La Pavoni vs Flair 58: boiler lever or kettle lever?
Verdict
Choose the La Pavoni if you want steam for milk and an all-in-one machine. Choose the Flair 58 Plus 2 if you drink straight espresso and want a 58mm portafilter, a built-in gauge and a heated brew head, and do not mind a kettle.
Flair 58 Plus 2
Straight espresso, 58mm accessories, a gauge
Sold by its maker and US espresso retailers.
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Side by side
| La Pavoni Professional | Flair 58 Plus 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| How water is heated | Built-in boiler | Kettle; electric preheat on the brew head |
| Steam wand | Yes | No (separate steamers sold) |
| Portafilter | About 51mm | 58mm |
| Pressure gauge | Boiler gauge | Brew pressure gauge built in |
| Shots per fill | 16 two-ounce cups | One shot per fill (90ml water capacity) |
| Power | 110V, 1000W | Preheat only; maker power supply for 110V |
| Warranty | 1 year (US importer) | 5 years mechanical, 2 years electrical (retailer) |
| On Amazon US | Yes | Only a steam-kit bundle, unavailable when checked |
Two kinds of manual lever
A La Pavoni lever sits on its own boiler. Water and steam come from the machine, and the group heats from the boiler, which is also why it overheats after several shots.
The Flair 58 Plus 2 has no boiler. You pour hot water from a kettle into the brew head for each shot. Flair says an electric preheat controller in the base holds the brew head at 85, 90 or 95 C, and the machine unplugs for brewing. It uses a standard 58mm portafilter and has a pressure gauge built in.
The milk question decides most buyers
The La Pavoni steams from its boiler. The Flair cannot steam on its own; Flair sells separate stovetop and electric steamers. If you drink lattes every day, a La Pavoni (or a separate steamer budget) is the deciding factor.
Workflow
A La Pavoni needs 6 to 7 minutes to heat (Professional, US manual), then pulls shot after shot until the group gets hot. The Flair needs a kettle and a preheated head for every shot, but has no overheating group to manage. The Flair’s 58mm portafilter also opens up a large range of standard baskets and tools.
Buying the Flair in the US
We found no standalone Flair 58 Plus 2 on Amazon US, only a bundle with Flair’s steamer, which was unavailable when we checked. US espresso retailers and Flair sell it directly.
Questions buyers ask
Can the Flair 58 steam milk?
Not on its own. Flair says to pair it with its Wizard stovetop steamer or eWizard electric steamer.
Which is easier to learn?
The Flair 58 Plus 2 has a built-in brew pressure gauge and a temperature-controlled brew head, which give more feedback than a standard La Pavoni. The La Pavoni Esperto adds a group gauge too.
Sources
Flair Espresso; Seattle Coffee Gear; La Pavoni manuals, parts lists and product pages; European Gift and Houseware, the US importer, and its US manuals.
Not yet confirmed: Flair 58 Plus 2 dimensions (maker lists 17.5 x 13 x 6.5 without units, and 7.5 x 13 x 11 in in its FAQ). We will update this page when a primary source confirms it.