BARATZA VARIO + | The NEW STANDARD of Coffee Grinders!?
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- VARIO + and VARO W + - the new Gold Standard for Home Grinders?
☕️ Become A Patreon: / kylerowsell
VARIO+ - seattle-coffee...
(Original) Vario: geni.us/zBGR4bA
Baratza Forte: geni.us/0vWEj
LANCE's Vario Video: • IS THIS THE BEST HOME ...
-- FEATURED LINKS --
🛒 My Coffee Bar Setup: kit.co/Kyle.Ro...
► Subscribe to 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙩: www.Standartma...
☕️ Coffee Gear I personally Use: kit.co/Kyle.Ro...
📷 CAMERA Gear: kit.co/Kyle.Ro...
THIRD WAVE WATER: thirdwavewater...
𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨:
► Aeropress: geni.us/LKQ0P
► Kalita Wave: geni.us/8R8e
► Origami: geni.us/yeHtZHC
► V60: geni.us/3faIhf5
► Chemex: geni.us/CRQN
► Fellow Stagg X: geni.us/ZkO4A
OTHER LINKS
► MERCH: kylerowsell.co...
► Instagram: ...
► Email: Hello@Kylerowsell.com
SMASH the LIKE if you’re able! It helps more than you know 👍🏼 What do you think of the Vario + and W+?
I’d love to hear your thoughts below!
Great video. Prior to my Niche Zero i has a pair of Varios. Your comments on the Vario as they age mirrored my experience particularly when the first Vario reached six years old. You have great comments which I might follow but for the fact that I already have the Niche. Keep bringing us honest and detailed reviews!
Great video, also Lance has a great video. Made me happy to see you shout him out. I was looking to upgrade and The Vario plus with the burr upgrade is the move. You can’t buy a Niche at retail here in the states and Baratza has S tier support
Of course! We’re all in this wonderful coffee space together! I love lance! 👏🏻
This...I had settled on a Vario instead of a Niche, and then the plus came out. Baratza has its hand on the market pulse.
Don't forget, the Niche Zero has no state side service. It has to be sent back to UK for service. And what about parts, are they user replaceable? Baratza's reputation is built in part on the philosophy of fix it don't trash it.
Awesome review(s). Kudos Kyle.
I love the W+ for its price and usability. I like Niche for the aesthetic it brings. Definitely choose W+ since I love the clean espresso profile.
Thanks for watching!
Nice to see that there a lot of grinders coming into this price range. The x54 has about the same price over here though. Just pre ordered an oro (imo it looks a lot better). But probably a good thing that the video was not uploaded a month or so earlier because these grinders are already available and I am getting tired of hand grinding my espresso haha
Thanks for the comment!
Bigger burr grinder should be better for Espresso clarity (probably less body as a result which is the typical trade off). I believe the Oro is more of an espresso oriented grinder.
I still think the Vario is best for super low retention and not even needing a bellows.
I've had the Vario with steel burrs for over a year now and find it shines the best with filter coffee. Kinda funny all the videos I've seen on the Vario have been espresso focused. It's such a great grinder and imo the best home grinder for filter coffee
I’ve seen Varios 2nd hand online for about $350. Modding it up seems like it’d absolutely be worth it. If I didn’t already have my Rocky, I’d probably go this way for my espresso grinder. As much as I love the look of the Niche Zero, that’s a large price difference. Plus, you can’t beat the support that comes from Baratza and its community (my pour over grinder is a Virtuoso).
May I ask where you can find these deals, please? I"m looking to buy one, but I've only been looking on Ebay
Looks like I may be rebuilding my vario. I am very excited. Mine has ground a couple hundred pounds of coffee over its life and has been fairly bulletproof. I do appreciate how easy they are to work on.
Do it 🔥
Definitely do it. It takes some patience and time but it is so worth it!
FWIW- Forte part #s +
1067- threaded upper burr carrier
1024- metal threaded grind chamber
8029- M3x12 Phillips bolts
I would highly recommend getting M3x12 hex head bolts if possible as they are much easier to tighten without pushing into the bolt which will compromise alignment.
I would also recommend getting an extra lever knob or two in case you break the connection pin when removing them and getting some lever shims as well to tighten up the setting position and keep them from drifting which can and does happen as over time they fall out (yearly checking/replacement is a good idea).
