Review: Flair Espresso Flair 58 Manual Coffee Espresso
Published on 07/20/2023 · 3 min readCurated Coffee & Espresso Experts share their experience with using the Flair Espresso Flair 58 Manual Coffee Espresso. Note that experts are not sponsored by any brands; these are their honest opinions.By Coffee Expert
Michael Stumpfig
15 photos
The Curated Take
4.2/5
The Flair 58 is perfect for espresso enthusiasts looking for manual extraction control. Its standout features include a pressure gauge for real-time brewing pressure feedback, a 58mm portafilter for ideal dosing, and a heated brew chamber. However, it lacks milk-steaming capability, limiting it to espresso-based drinks. Its heat settings could be better, with only the high setting providing satisfactory results. Yet, the Flair 58's quality build, ease of use, and ability to influence flavor profiles via pressure control make it a compelling choice for those passionate about crafting their espresso shots.
Ideal for
- Build/Aesthetics
- Espresso extraction
- Commercial-sized naked portafilter
Not ideal for
- Temperature settings
- Multiple cords for the heating element
Steam Wand
The folks at Flair have primarily focused on espresso extraction and have currently put all their eggs in that basket. While many of us out there enjoy beverages like lattes...Read more
Pressure Control
Easily one of its best features, the Flair 58 has a pressure gauge to give real-time feedback on my brew pressure. On traditional espresso machines, during extraction, the brewing pressure...Read more
Portafilter Size
Dosing is such an important part of espresso extraction. The fact that the Flair 58 provides a standard 58mm portafilter is a huge upgrade when compared to their previous models....Read more
Heat Time
There are three different temperature settings on the Flair 58. I generally use the highest setting. It roughly takes about three and a half minutes for the brew chamber to...Read more
Quality
Given the price of the Flair 58, it is most certainly backed up by its quality. The device is mostly made out of die-cast aluminum, which will promote its longevity....Read more
Temperature Stability
There are three different heat settings on the Flair 58: High, Medium, and Low. I will only use the high setting. It seems the temperatures of the "medium" and "low"...Read more
Espresso Extraction
What's beautiful about extracting espresso on the Flair 58 is that I have all the power in the palm of my hands. Here's how I've been extracting my espresso: I...Read more
Boiler Capacity
Traditional espresso machines have boilers in the 1-2 liter range. But the Flair is built differently; it's a lever machine. The Flair 58 is more for hobbyists who want to...Read more
Ease of Use
The folks at Flair really made espresso extraction as simple as possible with the 58 model. The base of the machine is larger than those of previous models. And what's...Read more
Versatility
Pulling espresso shots is the point of the Flair 58. There is only so much one can do with these parameters. While Flair allows me to play with my extraction...Read more
Expert Reviews of the Flair Espresso Flair 58 Manual Coffee Espresso
Michael Stumpfig I've been using the Flair 58 as my home espresso device since January 2023, and it's easily the best part of my morning. On top of being a beautiful and interesting-looking appliance, it's one of the best machines at controlling espresso extraction. Because this is a lever machine with a pressure gauge, I can view and adjust the pressure of my extraction in real-time. Another prime selling point of the Flair 58 over its lower-level products is its electrically heated brew chamber. Other Flair models require a pre-heat of their brew chambers which can be more time-consuming. There are just a few setbacks. It's great the Flair 58 has an electrically heated brew chamber. I just wish the wiring was a little less convoluted. Too many breaks in the wires to heat such a small heating element. Also, I only recommend using the highest heat setting. The other two settings are too spaced out and simply not hot enough, even for darker roasts. This can lead to a sour-tasting espresso. I can't speak highly enough about this machine. Over the past three months, I've extracted some beautifully-tasting espresso. I'm excited to test out different roasts and extract them at different pressures to see all the flavor profiles the Flair 58 can produce.
Review Ratings
Steam Wand
1/5
Michael Stumpfig gave 1 of 5 stars. The folks at Flair have primarily focused on espresso extraction and have currently put all their eggs in that basket. While many of us out there enjoy beverages like lattes and cappuccinos, Flair has yet to dip their feet into milk steaming ability of any kind. It goes without saying if milk-based drinks are the preference, there are better choices than the Flair 58.
Pressure Control
5/5
Michael Stumpfig gave 5 of 5 stars. Easily one of its best features, the Flair 58 has a pressure gauge to give real-time feedback on my brew pressure. On traditional espresso machines, during extraction, the brewing pressure is out of our hands until we decide to adjust after extraction. With the Flair 58, all the control of pressure is literally in the palm of my hands. It's an extremely satisfying feature that I can use to invoke different flavor profiles in my espresso.
