Honestly for the people commenting it takes too long to grind on this machine, thats the point. Its designed to be slower rpm to bring out brightness and clarity which is someone that doesnt currently exist to my knowledge at this price point. Id be interested to see a comparison between this and a df64 with high uniformity ssp burrs or a 1zpresso zp6!
I'm not complaining. Just unusual compared to most other grinders. The Femobook A68 is also a recent low rpm grinder, also reviews very well. Just feels weird to have an electrical grinder not be faster than a hand grinder.
This is the review that finally sold me on this grinder. Just arrived in the mail today! The build quality is something to be experienced that's for sure; it's far heavier than I thought it would be. Retention is like 0.1-0.2g right off the bat when using bellows before the burrs are even seasoned. It's very quiet, and the size fits perfectly alongside my Gaggia Classic Pro. Honestly for $400cad I couldn't be happier. Only thing I'd change is a dosing cup that fits a 58mm portafilter.
There we go! This must be the niche’s successor! Great review as well! I love that you’re not only tasting and then saying it’s the niche or it’s the Mignon, but you’re actually explaining what you’re tasting first and you’re matching the grinders to what you tasted then. Makes it so much easier for the viewer to understand. Others e.g. Lance Hendrick seem to celebrate themselves for being able to correctly identify a grinder and I would also be amazed at my own tasting capabilities if I could do that, but what I really care about as a viewer is a good and clear description of what you’ve tasted and how the taste was different between the cups. So huge thanks for being so clear!
couldn't agree more, if Lance could put his ego aside for a minute, viewers might actually glean some useful information out of the blind tasting beyond "lance can identify grinders, got it..."
If I was in the market for a high end home grinder, I would definitely look at the Varia VS3. It seems to tick all the boxes for me: Reasonable price, great build quality with small/low tolerances, low RPM, small footprint, built for single dosing. Fantastic product! And great review!! Very thorough and well done!
For someone that does milk espresso shots few times a day, seems like the perfect price point option. The only concern is where to place the power brick.
Thanks for this review. I just ordered the hand grinder from Varia and looked on the website about this VS3. It looks really nice in performance and in design too.
Great review as always and it made me decide on the VS3 over the Lagom Mini (and the Fellow Opus) to go with my Gaggia CP. All that's left is to drill some holes to hide that powersupply away in the cupboards...
Josh legend I’m telling you I was surprised how well the VS3 performs and the burr is still unseasoned need more beens hahahaha. But mate everything you said in the review spot on on point and always unbiased not afraid to say good/bad mate. More power keep it up 🙏😎👼💕👏🏻
@@Adrian-vk1cu yes for both mate and i am honestly stoked on how good it is. Its like your Comandante electric and provides amazing clarity and the filter like niche too. So highly recommended mate
@@Adrian-vk1cu if u do coffee away and need portability keep the C40 for that. But if not that will be an easy sell. It’s good really and can’t beat the price
I've always drank moka pot coffee, but my wife wants a V60 for her first cup in the morning. The Niche grinder is not available in my area - except by mail - and the same for the Varia, but I was looking at various Eureka Mignon grinders, but considering the Baratza Encore ESP for its excellent value, and ease of repair (if needed). So, after watching your video, IF the Varia is easy to change between moka pot and V60 settings, then maybe the VS3 is something I should considering ordering. Thanks so much for detailed analysis.
You must have known from previously trying it that the Varia that it might actually be higher clarity and lower body than one may first assume, I had the same experience with the Weber Key. Some conical burr grinders can be more flat-like and some flats are more conical-like in ways, or more traditional. I think the smaller Eureka burrs are generally more traditional like that. Varia sounds like it's great affordable option for light and medium roasts. It's basically a powered hand grinder in ways, hand grinders (especially ones with similar 6 sided (heptagonal) burrs) similarly run at low RPM and have good consistency as a result. They could have made it better/ faster by using a larger burr set like the 48mm ones found in many 1zPresso or similar hand grinders. Still seems good as long as you're patient and doing other things while grinding :)
Hey Ben, yes - though it's not always as apparent to me - as I'd be tasting it alone - and not side by side & in comparison to other grinders. Also - most often, it'll be the first time tasting that particular coffee I'm using for the video - as I order different coffees each time I make a video. Occasionally though - it can be my first time tasting anything on the grinder I review. Which doesn't impact the way I review the grinders - as initially - it takes some time and coffee to season burrs, dial in espresso - and just run the grinder through its paces of grind size testing - without ever tasting a coffee prior to these episodes where I taste compare against other grinders. - This by far is my favourite way of reviewing a Grinder - and it's not without it own pros and cons. Thanks for that additional info on HGs and Low RPMs. Seem to be a gap in the market that electric grinders can really capitalise on for High performing, low-cost grinders - to compete with the HG range.
@@AlternativeBrewing I'm curious how the different burr options compare. Apparently the steel ones grind faster and the titanium burrs are slower but higher flavour clarity for espresso with a bit less body. I emailed a retailer and said The hypernova blue/multicoloured burr option has a slightly different prebreaker and it's actually about 10 seconds faster. Those are the burrs I'd want to get just for the looks alone heh.
Would love for them to create a flat burr version as well to compete with the DF64. The DF64 with SSPs will probably be more attractive than the VS3 for people that want even greater clarity, but it's far from a polished product. If they could have a similar form factor and workflow as the VS3 but with flat burrs, I would very much prefer it over the DF.
A very interesting new grinder to consider! Is it just me, or did the motor seem to stall/labor during the grind? Or maybe his coffee was a light roast and may overwork the motor? Sure seemed like it could have used a few more watts. Thank you for your very detailed and informative review!
You're welcome ! Haven't heard of any issues of this. Staling might be a issue with very very light roasted coffee - but again - this has never been an issue I'm aware of.
I can't understand why in harry if it takes 10-20 more seconds to grind For home use the important is the cup The grinder is small, beautiful and the price is very good
Completely agree. You're gonna be waiting a few minutes anyways for your machine to heat up in the morning. Unless you're running a coffee shop there's no need for a fast grinder.
hearing it's not great for doing a lot of espresso especially if you like light roasts... for what it is, it's great for filter coffee but i'd rather just use my cheaper JX Pro for low RPM conical burr grinding
Watch out for this company. I bought their new coffee grinder with a $30 shipping charge - high but I wanted the grinder. Now they have come back to me for an additional $45 shipping! What - $75 shipping for a tiny coffee grinder???? Has anyone else had this experience with Varia?
I love this awesome video and hate it at the same time 😂Searching for a great grinder is so difficult. Making the choice is even harder. I love the charming look of the Niche. It's a classic and makes espresso with a good texture and body. However for a at-home coffee grinder it's quite expensive. Half the price is the Varia Vs3, having more clarity and fruitiness (Which I'm not sure I would prefer over a great body) and very sleek look!. The different burrs Varia offers, could give me the complexity I'm looking for. Even the manual Kinu M47 classic is on my radar as it is the same price point and more or less has the same results as the niche. How can i decide which one is more suited for me? I'm torn on this one. Please help a fellow coffee lover out!🙏
Niche is on a pedestal - but tbh it's really only for how easy it is to use and has the factor of convenience. However, If i had a really delicious light roasted espresso or filter I want to bang out some juicy brews with - it would not be a grinder I would use for that. The body and complexity, using something like a Varia VS3 can be obtained through different routes ie: hotter water, longer extractions, lower yields/ratios. ... but the other way around I don't imagine is quite as easy. That being said, a fruity coffee brewed with a Niche will still be delicious, just not as nuanced as the Varia VS3 - plus Varia intend on bringing out newer burr sets -so you could always upgrade to another set that might get more body 👌
I never really understood the purpose of the antipopcorning devices, especially for a single dose grinder with a lid. Considering you have to reach your fingers in anyways, it seems like it would encourage the exact opposite when it comes to finger safety.
Not sure about this one but for some grinders like DF64 (which you can get anti-popcorn devices as an aftermarket add-on) it allows you to do hot loading where you dump coffee in with the grinder running, you can do it without an anti-popcorn device but fragments might pop back out and make a mess, hot loading is supposed to be beneficial for grind consistency since you don't have a pile of coffee sitting on the burrs as they initially spin up, but I'm not sure if it makes a noticeable difference in reality. It also If it's designed properly, it also controls the flow of coffee a bit, so it's more steady and might speed up the overall grinding since the last few beans aren't hopping around, they have less space to jump and will get ground quicker. It's also likely a 'safety' features, but yeah, seems like if beans are always getting stuck there and you need to poke it to remove them, it defeats the safety benefit of that.