If you attempt the alignment using the clamp method to hold the burr carrier/chamber to the motor plate is the best way to go. Then you can tighten the screws without potentially messing up the alignment. First align the burrs (right side up, holding the motor worked best for me) with the screws just loose enough to do so, then carefully clamp the burr carrier/chamber to the motor plate, tighten the bolts slowly and evenly and you should be golden. The current videos of it are a bit lacking but are out there. Also Lance Hedrick’s point (in his video about modding the Vario) of barely touching the burrs together when testing alignment with whiteboard marker on the flat points of the burrs is very important.
Have fun with it!
I've been rocking a Baratza Forte BG for several years now, and it's an absolute beast. Probably one of the most underrated grinders in my opinion. It's nice to see Baratza moving forward and updating their line.
Yes! Couldn’t agree more.
Same here. My Forte BG is a tank. Worth the extra money.
I've had my Vario-W with the single dose hopper for a while now and I'm very happy with it. My main reasons for buying this one were (1) these last (had a Virtuoso forever); (2) easy to dial-in for French Press, pourover and espresso - and repeat the recipes due to the adjustment levers; (3) the weight function is fantastic - better than timing I think. I use a dosing cup for espressos so this set-up works for me. ( I don't have the + but - I do like the espressos with the ceramic burrs.)
Note: the Vario-W doesn't come with the portafilter holder - because it doesn't work with the weigh scale - so it doesn't make sense.
Does the W+ portafilter holder work with the scale or no models of the Vario do?
Great video, friend!
Thanks lance! 👊🏼
Just purchased the W+ after watching your review. I had gone through the same analysis. I wanted the steel burrs for drip and pour over. I don’t need the W since I single dose. All said the Vario now has some Forte guts and is easy to change settings in a repeatable way. I enjoy the detail in all of your videos.
Thanks for watching! Glad this helped
The Vario+ W is meant for brew bars while the Vario + is espresso, hence the portafilter accessory and ceramics bures
Hey Kyle, so I’ve been mucking around with a couple of things with my hand grinder, firstly trying different speeds with the same settings coffees and seeing what difference it makes to the flavours and consistency of grind, I mean I’m no expert here but I feel like I can taste the difference, thought it might be an interesting video for you, there’s no other “good grinder technique video” thought it might set ya apart for a video 😜 thanks for the content big guy, very much appreciate your knowledge and willingness to lend your passion. Cheers from Australia!
Great review Kyle. I think there's a major plus for the Baratza Vario that was forgotten over the Niche and DF64. The availability of spare parts and warranty. With Baratza, you have amazing customer support and all spare parts available at decent price.
Great point!
I don't plan on buying any more grinders, but I love geeking out on coffee gear
🤓
Thanks for the great review, Kyle! You talk a lot towards the end and with the Niche comparison about flavor profile, using words like clarity and complexity. I’m still trying to wrap my head around what these words mean for brewing method, and, in this case, grinder selection. I’d love for you to do a video that goes into more detail about why you describe flavors a certain way and how newbie-ish types can apply those to their brewing. Thanks!
Great video, very well thought out my friend. I think the ‘cons’ you brought up were fair and correct. The W+ has everything I’d want in a home grinder with your suggested ‘fixes’. As always, coffee over caffeine.
Thanks for watching Lance!
Well you saved me $300. I have a 3 year old Virtuoso+, I've replaced one part and now I'm trouble shooting an electrical issue on it. I would rather buy more brewing equipment for my Mead hobby, than spend the extra money on a higher end grinder. I'm going to get another Virtuoso+, repair the old one and keep it as a backup grinder. Frick, I still have to buy a pour over set for a cold brew of 100% kona I got to make a Coffee Mead, which is called a Coffemel.
Kyle uploaded a video? This day is already better!
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it!!
you can set the grinder to override mode which disables the scale and allows you to do single dose.
