I could use some help on how I can pull a proper shot with the black bottomless portafilter. I guess I'm doing something wrong because the gauge stays at the bottom when I use that pointless thing. (I use the red flow control portafilter.)
I recently stayed at a hotel that had nespresso pods in the room. I took them thinking I could use it in the machine at work (which I still might do). It got me thinking though, couldn't I also just open the pod and use the grounds in my pressurized portafilter at home?
I was have a problem with portafilter that fell off or loose pressure when I extract so many time, so i decided to check retail they say
"if it's doesn't hold portafilter well, you need to unscrew for a bit"
I was curious why just only unscrew so I decide to add 1mm ring to all under chamber arms end up hold thigh perfectly and not easy to loose anymore.
I also checked thickness around arms that hold chamber it's only 2mm so add 1mm ring to 3mm and that fix my issues, I think it's might can put other busket that have curve too but need to add thicker ring instead.
It's very frustrating but at least easy to check everything on my own.
Just bought week ago, still find right click from Kingrinder K6
Finally completed my setup. After 2 years of tinkering with baskets, WDT tools, and different methods for work flow I’m finally set. Weber blind shaker, Normcore Tamper and rarely use the Subminimal WDT.
After messing around with all three Flair basket, iKape convex, and Normcore baskets I’ve narrowed it down to just the Flair high flow. The others required too much change in work flow. They all lived up to their intended purposes but in my opinion it wasn’t worth the hassle. The search for clarity made me feel like I was brewing tea rather than espresso. These shots need BODY. Too each their own though.
The finishing touches are the SWorks lever end cap and a knock off of the SWorks lay flat portafilter.
I have been thinking of upgrading to the 58+ 2 base but I’m done spending money for the mean time.
I’ve recently built a Gaggimate GCP because I was tired of pulling shots for my wife and her friends. As impressive as that machine is…the Flair 58 is just unbeatable. Being able to save a bad shot can’t be done on a machine.
Found this Flair Pro 2 for $80 on eBay and got it delivered today. After getting it cleaned up and cleaning parts in cafiza I was able to get my first shot pulled. I used Verve Banko Taratu and it was really tasty. Very happy with this purchase!
The coffee station is growing. 😮💨
I’ve got pretty much everything else dialed in, brew basket, grind size, coffee dose, etc. But tamping is the one thing I just can’t seem to keep consistent.
Some shots I tamp a bit too hard, some a bit too light, and every now and then I somehow get it just right 😂
The stock Flair tamper doesn’t exactly make things easier. Is there a trick to getting more consistent with it?
Also, do click-feedback/calibrated tampers work with the Flair Classic? Would love to hear what you guys are using.
My plunger is repositioning agressively during the pull. I have cleaned and lubed the o-rings. I do have the newer hook installed but it was doing it before that. It's not an air pocked as I fill the chamber to the top after the lever is raised. r/FlairEspresso
I'm using a Flair neo with a bottomless portafilter and a 1zpresso J-Ultra. From what I have read this combo should be capable of some really top tier coffee when used correctly. Until the last couple weeks it's been wildly hit or miss. Occasionally the coffee is great, usually it's meh and I have not been able to figure out the difference between the two. Back-to-back shots would be great then aweful. After years with the flair and maybe 6 months with the J-Ultra I think I have finally dialed in the most important part of the process... Me.
I saw a post a while back where someone was upset that their hand grinding speed had a pretty significant impact on their grind size, or at least how it flowed. I've been trying to stay consistent but obviously a couple beans would catch at once and there's a decent amount of hitching and stopping. I had a thought a couple weeks ago and started turning the crank differently. Instead of just spinning the handle so the beans made all the resistance I started pulling out away from the grinder as it goes around. Not crazy hard but enough that at least as much force is pulling the crank away from the grinder as is turning the handle and grinding the beans. Now my handle is barely slowing down when several beans catch at once and it's not speeding up when the beans run out of get caught. It takes a bit more arm strength but results suddenly got way more consistent.
I have also been trying to get my blind shaker figured out. I assumed this was not a big deal and would just shake some then use the funnel to drop it down in the portafilter. Having weird inconsistent results here too! Grounds would be stuck in clumps all around the inside and it would be all lopsided when I dropped it into the Portafilter. After running across some simple little process videos I noticed that people were not shaking thair shaker anywhere near as hard or for as long as I was. I got gentler and tried to shake in the same ways and about the same amount of time every time. Much better now. Grounds are fluffier and clumps aren't getting stuck to the inside anymore. Maybe due to the funnel into the 40mm Portafilter but grounds would still usually be higher on one side than the other. I finally got my WDT back out and stirred the ground around in the portafilter just enough to level it nicely before some gentle taps and a tamp.
