Flair Espresso Maker PRO 2 Chrome - Manual Lever Espresso Machine with Stainless Steel Brew Head & Pressure Gauge - Perfect for Home Baristas & Coffee Enthusiasts

Let's get the bad outta the way... What do I not like?It was expensive when I bought it at $275, and even more so now that it jumped by $50 to $325!It's super time consuming, and you'd benefit from having a second brew chamber. That's mostly where it ends tho.The build quality is excellent. All machined Aluminum and stainless steel. It's a little wobbly tho. Not because of the quality itself, but because of the stability. That could easily be addressed by the manufacturer, or maybe a third party developer.It makes a STELLAR shot of REAL Espresso. Not that half hearted stuff like the Aeropress, or the Nespresso, for which I still both like. It's because of those two machines that inspired me to go legit.The process of using an analog machine challenges you to be artistic, and to master the process and art of Espresso. Serving someone a cup of Coffee that you had absolute control over, is gratifying.This thing is a blast, the build quality is to be admired, and the espresso itself is outstanding. If you're an artist, a fan of the hands on approach, and want an authentic shot.. This is one of only a few good choices.Yes, buy it.I bought this because I wanted to make good espresso and it looked like this was the simplest with fewest points of failure. After using for about a month I have a good routine worked out and can get my coffee out and everything cleaned up and put away in about 10 mins. I use an oxo grinder (good but not fancy or expensive) and an amazon kettle.I've been wanting to explore more with espresso, so in addition to my Gaggia Classic I got this Flair Pro 2. On the Gaggia I have the 9 bar mod and a VST basket, and really no complaints about shot quality. But the Flair adds another dimension with pressure profiling. It does require slightly coarser grind for the same 16g dose.Build quality is nice, the brew group in particular. Workflow is much better than I expected based on internet reviews (I preheat over the kettle), the only minor nuisance when cleaning is the puck screen. For now, the GCP will remain my machine of choice first thing in the morning, but I'm looking forward to experimenting and traveling with the Flair.Love this little guy. I have the method down, at this point, I just need to find the perfect grind. At first, I ground too fine. And it made mush and I couldn't get any water through it. Then I made it too course. And the water went through way too quickly! Right now, I'm at about 12 seconds for a press. Almost there. But even at this point, the pressings are great!Love the pressure gauge. Love how it's made. Haven't had a single issue with it, and I'm looking forward to more pressings in the future!It seems that there is a design issue with the pressure gauge : the material is plastic and when you press the hand lever down, the pressure gauge tends to bend backward which results additional pressure at the end part, not into the middle part. So, it cracked after a few months of usage (I've never applied more pressure than 9 PSI). Also, the rubber cover at the hand lever is attached to the metal with three rubber joints. Two of them have broken after 3-4 usage.La bandeja recogegotas es "casi" decorativa. Es necesario comprar una balanza pequeña para medir el rendimiento del espresso. Por ej. Una balanza hario vst-2000, es demasiado grande. Al permitir control total que da variable es imprescindible poder medir todo. El portafiltro naked es fantastico. Aconsejable contar con una herramienta para distribución.But you can't really beat the quality of coffee you can get for the price.First off, this makes great coffee, the best I’ve ever made at home. I got the Rok grinder to go with it and they make a good pair. However, I can’t recommend it, as it’s been probably out my most disappointing Amazon purchase ever. Please note I am not a loony(!), I am capable of using and looking after a product like this properly, and I don’t only write negative reviews. First, I had to pay import duty which was not stated on the listing at the time, though I can see that has now been corrected. Second, it failed after about two months - water started leaking through to the top of the brew head. I had never pushed it past the white area on the pressure gauge and there was no sign of any damage to any of the o-rings or components so I contacted the manufacturer and they said the plastic plunger must have ‘developed cracks’. This was through no fault of mine, I’ve babied this thing. They said that as I bought it from a “third party supplier” (i.e. Amazon) they cannot provide warranty support. I.e. if you buy this from anyone other than directly from Flair themselves, they do not feel they have a responsibility to support you as a customer. Finally, spares are not available in the uk so I am now having to import a new plunger at my own expense (plus import duty again), and I have no reason to expect it won’t also break in another two months. Give it a wide berth.Excellent espresso maker - equal to top class machines, if not better.Important to follow the learning process and have a good grinder.I have been working as a barista for 4years. but this is my first home espresso machine for myself.Flair espresso pro2 goes beyond my expatiation. i use comandante around click 6 -8, dose 18-19g, out 1:2or 1:2.25, it tastes very good, there is crema. if you have steamer of nanofoamer, you can make late art as well!The shape is also cool.the price is expensive but worth it, if you are thinking to purchase this!バリスタ として4年働いていますが、家庭用のエスプレッソマシンは初めてで、ワクワクしながら購入しました。予想を遥かに上回るクオリティで感動しました。コマンダンテで６〜８クリックで引いてあげるとちょうどいい気がします。価格は確かに高いですが、数十万円するエスプレッソマシンにも引けを取らないと思います。迷ってるようでしたら、マストバイの一品です！This is my second Flair product and I am not disappointed. Flair have nailed it - the espresso is barista quality. I am really enjoying perfecting the various coffees roasted locally. Workflow is improved from the previous models and the parts are noticeably high quality stainless steel. Can't wait to make more coffee!Super !!!!