I ordered the Vario W+ through Seattle Coffee. I am moving up from an older Virtuoso. I ground about 3 lbs of cheap coffee to help season. Immediately noticed an improvement to the flavor of my coffee. Seems like a much cleaner and less bitter flavor, even though I find myself grinding a bit finer than I did with virtuoso. Only problem I had was weight was way off. I had it set to grind about 31g but when weighed on my normal scale, it was coming out to 40g. If went down to about 24.5 I could get my normal 31g. I watched the videos on how to calibrate the old version, but they don't work the same on the new one. I reached out to Baratza, and after a few days, they emailed back and offered to exchange it under warranty. Before the new unit shipped, I received another email saying I could try to calibrate the scale. After a few back and forths, finally got into calibration mode. Grinds perfectly now with a variance of about .1g. New unit has already shipped, so I guess I will just send it back. Overall I love the grinder. It is quieter than my virtuoso and simplifies my work flow. Really love the coffee it makes and still trying to play with the grind setting to find my perfect cup of coffee.
If anyone need to calibrate, you have to unplug the grinder. Then while it is rebooting, press the start/stop and 1 and 2 buttons at the same time. Then you can calibrate with a 200g weight like the previous model.
LOL this sounds like my experience with baratza when I bought the virtuoso in 2008. I emailed them about too many fines going through when I was using a metal mesh filter. I had no idea what I was doing. But they sent me a new grinder under warranty anyway even though it was probably my own fault (I was just learning about pourover at the time). They've been great ever since.
@ Brian S currently am trying Sette 270wi yet do different brewing.. For espresso what am I giving up as I never use portafilter holder? ty
@@kenroman777 Can't really comment about Espresso, I only use mine for coffee pour overs or French Press. I heard the Sette is great for Espresso but not as good for coffee. I think from my research the regular Vario + seems better adapted to Espresso to with the ceramic burrs while the W+ seems to be better for coffee.
Thinking about making the same upgrade. So helpful thanks a lot! Really want the weight to work
Seems like an obvious yes, but I can’t seem to find anyone talking about how the w+ compares to the Fellow Ode for pour over v60. If I got an ode with ssp burrs, Is that better and more consistent? It comes out to a similar price but people are usually just talking about espresso which I’m going to eventually get into
Thanks for the informative video! Definitely helped me in my quest for my first decent grinder!
I love the Vario. I usually use it purely for espresso (Breville 870 & Flair Pro 2) as I use the Fellow Ode for pour-overs. I think it's fairly quiet compared to other Baratza grinders. Yes, I think the design is not aesthetically pleasing but it does look better once the portafilter holder is in place. However, the lever knobs are quite flimsy. (Broke it twice so far, but it's less than $3 for a replacement part ) Otherwise, I haven't had any mechanical issues at all in my 4 years of ownership. Overall, my experience has been good. I like that it has BUTTONS and KNOBS to PLAY WITH. It's sturdy, quiet, fast, grind retention is acceptable, easy to clean, easy to operate, and great for single dose.
Where do you have your burrs touch? Do you use SS or ceramic?
@@Hatchet898 I have ceramic burrs.
Thank you for showing another good alternative to the elusive Niche Zero grinder. Like many, I'd love to own a Niche Zero, but have lost faith in ever seeing one available from a legitimate retailer instead of the scalpers.
For November shipping…
Bill, I ordered my Niche in August with an estimated shipping date of sometime in October and received it mid September. Pleasantly surprised that it was early. You can order directly from niche’s website.
@@frf006 , thank you for that information! :)
3:41 Those cheap feeling plastic selector switches were one of the main reasons I went with a different brand last year when I was looking at the Vario Barratza as my goto espresso grinder. Having the metal might have, maybe, tipped the scales back into Varios favor. Alas, I went with the Eureka Mignon Silenzio.
The name of that machine sounds like they threw darts at a board of fancy sounding words
Do a day in the life of Kyle Rowsell video! Haha or not. You're awesome! Love your content.
Thanks! Appreciate that!
I'm considering an upgrade from my OXO grinder to a Baratza Vario+. I brew coffee at least twice a day, but am the only one in the house who drinks it. It is worth the price, or would a Baratza Encore or Virtuoso be sufficient? I never do Espresso.
It's a bit odd neither of these grinders are ideal for Espresso. The steel burrs are missing from the Vario+ and the portafilter holder cancels out the scale/grind sensing in the Vario W+. I don't mind weighing out a single dose myself, but I'd rather not crack open a brand new grinder to replace the burrs on the Vario+. If either of these things were resolved I'd be much more inclined to pick up this grinder.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts!