I received mine today got so excited. Opened it up calibrated and was adjusting it to my soe beans for espresso. After I put the second 18g in, the first batch was too fine and it just stalled on me I tried to turn it on again and it stopped again and I smell something’s burnt and saw smoke coming out and the start button won’t even press in anymore completely dead 😭
@@ivyzhang5895 That really sucks, I hope Varia will send you a replacement model under warranty cause I'm really looking into getting this as an upgrade from my Rancilio Rocky.
There are now several options on which burrs to choose. Can’t find an easy digestible guide on which to buy based on my preferences. Someone out there to help me out?
Grinding out a dose takes a cool minute and a half... it's a slow boy, wow. That's comparable to my K-Plus or even slower for that dose. Looks pretty interesting overall though. edit: not complaining, just not typical for grinders so far. I prefer clarity and brightness so right up my alley and I've been considering getting an electrical grinder because espresso grind can be a bit tiring/hard on the wrist using a manual grinder. Unfortunately the VS3 is already sold out for the EU market. Might give it a shot once it's back in stock.
K-Plus for me takes about 50 seconds (usually 18g dose), and here he did a 20g dose in about 50 seconds so this grinder is likely faster and easier than hand grinding, but yeah, pretty slow for an electric grinder, and I suspect you'll like the K plus taste better, it's a hard one to beat. I haven't tried the VS3 myself though.
Hello, just curious about the flavour profiles you were talking about with the Vario. Is the 'fruitiness' you mention going to be the same for all coffees? Or is it just that the coffee you used is a more acidic fruity coffee? We tend towards coffees that have a more chocolate/caramel/low acidity flavour profile (ie: Jasper's 'Juliet' or Montville's 'Sunshine Blend'). Would the result be the same for coffees like these or will they maintain their less fruity characteristics? Also- I know it is not released here yet, but how do you think the Vario will compare to the Fellow Opus? Thanks!
Great question! and the answer is no. In this aspect, the grinder has a profile that tends to favour less body & texture and accentuates sweetness, acidity and clarity in the cup instead. For more chocolate-forward coffees, you could interrupt this as almost - milk chocolate, raisins and nougat - so on the lighter side of chocolate/caramel - whereas a grinder such as the Niche Zero, or for better price comparison - like the Compak K3, Baratza Sette 270wi or for a better quality grinder - anything in the Eureka Mignon range 👌 I'm yet to even try coffee off a Fellow Opus, so this is a tough comparison to make.
Fair call. However, $600 for what this grinder can achieve is in fact cheap - in the full scheme of Low retention, high performing grinders. Without the bellows you'll have coffee retained within the grinder - and this overtime is not good for it - unless cleaning regularly.
@@AlternativeBrewing the somewhat good news is it’s $300 USD. And I did look into it a Little more. I use mostly medium roasted beans, switching between dark and light roasted beans occasionally. I’m not sure if this is the right match for me.
Great video thanks! Would you mind sharing your target output/times… 20 and 44 out in 28 seconds etc I’m a huge proponent of low RPMs on my common Dante after seeing Lance Hedricks video
The Fellow Ode is designed for pour over and drip coffee, while this is a hybrid espresso grinder. So I don't think the two are comparable. If you're strictly looking for a grinder for pour over, the Fellow is likely the better option. If you plan on making espresso, you'll need a grinder like the Varia.
In the past I’ve compared same grinders in Espresso and Filter tests. However in saying’s this, the Fellow Ode 2 would be a great comparison grinder for sure! Perhaps I’ll look at that for future video - aligning Espresso with Espresso and Filter with Filter Grinders. FWIW - The Fellow Ode 2 is yet to land in Australia.
I’m struggling. I need a new grinder. Currently, 75% Aeropress, 25% Chemex. But I want to buy a Flair soon and also get into espressos. Do I go Varia, K-Max or something else?
After a few beers tonight, and watching and rewatching this video, I worked up the courage to place an online order for the Varia and the Flair Pro2. Should have them within a few days.
Does this also do decaf? What setting do you recommend roughly? And can you switch between decaf and espresso easily? Or not recommended? Wife can only have decaf as she breast feeding.
It will do decaf, though there will always be some left over grind when switching over from regular to decaf - so there's no guarantee it's 100% free of caffeine, but pretty close😝. Otherwise - a hand grinder will get you even closer - more easily cleaned between Decaf and regular beans to ensure no carry over 👌 Might just be what you need until she's ready to go back to the good stuff
@@CaptianK 1zpresso X-PRo, or 1zpresso JX-Pro would be my best choices - for grinding both yours and her beans each morning. You could get away with a cheaper grinder - like a Timemore C3 or the 1zpresso q2, though - for grinding speed and ease - those are a bit of a chore - whereas the two mentioned above - faster and make better tasting coffee 👌 Consider the X-Pro would also be more ideal - due to the fact - you'll most likely have to be dialling in both Decaf beans and your beans - and the X-Pro has the better Grind Adjustment - getting to the best setting for each bean
@@AlternativeBrewing hey man, would you say the Eureka Mignon Specialita 55 Coffee Grinder be best to go for compacted to this vs3? Wanting something that is fairly decent and I’ve watched a lot of your reviews. Eureka Mignon Specialita 55 Coffee Grinder is an older review by the looks of it but yea you seem to rate it well.
How does the body and clarity of the VS3 compare to a DF64 with italmill burrs? I am thinking about just buying a VS3 for more clarity instead of swapping burrs in my df64e. The italmills are good for medium-dark roasts and body, but clarity is definitely lacking. In my mind the DF with italmills would probably be between the Niche and Eureka you tested which means the VS3 would offer quite an upgrade in clarity for medium-light espresso shots. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Yeah I've heard many brewers having two grinders to obtain both ends of the flavour presentation. 100% if you swap burrs in the DF64e - it'll be at the cost of texture and body, if chasing more clarity in the shots - no one burr set does it all equally well. The VS3 - would extend many opportunities as well - you'd then have both a Flat and Conical burr Grinder - both grinders will have multiple burrs sets you could eventually swap in and out with.. as Varia are bringing out additional burrs for the VS3. Food for thought
X54, from the review I did on it - definitely has a more balanced profile including body & texture. Traditional - somewhat like Eureka, where it sit in the middle of high clarity, with plenty of body and texture. And it doe really depend on what coffee you enjoy drinking 👍
I've just discovered there is already a Generation 2 version of this grinder about to be released. Does that mean the one we all bought only a few months ago was really a beta version?
No not at all. Version 1 i myself have used from day 1 and never had any issues with it. It is because it is such a great grinder - and has been widely popular - at version 1, that a further large run of the Grinder at the manufacturing level continues - and with the addition of being able to leverage further R&D and invest that - it makes perfect sense to continue to improve the Grinder. Niche did it, Fellow with the Ode did it in Grinders - and if you look to something like the Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine - it's up to version 6 - though people still swear by and love their V2 or V3 and makes coffee just as good. It's general practice a company will find ways to improve the product overtime but you're not missing out on any specific additional performance from V1 to V2. It's inherently the same grinder.
@@AlternativeBrewing Do you know what revisions there are? I notice it has upped the RPM from 160 to 190 and wondered whether they rushed this out to deal with the stalling issues users in 120v locations were having? If that's the only revision it would make more sense. Yeah other companies do revisions, but not 6 months after release. That feels like the product was not really ready and early adopters were essentially beta testers and are now stuck with an inferior grinder. I was about to purchase the new hypernova ultra burrs but I feel disinclined to do that if I know there is a new version of the grinder.
@@redrich2000 120v locations I believe makes a difference yes - though I know there is an upgrade to the motor that may include metal not plastic gears - which may have increased tolerances to higher RPM I'm guessing. I'm not fully aware of the issues in staling here - had not heard of this at all tbh. But I'm aware - between the Option-O Lagom Mini and Varia VS3 Grinder - it was a discussion which one had the best motor and torque to survive low rpm, and grinding light roast espresso >was hoping grinding green beans wasn't going to catch on< -(again in the 120v locations.) In the 240v neither really present with staling issue.
Thanks for another great vid. What did you find was the average time it took to grind an 18g espresso dose. The varia people are saying 40s, did your experience match that?
