FLAIR 58 Espresso Maker (120V)

I'd been making pourover coffee with an Origami and Aeropress for about 2 years, but wanted to move into the world of espresso.

The TL:DR is that this machine is great. Really solid build quality, easy to use and clean, and very cost-effective for the quality of espresso shots you can produce. I highly recommend it, especially since all Flair 58s since around March 2023 come with nice quality of life upgrades included.

Onto the more detailed review:
The flavours this machine make are amazing. It does take some time to dial in your shots with a decent quality grinder, but depending on the coffee's origin you can do it much more quickly with each coffee bag. For example with a JX-Pro, Ethiopian coffees are around a 1-4-0 for me. I start around 1-2-0 for most other origins and move from there.

The build quality of this machine is really solid. I usually don't like buying non-chrome/bare stainless items like this, but after two months of almost daily use, there are no scratches or anything.

The portafilter that comes with the machine is perfect for me. I usually don't like high doses of espresso, so I keep it at ~15g in with 36g out and it tastes great every time. If you want higher doses past ~18g you will need to buy a bigger portafilter basket. The basket is also the low-flow basket so it's good for beginners like me, but if you know what you're doing the high-flow/regular basket may be what you want.

The electronics to heat the machine are a must-have in my opinion. It is a bit of wiring to get used to but not a deal-breaker. It takes about 8 minutes to fully heat at the highest heat setting, but by the time you get your water ready after that it will be more than enough time to pull a shot. There is silicone/rubber around the valve so you don't burn yourself if you touch it which is good.

The lever is really nice when pulling a shot. It's the most ergonomic of the Flair lineup from what I saw, which is a big plus if you want to use this as a daily machine for years to come.

The only "problem" I've had was that the piece that attaches the pressure gauge to the plunger inside the valve sometimes comes loose, but the solution is simply to rotate the plunger once you get that piece rested inside so it doesn't easily come loose. It will turn around again and possible loosen after a few weeks, but it's not a big deal.

Other than that, you do need a scale that fits inside the bottom frame like the Timemore Nano or the Acaia Lunar, but unless you want bluetooth connectivity and are really nerdy about pressure profiles and whatnot, the Timemore Nano will be good enough. It still has a mode to see the flow rate of the coffee while you're pulling a shot which is really all you need when pressure profiling anyways (in my opinion).

I moved from a Breville Barista Express to the Flair 58 since it was a cost effective way to add pressure profiling. I like to pull a lot of lighter roasted coffees, adding control over this variable helps a lot. The ability to do long pre-infusions (e.g. slayer shots) is a great feature to have. That said, I think machine like this really makes it important for people to be a student of coffee, learn the nuances of the chemistry. This will be important to get full potential out of the machine. A quality grinder is is very important (I use a Commandante C40).

The build quality is very solid, the workflow is easier than expect. Very easy device to keep clean. Only bit of caution - making sure you have scales that will fit within the machine.

It is my first real espresso machine and I am still getting used to it, adjusting my grinds and playing with it. It is fantastic and I only just started.
Love it.

It's my first machine so I have no comparison. But I love it. Easy to use, and clean. Looks great. Makes an amazing espresso

I started with the Neo after getting frustrated with expensive repairs on a mediocre machine. I liked it so much but the workflow wasn't amazing. Enter the Flair 58. The heating element is invaluable and I couldn't imagine living without it.
Within a few shots, I had my grind dialed in and was making excellent lattes. My only complaint is the drip dray doesn't attach to the base. Minor issue that I am sure someone with a 3D printer could solve.
Is it worth it? If you live in a tax bracket that can afford it, then yes. The cost was a huge stretch for me but if it lasts a lifetime, then yes it is.

Such an amazing Espresso maker for the price

I had been searching for an upgrade to my breville automatic machine for a long time. I wanted something that I could play a bit with. After many hours of research i landed on a manual machine which are actually extremely flexible in terms of the shots you can pull and are also much cheaper than a pump machine. So far this thing has worked flawlessly for me and I am hoping it will last for a long time.
Pros - Not many parts to break, lever is easy to pull, shot quality is excellent, easy to clean and maintain. Cons - filling the chamber with water usually results in some air in the system. I have to jiggle the handle to release the trapped air. It takes up a bit of space on the counter and the power brick is large (i hide mine with a fake plan).