Comments for Guilded Coffee

Comment on Café Quality Shots with the Flair Neo – Is it worth it? by Polo T.

Polo T. — Sat, 22 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Oh boy, I was so excited to try out Flair's new edition to their manual espresso lineup! If you're a novice coffee brewer that is starting to get bored of your french presses, V60s, Chemex, Aeropress, Mokapot, etc. and really want to get that Starbucks/coffee shop taste at home, this is your entry into espresso at home.For reference, this is my current NEO coffee setup:* 16g coffee with 1:2 ratio (32g of espresso out)* Timemore Slim Coffee Grinder (dialed in at 10-11 clicks, ymmv)*Hamilton Beach Gooseneck Kettle at 212F*Some cheap scale that can only do +/- 1gPros:This machine is cheap. 120 for a espresso press is a cheap entry into the world of espresso. There's other cheaper options (even electric espresso machines for this price range) but they don't generate a good shot. They're variable and inconsistent (you pay for what you get!). The Flair Neo has the potential to make a great shot, given that you're willing to keep testing.The Neo comes with a pressurized portafilter (namely called the flow controlled basket), opposed from a bottomless one you'd find on expensive espresso machines. The plus of this is that the pressurized portafilter is it is very forgiving. To have good, legitimate espresso requires a good bur grinder that you can dial down. I for one, don't have that. My grinder can grind espresso but dialing in is hell. This portafilter is forgiving in that it still taste good even though the grind isn't! Jumping directly into a Flair Signature or Classic with my current set up would not be great. This makes a great stepping stone because....The Neo is upgrade-able! for 24 more buckaroos, you can upgrade the pressurized to a bottomless portafilter and have a setup like the Flair classic. Like burning more money? 56 more buckaroos gets you a pressure gage so you can really dial in your shots. Having options like this makes any espresso beginner ease into the hobby instead of jumping into expensive gear that has a high learning curve.Cons:For the price you're getting this, there's not many cons that a standout, but definitely to consider if you're planning to get into the hobby. The Flair Neo is not a top notch device. It's an entry level machine with the ability to be better with a few extra parts. If you want to get something great from the get go, Flair has the signature line or Pro2. A pressurized portafilter is not going to get you a coffee shop shot from your favorite barista Monday morning; but it gets damned close if you put in the effort.One of the difficult things to deal with is thermal management of the press. You will have to preheat everything from the portafilter, to chamber, and piston. This is annoying but that's the trade-off with manual presses and , in my opinion, a worthy trade-off compared to spending x3-x6 as much for a electric/automated machine. Another thing that disappoints is the shot size, 60ml. If you want to make multiple shots, this will take a while. If you like lattes, this device obviously doesn't steam milk like a double boiling espresso machine would. The lack of a carrying case, compared to the other models, is sad but also I don't find myself using carrying cases often so that depends on what you plan on using this for.Conclusion:I think the Flair Neo is a great entry into espresso. It's definitely not the best manual press, but it's best cheap manual one. If you're a beginner with interest into making espresso, there's no reason not to try the Neo. If you like it, upgrade it! If you don't, not much of a loss! Perhaps, I might need a second Neo ;-)

Comment on Café Quality Shots with the Flair Neo – Is it worth it? by BF

BF — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Prior to purchasing this product, I had an Aeropress, which made a good strong coffee, but didn’t produce a real espresso. I was looking for a machine that could make real espresso, and would last longer with regular use. After reading about the Neo Manual Espresso Maker, I decided to order one. I’m a beginner and have never owned an espresso machine before. When the press arrived, the number of parts involved was a bit intimidating. After reading the pamphlet supplied with the machine and checking with the online instructions, I assembled the parts several times to become comfortable with the process.For my first batch, I set my coffee grinder to its finest setting, weighed out 15 grams of coffee, and tried to make a batch. Unfortunately the lever wouldn’t press down. It turned out that the coffee was ground too fine (I had accidentally used the setting for Turkish coffee). I set the grinder to be a bit less fine, weighed out some more coffee, and made a second batch. This time I got an excellent shot with crema, and it was absolutely delicious. Like any espresso machine, there is a learning curve using the Neo. I made several more shots, and the amount of crema improved.Afterwards, I had no problem taking the machine apart and cleaning it. I plan to use this machine daily, and it seems well-built. Everything is nicely machined, and it fits together well. My guess is that it will last for many years. I don’t think you can find another machine as well-made, that makes such good espresso for anywhere near this price. I love it.

