Making great espresso is a skillful balancing act.
Even the jot down of water you use can have an impact on taste.
But one thing you dont need for great espresso?
That much Ive learned thanks to theFlair Espresso Maker.
It starts at $160 and goes up to $230 depending on your finish and bundle.
That might sound hyperbolic, but let me back up a bit.
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I always tip, and often grab a snack, because I cant resist that freshly baked croissant.
Im not alone: the average Americanapparently spends $1,100 a year on coffee.
I imagine we city-dwellers spend more.
I dabbled with other brewing methods at home, but they werent cutting it.
Prices ramp up quickly from there.
Then I realized those prices were for electric devices.
Enter the Flair, which has built up a small but ardent following among espresso aficionados.
Its elegantly designed, comes in a few different finishes, and feels like its built to last.
And yes, it makes a darn good shot of coffee.
Again, youll need a good grinder one with burrs rather than blades.
I used both a$50Coffee Gator grinderand a$200 Lido Ein my testing.
Id also suggest agoose-neck kettleto make it easier to pour boiling water into the components.
Thankfully there are plenty of excellent resources already; the espresso guides onBarista Hustle, andHome-Baristaare great starting points.
Heres a demo from Flair that shows a shot being prepared in under 2 minutes.
Let me be clear: The Flair isnt the best choice for everyone.
You cant just let the machine sit and brew while you do other things.
Youll need to buy a separate gadget to steam orfroth your milk.
But it has important benefits over automatic machines too.
Again, its much cheaper and smaller.
It can be taken apart and placed in the included carrying case in about 30 seconds.
You dont have to wait for the machine to heat up before making your drink.
Shot pouring out too fast?
Use a bit more force than normal.
Youll have better coffee and save money whats not to like?
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