Preciso (or Virtuoso Preciso)

Still running an old Baratza Preciso. Most parts have been replaced thanks to Baratza's great support (in NZ). I want better espresso but I'm not sure how a new conical burr grinder with the same format as the Preciso can do any better.

Parts have been super cheap, like $20-$25 for the plastic bits (burr holders, adjustment rings etc) and new burrs were reasonable as well. Previously I got them from L'affarre, who were the Baratza dealer. More recently I've got parts from [https://www.espressorepairspecialists.co.nz/](https://www.espressorepairspecialists.co.nz/) and Baratza/Breville Aus directly.

I have a Cafelat Robor and a Barazza Preciso grinder, and am convinced they will both outlive me

My first burr grinder is a Baratza Preciso (think Encore's cousin the Virtuoso but with another set of grind adjustment) and I've bought and flipped several Encores. The Encore is a really solid grinder that has stood the test of time- being really capable, simple, and reliable. Otherwise the Fellow Opus is another grinder under $200 that is pretty good. In the second-hand market, you might be able to find a Fellow Ode Gen 1, Baratza Virtuoso, or Varia VS3 for that price.

I have an older model (Preciso) that I bought secondhand. Been using it for five years and this hasn’t happened to me yet

Have you looked into the Virtuoso? I have it now for 15+ years and replacement parts are cheap. The old model didn't have the electronic timer. Its super reliable, had to send it in three times to get the burr replaced which wasn't really expensive to do. Yes it is messy as it leaves a lot of flakes due to static (maybe can be solved with replacing the plastic coffee catcher with a metal one. But as far as reliability, simplicity, and service absolute love it.

I’ve seen a lot of posts recently about “what grinder should I get” that generally include the usual suspects. I figured I’d add one more consideration to your lists, as Option-O doesn’t always feel as popular as the other brands. I used a Baratza Virtuoso for the last 15 years, 3 of which it lived in my place of work because I wanted to have decent coffee at work and let my colleagues use it. It saw several uses a day during that phase. It was a work horse, but it finally died recently and I felt it was time to upgrade to something better. As a very analytical person, I tend to over-research when buying new products. The Option-O Lagom Casa stood out for numerous reasons. 1. Size - The Lagom Casa fits perfectly under my cabinets and even has additional room to pour beans in the hopper without having to pull it forward each grind. That was one of my biggest annoyances with my Virtuoso, since it was quite tall. In comparison, the Timemore would’ve created the same issue. 2. Aesthetics - I simply love the look of Option-O’s products more. They feel incredibly sturdy, I love the all metal look, and the ergonomics of their features are intentionally designed and easy to use. Even down the the catch cup, which is substantial in its thickness and weight, where other competitors feel a little more cheaply made in comparison. 3. Feature sets - The zero-retention grinder, the auto-off feature, magnetic cup stand (I know this is a standard now) and even the anti-popcorn rounded feeder, which is successful even without a lid, were all nice additions. 4. Brew style - This is probably the biggest determining factor; I’m a pourover guy. This grinder was highly rated for pourovers. Does it do espresso grinds well? Yes, of course, but I was most interested in its pourover representation. This might be the ultimate decision maker for you if you’re more of an espresso drinker. There may be other grinders better suited for you. **Edit**: I currently use a Kalita Wave and a Chemex for pourovers. Mostly light roasts for me, but the Lagom Casa has performed well with light and medium roasts. I’m not a dark roast person anymore so I haven’t tested that within the grinder yet. Cherry on top: I’ve heard great things about Option-O’s customer service when it comes to replacements and other customer issues. So anyways, just adding another contender to your lists in case you haven’t taken a look at Option-O. I’ve been really happy with my new upgrade for the past month. And no, I’m not affiliated and I wasn’t paid to share this with you all. Just sharing the love for decent products. \*\*Photo direct from my iPhone, no additional editing.

It’s difficult to answer because 1. it’s subjective to my palette and 2. I also feel like it’s reliant on the roast and pourover mechanism. We have a local roaster that produces incredibly fruity roasts from Ethiopia and Colombia, so to me those provide a lot of clarity and flavor, while the grinder helps to bring those out and makes for a very smooth brew IMO. Beans from roasters like Hydrangea and Glitch (via Lucienne) have performed very well in my Kalita and have beautiful clarity. I’ve gotten much smoother, consistent results with this grinder that aren’t astringent or bitter (also due to dialing in grind size) that I’ve dealt with in the past.

