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Flair Royal - $159

The Flair Royal is an all metal grinder with a bigger burr geometry. The burrs are 45mm Etzinger burrs. It has a ring to be able to make smaller stepped adjustments, which is so helpful when it comes to dialing in espresso. Being able to adjust your grind in small increments is absolutely critical when grinding for espresso. This is because espresso is so finnicky, and every little adjustment can make big changes in the espresso that you end up with. The Royal is great for that, and one of the unique benefits that it has over others, is the grinds catch cup has the same diameter as the Flair PRO 2 portafilter. This will be a huge benefit if you are a PRO 2 owner or are considering buying a Flair PRO 2 espresso maker.

Option-O Lagom Mini - $374

Electric grinders are very convenient, and while this grinder boasts an extremely compact size, it will do all of the work for you. A huge benefit of this grinder is that it has a stepless grind adjustment system. The adjustment ring that changes the burr spacing doesn’t have clicks, but glides along smoothly. This means that there are infinite adjustments available, perfect for making those micro adjustments for espresso. For how small and compact the Lagom Mini is, it is also very quick and doesn’t take long to grind for an espresso dose.

Should You Choose a Flat or Conical Burr for Your Home Espresso Grinder?

Ultimately, the choice between a flat or conical burr when selecting your grinder comes down to personal preference. Flat burr flavor profiles are often higher in clarity and complexity, while lacking some of the texture that you would get from a conical burr. Conical burrs produce this texture because they often have a wider grind distribution (more particles at different sizes with less uniformity) and typically produce more fines. Flat burrs often produce a more uniform grind, especially if you opt for a unimodal type of burr which has an extremely tight grind distribution.

Portafilter Baskets and Coffee Bed Depth Affect Espresso Grind Size

A 46mm portafilter basket is very capable of pulling delicious shots of espresso. In many instances, it can pull shots that are just as tasty as a bigger, 58mm basket could. What you need to understand is that different basket sizes will produce different styles of espresso.

To explain this, consider the 46mm basket of the Flair PRO2. It can hold doses of 16-18g, even though its walls are closer together with a lesser diameter than the 58mm portafilter of the Flair 58, which also holds 18 grams. The reason they can still hold the same amount of coffee, is because the two different baskets have different depths. The 46mm basket is considerably deeper than the 58mm basket, and this is a very important factor in considering how they will extract coffees differently. The 46mm basket will have a smaller surface area where the water will initially contact the coffee, but the water will have a further distance to travel through the coffee grounds. In comparison, the 58mm basket will enable a larger surface area, but a much shorter distance for the water to travel through the coffee. For this reason, you will often have to grind slightly coarser for the 46mm basket with more depth, and finer for the 58mm basket with less depth.

The post Espresso University: Guide to Coffee Grinders for Espresso appeared first on Flair Espresso.

Guest blog written by Jerney, a content creator based in Canada who loves coffee and photography. You can follow his work on instagram @jerney

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The Royal Grinder, the first manual hand grinder from Flair Espresso, launched in June of 2020. Since then we’ve shipped hundreds of units, and first impressions from customers are starting to reach our ears. Below, find out why Royal users are extremely happy with their decision to jump on this bandwagon early, and learn five reasons why a Royal is right for your grinding needs.

#1 – The Royal was built for the Flair…
From the designers of the Flair, for Flair users. This is the baseline of the Royal design. If you’re a Flair owner, and brew manual espresso with any of our models, consider the Royal as part of a single brewing system, perfectly designed to bring out the best in your Flair Espresso Maker. The Royal has micro-adjustments, at just .02mm each, to ensure that you’ve got all the latitude necessary to dial-in your fine espresso grind to ensure proper extraction from your Flair. The Royal and your Flair really do make the perfect pair.

#2 – …But the Royal is great for any brewing method
Yes, we designed the Royal to be optimized for use with our system of manual espresso makers, but the Royal is no one-trick pony. In fact, this can be the only grinder that you own. The Royal is not only precise, but it has great range. 72 individual adjustment steps mean that you can take your Royal from fine espresso grind all the way to coarse french press sized grounds. So, on any day that you decide an espresso isn’t right for you, you may put away your Flair, but you don’t have to put away the Royal.

Take a look at this recent feedback we received.