Mine just arrived and I would say it grinded 18g in 38 seconds in the #3 setting for espresso. In their grind chart it said #0 to #3 for espresso but it choked my machine it was way too fine, I would say play around in the late 4’s and this was faster since it was coarser.
I feel like all grinders are too expensive. We should be able to produce machines and grinders at half the price. People need caffine so it all got jacked up in price i think. I look at this like cool, id buy that for $200 but im not even close. THats with most grinders too. Sad. I do have the barista express atm. I like it. Hope it lasts
No, Milk based would benefit from a Eureka grinder. From my experience, a Eureka grinder is a very best of both worlds, having clarity and sweetness, but also creating sufficient body, texture and aftertaste. The Varia surprised me with it's clarity, more so than the degree of clarity, the fact it is a small conical burr, and whilst being a great grinder - Eureka outmatch it in quality for milk based drinks 👌 If looking for an upgrade, perhaps adding extras to the Manuale, like bellows etc may improve workflow, if you haven't already done so 🫶
I’m currently using a varia hand grinder, I’m tired of needing to take a breather while I grind (it’s so slippery) … the varia vs3 is on the short list even with the power brick which I hate, the fellow ode (possibly gen 2) is possible but I’m only doing pour overs or would you recommend one of the 1zpresso?
oh only pourovers? so no esoresso? Sorry - I thought maybe you were doing Espresso. For only pourover - I'd be more inclined to go with the Ode Gen 2 than 👌
Yes, I would happily say so. So long as these beans are not too lightly roasted. I know traditional Turkish coffee is extremely light roast - this may in fact stall the grind - where the burrs cannot spin. So I'd be wary using Super Light roast - otherwise . it will be okay
How does this handle light roasts? Does the low RPM give it more torque? Only thing keeping me from the Lagom Mini. This thing is quite impressive for the price point!
I haven't tried with super light roasts - however I saw no issues with any grinding I did at very very fine settings with the medium-light roasts I had.
would this be a significant upgrade over my breville smart grinder? i do prefer milky drinks and i did see your comment that this might not be the absolute best for full bodied extractions. in either case do you think it would be worthwhile enough to upgrade, or save up for something even better like a df64 or niche? in canada there is a pretty decent price gap.
Great questions - so you're after an upgrade from the Breville - to do mostly milky drinks ... Yes, I would still say for the price of what you're getting in the Varia - looking at your options - unless you go with a Eureka Mignon - which also has great reviews & performs, I would say, slightly better for the balance in Milkier drinks - though you'd have to add a Single dosing hopper and bellow to get the same Zero retention.
Hi! I love these low rpm, compact grinders. One problem with most is that the power brick almost doubles the size and is hard to hide on a kitchen bench. Does the VS3 have an in built power supply or a large external supply?
@@AlternativeBrewing Great review Josh however I think it would have been good to mention about the brick during the review as that's a deal breaker for me due to lack of room. Thanks.
Hi there! I appreciate this review video. I’m new to the hobby and have learned so much from videos like this lol. I did have a question, the Barraza settle 270 is currently on sale for $280 dollars. Would you take that over the varia? I’ve had my eye set on the vs3 but haven’t pulled the trigger.
Awesome, thank you! and the answer to the question really depends on what you intend to use the Grinder for and - taking into account your preferences for coffee. Firstly - both Grinders will do Espresso well. I would choose the Varia over the Sette 270 for anything other than espresso. Secondly, are you intending to single dose coffee? (Varia) Or would you prefer to use a hopper and dose out on demand without having to weigh beans each time? (sette270)-. Are you drinking Single Origin coffee and looking for clarity of flavour (Varia) - or do you add milk and enjoy strong rich coffee (Sette270) ... That's probably the best way I could summarize that. the Varia is of higher build quality than the Sette270, at a price of course.
Thank you for asking this bc I’m in the market for a budget friendly espresso grinder for a Flair 58. I already have an updated Encore for V60 so I don’t need a dual grinder. I like milk drinks to I’m thinking the 270 for me too.
Hi i have just changed out my wilfa uniform grinder to the Varia vs 3 but iam struggeling to find the right grind setting for my v60 i have been trying from setting 09-13 without success using hario filters,96c water,light roast kenyan coffee, any tips? @alternative Brewing
@@AlternativeBrewing Flowing too slow and i feel the taste is no good if the total brew time exceeds 03.30 i have always been using the ultimate v60 technique from james hoffmann on my wilfa uniform grinder and i was always at grind setting 28--31 on that grinder. On the varia i cannot find a good setting from 08-13
The DF64 has many more benefits of being a better grinder. In this comparison - apart from in Australia the price being $400 more - the DF64 is more robustly made, and could easily be used in a commercial setting. The 64mm Flat Burrs make fantastic coffee - and I'd prefer coffee from the DF64 over the Varia VS3, both filter and espresso - for being a cleaner, brighter and more transparent flavours. It will grind faster; retention and cleanliness being about the same. ... Footprint wise, you'd have to look at your bench - the DF64 being much taller than the Varia, but all in all, about the same footprint also. PLus, lastly I couldn't get past the opportunity down the line to gift myself different burrs to use in the DF64 👌 Varia also has burrs, but it's like a better Varia with the better burrs. New burrs on the DF64 change the grinders profile all-together.
At 3:44 it is mentioned that a dosing ring may be a good idea given the size of the dosing cup. Any thoughts whether this will be the same issue with the “less than 58” Flare Pro2? If so, do any specific products come to mind that can be used with the Flair Pro2? Thanks.
I'd say it'd be less than ideal for the Flair Pro 2. I never tested it there - but in measuring it was just shy of 53mm. From memory, Flair Pro 2 is 49mm. I'm yet to find the perfect dosing ring for the Flair - other than it's own dosing cup.
Why didn't you include the top hand grinders, like the Kinu you mentioned? This grinder uses a smaller burr set than the typical hand grinder and this would have been the best comparison. If this was not really up to the same standard as the 48mm burr hand grinders then it doesn't really matter how good the design and workflow of this grinder is. However, if this smaller 38mm burr set performed as good as or even better than the 48mm burrs then the VS3 would place itself in a whole new class - this is what we needed to know.
Why didn't I, that's a good question. I feel for a majority of consumers - the question over a Hand Grinder vs Automatic Grinder is an already made decision. You're right in suggesting the KINU could in fact be a better grinder - however, offering the majority of consumers the idea that buying a Kinu HG, and manually grinding your beans, is better than the Varia is a tough sell. I do want to make that video though! 100%, - as price is identical too - just not included in the Varia VS3 Grinder review - perhaps a comparison video coming soon 👌
Filter or Espresso? My experience is the Varia VS3 with the Hypernova Ultra Burrs - is a better combo for both Espresso and Filter. The Fellow Ode gen2 is a Filter Grinder only - and is fantastic - though if feel it's a little more balanced a coffee - where it has slightly more body, and less sweetness, acidity - vs the Varia VS3 on Filter - which would have slightly less body, with more sweetness and acidity. I'd still go or the Varia VS3 with an upgraded burr set over the Ode Gen2 👌
I bought one last nite but I realized that there was no detail on whether it was 2nd gen or type of grinder and no one has replied to mg email Can you please check on my order / questions ?
Hi there. Not to worry - we ship every 24hrs and I can confirm you email is in the queue and will be seen as early as possible. FYI the Varia VS3 is currently the Gen1 Grinder.
Yes it is - there’s grind that will still clump slightly to the grooves in burrs, and around the grinds chamber. It’s about 1g - and with the bellows it’s completely evacuated.
150kgs is 150,000g. If using 20g to grind coffee. You’ll have 7500 doses as the lifetime. Let’s say you use 40g/day. That’s almost 9 years to reach that amount !
Hand Grinders will always have less retention - However speed, workflow and grind distribution are all up for discussion - and some Hand grinders, yes, would be superior to some average Automatic Grinders - thought the Varia VS3 is one that I would say competes quite well with being compact, affordable - compared the the very best Hand Grinders - and better in performance
Depends, if you want full bodied espresso shots the Niche is better. If you want more clarity and separation of flavors with less body go for the VS3. The tighter the grind distribution the better the separation of flavors, it looks like the VS3 probably has tighter grind distribution probably cups more like a flat burr.
@PublicName - Milk based coffees will benefit from more full bodied, richer extractions. The Niche is a great example of a grinder that produces this flavour profile. If you prefer drinking Black coffee (no milk) then a grinder with a flavour profile that allows more of the nuances of a coffee’s flavour to shine through might be something you’d prefer- generally speaking - it’s flat burr grinders that possess this sort of consistency. Though the VS3 breaks the mould here. A Eureka Mignon is more of a balanced cup - with some clarity and some body.
