Flair The NEO Espresso - An all manual lever espresso maker for the home, no pods and no plugs (White)

Product Information

The machine’s lightweight structure (lighter than most laptops) and easy disassembly makes it more portable than other models. So if you want to bring this gadget on a road trip or over to a friend’s house, you can do it easily. The Espresso Making Process with the Flair Neo Flex Attach the heated brew head to the top of your filter basket. After putting together the brew unit, attach it to the portafilter base. Then, pour boiling water into the brew chamber until there is around 60ml of water in it (or the top of the marked line). This will produce around 45ml of espresso. It seems that’s precisely the thing that Flair wants to avoid. So instead of breaking the plastic frame, you’ll break the seal long before. I can’t think of other products that follow this design philosophy, although I’m sure there are probably some.

Confidently grip the lever handle, and start pulling down. If your grind and dose are spot on, you should start seeing some expresso dribbling out at around 3 or 4 BAR on the gauge. Ramp up slowly to a full 9BAR pressure by 10 seconds in. Hold at 9BAR for the next 10 seconds or so, or the first 20g of espresso pouring out. The Flairs don’t have steam wands, so there’s no scope for brewing milk-based coffees. So, suppose you generally enjoy drinks like latte or cappuccino. In that case, you might prefer a basic semi-automatic espresso maker with a grinder built-in for a similar price to a Flair maker and a separate grinder, and a milk steamer. Before getting the Flair 58, I thought this routine with the Cafelat Robot was really easy and pain free. Now I see it as a chore, because the Flair 58’s workflow is infinitely better. As with every Flair manual espresso maker, there are several steps to pulling a shot: preheat the portafilter, measure and grind the coffee beans, put together the brew head, pour in the water, and press the lever.Spring piston levers pressure profile too, in a way pump driven machines cannot. They decline pressure during the shot pull in a linear downward slope. They can peak at 135psi pressure under full load, and finish at 50psi or less at the end of the shot. It’s been long argued that this helps reduce the bitters extracted towards the end of an espresso shot, when the coffee is spent. Simplifying the brewing process with the Flow Control portafilter manages the pressure build up and the speed at which the water moves through your coffee grounds to ensure proper espresso extraction occurs. Customisable Extraction: The Bottomless 2-in-1 Portafilter allows precise control over extraction variables for experienced brewers. Banging out shot after shot is also much faster with the Flair 58. The Cafelat requires a bit more hands on, cleaning and re-heating between shots. It’s not horrible, but it cannot keep up with the efficiency and ease of use of the Flair 58. There are also differences in the brew heads of the two machines, with the PRO’s brewing chamber weightier than the NEO’s.

I have not used the first iteration of this machine, which required you to remove the pressure gauge valve assembly each time you wanted to fill the reservoir. Instead, the current Flair 58 has a one way flow through valve that allows you to fill the reservoir with the entire assembly pressed down and in place. This is a game changer over any and all Flair machines. To be sure, it’s a way better workflow than even the Cafelat Robot, which I previously gave top marks for being easy to use (as compared to the Flair Pro or the ROK Espresso machine). Bottomless 2-in-1 Portafilter– Perfect for when espresso brewers are ready to control their extraction more. This portafilter requires a high-quality, espresso capable burr grinder, but means that home baristas can control the variables of each shot, and ensure their espresso if to their exacting standards. To begin cleaning the Flair NEO, remove the base’s brew head, take off the filter basket, and tap the grounds out of it. Rinse everything with water. Now the Flair NEO is ready to be used again. Simplified Dial-in: The Flow-Control Portafilter builds appropriate pressure for extraction, reducing the need for extensive dialling-in.The Flair 58 is really easy to use. I like that it works just like a regular espresso machine and filling the reservoir is dead simple.”– Jason Bottom line though, these disks need a good regular cleaning way beyond just rinsing them under hot water. Boiling them would help. Long soaks in espresso machine cleaner, ditto. You may also want to consider buying an ultrasonic bath cleaner to really get the dirt out. HANDCRAFT SHOTS OF ESPRESSO – The Flair PRO 2 is a 100% human-powered, manual espresso press. With the Flair PRO 2, you have a complete manual espresso machine that can produce professional quality shots of espresso from your home, or wherever you are. Add 70ml of boiled water and a dose of up to 24 grams to yield up to a 56 ml shot with beautiful crema. A burr grinder is essential for use with this product.

I cannot stress enough how wonderful the playground is with the ability to control pressure to minute levels during the entire shot pull process. This takes espresso making to its own level, and makes you a vital part of the resulting shot quality. The Flair 58’s pressure gauge is well positioned, easy to read and very accurate. Compare that to the tiny gauge the Cafelat Robot comes with, and it’s hard to read angle when you’re operating the machine.You can improve the espresso quality of both models with additional accessories. For the Flair Classic, add the pressure gauge kit. Add the pressure gauge kit and the bottomless 2-in-1 portafilter for the Flair Neo. This modular system allows your espresso machine to grow with you as you gain experience rather than forcing you to buy a new model. The Flair NEO is the company’s least expensive machine and is competitively priced. However, as we await the release of the Flair 58, the PRO2 is the most expensive in the Flair range. So, with such a significant price gap between the two, let’s examine how they differ. The Case

It’s so very cool to see the manual lever espresso market heat up like a blazing bonfire over the past few years. A decade ago, if you wanted a manual, direct lever machine, your choices were slim: the La Pavoni models (like the Europicola or the Professional); a used model from the 1970s or 80s that was hopefully refurbished and had the insulating asbestos removed (like a Cremina 69)… or not much else. The Flair Neo Flex includes a specially designed red pressurised basket in the brew head, ensuring effortless brewing with minimal effort. As a result, the Pressure Gauge will consistently display alternating high and low pressure readings. Finally, the PRO’s filter basket can hold 16 to 24 grams of coffee, while the NEO’s is limited to 12 to 18 grams. I’d like to see Flair include a few of these disks with the machine down the road. This would allow you to rotate them and give a disk a good long clean while you’re using the other one. The Flair NEO is an attractive option for people on a smaller budget or who are inexperienced. However, the PRO is a one-off investment for experienced espresso brewers. The two models have identical handle designs, but the materials and quality of the builds differ elsewhere.

Specifications

Das ist das, was ich am meisten an Flair mag, und ich denke, es ist ausgezeichnet, Sie können einen Neo kaufen, um damit zu beginnen und zu sehen, ob Sie es mögen, dann, wenn Sie das Gefühl haben, dass Sie mehr Kontrolle wollen, müssen Sie nicht eine andere Maschine kaufen, Sie können einfach das Zubehör kaufen, das es verbessert und aufrüstet. However, the Flair Neo Flex does cut some corners, primarily concerning the plastic frame and the peculiar pressure release system. These are areas where the older Flair Neo with a steel frame excels. Let’s look at the process of brewing espresso with the Flair NEO – a process that bears similarities with other espresso machines. 1.Preheating Two Portafilters: Includes both the Flow-Control and Bottomless 2-in-1 portafilters for convenience or advanced control. One of the best things about the Flair NEO is its convenience as it won’t need electricity. Another advantage is its relative affordability. However, on the downside, it does take longer to pull a shot of espresso.