“The Royal grinder was the missing piece of my coffee routine. Whether I’m in the mood for espresso or a pour over, the Royal has plenty of flexibility and resolution to deliver the grind size that I need. The design of the adjustment crown makes it easy for me to navigate between grind settings and have confidence that I can produce repeatable grind sizes.”

#3 – It’s all about the taste
It’s true that your grinder is one of the most important factors to the taste and mouthfeel of the coffee in your cup. As such, when designing the Royal we placed an enormous emphasis on finding the right burrs and the most consistent design to ensure well-balanced extractions across any roast, especially those hard to dial-in lighter roasts. As espresso lovers, tasting the nuances of a coffee region and the floral and fruit notes is one of the finer things in life, and we had to make sure our Royal could perform.But, don’t take our word for it.

Just check out this quote from a recent Royal customer:

“But, you probably are most interested in flavor. Here the Royal wins, in my opinion. The subtler, more balanced, sweeter and more floral flavors you can get from an espresso are more common with the Royal than the JX Pro. If you want to taste all the notes that the roaster meant for you to taste, go with the Royal.”

#4 – The Royal is pretty, and pretty functional
Our favorite quote from a recent customer is the following, “The Royal is quite capable, and has a bit more (ahem) flair to the design.”

This undoubtedly made us smile, and while it’s true that we paid ample attention to the aesthetics of the Royal, many of our design decisions that appear “pretty” also include a nod to functionality as well. Many grinders on the market today look sleek with an all metal body. And, while the Royal also has a body that is milled from aluminum, we decided to cover this with a full-wrap silicone grip, almost the size of an entire hand, to ensure the very best ergonomics while grinding. There’s no need to keep track of, or add, a small silicone band onto this grinder, as it’s integrated into the design, which also gave us space to inlay our beautiful “f” logo. Now that’s what we call “pretty functional.”

#5 – The Royal, at the nexus of affordability and quality
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the price of the Royal in our “reasons to buy guide,” especially because of all the quality this design sports. Nowadays, it’s normal to spend upwards of $200 on a quality grinder, and we are so pleased to be able to offer our Royal at just $179. What this means for the customer is that in the Royal you get a highly capable hand grinder, for fine espresso grind or any brew method you’re using, all in an affordable package.

And, until August 26th at midnight, we are currently running a giveaway for one lucky customer to win a Royal for free. Details and signup can be found here.

The post Five Reasons to Grind with the Royal Grinder appeared first on Flair Espresso.

Sterling Grinnell, YouTuber extraordinaire, got his hands on a NEO to complete the first unbiased and independent review of our new manual espresso maker. While you can watch below, here is our favorite quote.

“I was so, so, so impressed with the simplicity and ease of use. This is something that maybe you can actually squeeze into your morning routine.”

The NEO was designed just as Sterling describes it, to be a simple and affordable way to brew manual espresso in your home. Our Kickstarter, which can be found by clicking here, is currently over 2000% funded, but there’s still time to back if you’re interested!

We also understand that backing Kickstarter projects can be a bit nerve-racking. Maybe you’re worried about the quality, or if you’ll get what you really want. At Flair Espresso, we feel our record stands for itself. But, we also feel this wonderful review should put any of those fears to rest. If you are interested in the quality of The NEO, or how good of espresso it will make when it arrives on your doorstep after backing the project, then please watch below.

While we won’t spoil all the fun, we’re sure that watching this video will make your appetite for espresso go through the roof. And we certainly don’t want to make the wait for our backers harder, but if you do back The NEO Kickstarter, you can be sure you’ve got something great headed your way.

Come brew with us and back The NEO on Kickstarter today.

The post The First Review of The NEO! (spoiler alert…it’s great!) appeared first on Flair Espresso.

But, if you’re still undecided about whether to buy, or are waiting and watching to see what happens, here are the most convincing reasons you should buy a NEO now and enjoy handcrafted espresso yourself.

Perfect for espresso beginners
The NEO was designed with simplicity in mind. Featuring our Flow-Control Portafilter, the NEO reduces the need to dial-in your grind by restricting the flow of your brew water through your grounds. This means you get a great result, and delicious espresso, no matter what type of grinder you’re using.

We surveyed our first 800 backers to get to know them a bit better, and we found out that for over half, The NEO would be their first espresso machine. And we are thrilled! If you’ve never owned an espresso maker, don’t worry. The NEO is a no-fuss, approachable espresso solution.