It takes about 5 minutes to change the burrs though
@@Hatchet898 My Baratza Encore has some scraping and scuffing from accessing the burrs. My point was I'd rather not have to do that on a brand new grinder. I love Baratza, but I wish they could have solved these problems with the new release.
@@PandaPandaPandaism really? I swapped mine out as a total beginner, with no damage whatsoever
@@Hatchet898 Yep, next time I will be more careful, but the tabs on the Encore require a bit of leverage to get open which incurred some damage. I'm not sure if this is the case on the Vario. There's probably a more elegant way to service the machine.
Darn....just bought a new Vario and would have likely waited if I knew this was about to release. Fellow Ottawa Coffee guy here so if you ever want to share a cup let me know.
Return it.
Nice video, Kyle. The workflow went so fast I couldn’t get a feel for getting the coffee out of the plastic chamber into the PF. I agree that the Vario W+ should grind right into the PF and sense the weight as it does it. As is, I would foresee trying to pour the grounds into the PF and making a mess, or transferring to a dosing cup for a cleaner transfer (but kind of a convoluted workflow). Also, curious if the plastic chamber retains grounds due to static buildup? Good to see another review from you!
Hey! No issues with static. But yes, the W+ is an awkward workflow for any sort of single dosing.
I’m a newbie to espresso, and I have the exact same question. Looks like more gadgetry to have to have on hand, but I’m considering the W+.
Love it ! Any yeah.. we don't want ceramic burrs . Both should have steel burrs
I’m sure there are some who do! But I would make the bold claim that most don’t 🙃
@@KyleRowsell That is bold considering the thousands that have been sold. In fact many retailers run low on stock quite often even pre-covid.
maybe the vario w plus with portafilter can work if it's actually grinding coffee? maybe by detecting weight increasing on the portafilter it wont stop.
Hey, contrarian here. My issue with hand grinders for espresso is finding one with a rich textured profile like you get from the original Vario's ceramic burrs.
If I want thin coffee I have a v60 switch. Or a french press.
Be mindfulof the echo chamber effect inherent of being deeply embedded in a hobby.
Hi Kyle , love your channel ❤Quick Q dk you think that the vario W+ will be good for espresso? Will it be an improvement from my Breville Smart Pro?
Great video! Very helpful! I do not do espresso. Would you say the Vario W is good enough for filter only? Thank you... luv your videos!!
Great review. Being pretty new to the coffee scene though, I'd have been pretty interested to hear about what ceramic burrs do differently from steel, and what old school espresso was like compared to current trends.
Ditto to the above. Also, I am confused by phrases like “clarity and transparency” to describe coffee taste. I am left wondering whether the more “transparent” coffee could be spotted in blind taste tests.
I think the reason he didn’t quite address those specific things in this video is because they’re both their own kind of rabbit holes that have a lot of discussion going on right now. I believe he has some videos on the subject, and I know other good coffee RUclipsrs do as well that would probably be interesting and answer those questions. But to have to address these in every review would take up a bit too much time and begin to feel repetitive after the third or so grinder review.
I don't know how much can be said about ceramic Vs steel burrs. They do the same thing - grind coffee, but ceramic is cheaper as they will wear down over time. Higher end grinders, both hand and electric, use steel burrs as they need to have a product that lasts to justify the cost.
Well said! Love the conversations going on here!
As for some of these terms I have covered them in past videos. Maybe I’ll cover them exclusively in a future video… 🙂
@@KyleRowsell I'd definitely love a dedicated video on the subject. Perhaps something along the lines of how coffee and/or coffee equipment has changed over the past X number of years. It fascinates me, for instance, just how much it seems ceramic burrs fell out of favor in the community.
The reason for the different burrs is probably the same as Forte, bg has steel burrs and ap has ceramic burrs.
Sure this may be in line with Baratza’s roster. I’m arguing that it no longer needs to be this way. 😇
Love your videos Kyle :)
Would love to see a comparison of espresso grinders in the Niche Price Range. So like the Baratza, Niche, Mahlkonig x54, Eureka Oro and so on
Let’s make it happen!
Such a nice, pleasant, informative presentation. Good job.
Thanks for watching!
Actually Kyle,
I've just found out that the x54 actually runs with a different burr set from the bg's. Wondering which ones taste better for espresso?