Now finally I have repeatability! I can dial a few clicks courser or finer and see those results in a slightly faster or slower shot. I can make no changes and get very nearly identical results back to back.
TLDR, even the little details make a big difference. Even if you think that part of the process doesnt really matter, it probably does.
I’ve been exploring coarse ground light roast and turbo-style gusher shots (<1 bar) with large extraction volumes (>3). I’m achieving flow rates of 7-8mL/sec. The problem I’m running into is that I think I’m now overextracting the top layer of coffee while I pour the water, close the chamber and engage the lever. Because the puck offers no resistance it begins to saturate immediately and over extract. The exact problem I’m trying to solve: sour+bitter shots, is the outcome. Any tricks? I find that filling the chamber with the plunger down cools the water too much. The bulky piston only gets super hot when it’s at the top and the shaft never gets very hot.
First pull on a new bag. Happiness is getting a good shot on the first try. Love the Flair.
I’ve had a df64 and flair 49 pro for a few months now and they’ve been amazing. But I’ve gotten to the stage where I want to start making milk drinks again- is the eWizard a good choice? I’ve heard good things about it and have been considering it for a while, but I’m still hesitant.
If anyone could give me any advice I’d appreciate it!
I recently got a Profitec RIDE and want to make sure I am using the right water to prevent scale buildup, boiler oxidation, and other long-term issues.
What specific water hardness range (PPM) or type of filtration/remineralization do you recommend for this machine? Should I use in-tank softening pouches or specific mineral/distilled water recipes?
I am in Orlando Florida and I am actually using a Ceystak Geyser from Salem-SC.
Thank you for your help!
Considering a 49 Pro vs 58+2. I only drink espresso once a week. Is the heating element on the 58+2 really worth double the cost of a 49 Pro? Or can I get equal results just by preheating the 49 with hot water a couple of times before pulling the shot?
Got a Flair Neo with a 2 in 1 bottomless portafilter. See the spout is supposed to be able to come off. Try pulling it off. Nothing! Try using a butter knife to wedge in there. Can't fit! Try putting it in boiling water for a while and trying the butter knife again. Still nothing!
Im not quite sure what to do, and im afraid of damaging the portafilter if im too rough with it.
So been using my flair 58 for a year and I have 2 problems. Sometimes depending on grind, water will spurt from the top. Also seems like that part of the pendulum is starting to melt. Is it normal wear? Or was it never supoosed to touch de interior wall of the chamber?
Hey there, got my first Flair 58 plus 2. Grinding with a Kingrinder K6 at 31 clicks with a medium roast blend.
Do I need to go finer?
beanconqueror - 1:2.32 ratio, 18,5gr, coffee brew time 00:23
My previous brewer was a picopresso grinding perfectly at 41-43 clicks and it looks weird to me that I had to go so fine at 31 clicks.
Sometimes when I pull shots I get a decent amount of espresso that wants to run along the portafilter handle and dribble all over the counter. Do other people experience this? I have it on a table that is nice and level, not sure if this is just the way it is sometimes? I've used my flair for 3+ years and it doesn't happen a lot, but a couple times a month probably. Any ideas?
We go to a vacation home with the car (4 espresso drinkers) and I wonder which flair to buy / take there. Is the 49 deconstructable and transportable? I could imagine this also becoming a solid home option.
edit: what about the 58?
other option/ just buying the go for the portable size…
When I manually grind from a Timemore C5 ESP with a medium roast from a local roaster, I can't seem to fit more than 11g (with the funnel attached) into the upgraded flair classic 40mm portafilter. Grounds get pretty high and when I tap the sides with my hand / give it a few downard taps, it's pretty much at the brim, before I tamp it.
I'd like to get closer to 16-18g dose. Would it be better to get the 11g in, tamp it, and add more on top and "over pack" and tamp it a 2nd time, closer to 18g --- or just tamp 1x only and pull that shot, and use a 2nd portafilter, doing about 1/2 my target dose using 2 portafilters? I know the specs says it can fit more per shot usually averaging 14-16g, based on beans of course.
Pulling a 2nd shot is more work in terms of cleaning and preheating, so I'd prefer to do it in one go. I'm assuming either method would affect variables such as grind size? E.g., Packing more would affect the puck height and I would have to grind courser or it will choke?