Saving the world, one shot at a time
The world could use a bit of saving right now, and The NEO can contribute to that. Using no pods or electricity, The NEO is a manual espresso maker, that uses your own hands, to craft delicious espresso. Every time you lower the lever, you’re reducing the number of pods that could go into a landfill.

Kickstarter deals don’t last
We all know about the great deals you can score on Kickstarter. But these deals don’t last. Already, The NEO has reached the max on two reward levels, and the current levels will be gone before you know it. It’s true, even at the full price of $119, the NEO is affordable and makes delicious espresso. But, at $95 dollars, it’s truly a steal. And once this deal is gone, it’s gone forever. This campaign ends May 7th.

​A short wait from backing to fulfillment
During these times when everyone is stuck at home, it’s important to have a solution for home espresso. But you’ve heard that some Kickstarter campaigns have massive delays in delivering products. Not with the NEO. Flair Espresso is a manufacturing company, having three years of experience bringing manual espresso makers into customers homes. We’ve got a target delivery date of May for the first lot of NEOs, which is the same month the campaign ends. Click, order, and before you know it, your NEO will be at your doorstep.

So what are you waiting for? Get the best deals, and back today. You’ll have espresso in your home in no time.

Come brew with us.

The post The NEO is 1400% Funded. Here’s Why You Should Back It Too. appeared first on Flair Espresso.

Affordable, delicious and simple espresso at home isn’t easy to find. Even our existing Flair Espresso Makers require a learning curve and a high-quality burr grinder to get good results.

So what about those that are just starting on their espresso journey, or who don’t currently have a burr grinder at home? For these people, and anyone that would like to add a bit of convenience into their morning routine, we’ve designed The NEO.

Recently launched on Kickstarter – and funded in less than an hour! – The NEO makes delicious, in-home espresso easily and affordably. We designed this product knowing that Moka pots, many pod machines, and other in-home brewers claim to make espresso, but really only provide you with a cup of strong coffee.

So, how does The NEO do it?

The answer a Flow-Control Portafilter – easily recognizable by the red color – which simplifies the brewing process by controlling the flow of your brew water through your coffee grounds to ensure proper espresso extraction. You still need whole beans, but you can use any old grinder you’ve got laying around the house, bladed or with burrs, and the results will be the same! Beautiful and delicious espresso in your cup.

And, because this NEO is for those just getting started, we’ve worked to bring a price point that everyone can get on board with. With early bird deals on Kickstarter that begin at $79 dollars – saving you roughly 34% off the low retail of $119, The NEO is for everyone.

So, if you haven’t seen the Kickstarter yet, what are you waiting for? Our Early Bird deals won’t last, and in times like these who can forgo their morning espresso…or cappuccino…or latte…or flat white?

So, click here, and come brew with us.

The post The NEO: A Kickstarter Campaign for Delicious, Affordable Espresso appeared first on Flair Espresso.

A recent New York Times article asked the question, “Is coffee good for you?” And, the answer was simple – and wonderful news to everyone’s ears – “Yes!”

But, before we dive into the health benefits of coffee, and how espresso fits into this, we wanted to take a quick moment to address the Corona Virus sweeping the world.

Of course, no amount of coffee will stave away the current pandemic of the corona virus. So, considering the current state of global health, we wanted to urge everyone to stay safe and healthy, and to please follow the directions of your local officials. If you’re not feeling well, get treatment and please stay out of contact with others.

We view our entire network of Flair-istas as part of a global family and want to see everyone healthy and happy. Luckily, using your Flair can be done at home, so hopefully each and every one of you will still get to enjoy wonderful, well-balanced cups of your favorite espresso drink even during this difficult time.

Now, back to coffee and the benefits that it can hold for everyone. According to the article, which you all can read in full here, experts are now saying that the evidence they’ve found remains consistent, and that evidence suggests coffee consumption overall is linked to a lower mortality risk. This bucks the previous knowledge, which was reversed in 2017, by controlling for lifestyle factors like smoking and drinking. When coffee consumption was isolated, the authors of a British Medical Journal study “observed that moderate coffee drinkers had less cardiovascular disease, and premature death from all causes, including heart attacks and stroke, than those skipping the beverage.”

While the experts still aren’t certain where these health benefits derive from, it is currently hypothesized that they stem from the polyphenols in coffee, which are plant derived compounds that have antioxidant properties.

And here’s the really good news. Espresso, the drink of choice among Flair-istas, “has the highest concentration of many compounds because it has less water than drip coffee.” So, while the evidence isn’t conclusive, we are delighted to hear that your daily Flair could potentially help keep you healthy!