The original Vario was always super low retention. No mods necessary. It's a great single dosing option. I get about 0.3g max. No mods necessary. I think for me maybe I enjoyed it most with a weird alignment. Gave me an nice mixture of brightness and bitterness. After 10+ years I upgraded to the forte metal burr chamber and somehow it lost its magic.
People loved the ceramic burrs it's supposed to be more Espresso oriented yet steel ones are more unimodal maybe and oriented to brew coffee. The burrs are actually not too expensive if someone wants to switch them out.
You can't really compare any grinders to the price of the DF64 it's a random new Asian grinder that is a knock off of a few different grinders basically. Baratza is a experienced grinder brand with their own designs they've researched. The grinders may not be the most dependable but parts are cheap and support is pretty good. Even out of warranty.
Great vídeo Kyle!! What grinder do you think has a better grind(for espresso and for filter coffee)? The baratza Vario or the 1zrpresso Kplus?
I have an original Vario that is about 8-9 years old now. It has been solid! But I don't use it for espresso that often.
I am excited to see how the new + models popularity and all the mods and tips/tricks that come along with that.
Thanks for the solid review, but I think you are right, not an upgrade I need to make just yet.
Have you installed the FORTE BG burrs into your vario? And have you done the Ali one alignment? These two mods will make your vario fantastic!
@@KyleRowsell I have not. It spends 90% if it's time grinding for brewed coffee in my collection of pour over and immersion brewers. And on occasion making espresso in my Flair.
But I personally am not a huge straight espresso drinker.
As thing wear on my Vario, I likely will replace parts with the Forte mods like you mentioned. I have replaced the burr set and debated on the the steel set, but just went with the ceramic again
@@Gherbert1348 FWIW the steel burrset will take your pourovers to the next level, as will the other mods. They are not particularly for espresso, rather getting a more even, consistent grind.
Awesome video and content. This really helps in my decision on the new Vario+ and Vario W+. What is interesting, (and you thankfully display it in your video) is their decision to have the screw/bolt heads on the grinding side of the burrs. Doesn't having the cavity and round screw/bolt head affect the grind consistentency and retention? How many other grinders use burrs (besides the X54) with this kind of burr mounting design?
@Jon Woo Thank you, I was curious. It does make sense that the cavities would get filled with coffee, but do you think that this leads to a constant exchange of old grounds and new grounds. With brewing espresso, it's common place to purge some coffee between changes in grind settings and even the Niche has a 0.3 gram retention when first being used a couple of times, it just seems like leaving door handles on race cars, yes the effect may be negligible, but when you are chasing perfection, no small detail is too small.
I have the forte BG and Niche. The forte couldn't grind fine enough for espresso and Baratza was no help. They wanted me to to calibrate at 3Q instead of 2Q so I could grind the burrs harder together to get a finer grind. I ended up finding a thread on home barista that taught me how to align the burrs for forte and Vario. Doing the marker test, I found the burrs were only touching about 20 percent of the circumference. Once aligned they touched 80 percent and the missing 20 was the part that was touching before which shows it ground that part down.
Anyway once aligned it's great and can grind fine enough for espresso. The only issue I have is sometimes the ideal shot is between like 2K and 2L And that's why I go with the stepless niche for espresso. For brewed coffee the properly aligned forte/Vario will blow most grinders away though.
Thanks for sharing this! An alignment can be necessary for this grinder, there’s no doubt there. Especially if using the older plastic burr chamber.
I'm curious then, what is the Forte offering if the Vario has the same burrs?
Oh, and I suppose, to someone who is only doing pour over, not espresso, is a Vario worth the price in comparison to upgrading an Encore to using The Virtuoso burrs?
The only real difference now is the lcd touchscreen.
It depends on the roast level of the coffee you drink and your general taste preference. They definitely give different cup profiles. Flat burrs tend to give a cleaner, clear and more apparent flavor profile. I personally prefer flat over conicals any day. If you can find a used Vario, upgrade and properly align it I think it would blow your mind in comparison to the Encore, even with Virtuoso burrs. I bought a used Vario (my second, after selling all my coffee gear and leaving the US) for about $165 and just did all the mods/upgrades, in total about $250 which is crazy for what it does.
