Flair The NEO Flex: UPDATED Direct Lever Manual Espresso Maker for Home with a Pressure Gauge and Two Portafilters - Brew Cafe Quality Espresso

There are a lot of online reviews of the Flair system so I will focus on my initial impressions of the quality of the Flair Neo, rather than making espresso with it. I will update this once I have a handle on pulling a good shot, and after receiving the bottomless portafilter.My normal espresso machine has to be sent in for service, and I wanted to have a high level espresso machine to use on the road with our camper van. The Flair + a hand grinder seemed like the perfect solution. This being the cheapest model in the Flair lineup, I was interested to see how it would stack up to the higher end models that I have seen reviewed.Upon opening the box, the first thing I could tell is that this is a high quality unit. The grey finished metal frame is quality all the way. It's also great to look at, especially with the red and stainless color of the group head / portafilter.The way the frame attaches and detaches is pretty smart -- very stable and yet takes a second to take apart for storage. This will be great for travel. There is also a screw with a washer that they include in the box for permanently attaching the two parts of the frame for added stability if you don't need to take it apart for travel. Without the screw, there is some play in the frame and the handle, but nothing that should cause any instability because once you put 30-40 pounds of force on the lever, nothing is going to move.Included is a red pressurized portafilter. I am somewhat of a geek when it comes to making espresso, so the pressurized portafilter would not be my first choice. I prefer to use the correct grinder and grind settings to dial in my shots and get the maximum flavor out of my espresso. Therefore I plan to get the bottomless portafilter accessory that they offer (there is currently a promo for a free one, but afterwards it is $24, a reasonable price). However, that said, there are times that the pressurized one may come in handy, such as trying a different batch of coffee without having to take the time and waste coffee to dial it in. Plus, being so small, this is an easy thing to keep around while traveling.The plunger for the group head mechanism is made of high-grade plastic. For me, this is probably the biggest disadvantage, as I would prefer 100% stainless. However, the good news is that in the future, if I purchase the pressure gauge, it includes a stainless plunger. This plunger makes contact with the hot water, although it does not directly contact the coffee. I would like to see a stainless steel plunger instead of the plastic one, at least available as an option but without the pressure gauge.The rest of the parts are the plastic funnel (a nice touch) and a plastic hollow tamper. This tamper is not a "real" tamper, but it can do the job. They sell a "real" tamper as an accessory that fits the portafilter size.Speaking of which, here is a general tip I learned that helps one figure out how much force to apply for tamping: press down evenly with increasing progressive force and feel the coffee compress as the tamper moves down. Once you feel the coffee no longer moves, stop. Don't force it. This will create consistent tamping no matter what the coffee or grind level.The final part is a thick plastic tray for placing your cup. This just sits on the frame, and isn't really needed. Nice that they include it but I might not bring it with me for travel.The NEO does not include the case that the higher end models include. I was fine without it, as I will create my own that also has room for a grinder and fits where I need it to.I look forward to getting my feet wet and learning to pull good shots with the Flair. Overall, the Neo -- with the optional bottomless portafilter -- is a good value and seems to offer the same quality as in the higher end models, and since the components are the same, obviously the espresso pulled will be of equivalent quality.UPDATE: After a little while with this Neo I quickly realized I wanted the Pro 2 version. The main reason was because the Neo can't accommodate the pro's group head (available separately), which was only apparent to me after purchase. The capacity of the Neo is a bit small, and the shape of the basket combined with the bottomless filter makes it difficult to avoid a bit of a sideways splattering mess. The Neo is wonderful, but the pro has truly blown my mind and was well worth the upgrade. After a little bit of a learning curve, I'm now pulling shots consistently better or at least on par with what I often get at the very best third-wave espresso bars.

I've been interested in the Flair models for some time as a vacation/camping option, but the added cost of adding a pressure gauge had me look towards other options. I used the Staresso Plus last year with good results, but it started to fall apart pretty quickly with moderate use.This Flair 2024 refresh, with it's inclusion of a pressure gauge and affordable pricing, was a great purchase for my last vacation. With the correct grind, this makes fantastic espresso shots using the included black "naked" portafilter - if fact the included red one can be converted to "naked" by removing the pressurized bottom section, which is great for puck prep and pulling multiple shots in a row! The base is just two parts and is easily disassembled for portability.This refresh intentionally thinned the metal of the unit to avoid some of the pre-heating time that previous models required - again, is great for camping/vacation use cases!I've used Rancilio Silvia's for daily espresso for several decades and can attest to the quality of the shots this can produce (under the typical right conditions of grind/tamp/pressure/heat).I do wonder about the longevity of some of the components. The base is plastic, but seems sturdy, although it does make some creaking noises when pulling shots. The pressure gauge is rudimentary at best and does not specify bars - so this is something that could fail prematurely. Also of concern are the gaskets - I'm not sure if Flair sells replacements, but it would be great if they do to extend the life of the product.

I'm retired. I say that right from the start because I'm not sure this product would have worked for me if I had time restraints. Having said that, I am retired and I actually enjoy "the process". I need to do a video because I've gotten the process down to a science - no wasted movements. LOLAs you can tell, a big part of this product is the built in hassle factor. There are machines that do everything from grinding the beans to ejecting the puck into a bin. This is the key - you must determine for yourself how your schedule fits into this equation.That being said, this product is perfect because the output can be perfect. If you're familiar with the espresso arena, there is a whole bunch of machines and products that are incapable of producing a perfect product. 100% accurate to say this can produce that perfect product.I like everything about it, and I don't see changing anything, BUT if I knew then what I know now, I would upgrade to the metal unit with the larger "tub".Other than that - this is a FANTASTIC product.

I really enjoy making espresso with my flair. It's a good result for the $.I found the alignment of the pressure gauge to not fit very well, so much that it reduces the ability of the head to build pressure because it's not centered when the gauge is used. I returned it.Additionally there is a major design flaw in the silicone base used to preheat the chamber. The first time I used it I picked up the chamber and the bottom dropped out spilling hot water down the front of me. Flair provided some technique suggestions, which I felt were totally inappropriate versus addressing the bad design and foreseeable safety issues with using a silicone mold that has no connection to the chamber. If they keep this up they are asking for legal trouble. I would suggest they actually redesign the component so that it attached securely and make it right for people.Update- The very thin piece of plastic that holds the lower rubber gasket on has broken. I have reached out to flair, but have received no response to the warranty request.Lowering review to 1 star for absolutely no follow up regarding outreach.