The next most pertinent question has to then be, what if you take your espresso as a milk-based drink or with lots of sugar? Does this reduce the potential for positive effects? Sadly, researches aren’t yet sure about this. Previous research has demonstrated similar positive benefits, even with milk and sugar, but it’s important to add that some drinks are chock-full of sugar, and those most likely have other issues baked in.

Please read the entire article for all insights, but for now, feel a little bit more relaxed that your daily shot, direct from your Flair, is happily helping the hands that brewed it.

Stay safe everyone!

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Say you’re on the fence about buying an espresso maker for the home. We get it. There are lots of options out there, and besides, you’ve heard so many different opinions from so many people. So how do you make sense of it all?

At Flair Espresso, we’ve been selling affordable, cafe-quality espresso makers for the past three years, so we know a thing or two. Here are the five main reasons a Flair is right for you.

#1 – Cheaper than your local coffee shop.

An in-home espresso maker can be expensive, no doubt about it. And we aren’t going to try to convince you that the $309 for our PRO 2 is cheap just because it’s half the price of a La Pavoni lever machine. That would be ridiculous. They are both expensive. Even our original Classic at $154 is a significant amount to spend. But, we wanted to understand how affordable our espresso makers were when compared to other methods of getting your daily fix, namely from a café. We decided to do some math, and it turns out, when compared to buying at a coffee shop, the Flair is cheaper every time, no matter the Classic, Signature or PRO 2.

Consider every shot of espresso is $2.50 and you buy a shot at your favorite cafe every working day, all year. That’s $12.50 per week and $650 per year! If you buy a Flair PRO 2 for $309 and make a coffee yourself five days a week, every week of the year, you’ll only spend $515! And this isn’t using any low-end coffee! For this exercise, we used the 12oz price from our partners, Black + White Coffee Roasters, the owners of which are dual U.S. Barista Champions.

Of course, in the second year of ownership, the costs for the Flair are even less, and the savings are greater if you purchase a Classic or Signature!

#2 – Real espresso. Not just strong coffee.

Okay, so the Flair is an affordable way to get espresso. But what about these cheaper devices on Amazon? Don’t they give you the same thing and it’s even less expensive?

Here’s a myth we love to debunk. Despite what our competitors say, in almost all cases they are only producing strong coffee, not real espresso, because they can’t consistently generate the 6-9 BAR of pressure needed for an espresso extraction.

To get a bit scientific, the lever of all our Flairs is the same, and it creates a 9 to 1 mechanical ratio, meaning that the force exerted on the end of the lever is multiplied by a factor of nine inside the brewing chamber. As we usually need about 40 pounds of force on our lever to brew, that equals 360 downward pounds of force onto the piston! This is almost impossible to replicate with hand-pumped devices or basic hand presses like the Aeropress. Yep they are cheaper, but it’s not really espresso. If you want the real deal, come to Flair.

#3 – Café Quality.

Okay now you believe that the Flair is more affordable than going to a cafe, and produces better espresso than our competitors on the low end of the cost spectrum. But, isn’t going to a cafe still going to produce higher quality shots? Isn’t it worth the money?

This is probably our second favorite myth to debunk. Extracting espresso is a scientific process, as we discussed above. So, as long as you replicate the science that’s happening in that big cafe machine, you’ll get the same result right? This is the vision that the Flair was founded on. We looked at modern espresso machines and took away everything that wasn’t necessary. The result is a replica of the science that happens with any extraction; hot water is forced through a puck of evenly ground coffee, creating a chemical process that results in espresso in your cup.

And you don’t have to take our word for it. One of our Ambassadors, Lem Butler, who was a U.S. Barista Champion as well, brings his Flair with him traveling because he’s never sure of the quality he’ll get from a cafe, but knows that he can get cafe-quality from the Flair. In his own words he says, “What I use it for, for my own personal use, is to travel…One of the biggest questions I get is, ‘I want to make a coffee but can’t make it taste like I get in a shop.’ So when I started using the Flair I was like ‘Ding, Ding!’”

#4 – Espresso in less than two minutes.

Okay, so now we’ve convinced you. The Flair is cost-effective, and out-performs almost any other option, especially those that are close in price. But, you’ve also heard that pulling a shot manually is difficult and complicated.