I had a Virtuoso+ for years which was nice but when I bought a Vario with the Ditting burrs I immediately sold the Virtuoso. I was only making pourovers then. FWIW 😄
The Forte is built for commercial use. It has a longer daily run specification. If you're curious look up the specs. You're right if you only do pour over the Vario and NZ are over-kill. Grinding for pour over and immersion brew methods doesn't have the tight grind size tolerance requirements as grinding for espresso.
I have a Vario-W with ceramic. I love it for espresso, but it can be tricky to recalibrate. Would love the LEDs, for fun 😂
My only concern is I’ve heard some people complain about the original Vario having issues with a coarse grind. I sometimes use 30 on the Comandante, which is pretty coarse. How does the W+ handle grinding coarse; is there an improvement over the current Vario?
The stainless burrs create amazing coarse grounds
Steel burs can be aligned for more time?
My Vario has ceramic and in the last months is very strange, always grinding different depends on the amount of coffee on top of it. And always need to change the regulation.
I have this grinder for around 5 years.
I thought the W stood for weight, like the Sette Wi that it would grind by preset weight and stop.. I guess W is white?
No, it’s weight. The W comes in black too.
Great videos. Thanks for sharing.
I have a question, don't laugh, 😊 I have the Virtuoso from back when I was more serious about my coffee. Now I'm old and lazy and using a Querig. What number should I use for the grind in the Querig for my reusable k-cups? Ok, you can laugh, I know you want to. 🤣
Does everything in this video come out of the box? Curious about the white single serve hopper/bellows thing that suddenly replaced the regular hoper on the W+ at 1:46 in particular - does that come with the W+ but not with the regular Vario+? And the portafilter holder only comes with the regular Vario+?
@ Kyle Rowsell For 90% espresso use with 54mm barista pro and I really like the weigh feature..I never use portafilter holder..What am I sacrificing going from 270wi to Vario W+ ?
Are both great for pour and espresso coffee? I'd seen a lot of this videos and I heard Niche is great for the espresso
Most grinders Can't really compete with the new random branded Chinese Df64 . The larger steel burrs are great and give you more clarity (less body though) in your coffee. but Vario has lower retention and no need for a bellows which is a pro since bellows usually blows out a lot of fines at once also it's an extra step. Also Vario might be easier to adjust between grind sized in ways. Going coarse to fine sometimes the df64 gets stuck but mine might be weird.
Old Vario has both fork and the brew coffee container also they always had the steel burrs as an upgrade option for Vario. It's supposed to be their brew burrs. But people seem to enjoy it for espresso too.
Ordered a Vario+ through Seattle Coffee Gear over the weekend, as it seems they got stock recently. Also getting the stainless steel burrs.
Love to hear it!
Where do you get those ditting burrs? I've been looking, but google fails me...
Directly from Baratza
Hi Kyle, What is the grinding time for espresso, filter for the W+? Great video!
How does the W+ compare with the fellow ode w/ SSP burrs for v60? I like the single dose of the ode but it bugs me that the motor isn't really built for those burrs. Also, is one much noisier than the other? Thanks!
Great video Kyle; I trust your opinion and am grateful for the content you produce. I'm now strongly considering buying the W+ when it ships. If I mostly grind up to 18 grams, do you think the single dose hopper is best to get? And will that be an option out of the box?
Thank you! Yes I do! And it won't be included but an option.
Could I ask what is your opinion for pour over coffee of Vario W plus and DF 64 with Ssp sweet lab burr?
I can’t get espresso fine - any tips? I’ve calibrated to 2q and even down to 1q but it doesn’t get there. I’m confused
Kyle, great hand-on video while there is very limited information about this grinder.
For filtered coffee - how does Vario W+ compare to Ode Fellow?
Any issues changing between filter and espresso grind settings on a daily basis? Heard some mumbling about it needing to be dialed in and coming back to 2Q isnt the same immediately after being somewhere much coarser. Anybody with experience moving the grind sizes around a lot and trying to come back to something dialed in? Thanks!
Love the red Robot. So tall and proud.
It’s sitting back there lurking… waiting for it’s time to shine
Nice vid….I just don’t understand why no one reviews the (sleeper?) Ascaso iSteel….
@ Kyle Rowsell vario+/w does the sette 270 have advantage for espresso since it is stepless or are there other factors.. What about my infinity + for filter ?
Wonder if the changes had to do with Australian small appliance company Breville Group acquiring United States grinder manufacturer Baratza in September 2020.