@@publicname515 Traditional Italian style features darker roasts and less clarity generally. The Niche would deliver this more closely than the VS3 from what I've seen so far of the VS3. This type of profile generally holds up better in milk based drinks too.
My 1zpresso X-Pro arrived on Monday and the cups I'm brewing with my AeroPress are pure happiness. Can't recommend it enough! Out of interest, will AB be stocking the ZP6 Special? (Apologies to Varia for hijacking the post lol)
@@AlternativeBrewing Cool beans! Would love to try them all out but I'll have to settle for your reviews and see what the non-existent budget allows for
Yes - I mean it'll grind for dark roast no worries - though I have not tried it with a dark roast to comment how it affects the flavours through brewing
Im not sure I would say struggling. It doesn't have an issue grinding. It is important to note, the Grinder is operating at 160rpms - which is only slightly faster than hand grinding. Thankfully, toy or not toy, it makes delicious coffee 🫶
Lol, I don’t know what your actual timeline was tor recording this, but by 3/4 in, your personal caffeination level increases seem to be… detectable 😂 (which is, of course, 100% expected when watching coffee related reviews…)
hahaha! yeah it's more than usual a single day of filming, so yes - there's point in filming where I can be five, six or eight coffees in and loosing my mind 😂
Josh, Josh, Josh…at first I thought you were being sarcastic (“listen how quiet it is”) and then I realized you were just trying to be kind. One can buy THREE Baratza Encores (Etzinger conical burrs) for the price of this wheezing monstrosity. Of course, the Encore doesn’t come with the spray bottle you were so excited about and I’m sure the ones you can buy 2/$6.00 on Amazon aren’t nearly as good! Seriously….seriously? 😊
What a useless comment. Firstly, this grinder is very quiet compared to the encore. The fact that he can talk over the grinder in a room is pretty impressive. That’d be pretty difficult with an encore. Secondly, encores are horrendous for espresso so it’s not even worthwhile to compare them in price. Thirdly, your comparison in price is quite far off. Encores retail for 169 on Amazon…this grinder is 299 US. Not really sure what your point was here
I’m with you there for simplicity 💯 If you just need to grind some coffee - and it’s not for an espresso machine - I wouldn’t run out and get the Varia. It’s not the “next” best grinder on the market. The Encore does a good enough job. The Varia is working a different crowd here - with the Bellows, RDT and the promotion of additional burr sets to come.
@@alecmcgahee3331 I believe Josh said it was $600 “out of the box”? And with the M2 burr mod and the simple “fine” adjustment on the Encore, I can grind an espresso that will choke all three of the espresso brewers I have (ECM, LaPavoni and a retired Breville). Which is moot, for me, since I prefer a flat burr profile anyway. As for quiet, c’mon man, this thing sounds like a Yugo trying to start up a hill in third gear.
@@AlternativeBrewing Hi Josh. Yeah, see my reply to Alec. Am I wrong or did you say that this was $600? Also, my conical is an Encore, but I’ve modded it with the M2 burr upgrade and re-calibrated to grind finer overall. So I actually have really good espresso performance (when I use it for espresso) and it is great for showcasing the body and bass notes of pretty much any coffee I run through it. Generally, I prefer my DF 64 (SSP multi-purpose burr upgrade) or my 1ZPresso K-Plus. Between the three however - and an ECM machine, a LaPavoni Europiccola, a V60, a Hario Switch, an April brewer and a Japanese wire-mesh pour-over brewer - I’m pretty much covered in the “mid” range price area for pretty much anything I might brew. Which, most often, is my own home roast (Hot Top running Artisan Scope). Yes, it’s a sickness. But I’ve found that AB videos are the cure!!!!!
Hahaha tbh the Niche Killer thing for me is getting a bit worn. But I guess it the Linea Mini for Home grinders. However I totally agree with you there - in hindsight if I’d known how clean the brews would be in comparison to other grinders I would have gone with High uniformity grinders like the DF64 👍
Honestly for the people commenting it takes too long to grind on this machine, thats the point. Its designed to be slower rpm to bring out brightness and clarity which is someone that doesnt currently exist to my knowledge at this price point. Id be interested to see a comparison between this and a df64 with high uniformity ssp burrs or a 1zpresso zp6!
I'm not complaining. Just unusual compared to most other grinders. The Femobook A68 is also a recent low rpm grinder, also reviews very well. Just feels weird to have an electrical grinder not be faster than a hand grinder.
Spot on champ ❤❤❤❤
No comparison to DF64 you get a more precise well balance with more flav tones in 64.
Mine is arriving today, and i got it to be a slow hand grinder like experience without the work
Any flat burr grinder with ssp burr is a totally different league. Not in the same comparison range.
This is the review that finally sold me on this grinder. Just arrived in the mail today! The build quality is something to be experienced that's for sure; it's far heavier than I thought it would be. Retention is like 0.1-0.2g right off the bat when using bellows before the burrs are even seasoned. It's very quiet, and the size fits perfectly alongside my Gaggia Classic Pro. Honestly for $400cad I couldn't be happier. Only thing I'd change is a dosing cup that fits a 58mm portafilter.
Great to hear!
How big is the dosing cup? Is it bigger then 58mm?
@@SammyEatsYourBrain99 Smaller. It's roughly 51mm in outside diameter. It'll fit inside a standard portafilter no problem.
Have u found a good grind size for v60? I cannot find a good one from 08-13
@@oyvindgu I don't use a v60, but for my Aeropress I use anywhere between 10-15, and usually about 11-12.
There we go! This must be the niche’s successor!
Great review as well! I love that you’re not only tasting and then saying it’s the niche or it’s the Mignon, but you’re actually explaining what you’re tasting first and you’re matching the grinders to what you tasted then. Makes it so much easier for the viewer to understand. Others e.g. Lance Hendrick seem to celebrate themselves for being able to correctly identify a grinder and I would also be amazed at my own tasting capabilities if I could do that, but what I really care about as a viewer is a good and clear description of what you’ve tasted and how the taste was different between the cups. So huge thanks for being so clear!
Thanks so much Tim ❤️
couldn't agree more, if Lance could put his ego aside for a minute, viewers might actually glean some useful information out of the blind tasting beyond "lance can identify grinders, got it..."
If I was in the market for a high end home grinder, I would definitely look at the Varia VS3. It seems to tick all the boxes for me: Reasonable price, great build quality with small/low tolerances, low RPM, small footprint, built for single dosing. Fantastic product!
And great review!! Very thorough and well done!
Thanks so much 😄
love the idea of the turn table for blind cupping! over all awesome review! very informative and thorough. thanks again as always! 😁
For someone that does milk espresso shots few times a day, seems like the perfect price point option. The only concern is where to place the power brick.
Behind your espresso machine! 🤩
What an incredible grinder. I'm on a Cuisinart budget unfortunately. Great video!! Love these comparisons
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this review. I just ordered the hand grinder from Varia and looked on the website about this VS3. It looks really nice in performance and in design too.
Waited for this! Thanks for reviewing it... It'll be nice if you can comment the extra burr options..
I’ll do a follow up for sure 🙌
Great review as always and it made me decide on the VS3 over the Lagom Mini (and the Fellow Opus) to go with my Gaggia CP. All that's left is to drill some holes to hide that powersupply away in the cupboards...
Very nice!
Yeah... the power supply is the only thing holding me back from purchase. It's so damn chunky, and I like a very minimal setup.
For filtered lovers out there 7.5 in v60 and 8 for chemex is perfect in most of the SO beans 👍👍
Nice !!! I saw you got this on your bar now from Instagram! Time to retire the rest of the grinders? 😅
Josh legend I’m telling you I was surprised how well the VS3 performs and the burr is still unseasoned need more beens hahahaha. But mate everything you said in the review spot on on point and always unbiased not afraid to say good/bad mate. More power keep it up 🙏😎👼💕👏🏻
Awesome video!
Keen to have a play with one now :)
Finally Josh a review well done champ ❤🎉😊
The RPM is sweet spot for home use and my comandante is having a great break atm haahaaha
@@TC_Prof Wondering whether this will be a nice upgrade from my Breville SGP and my Comandante? Do you use this for both Espresso and filter?