Whenever we hear this, we love to give our nay-sayers the chance to watch us in action. True, we at Flair Espresso have lots of experience pulling shots. But, on a normal day, once you’ve practiced a little, it’s easy to prepare and pull a shot in less than two minutes. Two minutes! That’s nothing. Who doesn’t have that kind of time in the morning?!

And, we’ve got proof. Check out the below video, from our webstore, that shows, in a single cut, how an espresso is prepped and pulled in under two minutes. Also, everything packs up into a case that has about the same surface area as a piece of paper, how complicated could it be?!

#5 – Simple, no hassle cleaning.

Luckily, our designer, who has a background as a biomedical engineer, really did think of everything. The Flair is a patented device, and a big part of this patent protection is our removable brewing head. You won’t find it anywhere else. The ability to remove the brewing head is key, as it allows all cleaning to be done simply and either in the sink or over the trash bin. Just remove the brewing head, using the custom silicone covers to ensure you don’t burn your fingers, and pull the brewing head apart. You can knock the coffee puck into the trash and then rinse in cool water.

And because the coffee touching parts are stainless steel, all that’s needed is cool water to clean. Soap is actually not recommended as it can impact the taste of your coffee. And there’s never any need to backflush, descale or use expensive detergents in any cleaning cycles. Once you’ve brewed, just remove the brew head, knock out the puck, rinse with cool water and set aside to dry.

It couldn’t be simpler.

#6 – Espresso that’s good for the planet.

We’ve all got a responsibility to be more sustainable these days. With Flair, you can use your daily espresso routine as a way to cut your impact on the planet and reduce your overall footprint. The Flair needs no pods, even those that can be recycled, and when brewing at home, there’s no need for anything disposable besides your grounds, which will decompose on their own.

Also, because the Flair is fully manual, there’s no need for electricity. On grid or off, the Flair performs as advertised, infusing a bit of environmental responsibility into your daily lives.

What are you waiting for? Join the community of Flair-istas today.

The post Six reasons a Flair is right for you appeared first on Flair Espresso.

In October, the extremely popular channel, Binging with Babish, launched an espresso drinks video that featured the Flair as a way to “make the real deal, without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars.”

The video is nearing two million views, as of the writing of this blog, and if you haven’t seen it yet take a look! (We feature at the 3:43 second mark). Babish not only breaks down what makes a Flair so special, but also discusses at length the process, and the need for good heat management and dialing-in your grind.

But, that wasn’t the only superstar that took a liking to our humble manual espresso maker in the last year. All the way in Japan, Ryoya Takashima of Peaceful Cuisine found our PRO, the original, to be a beautiful addition to his channel. His first video, back in the middle of March 2019, truly went viral. Currently standing at 3.5 million views, this video brought in over ten times his subscribers!

We here at Flair don’t speak any Japanese sadly, but the shot he pulls is magic. If you haven’t seen the video, take a look below.

And, while technically not in 2019, we’d be remiss to not place the review created by one of the most popular and revered coffee influencers in the world, James Hoffman.

Together, these videos accounted for more than 5.5 million views over the course of last year, and we are so proud to have such an audience.

Here’s to hoping that 2020 will bring even more attention to our humble espresso maker. We all could use a moment or two during our busy lives to slow down and handcraft a beverage that brings so much joy.

The post Flair Shines on YouTube with 5.5 Million Views appeared first on Flair Espresso.

Here at Flair Espresso, we hold ROK in the highest respect. Fifteen years ago their first product, the Presso, helped to create the space in which we all operate today.

That being said, our goal at Flair Espresso has always been to produce cafe-quality shots in an affordable, transportable package, but to compete, we knew we had to outperform the ROK. Based on our customer ratings on Amazon (4.4 stars vs. 3.9 stars), it’s clear that we succeeded. So it was with a high level of interest that we watched when ROK introduced their GC update around the start of 2019.

We wondered how this new product would perform and if it would come closer to our Flair Classic and Signature models in terms of espresso quality? Internally, we were confident in our own products, but this confidence only grew over the past few weeks as two esteemed Youtubers, The Real Sprometheus and TV by Tom, dropped comparison videos.

Spoiler Alert! The Flair was deemed the winner in both occasions!

First, let’s discuss the video by The Real Sprometheus. He pitted the Flair Signature against the ROK GC in four different areas: temperature stability, ease of cleaning, process time, and shot quality. First, in temperature stability, we were awarded a tie, but are unclear about whether he followed the instructions for preheating our brewing head. But even if not, we still matched the ROK in thermal stability, with room to improve!