Hey kyle, nice video! I’ thinkin of upgrading my vario w/ steel burrs but i only do drip exclusively. Have you heard any feedback on cup results for drip/pourover? I imagine having a more even grind distribution would improve the cup quality in both espresso and filter coffee.
Hey Kyle, I bought the Vario + and upgraded the burr set to the stainless steel ones. Prior to this I just had a cheapo burr grinder.
Even when grinding on some of the coarsest settings I’m struggling with my v60 brews choking.
I was so excited to upgrade but right now my sub $100 grinder almost seems to make a better cup. The grinder is calibrated at a touchpoint of 2q right now.
Any suggestions?
When is the Vario+ releasing? Still haven't seen it available anywhere.
Nice review.
Thanks!
Compact and quiet for espresso, Vario vs Mignon Silenzio?
Hi Kyle,
Would the Vario + with steel burrs be a significant upgrade over the Fellow Ode with 1.1 version burrs for filter coffee? It is pushing twice the price, so I would hope so. What about the Ode with SSP burrs? That would put them around the same price. The Ode is beautiful, and the Vario is ugly (looks like a cheap flat blender), but I like the Vario’s ability to do espresso if I want in the future. I also like how serviceable and mod-able the Vario is, as well as Baratza’s attitude toward producing repairable machines. Thoughts?
Just ordered the steel burrs, now I just have to find a Vario+ in stock LOL.
With the W+, could you use a tall dosing cup so you can use the built in scale?
Can you speak to how well aligned (or not) both models were out of the box?
Not perfect. Good enough for most. But Alicorn alignment is ideal.
Thank you for the great video! I had been saving up to get a Forte BG to replace a Breville SmartGrinder Pro I have had for several years. Would the Vario W+ make sense for me since it has the same Burr Set at a lower price point than the Forte? I currently only make pour overs (several a day). I had considered just getting a lower end Baratza (Encore or Virtuoso) but I really wanted to try the flat steel burrs as I have heard they can really enhance the flavor profile for Pour overs. Thank you in advance for any thoughts you may have!
I have the Baratza Vario with the upgraded BG burr set. I no longer use it. My Timemore C2 makes a better V60.
Hey man! Will you ever review the Barista Touch Espresso Machine!?
Odd that they use the word Complexity with the niche. I was taught that inconsistency or disuniformity of grinds was undesired in the specialty coffee circle.
Pretty sweet video as always! I can't help but be seduced by the countless praises people sing about the flat burr profiles and flavor separation and etc, so I think I'd go for the metal 54mm flat burrs in the Vario!
Thanks for the comment!
Does it grand any faster than the previous Vario model?
Hi Kyle, thanks for the nice video as always! I recently bought a 5 year old vario and am not super happy with the result. Thanks for many tips to look into. However I just checked the stainless steel burrs that are standard on the forte bg and the description says something like "great for a coarse grind". From your video I understood you recommend to use the stainless steel for espresso right? Or am I missing something?
Did you find out what the issue was, and what were you specifically unhappy with?
You can use the steels for espresso. Might need alignment to do so tho.
@Baratza: It's not too late to put the stainless steel burrs in the Vario+ and make the ceramic burrs the optional "upgrade". Just do it!
I went from the baratza encore to the niche zero. I have never used a flat burr grinder. What are the differences? I have read that flat burrs are for more light roasts? I like the ease of changing grind size on the niche.
For the niche and pour overs, I have started using Sibartist Fast filters for my V60 since I was having trouble with the hario papers giving me a muddy bed.
Simply put, conicals give more body/texture and flats give more clarity and pronounced floral/fruit notes. Conicals tend to produce more fines than flats also leading to more easily stalling/clogging brews.
@@dankennedy3365 cool. Thank you for that!
Performance is the most important aspect, but aesthetics should also be taken into consideration. And I think all Baratza products have an ugly design.
I think E61 espresso machines are ugly, too. Design is personal isn't it?
@@ggivensjr very good point; I don’t mind the E61 aesthetically, a bit boring but nicely engineered if you don’t mind an industrial look. I do think the design is massively overrated to the point of being cult-like, though! Personally I don’t like grease in my coffee, even if it is food-safe, and the maintenance is a pita.
