REASONS TO BUY
Highly customizable
Renders great shots
Compact
REASONS TO AVOID
Lots of components
Lots of cleaning
Requires separate kettle and milk frother
Flair Classic Review
This manual machine is for espresso lovers that like to dial in every aspect of their espresso, but it requires additional purchases to make a cappuccino
Credit: Flair
RELATED: Best Espresso Machine of 2023
Our Verdict
We like the manual operation of the Flair Classic as it allows the user to refine the espresso shots they press. However, this machine requires many additional products to make a cappuccino as the Flair lacks water heating, bean grinding, and milk steaming capabilities. That said, the Flair is compact and inexpensive, making it good for travel or infrequent use. We wouldn't recommend this device for beginners but rather for folks who want to up their espresso game and already own separate appliances for latte making. This is also a great device for those who just want espresso. If you want an espresso machine that does it all, take a look at our comprehensive espresso machine review.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Flair Classic | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | | ||
| Price | $165 List $165.00 at Amazon | $350 List $349.95 at Amazon | $319 List $189.05 at Amazon | $160 List $159.99 at Amazon | $120 List $119.71 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Highly customizable, renders great shots, compact | Great espresso, impressive milk steaming performance, compact design | Easy to use, quick and convenient, decent frothed milk | Good espresso and milk steaming, quite inexpensive | Inexpensive, good milk-heating element, easy to operate |
| Cons | Lots of components, lots of cleaning, requires separate kettle and milk frother | No built-in grinder | Uses expensive capsules, limited flavors available | Doesn't quite achieve cafe quality results, somewhat slow, no built-in grinder | Poor microfoam, slow to heat up, limited to 14 grams dose |
| Bottom Line | This manual machine is for espresso lovers that like to dial in every aspect of their espresso, but it requires additional purchases to make a cappuccino | One of the smallest machines we've found that can achieve cafe-quality results | This easy-to-use espresso machine and milk frother package is a great choice if you don't mind paying a little extra in the long run for convenience and so-so espresso | Offers good taste and overall quality at a far below average price | This basic machine may be appealing due to its low cost, but there are better options for producing good espresso if you're looking to save money |
| Rating Categories | Flair Classic | Breville Bambino | Nespresso Evoluo | Gevi | De'Longhi Stilosa |
| Espresso Quality (40%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (30%) | |||||
| Ease of Cleaning (15%) | |||||
| Milk Quality (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Flair Classic | Breville Bambino | Nespresso Evoluo | Gevi | De'Longhi Stilosa |
| Dimensions | 14" x 10" x 4" | 7.7" x 12.6" x 12.2" | 9" x 12.2" x 12.3" | 13" x 10" x 16" | 8.1" x 13.5" x 11.2" |
| Milk Frother | None | Steam Wand | Electric Stand Alone | Steam Wand | Steam Wand |
| Measured Water Tank Capacity | 2 oz | 47 oz | 54 oz | 42 oz | 34 oz |
| Cost per Shot | $0.42 | $0.45 | $0.85 | $0.45 | $0.37 |
| Lifetime Cost per Shot | $0.49 | $0.58 | $0.93 | $0.50 | $0.42 |
| Number of Cafe Replacement Shots to Make Up List Price | 64 | 118 | 93 | 51 | 46 |
| Number of Cafe Replacement Lattes to Make Up List Price | N/A | 70 | 52 | 30 | 28 |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Flair Classic is a unique device in that it only presses shots. This unit doesn't heat water, grind beans, or steam milk. It is highly adjustable, though. And the near-perfect shots it renders stand-up to the best in the class.
Performance Comparison
The Flair makes one heck of a shot. However, the user is responsible for every aspect of the production.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Espresso Quality
The espresso metric measures the quality of the shots produced by the Flair Classic and the adjustability of the brewing process affecting the shot quality. We were quite impressed with the grade of the shots that we pulled from this machine. However, the Flair is a hand-lever press, and thus, all adjustments are achieved by manual processes. This means that the user is responsible for the water temperature, grinding beans, preinfusion, and the amount of pressure.
An (almost) perfect cup of espresso.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
With a little time and effort, one can dial in a near-perfect shot. However, the portafilter basket has a somewhat limited capacity at ~16 grams, so there are no double shots with this machine. Yet, we would venture to say that if a café quality shot is a 10 out of 10, this machine is an 8 — and it's definitely not for beginners.
We didn't experience any channeling (the result of poor water distribution) with the Flair. It pours the espresso right down the middle.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
Ease of use is a critical aspect of our espresso machine evaluation. These machines are relatively complicated, and some border on being a hassle to use. Unfortunately, the Flare is a bit of a pain to set up and operate. Accordingly, it landed at the low end of the rankings in this metric.
There are a lot of parts to assemble and disassemble with the Flair. This results in prolonged shot pulling and clean-up times.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
First, this machine has a lot of parts, and it is easy to forget to put in, say, the filter screen, requiring one to start the brewing process over. Additionally, the unit has to be assembled. The assembly isn't a total pain considering that the Flair comes with a compact travel case that makes for easy storage. The unit requires many accessories, such as a kettle and a milk frother, if you want a cappuccino. All told, it took us about 7 minutes and 30 seconds to make a cappuccino with the required set-up –- that's a long time compared to the other units in the class.
This device may look easy to use, but the Flair requires many parts to set up.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Cleaning
The ease of cleaning is akin to the ease of use, but given the specific demands of espresso machines, we look at the clean-up requirements separately. The Flair has relatively high cleaning requirements and, as such, did not do too well in this assessment. The main issue is that the machine has seven parts that must be disassembled and washed after each use. Additionally, there is the external milk frother to clean, too, if you made a latte or cappuccino. We found that components like the press piston can be hard to remove because it is both tight fitting and hot right after use. The good news is that there is no descaling requirement as with units that heat the water in the machine.
Cleaning each piece of this espresso maker can get a bit tedious.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Milk Quality
The milk quality metric assesses the unit's steam wand and microfoam production. As discussed above, this unit presses shots –- that's it. So, it does not score well in this assessment. If you want milk, you'll have to buy a separate machine.
You'll need to purchase a separate milk frother if you want to use the Flair Classic for lattes or cappuccinos.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Should You Buy the Flair Classic?
This is a tricky question. The Flair is a very simple machine that will appeal to a narrow section of the coffee-drinking community. However, it does have its place. Those that want high-quality espresso while traveling will like the Flair. Car campers might find a place for it in their kit, too. However, if you want the full espresso machine experience, there are better tools for you.
Those who want to go the extra mile in making quality espresso might consider the Flair Classic.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
What Other Espresso Machines Should I Consider?
If you like the compact design of the Flair but want a machine that heats water and steams milk, check out the Breville Bambino. This little unit pulls café-quality shots and steams milk perfectly. If you want something more convenient, check out the Nespresso Evoluo. There isn't an easier way to make espresso than the push-button Evoluo.
—
Jessica Riconscente and Nick Miley
You Might Also Like
Ad-free. Influence-free. Powered by Testing.
GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison.
Learn More