Second, in terms of ease of cleaning, he declared the ROK the winner. Not to be sore losers, but we have to disagree with him here, although we respect his insight. The Flair is different from the ROK, and all other manual espresso makers, in that we have a patented design that allows for a removable brewing head. While it’s true that our portafilter doesn’t have a handle, being able to remove the entire head from the lever assembly and rinse under cool water is a key attribute that we feel is overlooked in his comparison, and one that makes the Flair incredibly easy to clean.

In the last two categories: process time and shot quality, which we deem most important, the Flair was a runaway winner. We always state that you can use the Flair to make an espresso in less than two minutes, and while The Real Sprometheus didn’t quite match this, he did best the ROKs process time by 40 seconds!

Finally, the holy grail, shot quality. Here the Flair received an 8/10 vs. a 6/10 for the ROK. And again, here is where the Flair really shines. He noted thicker crema with nice color and tiger-striping and a more well-balanced shot overall. As we always say, we are cafe-quality!

Now for the video by TV with Tom. First off, it’s important to mention that Tom originally created a Flair and ROK comparison video which gained over 100k views. In that one, the Flair was the winner. And, spoiler alert again, Flair won this time too!

In general, Tom stated that, “Again, the ROK is not able to keep up with the Flair.” He spoke specifically about, you guessed it, the shot quality. “Something you should notice, is there’s a different quality to the crema [with the Flair],” he said. And you can see for yourself. In the screen grab below, he’s absolutely right.

Now, we at Flair Espresso understand that crema alone isn’t a signifier of shot quality. But, when compared across the same beans, on different devices, it’s easy to see that the crema generated by the Flair in this example is thicker, has better coloring and in general signifies a more complete extraction.

And, not to be forgotten, the Flair Espresso Maker system is also upgradable to include a pressure gauge, which means customers will always have instant feedback on the pressure they are using in their extraction. The ROK, over the course of 15 years and two different product updates, still has not offered this.

To us, the choice is clear, the Flair Espresso Maker is the best manual espresso machine for the price, creating cafe-quality espresso from your home, or wherever you find yourself. Visit us online to learn more.

You can also watch both full videos, below.

The Real Sprometheus

TV by Tom

The post The Jury is In! Flair Reigns Supreme Over ROK GC. appeared first on Flair Espresso.

When we at Flair started work on the Signature PRO model in 2018, we knew we had something special. Our experience in the manual espresso market had taught us valuable lessons about what our highest level and most discerning customers desired in a top-of-the-line manual espresso maker. All of our Flairs are extremely capable, able to craft well-balanced shots, but this new model would take the game to the next level, a PRO level. We were adding in key feature enhancements like the ability to use expanded brewing ratios, an updated stainless steel experience that is beautiful while adding functionality, the addition of our custom pressure gauge to maximize the use of profiling while brewing, and our breathtaking bottomless portafilter.

All these enhancements were designed with a professional barista in mind. We wanted to give even the best all the tools they needed to rival and equal shots they brew from their own equipment at their shops and at competitions. At the end of our design phase we were thrilled with the outcome, but we needed verification. We don’t take the term PRO lightly and had to be sure. So, we went to the best. Enter Lem Butler.

For those of you that don’t know, Lem is a giant in the espresso and coffee industry. He’s got years of experience first with Counter Culture Coffee, and now as the co-founder of Black and White Coffee Roasters in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Oh and he just so happens to be the 2016 U.S. Barista Champion and claimed 4th in the World on the Dublin stage that year. We couldn’t have found a better professional to test our machine with if we molded one out of clay.

So we sent Andrew Pernicano, our Director of Support and Social, to New York City to visit Lem during the New York Coffee Festival and introduce him to our humble (but mighty) manual espresso maker and a prototype of the Signature PRO. Long story short, he was impressed, but we won’t ask you to take our word for it, read the below Q & A with Lem to learn more about the PRO, his partnership with us, and his plans for the future as Flair Espresso’s first Ambassador.

Q: What was your first impression of the Flair?

A: I started following Flair on Instagram last year because someone had mentioned it to me. When I first saw it in action, on a live Instagram video, I was super impressed. Look at its mobility. You can take it anywhere. I had some reservations but for the mobility and the price point it was worth a look.