@@Adrian-vk1cu yes for both mate and i am honestly stoked on how good it is. Its like your Comandante electric and provides amazing clarity and the filter like niche too. So highly recommended mate
@@TC_Prof appreciate the quick reply mate! I could probably shift those two grinders and almost cover the cost of one of these. Temptation is there!
@@Adrian-vk1cu if u do coffee away and need portability keep the C40 for that. But if not that will be an easy sell. It’s good really and can’t beat the price
I've always drank moka pot coffee, but my wife wants a V60 for her first cup in the morning. The Niche grinder is not available in my area - except by mail - and the same for the Varia, but I was looking at various Eureka Mignon grinders, but considering the Baratza Encore ESP for its excellent value, and ease of repair (if needed).
So, after watching your video, IF the Varia is easy to change between moka pot and V60 settings, then maybe the VS3 is something I should considering ordering. Thanks so much for detailed analysis.
Absolutely 👍 your welcome
I think when my Sette 270i at home dies, this will replace it. Really nice footprint, and love the single dosing ability.
Good choice
My god, I’d have to have left for work before it’s finished grinding, hopefully it’ll be finished when I get home!
You must have known from previously trying it that the Varia that it might actually be higher clarity and lower body than one may first assume, I had the same experience with the Weber Key. Some conical burr grinders can be more flat-like and some flats are more conical-like in ways, or more traditional. I think the smaller Eureka burrs are generally more traditional like that.
Varia sounds like it's great affordable option for light and medium roasts. It's basically a powered hand grinder in ways, hand grinders (especially ones with similar 6 sided (heptagonal) burrs) similarly run at low RPM and have good consistency as a result. They could have made it better/ faster by using a larger burr set like the 48mm ones found in many 1zPresso or similar hand grinders. Still seems good as long as you're patient and doing other things while grinding :)
Hey Ben, yes - though it's not always as apparent to me - as I'd be tasting it alone - and not side by side & in comparison to other grinders. Also - most often, it'll be the first time tasting that particular coffee I'm using for the video - as I order different coffees each time I make a video.
Occasionally though - it can be my first time tasting anything on the grinder I review. Which doesn't impact the way I review the grinders - as initially - it takes some time and coffee to season burrs, dial in espresso - and just run the grinder through its paces of grind size testing - without ever tasting a coffee prior to these episodes where I taste compare against other grinders. - This by far is my favourite way of reviewing a Grinder - and it's not without it own pros and cons.
Thanks for that additional info on HGs and Low RPMs. Seem to be a gap in the market that electric grinders can really capitalise on for High performing, low-cost grinders - to compete with the HG range.
@@AlternativeBrewing thanks for your response I enjoy your videos :)
Great review!
Subscribed
Awesome, thank you!
I'm more worried about the finish of the beans when I grind them coarsely.
Mine just arrived today. Got the supernova burr set too!
Any update after a few days? :)
Nice review
Thanks!
i think this may be my 1st electric grinder
Good choice 👌
So 20g grinding at espresso grind size was going from 2:40-3:30 ish, so took about 50 seconds.
Correct 👌 most say about a minute to grind. So a little more or less than a Hand Grinder - depending on the quality of the HG
@@AlternativeBrewing I'm curious how the different burr options compare. Apparently the steel ones grind faster and the titanium burrs are slower but higher flavour clarity for espresso with a bit less body. I emailed a retailer and said The hypernova blue/multicoloured burr option has a slightly different prebreaker and it's actually about 10 seconds faster. Those are the burrs I'd want to get just for the looks alone heh.
Would love for them to create a flat burr version as well to compete with the DF64. The DF64 with SSPs will probably be more attractive than the VS3 for people that want even greater clarity, but it's far from a polished product. If they could have a similar form factor and workflow as the VS3 but with flat burrs, I would very much prefer it over the DF.
I’m with you there!🙏
would you still say the DF64 is better than varia s3? im thinking about getting either of them
Grinding 20 g felt like forever. I get that its the price for how quietit is. But damn I can appreciate my setto 270 even for how noisy it is
A very interesting new grinder to consider! Is it just me, or did the motor seem to stall/labor during the grind? Or maybe his coffee was a light roast and may overwork the motor? Sure seemed like it could have used a few more watts. Thank you for your very detailed and informative review!
You're welcome ! Haven't heard of any issues of this. Staling might be a issue with very very light roasted coffee - but again - this has never been an issue I'm aware of.
I loved using mine but it broke after 2 months. waiting to see if the guarantee works or not
I can't understand why in harry if it takes 10-20 more seconds to grind
For home use the important is the cup
The grinder is small, beautiful and the price is very good
Completely agree. You're gonna be waiting a few minutes anyways for your machine to heat up in the morning. Unless you're running a coffee shop there's no need for a fast grinder.
hearing it's not great for doing a lot of espresso especially if you like light roasts... for what it is, it's great for filter coffee but i'd rather just use my cheaper JX Pro for low RPM conical burr grinding
Watch out for this company. I bought their new coffee grinder with a $30 shipping charge - high but I wanted the grinder. Now they have come back to me for an additional $45 shipping! What - $75 shipping for a tiny coffee grinder???? Has anyone else had this experience with Varia?
I love this awesome video and hate it at the same time 😂Searching for a great grinder is so difficult. Making the choice is even harder. I love the charming look of the Niche. It's a classic and makes espresso with a good texture and body. However for a at-home coffee grinder it's quite expensive. Half the price is the Varia Vs3, having more clarity and fruitiness (Which I'm not sure I would prefer over a great body) and very sleek look!. The different burrs Varia offers, could give me the complexity I'm looking for. Even the manual Kinu M47 classic is on my radar as it is the same price point and more or less has the same results as the niche. How can i decide which one is more suited for me? I'm torn on this one. Please help a fellow coffee lover out!🙏
Niche is on a pedestal - but tbh it's really only for how easy it is to use and has the factor of convenience. However, If i had a really delicious light roasted espresso or filter I want to bang out some juicy brews with - it would not be a grinder I would use for that. The body and complexity, using something like a Varia VS3 can be obtained through different routes ie: hotter water, longer extractions, lower yields/ratios. ... but the other way around I don't imagine is quite as easy. That being said, a fruity coffee brewed with a Niche will still be delicious, just not as nuanced as the Varia VS3 - plus Varia intend on bringing out newer burr sets -so you could always upgrade to another set that might get more body 👌
I never really understood the purpose of the antipopcorning devices, especially for a single dose grinder with a lid. Considering you have to reach your fingers in anyways, it seems like it would encourage the exact opposite when it comes to finger safety.
Not sure about this one but for some grinders like DF64 (which you can get anti-popcorn devices as an aftermarket add-on) it allows you to do hot loading where you dump coffee in with the grinder running, you can do it without an anti-popcorn device but fragments might pop back out and make a mess, hot loading is supposed to be beneficial for grind consistency since you don't have a pile of coffee sitting on the burrs as they initially spin up, but I'm not sure if it makes a noticeable difference in reality. It also If it's designed properly, it also controls the flow of coffee a bit, so it's more steady and might speed up the overall grinding since the last few beans aren't hopping around, they have less space to jump and will get ground quicker. It's also likely a 'safety' features, but yeah, seems like if beans are always getting stuck there and you need to poke it to remove them, it defeats the safety benefit of that.
I just got mine a couple of weeks ago. I seem to prefer filter from my hand grinder. The espresso is great though from the VS3.
wich hand grinder do you use?
How long does it typically take for you to grind for espresso? I'm looking to upgrade my Rancilio Rocky to a single dose grinder
@@derekchuan 38 to 40 seconds for 18g at a #3
I received mine today got so excited. Opened it up calibrated and was adjusting it to my soe beans for espresso. After I put the second 18g in, the first batch was too fine and it just stalled on me I tried to turn it on again and it stopped again and I smell something’s burnt and saw smoke coming out and the start button won’t even press in anymore completely dead 😭
@@ivyzhang5895 That really sucks, I hope Varia will send you a replacement model under warranty cause I'm really looking into getting this as an upgrade from my Rancilio Rocky.
There are now several options on which burrs to choose. Can’t find an easy digestible guide on which to buy based on my preferences. Someone out there to help me out?
Grinding out a dose takes a cool minute and a half... it's a slow boy, wow. That's comparable to my K-Plus or even slower for that dose. Looks pretty interesting overall though.
edit: not complaining, just not typical for grinders so far. I prefer clarity and brightness so right up my alley and I've been considering getting an electrical grinder because espresso grind can be a bit tiring/hard on the wrist using a manual grinder. Unfortunately the VS3 is already sold out for the EU market. Might give it a shot once it's back in stock.
