Anyone who's spent time crate-digging knows the heartbreak: you unearth a rare pressing or long-lost gem, only to find it's warped just enough to ruin the listening experience. Warped records are the silent killers of analogue joy, and with much of today’s vinyl market coming from the second-hand bin, it's a common issue for enthusiasts and collectors.

While record cleaning has long had affordable solutions—like Pro-Ject’s popular VC-E2 and VC-S3 vacuum cleaning machines—flattening warped LPs has typically been a different story. DIY fixes have included weeks of sandwiching a record between heavy books, leaving it in direct sunlight on a windowsill, or the ever-risky low-temperature oven trick (not recommended). At the other end of the spectrum are dedicated record flatteners that can cost as much as a properly decent turntable.

Enter Pro-Ject Flatten it, a new vinyl flattening device that shares its mechanical DNA with the brand’s vinyl cleaners. Housed in a sleek, compact, and impressively robust aluminium chassis, Flatten it uses heated aluminium plates and precise temperature control to gently and safely bring bent records back into playable form.

Pro-Ject says the system maintains a low temperature hysteresis of just 2°C, meaning the internal heat stays within a tight two-degree window for maximum safety and consistency. For vinyl, that’s a big deal—too much heat or fluctuating temperatures can do more damage than good. Keeping that range narrow ensures the flattening process is both gentle and repeatable.

The process is compatible with all record sizes and thicknesses, and the unit is designed for simple, no-fuss operation.

The company describes the product as delivering “astonishing” results, and while we’ll need to verify that first-hand, Pro-Ject’s reputation for well-engineered analogue accessories suggests it’s not just marketing speak spun up to 140bpm. While Pro-Ject is the first to admit Flatten it isn’t cheap, it still undercuts most competing solutions significantly—and it’s proudly hand made in the EU.

Flatten it could prove to be the missing piece in many vinyl lovers' setups—especially for those with prized but imperfect records. Available now and priced at £749 / €799. We are awaiting confirmed pricing for other territories.

For more information visit Pro-Ject