Q: Have those reservations changed now that you’ve been able to brew with a Flair?

A: Andrew brought the Signature to New York. I was super impressed. They had several different grinders on the table and Andrew was trying it with all of them and the coffee just tasted amazing. With all other portable machines I was never impressed with the flavors. But I was stoked on the Flair. It actually got me thinking outside of the box. Time is relative. If you have a minute long shot and it tastes great than go for it.

Q: What is so great about the new Flair Signature PRO?

A: The build quality is great. It’s sleek. It’s sexy. And it packs up into this nice portable kit. But what’s most important is the flavor. Pressurized brewing brings out different ranges of flavors in the coffee. Those first couple of shot from the Signature PRO the florals hit me. The sweetness hit me. And that’s what’s really important. The other stuff is just icing on the cake.

Q: Who would you recommend the Signature PRO to?

A: The main selling point is for those that really enjoy espresso. If you really want to duplicate a shot of espresso that you get from a high-quality espresso maker, the Flair Signature PRO will get you there.

Q: How do you plan to use the Signature PRO in your daily routine?

A: What I want to use it for, for my own personal use, is to travel. But here at Black & White I want to use it in our education program. One of the biggest questions I get is “I want to make a coffee at home but I can’t make it taste like I get at a good shop.” So when I started using with the Flair I was like, “ding-ding!” Because it’s accessible. Anyone can have it. And with the expensive machines it’s not going to translate. Who can buy those for home!? With the Flair Signature PRO we can show the differences in extraction and then people can take it home with them and replicate this.

To learn more about the Flair Signature PRO stayed tuned to our Instagram page and subscribe to our email list. More great things will come from this partnership!

The post Flair Announces a New Partnership with Lem Butler, U.S. Barista Champ. appeared first on Flair Espresso.

Innovation is a key component of our business model at Flair; we are constantly listening to customers and heading back into the design studio to come up with the next great offering that will improve the ability to brew professional quality espresso with every pulled shot.

Over the past few months, we’ve focused on growing our line of espresso makers, adding the Signature Series, in both Chrome and Black versions, to ensure that there is a Flair for every aesthetic and coffee station motif. Recently, we’ve switched gears to focus on providing our coffee brewing connoisseurs with the top level in brewing tech, that not only looks great, but also provides the most discerning of baristas with the ability to immediately understand the quality of their extraction. Of course, we’re talking about a bottomless, or naked, portafilter.

Starting in July, Flair will upgrade and replace our Easy-Clean Portafilter with our newly developed Bottomless 2-in-1 Portafilter. That means that every Flair Signature Series will come standard with naked brewing tech! The 2-in-1 feature of this new portafilter means that the user can decide if they’d like to keep or remove the spouted bottom, easily switching back and forth between naked and spouted brewing. The 2-in-1 aspect also means that this portafilter will still feature the easy cleaning of the ECPF all while being optimized to allow the barista to see the bottom of the portafilter basket.

Months of development and prototyping has brought us to this point, and we’re incredibly proud about this offering. There’s nothing quite like seeing the coalescing of streams from your extracted shot tiger-striping on the bottom of the basket. It’s quite mesmerizing and beautiful. But behind this beauty is a fair bit of science as well.

Outside of aesthetics using a naked portafilter will allow each and every Flair-ista with an enhanced ability to brew the perfect shot. By viewing the bottom of the portafilter basket during extraction, the brewer can immediately see any issues like channeling, uneven extraction, or spurting. Most of these issues can be rectified through the practice of equally distributing and packing fresh grounds into the portafilter, which we discuss in our troubleshooting article for those that have already purchased a Bottomless 2-in-1. If you want to know more, please visit that article by clicking here.

And, in keeping with Flair’s tradition of professional quality products at affordable prices, we’ve gone out of our way to ensure the Bottomless 2-in-1 Portafilter could be offered to our customers for the low price of only $24.99!

In short it’s safe to say that, with the launch of the Bottomless 2-in-1 Portafilter, Flair has continued to elevate it’s product portfolio to epic levels. We work each and every day to provide the best customers in the world with the ability to create Espresso Made Right.

If you have a Flair already and would like to enhance your brewing capabilities, please visit our Accessories Page.

If you’re new to Flair and want to take advantage of Bottomless brewing for the first time, please visit our Espresso Makers Page and shop the Signature Series!

The post Bottomless Brewing with Flair is Here! appeared first on Flair Espresso.