@@maaaatt I find machines like the Dream-T much more pleasing especially in a residential setting and the Dream-T has a front load reservoir.
Everyone's target: Niche
Guys, let's kill it.
Or have both the Niche and the W+. Not sure how that happened.
Great review Kyle, my worry for the vario is those lever arms slipping after a couple of years use even after shimming.
Exactly, mine are hold in place with toothpicks... :(
@@Slitch-nl1 😵
Great comparison! Can the Vario W+ with the Steel burrs go as fine as Specialty Turkish (a little finer than espresso ) ?
I wouldn’t say the steel burrs are designed to go as fine as a true espresso burr. I’d go with the ceramic burr for Turkish grind.
Too bad I can not find one in Canada. Any ideas??
Is it possible to swap in the 54mm SSP brew burrs that can be used with the Wilfa Uniform? Might be a nice option, as the adjustments are far more granular.
Are you sure there is a 54mm option for ssp?
@@LanceHedrick you are right. They are 58mm unfortunately, both the espresso ones from the Mazzer Mini and the SSP brew. :/
high end electric grinder comparison video maybe when the mignon single dose comes out?
🤫
Why wouldn't people use the W with a full hopper and bin for filtered coffee? Wouldn't that be the majority of its use with a steel burr? Weight dosing is the main feature you're buying into.
Good question. Single dosing is often desired in the espresso and specialty coffee community. It offers optional freshness and ensure's the best control on low retention.
Could you do a Baratza Forte review please?
Hello Kyle, I surely enjoy your videos and tips. This is however not directly pointed at this one. Every time you (and others) grind some coffee for a demonstration I see these wonderful light, actually chestnut, almost cinnamon/orangey coloured beans / grind. What is that? How is this possible. I roast myself but even at the beginning of First Crack the beans are already darker than that, let alone that colour hue. Please enlighten me ... highly appreciated. Thanks ... Klaus in Sioux Lookout, Ontario
I purchase my coffee from a lot of well known specialty roasters. Here in Canada, the US and around the world.
Nice to see Jimmy Kimmel so enthusiastic about his coffee grinder
Thanks for the video. How is the flavor compared to the DF64 ? (For the W+).
Does the cool white blower come with the grinder ?
Did you have static issue/clumping with the W+ when transferring to a portafilter?
Thanks a lot very interesting video !!
I haven’t had extensive time with a DF. Only a few shots here and there with a friends at a local cafe. I wish I could speak more into that.
The little white single dose hopper is sold separately. 🙂 it’s an alternative option to the 3D printer options many use on the Vario.
I use RDT and no static issues. Without it’s got a bit of static but nothing terrible. Far better than the DF in that regard.
@@KyleRowsell Have a link to the hopper ? :)
@@KyleRowsell If you're willing to cover the shipping costs I'd be down to letting you borrow mine for testing and review. I just got it and probably pulled less than 20 shots on it, so it should be pretty representative of what you're getting out of the box.
@@markmaterum that would be awesome. Also do you guys have any tought about the new Eureka Oro single dose grinder ?
Wonder how the Vario + with the steel burr would compete with it. Someone mentionned to me that the new Oro is beautiful but feel cheap.
Hey Kyle, I was wondering how you are liking the single dose hopper for Baratza grinders. I have been debating on getting for a while now for my Encore. Is it worth getting? Does it impact the volume level of the grinder at all?
Thanks! And great video as always!
Hey! It’s alright! I wouldn’t say it’ll make worlds of difference but a nice feature to have if single dosing often!
You can use the single dose hopper as a bellows of sorts at the end of your grind; it pretty much makes it zero retention. Worth it IMO.
@@KyleRowsell awesome, thanks for getting back to me!
@@MSnyder99 that's a good idea! Does it actually work that well? And do you find any difference in sound compared to the original hopper? I live in an apartment and am just trying to minimize the noise of my grinder without having to wrap a towel around it when it gets later / early in the morning
@@donavanmoore247 definitely less retention if you RDT and use the hopper as a bellows (I throw the RDT in there because that's all I've ever done). I've also done the flapper flip, for what it's worth.
Noise wise... Maybe slightly? If you are only concerned about noise, I'm not sure it'd be worth the cost.
Side note: I'd occasionally get beans hung up in the original hopper, that stopped with the single dose hopper.