You’re absolutely right. Not a fast grinder at all. About the same as hand grinder which is pretty incredible.
You can do other stuff in the mean time. Slower rpm usually results in better grounds anyway!
18g at setting #3 for espresso takes 38.8 seconds!
K-Plus for me takes about 50 seconds (usually 18g dose), and here he did a 20g dose in about 50 seconds so this grinder is likely faster and easier than hand grinding, but yeah, pretty slow for an electric grinder, and I suspect you'll like the K plus taste better, it's a hard one to beat. I haven't tried the VS3 myself though.
Hello, just curious about the flavour profiles you were talking about with the Vario. Is the 'fruitiness' you mention going to be the same for all coffees? Or is it just that the coffee you used is a more acidic fruity coffee? We tend towards coffees that have a more chocolate/caramel/low acidity flavour profile (ie: Jasper's 'Juliet' or Montville's 'Sunshine Blend'). Would the result be the same for coffees like these or will they maintain their less fruity characteristics? Also- I know it is not released here yet, but how do you think the Vario will compare to the Fellow Opus? Thanks!
Great question! and the answer is no. In this aspect, the grinder has a profile that tends to favour less body & texture and accentuates sweetness, acidity and clarity in the cup instead. For more chocolate-forward coffees, you could interrupt this as almost - milk chocolate, raisins and nougat - so on the lighter side of chocolate/caramel - whereas a grinder such as the Niche Zero, or for better price comparison - like the Compak K3, Baratza Sette 270wi or for a better quality grinder - anything in the Eureka Mignon range 👌
I'm yet to even try coffee off a Fellow Opus, so this is a tough comparison to make.
Those bellows seem like quite a hassle though. Maybe it’s because I’m new to this, but for $600 I feel like I shouldn’t be needing bellows.
Fair call. However, $600 for what this grinder can achieve is in fact cheap - in the full scheme of Low retention, high performing grinders. Without the bellows you'll have coffee retained within the grinder - and this overtime is not good for it - unless cleaning regularly.
@@AlternativeBrewing the somewhat good news is it’s $300 USD. And I did look into it a Little more. I use mostly medium roasted beans, switching between dark and light roasted beans occasionally. I’m not sure if this is the right match for me.
Why are the bellows a “hassle”? I own the VS3. Trust me when I say they are not a hassle. In any sense of the word. I don’t understand the concern.
@@mgm1037 because I find the idea annoying.
Great video thanks! Would you mind sharing your target output/times… 20 and 44 out in 28 seconds etc
I’m a huge proponent of low RPMs on my common Dante after seeing Lance Hedricks video
Sure - for espresso it was 18g in / 38g out in 24seconds. 95c water.
For the filter - I ran 10g beans in the bowl, at 150g of 95c water.
Why is nobody comparing this to the Fellow Ode V2? I am waiting patiently…
The Fellow Ode is designed for pour over and drip coffee, while this is a hybrid espresso grinder. So I don't think the two are comparable. If you're strictly looking for a grinder for pour over, the Fellow is likely the better option. If you plan on making espresso, you'll need a grinder like the Varia.
In the past I’ve compared same grinders in Espresso and Filter tests. However in saying’s this, the Fellow Ode 2 would be a great comparison grinder for sure! Perhaps I’ll look at that for future video - aligning Espresso with Espresso and Filter with Filter Grinders.
FWIW - The Fellow Ode 2 is yet to land in Australia.
I’m struggling. I need a new grinder. Currently, 75% Aeropress, 25% Chemex. But I want to buy a Flair soon and also get into espressos. Do I go Varia, K-Max or something else?
After a few beers tonight, and watching and rewatching this video, I worked up the courage to place an online order for the Varia and the Flair Pro2. Should have them within a few days.
Does this also do decaf? What setting do you recommend roughly?
And can you switch between decaf and espresso easily? Or not recommended? Wife can only have decaf as she breast feeding.
It will do decaf, though there will always be some left over grind when switching over from regular to decaf - so there's no guarantee it's 100% free of caffeine, but pretty close😝. Otherwise - a hand grinder will get you even closer - more easily cleaned between Decaf and regular beans to ensure no carry over 👌 Might just be what you need until she's ready to go back to the good stuff
@@AlternativeBrewing sweet thanks what hand one would you recommend?
@@CaptianK 1zpresso X-PRo, or 1zpresso JX-Pro would be my best choices - for grinding both yours and her beans each morning. You could get away with a cheaper grinder - like a Timemore C3 or the 1zpresso q2, though - for grinding speed and ease - those are a bit of a chore - whereas the two mentioned above - faster and make better tasting coffee 👌 Consider the X-Pro would also be more ideal - due to the fact - you'll most likely have to be dialling in both Decaf beans and your beans - and the X-Pro has the better Grind Adjustment - getting to the best setting for each bean
@@AlternativeBrewing thanks bro. Expensive hobby but worth it. Hopefully I can just use one grinder and get the model Vs3 soon.,
@@AlternativeBrewing hey man, would you say the Eureka Mignon Specialita 55 Coffee Grinder be best to go for compacted to this vs3? Wanting something that is fairly decent and I’ve watched a lot of your reviews. Eureka Mignon Specialita 55 Coffee Grinder is an older review by the looks of it but yea you seem to rate it well.
How does the body and clarity of the VS3 compare to a DF64 with italmill burrs? I am thinking about just buying a VS3 for more clarity instead of swapping burrs in my df64e. The italmills are good for medium-dark roasts and body, but clarity is definitely lacking. In my mind the DF with italmills would probably be between the Niche and Eureka you tested which means the VS3 would offer quite an upgrade in clarity for medium-light espresso shots. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Yeah I've heard many brewers having two grinders to obtain both ends of the flavour presentation. 100% if you swap burrs in the DF64e - it'll be at the cost of texture and body, if chasing more clarity in the shots - no one burr set does it all equally well.
The VS3 - would extend many opportunities as well - you'd then have both a Flat and Conical burr Grinder - both grinders will have multiple burrs sets you could eventually swap in and out with.. as Varia are bringing out additional burrs for the VS3. Food for thought
Any comparison between this and Mahlkonig x54 for espresso? Just seeing if it’s worth paying twice the amount!
X54, from the review I did on it - definitely has a more balanced profile including body & texture. Traditional - somewhat like Eureka, where it sit in the middle of high clarity, with plenty of body and texture. And it doe really depend on what coffee you enjoy drinking 👍
I've just discovered there is already a Generation 2 version of this grinder about to be released. Does that mean the one we all bought only a few months ago was really a beta version?
No not at all. Version 1 i myself have used from day 1 and never had any issues with it. It is because it is such a great grinder - and has been widely popular - at version 1, that a further large run of the Grinder at the manufacturing level continues - and with the addition of being able to leverage further R&D and invest that - it makes perfect sense to continue to improve the Grinder. Niche did it, Fellow with the Ode did it in Grinders - and if you look to something like the Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine - it's up to version 6 - though people still swear by and love their V2 or V3 and makes coffee just as good. It's general practice a company will find ways to improve the product overtime but you're not missing out on any specific additional performance from V1 to V2. It's inherently the same grinder.
@@AlternativeBrewing Do you know what revisions there are? I notice it has upped the RPM from 160 to 190 and wondered whether they rushed this out to deal with the stalling issues users in 120v locations were having? If that's the only revision it would make more sense. Yeah other companies do revisions, but not 6 months after release. That feels like the product was not really ready and early adopters were essentially beta testers and are now stuck with an inferior grinder. I was about to purchase the new hypernova ultra burrs but I feel disinclined to do that if I know there is a new version of the grinder.
@@redrich2000 120v locations I believe makes a difference yes - though I know there is an upgrade to the motor that may include metal not plastic gears - which may have increased tolerances to higher RPM I'm guessing. I'm not fully aware of the issues in staling here - had not heard of this at all tbh. But I'm aware - between the Option-O Lagom Mini and Varia VS3 Grinder - it was a discussion which one had the best motor and torque to survive low rpm, and grinding light roast espresso >was hoping grinding green beans wasn't going to catch on< -(again in the 120v locations.) In the 240v neither really present with staling issue.
3 new burr sets just appeared at the Varia site.
