I've been eyeing this machine for a while since my goal is to really control my press just like I have with the Aero Press. Still haven't decided if this is a worthwhile investment.
I have the flair neo classic and I absolutely love it. But I will say that it has a steep learning curve out the gate to get things dialed in. You have to really enjoy the process and the workflow, if you want something for a quick shot this coffeemaker is less than ideal. I love the flavors that i get from my coffee and i really enjoy experimenting to see how i can improve my cup.
I went from a flair to a Rock to a picopresso. As a person who loves the ritual behind coffee I found that 100% stops when it comes to espresso. It's just to many variables that are difficult to control for me. Dialing in a grinder, pre infusion, and temp surfing on a GCP are about all I have the patience for and I am already dead set on installing a pid or upgrading to the likes of a Profitec Go.
If you mean "quick" as in "how much effort to figure out how to make a good shot" then I definitely agree.
If by "quick" you mean "how long from zero to espresso" I actually disagree. You can be pulling a shot in 8-10minutes with a flair. Most traditional (boiler, pump, push-button) espresso makers are still warming up in that time frame.
Yeah, a flair or a robot is way quicker than a powered espresso machine.
I've been trying to optimise my workflow using a stopwatch and doing as much in parallel as possible. The key is to have water boiling and beans grinding simultaneously, and then milk heating and espresso extraction simultaneously.
I can make a flat white and be all cleaned up and packed away withing 4mins.
Process:
add water to kettle and start boiling
add beans to grinder and start grinding
get robot off shelf and put into position with scale
put milk into French press and in the microwave with time set to 1min (but not yet started)
yeah, I was mostly referring to the effort you put into each cup. Some people prefer less of a workflow per cup. I agree with you on the first shot, but if I'm making more than 2 shots I notice myself wishing I had a more traditional machine. I still have not invested in getting a second portafilter and brewchamber, so I lose a lot of time resetting between shots.
Honestly, I've been using a traditional espresso machine at work and it also has a lot of steps.
Esp with the 58 removing variables of a standard style portafilter and heated brew chamber, I prefer the workflow of the 58. The only extra step is pouring water into the brewing chamber.
By the time you buy a second portafilter and brew chamber you'll be out almost as much as a 58.