Comment on HadinEEon Electric Milk Frother & Steamer 120V by MediaBoxEnt

MediaBoxEnt — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Your browser does not support HTML5 video. We use this milk frother every day! and loving it! it heats up the milk and makes it foamy in such a quick time! I like that it is big enough for me to serve many guests at the same time, so I prepare the coffee and then add the perfect foamy heavy cream or milk on top! and the coffee suddenly becomes the star of the night!This milk frother can also be used with cold milk and works as well quickly and very efficiently, I like that option for chocolate milk!The outside stays cool at all times, so you will never get burned, it is super simple to clean and keep it looking like new always!It has excellent blending power, we make out ketogenic coffee everyday with 2 table spoons of butter, 2 of mct oil, and coffee, it blends it all to perfection adding the awesomest foam to start the day with a great smile!In my opinion this milk forther was an excellent investment, I had it for a long time already, and my husband and I use it every single day!I uploaded a video on related videos, please check it out you will see what I am talking about! Cheers to an excellent milk frother!

Comment on Kicking Horse Coffee, Kick Ass, Dark Roast, Whole Bean, Certified Organic by Bluznvice

Bluznvice — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Ok, reviews about personal tastes you can take or leave since everybody has their own preferred tastes. I gave up caffeine and I'm hoping to find a brand of decaf that will get as close as possible to regular coffee to use in my Chemex and Aeropress. Yeah, I know...it's just not the same as regular but I've had some pretty crappy regular coffee (Army). With that in mind, here's my take on the Kicking Horse SWP Decaf: Meh.I tasted it side by side with Don Pablo Columbian decaf, Trader Joe's French Roast decaf, and a local roaster's SWP. For my tastes (I like it very dark), it's better than the Trader Joe's, about the same as my local roaster, but noticably lacking the complexity and richness of the Don Pablo. Considering that it's almost double the cost of Don Pablo, I'm confident in striking this one from my list of contenders.

Comment on Café Quality Shots with the Flair Neo – Is it worth it? by steebs

steebs — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

I love my Aeropress, and wanted to reach into espresso, but preferred the aeropress' manual, non electric function. Low and behold, the Flair NEO popped up in my research. I didn't need an introduction to Flair, but knowing I didn't need to invest in a more expensive grinder, and the NEO being cheaper, I had to have it.I love this espresso maker, the routine is close to my aeropress, but the end result is light-years ahead.Looking forward to my first off-grid espresso with this super portable espresso maker.

Comment on HadinEEon Electric Milk Frother & Steamer 120V by Outer Banks

Outer Banks — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Your browser does not support HTML5 video. The HadinEEon milk frother is easy to use and gets the job done. It can be used to stir and heat milk of froth milk either hot or cold. I use the hot setting to froth and it works very well. It is very quiet, you can barely hear it running. it doesn't take long at all to heat and froth. You should use cold milk so that it has time to froth before heating because it cuts off when it gets to the correct temperature. This is to ensure it doesn't overheat the milk. I know frothers don't work as well with nut milks but check out my video. As an experiment, I used a chocolate nut milk and it turned out great! It came with a cleaning tool but I just used a kitchen brush I had and cleanup is very easy because the interior is non stick.