🔥looks interesting! Will definitely make a difference to the grinding having new burrs.
Thanks for another great vid. What did you find was the average time it took to grind an 18g espresso dose. The varia people are saying 40s, did your experience match that?
Mine just arrived and I would say it grinded 18g in 38 seconds in the #3 setting for espresso. In their grind chart it said #0 to #3 for espresso but it choked my machine it was way too fine, I would say play around in the late 4’s and this was faster since it was coarser.
Yes, on average 36-40seconds to get through a full dose.
I also found some coffees to be ground around 4, rather than 3 🙏
I feel like all grinders are too expensive. We should be able to produce machines and grinders at half the price. People need caffine so it all got jacked up in price i think. I look at this like cool, id buy that for $200 but im not even close. THats with most grinders too. Sad. I do have the barista express atm. I like it. Hope it lasts
Josh, for milk base drinks only, would you change a Mignon Manuelle for the Varia?
No, Milk based would benefit from a Eureka grinder. From my experience, a Eureka grinder is a very best of both worlds, having clarity and sweetness, but also creating sufficient body, texture and aftertaste. The Varia surprised me with it's clarity, more so than the degree of clarity, the fact it is a small conical burr, and whilst being a great grinder - Eureka outmatch it in quality for milk based drinks 👌 If looking for an upgrade, perhaps adding extras to the Manuale, like bellows etc may improve workflow, if you haven't already done so 🫶
Thanks so much mate. Really appreciated.
I’m currently using a varia hand grinder, I’m tired of needing to take a breather while I grind (it’s so slippery) … the varia vs3 is on the short list even with the power brick which I hate, the fellow ode (possibly gen 2) is possible but I’m only doing pour overs or would you recommend one of the 1zpresso?
oh only pourovers? so no esoresso? Sorry - I thought maybe you were doing Espresso. For only pourover - I'd be more inclined to go with the Ode Gen 2 than 👌
Is it suitable for grinding Turkish coffee?
Yes, I would happily say so. So long as these beans are not too lightly roasted. I know traditional Turkish coffee is extremely light roast - this may in fact stall the grind - where the burrs cannot spin. So I'd be wary using Super Light roast - otherwise . it will be okay
How does this handle light roasts? Does the low RPM give it more torque? Only thing keeping me from the Lagom Mini. This thing is quite impressive for the price point!
I haven't tried with super light roasts - however I saw no issues with any grinding I did at very very fine settings with the medium-light roasts I had.
Lagom mini has updated to a more powerful motor and shouldn't have issues with light roasts either I believe.
would this be a significant upgrade over my breville smart grinder? i do prefer milky drinks and i did see your comment that this might not be the absolute best for full bodied extractions. in either case do you think it would be worthwhile enough to upgrade, or save up for something even better like a df64 or niche? in canada there is a pretty decent price gap.
Great questions - so you're after an upgrade from the Breville - to do mostly milky drinks ... Yes, I would still say for the price of what you're getting in the Varia - looking at your options - unless you go with a Eureka Mignon - which also has great reviews & performs, I would say, slightly better for the balance in Milkier drinks - though you'd have to add a Single dosing hopper and bellow to get the same Zero retention.
Hi! I love these low rpm, compact grinders. One problem with most is that the power brick almost doubles the size and is hard to hide on a kitchen bench. Does the VS3 have an in built power supply or a large external supply?
Based on owners on reddit, seems like there is an external power brick
It has the brick- on a long cord
@@AlternativeBrewing Great review Josh however I think it would have been good to mention about the brick during the review as that's a deal breaker for me due to lack of room. Thanks.
Hi there! I appreciate this review video. I’m new to the hobby and have learned so much from videos like this lol.
I did have a question, the Barraza settle 270 is currently on sale for $280 dollars. Would you take that over the varia? I’ve had my eye set on the vs3 but haven’t pulled the trigger.
Awesome, thank you! and the answer to the question really depends on what you intend to use the Grinder for and - taking into account your preferences for coffee.
Firstly - both Grinders will do Espresso well. I would choose the Varia over the Sette 270 for anything other than espresso.
Secondly, are you intending to single dose coffee? (Varia) Or would you prefer to use a hopper and dose out on demand without having to weigh beans each time? (sette270)-.
Are you drinking Single Origin coffee and looking for clarity of flavour (Varia) - or do you add milk and enjoy strong rich coffee (Sette270) ...
That's probably the best way I could summarize that. the Varia is of higher build quality than the Sette270, at a price of course.
@@AlternativeBrewing Wow a site w/ impeccable service too. You even organize people's needs for them. You rock!
Thank you for asking this bc I’m in the market for a budget friendly espresso grinder for a Flair 58. I already have an updated Encore for V60 so I don’t need a dual grinder. I like milk drinks to I’m thinking the 270 for me too.
Hi i have just changed out my wilfa uniform grinder to the Varia vs 3 but iam struggeling to find the right grind setting for my v60 i have been trying from setting 09-13 without success using hario filters,96c water,light roast kenyan coffee, any tips?
@alternative Brewing
What's the issue? Flowing too fast, too slow? Or taste?
@@AlternativeBrewing Flowing too slow and i feel the taste is no good if the total brew time exceeds 03.30 i have always been using the ultimate v60 technique from james hoffmann on my wilfa uniform grinder and i was always at grind setting 28--31 on that grinder. On the varia i cannot find a good setting from 08-13
What’s this rotating plate for the cups? :D looks amazing 6:52
thanks 😀 bought on amazon
Which is better this or the DF64?
The DF64 has many more benefits of being a better grinder. In this comparison - apart from in Australia the price being $400 more - the DF64 is more robustly made, and could easily be used in a commercial setting. The 64mm Flat Burrs make fantastic coffee - and I'd prefer coffee from the DF64 over the Varia VS3, both filter and espresso - for being a cleaner, brighter and more transparent flavours. It will grind faster; retention and cleanliness being about the same. ... Footprint wise, you'd have to look at your bench - the DF64 being much taller than the Varia, but all in all, about the same footprint also. PLus, lastly I couldn't get past the opportunity down the line to gift myself different burrs to use in the DF64 👌 Varia also has burrs, but it's like a better Varia with the better burrs. New burrs on the DF64 change the grinders profile all-together.
At 3:44 it is mentioned that a dosing ring may be a good idea given the size of the dosing cup. Any thoughts whether this will be the same issue with the “less than 58” Flare Pro2? If so, do any specific products come to mind that can be used with the Flair Pro2? Thanks.
I'd say it'd be less than ideal for the Flair Pro 2. I never tested it there - but in measuring it was just shy of 53mm. From memory, Flair Pro 2 is 49mm. I'm yet to find the perfect dosing ring for the Flair - other than it's own dosing cup.
Varia vs3 with hypernova burs or Df83 for multipurpose brew? Mostly espresso.
ooosh! They're price ranges a part - but if cost is not an option - I would go the DF83 all day.
@Alternative Brewing ended up settling on spending the extra money on the 83. I can't wait!!
I think a Lagom Mini would be the closest competitor, did you manage to compare the 2?
I don’t have any Lagoms 😞 we would like to stock them - though there’s always issues with stock and availability
Why didn't you include the top hand grinders, like the Kinu you mentioned? This grinder uses a smaller burr set than the typical hand grinder and this would have been the best comparison. If this was not really up to the same standard as the 48mm burr hand grinders then it doesn't really matter how good the design and workflow of this grinder is. However, if this smaller 38mm burr set performed as good as or even better than the 48mm burrs then the VS3 would place itself in a whole new class - this is what we needed to know.
Why didn't I, that's a good question. I feel for a majority of consumers - the question over a Hand Grinder vs Automatic Grinder is an already made decision. You're right in suggesting the KINU could in fact be a better grinder - however, offering the majority of consumers the idea that buying a Kinu HG, and manually grinding your beans, is better than the Varia is a tough sell.
I do want to make that video though! 100%, - as price is identical too - just not included in the Varia VS3 Grinder review - perhaps a comparison video coming soon 👌
What is your opinion regards varia vs 3 comparing to fellow ode gen 2?
Filter or Espresso? My experience is the Varia VS3 with the Hypernova Ultra Burrs - is a better combo for both Espresso and Filter. The Fellow Ode gen2 is a Filter Grinder only - and is fantastic - though if feel it's a little more balanced a coffee - where it has slightly more body, and less sweetness, acidity - vs the Varia VS3 on Filter - which would have slightly less body, with more sweetness and acidity. I'd still go or the Varia VS3 with an upgraded burr set over the Ode Gen2 👌
I bought one last nite but I realized that there was no detail on whether it was 2nd gen or type of grinder and no one has replied to mg email
Can you please check on my order / questions ?
