It's been a while since I contributed something to CS, so it's about time 
This Christmas (2017) I bought myself a Flair espresso device from the wonderful folk (but not CS sponsors..) at Alternative Brewing in QLD. For those who don't know the Flair - it is a seriously well engineered fully manual portable lever espresso. I've used it a reasonable amount now, and am writing this from Brisbane - so this is very much 'on the road'. You can find lots of videos of it in action, espresso porn etc etc via Google. I won't bore you with those details!
I have a collection of coffee and espresso gear that I have used while camping - from the humble (but excellent) Aeropress, the disappointing MiniPresso, the hard to heat enough ROK, through to the absolutely fabulous (original) Portapresso Rossa. I've used them all for a few years camping, and can truthfully say the Flair is in the Rossa class - produces spot-on perfect espresso. It sits slightly behind the Rossa - the Rossa is capable of brewing slightly hotter than the Flair, which is an advantage. But the Flair is just easier to use - so it wins!
This is the only (minor) problem with the Flair: it is slightly tedious to pre-heat the stainless steel brewhead adequately. Particularly if it is outside, in the cold, with a wind blowing.. But that is also true for the Rossa. It is just more critical for the Flair. But to be fair - this is true for the Rossa too. The ROK does not rate with me in this at all. The ROK is just woeful in this regard (IMHO).
The KJM brew process consists of pre-heating the brewhead first. In the Brizzy hotel room we're in right now, this is done by boiling the kettle and putting the piston into the end of the brewhead and standing it upside down on the counter. Then fill the brewhead with boiling water. I then grind and load the portafilter while tipping the pre-heat water out and repeating. Then putting the thing together and pulling a shot. This results in a brew temp (measured at home) of between 92 and 95. Which is pretty good. The shots are pretty much identical to those I pull on the Expobar! This process wastes 2x brewheads of water, so when we are ACTUALLY camping - I pop the brewhead(s) (I have 2) into the billy for pre-heat action (I'm from South Australia - water is a darn scarce thing when camping!)
I actually have two brewheads, and I'd suggest anyone with an accompanying person needs to buy a second brewhead. The thing makes 1 shot. Having two just makes it so much quicker and easier. The downside to the second unit is that it has no moulded in spot in the lovely case they supply - but it fits in quite fine.
The Flair includes no grinder, but I already have one of Ross's *fabulous* Rosco Mini grinders. I love this grinder. Best hand grinder I've tried. So all the testing I've done has been with that or my Macap at home.
There are some comments/reviews on the Flair out there that I have found very peculiar. You might read (for example) that the instruction booklet is essential. Really?? The thing is obvious. I do mean *obvious*! I guess if you have never made an espresso you might, perhaps, find it difficult to assemble/dis-assemble but it isn't. You also need to know how to dial in an espresso machine. It *is* an espresso machine. The lever is not hard at all to push down. You do NOT need a pressure gauge either! The human-in-the-loop feedback system you get with lever machines is really, *really* , good. You pull a shot while looking at the crema that flows out! Perhaps the oddest comment I've seen is that you need the manual to be able to pack it back into the case! (I will refrain from observing that the comment was made by a USA person
Sorry Javaphile!)
My colleague hazbean has an Olympia Cremina - I did wonder why he sold his Isomac Mondiale and replaced it with that. Owning the Flair: I now appreciate it! Levers are actually most excellent. I won't be replacing my Expobar Minore at home with a Flair - but if I was a single person espresso residence - I might consider it. It really is a quite superb machine.
So the overall summary: darn near perfect. Produces stunningly good espresso. Camping on the side of the Savage River in Taswegia with a thick syrupy espresso is hard to beat. Making superb coffees in the hotel room in Brisvegas is also hard to beat. No regrets buying this thing...
Cheers
/Kevin

This Christmas (2017) I bought myself a Flair espresso device from the wonderful folk (but not CS sponsors..) at Alternative Brewing in QLD. For those who don't know the Flair - it is a seriously well engineered fully manual portable lever espresso. I've used it a reasonable amount now, and am writing this from Brisbane - so this is very much 'on the road'. You can find lots of videos of it in action, espresso porn etc etc via Google. I won't bore you with those details!
I have a collection of coffee and espresso gear that I have used while camping - from the humble (but excellent) Aeropress, the disappointing MiniPresso, the hard to heat enough ROK, through to the absolutely fabulous (original) Portapresso Rossa. I've used them all for a few years camping, and can truthfully say the Flair is in the Rossa class - produces spot-on perfect espresso. It sits slightly behind the Rossa - the Rossa is capable of brewing slightly hotter than the Flair, which is an advantage. But the Flair is just easier to use - so it wins!
This is the only (minor) problem with the Flair: it is slightly tedious to pre-heat the stainless steel brewhead adequately. Particularly if it is outside, in the cold, with a wind blowing.. But that is also true for the Rossa. It is just more critical for the Flair. But to be fair - this is true for the Rossa too. The ROK does not rate with me in this at all. The ROK is just woeful in this regard (IMHO).
The KJM brew process consists of pre-heating the brewhead first. In the Brizzy hotel room we're in right now, this is done by boiling the kettle and putting the piston into the end of the brewhead and standing it upside down on the counter. Then fill the brewhead with boiling water. I then grind and load the portafilter while tipping the pre-heat water out and repeating. Then putting the thing together and pulling a shot. This results in a brew temp (measured at home) of between 92 and 95. Which is pretty good. The shots are pretty much identical to those I pull on the Expobar! This process wastes 2x brewheads of water, so when we are ACTUALLY camping - I pop the brewhead(s) (I have 2) into the billy for pre-heat action (I'm from South Australia - water is a darn scarce thing when camping!)
I actually have two brewheads, and I'd suggest anyone with an accompanying person needs to buy a second brewhead. The thing makes 1 shot. Having two just makes it so much quicker and easier. The downside to the second unit is that it has no moulded in spot in the lovely case they supply - but it fits in quite fine.
The Flair includes no grinder, but I already have one of Ross's *fabulous* Rosco Mini grinders. I love this grinder. Best hand grinder I've tried. So all the testing I've done has been with that or my Macap at home.
There are some comments/reviews on the Flair out there that I have found very peculiar. You might read (for example) that the instruction booklet is essential. Really?? The thing is obvious. I do mean *obvious*! I guess if you have never made an espresso you might, perhaps, find it difficult to assemble/dis-assemble but it isn't. You also need to know how to dial in an espresso machine. It *is* an espresso machine. The lever is not hard at all to push down. You do NOT need a pressure gauge either! The human-in-the-loop feedback system you get with lever machines is really, *really* , good. You pull a shot while looking at the crema that flows out! Perhaps the oddest comment I've seen is that you need the manual to be able to pack it back into the case! (I will refrain from observing that the comment was made by a USA person
Sorry Javaphile!)My colleague hazbean has an Olympia Cremina - I did wonder why he sold his Isomac Mondiale and replaced it with that. Owning the Flair: I now appreciate it! Levers are actually most excellent. I won't be replacing my Expobar Minore at home with a Flair - but if I was a single person espresso residence - I might consider it. It really is a quite superb machine.
So the overall summary: darn near perfect. Produces stunningly good espresso. Camping on the side of the Savage River in Taswegia with a thick syrupy espresso is hard to beat. Making superb coffees in the hotel room in Brisvegas is also hard to beat. No regrets buying this thing...
Cheers
/Kevin




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