Comment on Café Quality Shots with the Flair Neo – Is it worth it? by WE

WE — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

This is a review after just buying the machine. I bought the Neo to improve my espresso quality at home. Having lived with Nespresso systems for almost 10 years I usually make milk based drinks or black Lungos because I never was quite satisfied with the espresso quality. The Neo of course takes more time and effort to pull a shot, but also delivers a much better result when it comes to actual espressos. I would assume not a lot of ppl can actually taste significant differences between Cappuccino’s made with high end espresso or a regular Nespresso shot once the drink is diluted by all that milk. But even less experienced espresso drinkers will taste a difference between a Nespresso and a Neo. Of course the entire process takes more time and effort, but the result is very close to those shots pulled at the best Cafés. Given espressos cost about US$4.00!! each where I live, the machine is amortised after a few casual espressos even if I can’t get myself through all the manual labour each day. Even just one espresso a week would pay it off in half a year!! In addition it’s a great entry to learning about espresso as you can control flow, pressure and temperature. Of course non of this will be really consistent and accurate with a Neo but at least it’s possible. Regular espresso machines with pressure and flow control would cost 20x as much.

Comment on Café Quality Shots with the Flair Neo – Is it worth it? by aallenrowe

aallenrowe — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

The Flair Espresso NEO yields the best crema I've ever experienced (See the pics). It surpasses my deLonghi and my Sowtech machines. In wine terms, NEO extractions yield great savor, bouquet, body, and "apès goût." And it requires no electricity. I could take it camping. Or better yet, in COVID times I can stay home and still enjoy a great espresso.I plan to take my Flair NEO on my next trip to enjoy great morning expresso right in my hotel room. No more marginal brew from those little machines with their packets of old grind. I can pre-grind some beans especially for the trip. Or get a Flair hand-grinder for travel.Fresh espresso is the healthiest of coffees, IMO.

Comment on HadinEEon Electric Milk Frother & Steamer 120V by Cleatus

Cleatus — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Your browser does not support HTML5 video. Easy to use, quiet, and easy to clean. Makes nice frothy, milky goodness for your beverages!If you’re in the market for a frother, this is a good choice.

Comment on Kicking Horse Coffee, Kick Ass, Dark Roast, Whole Bean, Certified Organic by B

Mon, 27 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Simply Outstanding – the entire family agrees! I don’t do many reviews but after purchasing and drinking all week, I had to this time. A full, deep, rich, velvety cup of coffee – WITHOUT the bitter, burnt, sludge-like aftertaste (You Know . . . . “coffee” from that large-chain coffee company that has managed to convince the lemmings it actually tastes good once it’s covered up with 10 thousand calories of flavorings).If cream and/or sugar is part of your routine, it takes very little of either to “tone down” a strong cup. Like most people, I’ve been searching for great coffee (whole bean) for the last 20 years. If you’re interested in what I’m comparing 454 to, here’s a history of past “likes”, starting with the earliest favorite:Seattle’s Best (until it was bought out by “you know who” years ago)Dunkin DonutsIllyDunkin & Illy (Combined) – that combination was actually pretty good for a whileCaffe’ Artigiano (Vancouver Canada – House Blend)Klatch Coffee (Bella Espresso – for straight coffee)Atomic Coffee Roasters (Diesel)Montana Coffee Traders (Grizzly Blend) – I STILL LOVE THIS ONE, HOWEVER THEY NO LONGER SHIP TO CALIFORNIA (Prop 65 (and other lawmakers) screw us out of our FREEDOM of choice!)New Favorite: Kicking Horse Coffee, 454 Horse PowerAgain – BIG flavor, no bitterness. One thing I found interesting – the smell when it’s initially ground. You know how we always say “It would be nice if coffee tasted like it smells?” It doesn’t start out with that huge coffee smell like others do, but the FLAVOR actually tastes like what other coffee’s only smell like. BUY IT. GRIND IT. ENJOY IT. P.S. By now, most people already know this – but if you don’t have a filtered water system, or a coffee machine with a built in water filter, do yourself a BIG favor and buy a ZeroWater or Brita Pitcher – and use it! Whichever coffee you like, you’ll just like it better!