Hi there. Not to worry - we ship every 24hrs and I can confirm you email is in the queue and will be seen as early as possible. FYI the Varia VS3 is currently the Gen1 Grinder.
Varia Brewing Limited
Chinese Company Name:
瓦瑞雅有限公司
What’s the warranty period on the VS3?
12 months from Purchase.
The fingers in the hopper don’t like.
does the water rust the blade of grinder, i wonder
Stainless Steel Burrs - don't rust very easily 👌
In your opinion, is the bellows actually necessary if you're using RDT with this grinder?
Yes it is - there’s grind that will still clump slightly to the grooves in burrs, and around the grinds chamber. It’s about 1g - and with the bellows it’s completely evacuated.
Will the other burrs last longer? 150 kilo isn't that much
150kgs is 150,000g. If using 20g to grind coffee. You’ll have 7500 doses as the lifetime.
Let’s say you use 40g/day. That’s almost 9 years to reach that amount !
@@AlternativeBrewing ah, I totally did the math wrong. Plus I could probably just buy new burrs at that point?
What grind setting do you personally recommend for pour over on the VS3?
I found 8-10 to be the sweet spot 👌
What grind size ranges are people using for espresso? Is using 1 or less than 1 safe? Thanks.
I use between 3-4 on a 18-22g dose.
@@AlternativeBrewing maybe my grinder is defective. Water just floods out the basket at those grind settings
Is a 1zpresso still a better quality grinder?
Hand Grinders will always have less retention - However speed, workflow and grind distribution are all up for discussion - and some Hand grinders, yes, would be superior to some average Automatic Grinders - thought the Varia VS3 is one that I would say competes quite well with being compact, affordable - compared the the very best Hand Grinders - and better in performance
Hi there, i have a Baratza sette 270 is it a good idea to upgrade my grinder to a Vária vs3?
Yeah - it's an upgrade to a high performing Grinder - though you'll want to have a set of scales too - so you can weight your dose
Wait so which one is better this or the niche?
Depends, if you want full bodied espresso shots the Niche is better. If you want more clarity and separation of flavors with less body go for the VS3. The tighter the grind distribution the better the separation of flavors, it looks like the VS3 probably has tighter grind distribution probably cups more like a flat burr.
@@maxuttech1028 Hmmm I'm new to espresso not sure which one I will like more. How do they do it in Italy?
@PublicName - Milk based coffees will benefit from more full bodied, richer extractions. The Niche is a great example of a grinder that produces this flavour profile.
If you prefer drinking Black coffee (no milk) then a grinder with a flavour profile that allows more of the nuances of a coffee’s flavour to shine through might be something you’d prefer- generally speaking - it’s flat burr grinders that possess this sort of consistency.
Though the VS3 breaks the mould here.
A Eureka Mignon is more of a balanced cup - with some clarity and some body.
@@publicname515 Traditional Italian style features darker roasts and less clarity generally. The Niche would deliver this more closely than the VS3 from what I've seen so far of the VS3. This type of profile generally holds up better in milk based drinks too.
My 1zpresso X-Pro arrived on Monday and the cups I'm brewing with my AeroPress are pure happiness. Can't recommend it enough!
Out of interest, will AB be stocking the ZP6 Special?
(Apologies to Varia for hijacking the post lol)
Hahaha that’s awesome 👏 yes, I’d say we will stock the ZP6, though not until sometime in the new year (2023)
@@AlternativeBrewing Cool beans! Would love to try them all out but I'll have to settle for your reviews and see what the non-existent budget allows for
Does the varia come with large brick like pc laptops?
Yes it does. It’s a long cord, though if you have no where to hide it, than this could pose an inconvenience
Is the varia vs3 good for dark roast ?
Yes - I mean it'll grind for dark roast no worries - though I have not tried it with a dark roast to comment how it affects the flavours through brewing
Wow way too slow, this will take all morning! There are grinders which are much faster and still consistent
Over a minute to grind coffee seems way too long...
18g at setting #3 for espresso takes 38.8 seconds!
For single home use, does it matter?
You not only talk but you show also- this grinder is very slow - best usable for one or two persons I think - or to celebrate ...
That motor is struggling. And altogether it looks like a toy.
Im not sure I would say struggling. It doesn't have an issue grinding. It is important to note, the Grinder is operating at 160rpms - which is only slightly faster than hand grinding. Thankfully, toy or not toy, it makes delicious coffee 🫶
imagine spending 300 bux on a meme grinder that takes more than 60 seconds to grind out a single dose of espresso
Lol, I don’t know what your actual timeline was tor recording this, but by 3/4 in, your personal caffeination level increases seem to be… detectable 😂 (which is, of course, 100% expected when watching coffee related reviews…)
hahaha! yeah it's more than usual a single day of filming, so yes - there's point in filming where I can be five, six or eight coffees in and loosing my mind 😂
Your guessing game is tedious, cut to the result
Thanks 😀 I'll keep that in mind for next - and cut out the guessing games
spin cycle has to be one of the most ridiculous things I've seen lately
Spin cycle? 🤔 Are you referring to the RPM?
Josh, Josh, Josh…at first I thought you were being sarcastic (“listen how quiet it is”) and then I realized you were just trying to be kind. One can buy THREE Baratza Encores (Etzinger conical burrs) for the price of this wheezing monstrosity. Of course, the Encore doesn’t come with the spray bottle you were so excited about and I’m sure the ones you can buy 2/$6.00 on Amazon aren’t nearly as good! Seriously….seriously? 😊
What a useless comment. Firstly, this grinder is very quiet compared to the encore. The fact that he can talk over the grinder in a room is pretty impressive. That’d be pretty difficult with an encore. Secondly, encores are horrendous for espresso so it’s not even worthwhile to compare them in price. Thirdly, your comparison in price is quite far off. Encores retail for 169 on Amazon…this grinder is 299 US. Not really sure what your point was here
I’m with you there for simplicity 💯 If you just need to grind some coffee - and it’s not for an espresso machine - I wouldn’t run out and get the Varia. It’s not the “next” best grinder on the market. The Encore does a good enough job.
The Varia is working a different crowd here - with the Bellows, RDT and the promotion of additional burr sets to come.
@@alecmcgahee3331 I believe Josh said it was $600 “out of the box”? And with the M2 burr mod and the simple “fine” adjustment on the Encore, I can grind an espresso that will choke all three of the espresso brewers I have (ECM, LaPavoni and a retired Breville). Which is moot, for me, since I prefer a flat burr profile anyway. As for quiet, c’mon man, this thing sounds like a Yugo trying to start up a hill in third gear.
@@AlternativeBrewing Hi Josh. Yeah, see my reply to Alec. Am I wrong or did you say that this was $600? Also, my conical is an Encore, but I’ve modded it with the M2 burr upgrade and re-calibrated to grind finer overall. So I actually have really good espresso performance (when I use it for espresso) and it is great for showcasing the body and bass notes of pretty much any coffee I run through it. Generally, I prefer my DF 64 (SSP multi-purpose burr upgrade) or my 1ZPresso K-Plus. Between the three however - and an ECM machine, a LaPavoni Europiccola, a V60, a Hario Switch, an April brewer and a Japanese wire-mesh pour-over brewer - I’m pretty much covered in the “mid” range price area for pretty much anything I might brew. Which, most often, is my own home roast (Hot Top running Artisan Scope). Yes, it’s a sickness. But I’ve found that AB videos are the cure!!!!!
@@zenadventurer69 It's $600 AUD, this video is made by an Aussie retailer. They're $299 USD direct from the manufacturer.
HAHAHA "your grinding experience" talk about 1st world problem "lasting up to 156kg " of what this is so full of BS
are you mentally ill?
Huh?
Of eggplants.
This is, atter all, an eggplant grinder.
No "NiChE KilLeR!?!" in the title?
This looks like a fun companion to a df64.
Hahaha tbh the Niche Killer thing for me is getting a bit worn. But I guess it the Linea Mini for Home grinders.
However I totally agree with you there - in hindsight if I’d known how clean the brews would be in comparison to other grinders I would have gone with High uniformity grinders like the DF64 👍
Uff 40+ seconds for 20g is... Extremly slow