Portafilter Size
5/5
Michael Stumpfig gave 5 of 5 stars. Dosing is such an important part of espresso extraction. The fact that the Flair 58 provides a standard 58mm portafilter is a huge upgrade when compared to their previous models. Because of this, I can dose out the proper 18-22 grams of ground coffee to extract my perfect double shot of espresso.
Heat Time
4/5
Michael Stumpfig gave 4 of 5 stars. There are three different temperature settings on the Flair 58. I generally use the highest setting. It roughly takes about three and a half minutes for the brew chamber to reach temperature. Given this is such a minimal device, to begin with, I've personally never been impatient over the heat-up time.
Quality
5/5
Michael Stumpfig gave 5 of 5 stars. Given the price of the Flair 58, it is most certainly backed up by its quality. The device is mostly made out of die-cast aluminum, which will promote its longevity. The stainless steel brew path ensures no boiling water will come into contact with any plastic. And the wooden accents play beautifully with the primarily matte black frame.
Temperature Stability
3/5
Michael Stumpfig gave 3 of 5 stars. There are three different heat settings on the Flair 58: High, Medium, and Low. I will only use the high setting. It seems the temperatures of the "medium" and "low" settings are far too cool to give me a good extraction. Whenever I've used a temperature setting other than "high," the shot I extracted tasted sour. Because nothing else was abnormal about my extraction, I determined the low temperature was the culprit.
Espresso Extraction
5/5
Michael Stumpfig gave 5 of 5 stars. What's beautiful about extracting espresso on the Flair 58 is that I have all the power in the palm of my hands. Here's how I've been extracting my espresso: I slowly pull the lever down until I begin to see little drips of espresso. Then I ramp up my pressure to nine bars until I've extracted around 25 grams of espresso. I then lower my pressure to around six or seven bars until I've extracted around 40-50 grams of espresso. The fact that I have that much control over my extraction makes using the Flair even more satisfying.
Boiler Capacity
5/5
Michael Stumpfig gave 5 of 5 stars. Traditional espresso machines have boilers in the 1-2 liter range. But the Flair is built differently; it's a lever machine. The Flair 58 is more for hobbyists who want to pull their shots and enjoy the experience. The heated brew chamber accommodates enough water for one extraction and then must be refilled for another. But that is by design.
Ease of Use
5/5
Michael Stumpfig gave 5 of 5 stars. The folks at Flair really made espresso extraction as simple as possible with the 58 model. The base of the machine is larger than those of previous models. And what's more, the T-grip lever is also longer. Because of these two design elements, pulling the lever and forcing water through my puck is easy and less strenuous.
Versatility
4/5
Michael Stumpfig gave 4 of 5 stars. Pulling espresso shots is the point of the Flair 58. There is only so much one can do with these parameters. While Flair allows me to play with my extraction and temperature control, there is little more that the Flair 58 can do outside of that.
FAQs
What was your favorite moment with this gear?
Michael Stumpfig Not too long after I got my Flair 58, I had a few friends and coworkers over. Because I keep my Flair on my countertop, many of my friends were very interested in it because of its sleek industrial design. I began to explain to them how the machine worked. They were so curious they insisted I use it so they could see it in action. Thankfully I had made some vanilla ice cream that day. So I took the opportunity to make my friends some delicious affogatos. It made me happy that they took so much interest in my Flair.
Why did you choose this product?
Michael Stumpfig I chose the Flair 58 because I wanted something minimal, easy to use, and striking. While I see myself purchasing a prosumer-level E61 machine in the future, I want to refine my basic extraction skills with something more manual. The Flair 58 gives me all the tools to do that.
What is the value for the money versus other options?
Michael Stumpfig I think the extra features that come with the Flair 58 are easily worth the money. One huge example of this is the electrically heated brew chamber. The fact that I don't have to preheat my brew chamber every single time I pull a shot feels like such a luxury. And at a nearly $600 price point, it kind of is. Also, the inclusion of a standard 58mm portafilter is well worth the money for when I want to experiment further with my dose.
What do you love about this product?
Michael Stumpfig There is so much to love about the Flair 58, but I will go over my favorite key features. The Flair 58 has an electrically heated brew chamber with three different temperature settings. Previous Flair models require the user to preheat the chamber by filling it with boiling water, dumping it out, and filling again to begin pulling a shot. That can be rather tedious. The 58 model removes that. The included pressure gauge gives me so much control over my extraction, from low-pressure pre-infusion to altering pressure throughout my extraction. I can see how many bars of pressure I'm applying in real-time. And finally, the frame of the Flair 58 is larger than previous models. Because of this slight design change, operating the lever and forcing water through my espresso puck takes less effort. This lends itself to a far easier workflow.
5.00
Michael Stumpfig
Coffee Expert28 Reviews
425 Customers helped
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