking the bank. I love it !

After going down the coffee rabbit hole on YouTube. You will find out this is all you need. It’ll make you excellent espresso, it will last forever and paired with a baratza grinder and a dreo milk frother. You can make latte hearts for you wife every morning