Put to the test in Perplexity (via 10 sources): The core idea in that comment is directionally right but a bit overstated and simplified. ## What’s accurate - The Lagom Casa’s stock Mizen “omni” burrs are in fact designed as **all‑purpose** burrs, meant to handle both espresso and filter with a balanced profile rather than max clarity for pour‑over.[1][2] - Option‑O themselves describe their omni burrs (on P64, but same design intent) as giving enhanced flavour separation and clarity for modern espresso while still keeping body, i.e., explicitly tuned for espresso performance at 6–9 bar.[3] - The A4Z’s burrs are widely reported as very high‑clarity, filter‑focused burrs; reviewers note that they essentially do not grind suitably for normal espresso at all, even if you can choke the machine, so using it as an espresso grinder is basically off‑label.[4] ## Where it’s overstated - Saying the Casa burr “creates ample fines so pucks can withstand 9+ bar” is a simplification. Any espresso‑capable burr set must generate enough fines and an appropriate distribution to hit target flow at 6–9 bar, but that does not mean it is intentionally maximizing fines; it is balancing particle sizes for versatility and workflow.[2][1][3] - The claim that the A4Z is “incapable” of espresso because it lacks fines is directionally true for conventional 9‑bar shots, but it is more precise to say its grind range and distribution are optimized for filter: reviewers trying to pull espresso from it report impractically narrow ranges, instability, and poor texture rather than literal impossibility.[4] - On the pour‑over side, saying Casa cups are just a “compromise” and “far down the list” is a subjective value judgement. Independent reviews and user reports put the Casa’s omni burrs in the “good, modern, fairly clear” camp for filter, just not at the hyper‑separation level of something like A4Z/ZP6‑style burrs.[5][6][2] ## Practical takeaway for you - If you want a single grinder for both espresso and pour‑over with modern clarity and are okay with not having absolute top‑end filter separation, the Casa makes sense; that part of their argument (Casa as a dual‑use pick) tracks with manufacturer intent and third‑party reviews.[1][2][5] - If your priority is maximum clarity for light‑roast pour‑over and you either do no espresso or have a separate espresso grinder, an A4Z‑type burr is indeed on another tier for that specific use case; many reviewers directly say it is “strictly for filter.”[6][4] So: the physics/intent (omni vs clarity burr, fines, espresso suitability) is basically true, but the comment turns those tendencies into absolutes and value judgements. Sources [1] LAGOM casa | Explore Coffee Perfection - Option-O https://www.option-o.com/lagom-casa [2] LAGOM casa Conical Burr Grinder - Late April 2026 dispatch https://www.option-o.com/shop/p/lagom-casa [3] FAQ - Lagom P64 | Get Your Questions Answered — OPTION-O https://www.option-o.com/faq-lagom-p64 [4] Femobook A4Z & A5 Review: A Tale of Two Grinders https://coffeechronicler.com/femobook-a4z-a5-review/ [5] A look at the new Option-O Lagom Casa - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwqphihxsFQ [6] The Famous A4Z - First Impressions (7 Days In) : r/pourover - Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/pourover/comments/1ro51xc/the_famous_a4z_first_impressions_7_days_in/ [8] Tetsu Kasuya reviews the Lagom Casa and says it is "amazing" https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/1josjul/tetsu_kasuya_reviews_the_lagom_casa_and_says_it/ [9] Does 9 bar ms of pressure require a finer grind than the stock 15 ... https://www.reddit.com/r/gaggiaclassic/comments/10cwo85/does_9_bar_ms_of_pressure_require_a_finer_grind/ [10] Perfect Pressure for Bar Pump Espresso Machines - Pro Coffee Gear https://procoffeegear.com/blogs/articles/perfect-pressure-bar-pump-espresso-machines

I have a litany: porlex, 1zQ2, 1zKultra, TM chestnut, an old (and absolutely reliable beast) Virtuoso and the niche. Obviously all conical … the idea uniformity of flat burrs is enticing.