Flair Espresso NEO Flex with Carrying Case

Let me start off by saying I think it's better to buy this from the Flair website than on Amazon. Amazon will likely get you the product faster, but they don't sell the Nespresso pod adapter on Amazon. You can also easily find coupons for your first purchase on Flair's site. In case you're wondering why I say this and still bought from Amazon, I didn't know about the pod adapter until after I got my order from Amazon. Now, if you know that you won't ever use pods with this, then just buy it from Amazon. It's the same product, (at the time I'm writing this) the same price, and it'll likely get to you faster. But I really think the pod adapter is worth it. I've only made one proper espresso with this machine so far, and it was a bit fiddly to do. You need to separate everything, put the cylinder in its cap thing, pour hot water in to heat the cylinder, prep the portafilter (grind then add in your coffee and evenly tamp it down), empty the water chamber, assemble everything, then pull the lever making sure that you maintain the right pressure for the right amount of time of extraction, then clean everything up. It's not difficult, but it's not something that's fun when you are looking for your caffeine fix at the start of the day. I'm sure after enough practice I won't think it's a big deal, but removing the bit with the espresso grounds is amazing when I just want something quick. Though the taste of my properly made shot was better than the pods I bought. Anyway, five stars still because this thing works perfectly and makes a great shot of espresso.

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 think this is an excellent product. The first time I used it, after reading the instructions and watching a few videos, it felt a bit tricky. But by the second try, it became super easy to use. I didn’t give it 5 stars because, for me, a 5 is at the level of a professional espresso machine. However, after using it more than five times, I started experimenting with coffee grind size, water temperature, and other details until I achieved results that honestly surprised me. Since this is only for making espresso, I bought a milk frother, but I didn’t like it—my coffee came out too foamy. Now, I simply heat the milk and pour it into the espresso, and it makes a perfect classic café con leche. Truly excellent. The only downside, and I saw this mentioned in a couple of other reviews, is that making a shot takes a bit of time. Still, if you have the patience to enjoy a good coffee every now and then, and with some practice, you can make a double shot in about five minutes. Definitely recommended, especially for the great price.

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.

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.

Got this as a gift for my husband. He picked it out, but he loves it. Its not that complicated to use and the espresso tastes stronger than what he used before.

Likes: portability; leaves a lot of counter space. Overall brews consistently good espresso. Dislikes: it leaks at all seals; plastic construction is unreliable and not good for sturdy use. My background and home barista performance is based typically on E 61 unit espresso machines. The fact that I can pick this thing up, break it down and put it in my bag on the way to a friends house pairs well with a pocket scale an hand mill grinder. When the seals don’t leak, their performance of this machine is amazing. Living my life Of the grind on the fly being able to speedily build this up and break it down lends well. I don’t doubt that this will hold up to consistent use, but the reason I am returning it is because it doesn’t provide for perfection. I want to be able to trust my machine, not just provide espresso, but provide fantastic results. This provides results, but the atmosphere of having something creaking and leaking, slipping, regripping, shaking and bending is just too much.

Awesome device to try out manual espresso making! In the long run it gets too fiddly for me... I wanted to experiment with all the variables that go into espresso making, from pre-infusion, shot duration, temperature, pressure profile, etc. without breaking the bank. The flair neo is an awesome entry point for this to figure out whether all the hype is worth it to me and whether I want to really customize my espresso or whether I prefer to revert back to pressing a button and drinking whatever comes out. So far I'm very excited and really love what comes out so I'm inclined to continue on this path. But I will be upgrading to a less fiddly machine. The flair neo definitely works, but there are a lot of parts making it all more hassle than I would like for a daily routine. There are more pieces to collect before getting going than I'd like, cleaning up the hot cylinder after the shot is no fun, and then there's all this stuff to wash and dry. Plus there's a kettle needed, pouring to pre-heat the cyclinder (light roasts), pouring just to the line for the shot, etc. Definitely not a deal-breaker in the experimentation phase, but eventually it gets a bit old. I've pre-ordered an odyssey argos at this point... One must-have accessory if one is to do long pre-infusions is a mirror so one can see the screen filling in, not to mention a "mini" scale that fits into the base.