Review on Flair Signature Espresso Maker - The Ultimate Manual Espresso Press for Authentic Home Brewing (Pressure Kit, Black) by Larry Breeze

The perfect espresso machine. I have the first edition and there are a few improvements over the current model: 1. The arm supporting the red base is stronger (I broke mine by literally squeezing it with my whole weight - 175lbs)2 . The filter has a narrower silicone sleeve - the first version had a longer silicone sleeve which I cut with a stainless steel cylinder3. In the new version, the piston fits perfectly into the cylinder and the metal piston cap fits and adheres perfectly (I also scraped the previous version.) These are all modifications that Flair made at my suggestion and the suggestion of her customers and implemented unusually quickly. There is a commitment to quality and customer care that is top notch.4. It seems that the cylinder in the new version has a black silicone sleeve built in. Aesthetically, I like the older version with the stainless steel cylinder and separate red silicone sheet. Coffee quality: excellent. Firstly, I appreciate that I can choose both the water temperature and the pressure. Then I can press the beans firmly - unusual for a portable machine - and the pressure at 60 pounds of force on the handle becomes about 20 bar (lever 1:10, about 1 square meter on the piston head). So real espresso with lots of foam - about 80% of the water in my shots is creamy (and the first 20% is black concentrated coffee). There are endless possibilities to experiment! No other machine offers so much freedom. A tip: preheat the cylinder. I cannot stress enough the importance of maintaining the correct temperature in general. Otherwise you can do everything, even prepare a cold espresso. Clean Up: It's pretty easy. I first remove the piston cylinder, discard the used coffee (shake it up a bit but doable), then clean the cylinder. Very simple steps and they get easier as the routine begins. For the immediate next shot, I first dry everything with a towel. I use it daily. This is an amazing product. UPDATE 1: After about half a year of use, the machine holds up. Has a stainless steel plunger. The quality of the espresso is just out of this world. UPDATE 2: I have several espresso machines, ranging from purely manual (e.g. Wacaco Minipresso, Cafflan Kompresso) to stovetop (Bellman) to super-automatic (DeLonghi Magnifica). Flair makes the BEST ESPRESSO - better than everyone else. I like something about each of them, but if I had to pick the one that gives me the best flavor, it would be flair.