Varia Brewing - VS3 Gen 2

I can’t speak for the others, but my Varia VS3’s motor struggles to grind at finer settings and often binds half way through a dose. I just submitted a warranty request for a refund yesterday. Hopefully they process it quickly as I will be in the market for a new grinder now too:(

Varia VS3 Gen 2, been using it for the past 2 years twice a day for both espresso and pour overs and seemed to be the best decision in that price range.

I've owned my VS3 Gen 2. Great grinds and solid build and you can upgrade the burrs. However.... The on/off switch has failed after two weeks of monderate use. It works, but I have to press and hold the button for it to work. Lodged a warranty claim, let's see how this goes... If necessary I can change the switch to a simple lever type on/off switch which makes more sense anyway

Nice. Well done. The VS4 looks awesome. I'm not at a stage where I can notice the benefits of the VS4 but who knows maybe in a few months. I like the idea that you can upgrade the burrs so cheaply and simply. I got my machine back up and running with a replacement switch from the company I bought it from who were more than professional about it. I was worried that because it's a Chinese brand with clones on AliX and hearing about bad experiences for support. Also the whole DF54/64 customer service support dramas. But these guys were fantastic. The switch replacement took me less than 10 mins. I'm actually looking at getting an illuminated or toggle switch for customisation. One thing I noticed is that while it looks the part on the outside, on the inside it's very basic. A switch and a basic motor. Don't really know what to think here and hard not to think they could've sold this for much less but they're probably doing quite well at market price.

Funny because a day after ordering the VS3, I start getting ads for the Geimori popping up. This looks identical. How is your VS3 working for you? I chose it over the DF54 but the VS3 seems to have better support.

If you like the idea of clearing clogs with chopsticks or feeding by single bean, then buy the mess that is the df54 I don't know why anyone talks about varia gen 1 anymore, it doesn't get sold anymore. Gen 2 is a nice clean grinder with all the issues fixed. Varia is not prob not for you cuz of conical, but don't for the trap of the homeschool project df54. Get a legit vertical mounted flat burr.

I used vs3 for a while and I used the df54 thru a friend who had it temporarily before returning it. It's just a finicky grinder that clogs and is messy. It gets frustrating. I personally don't want to stand there slow feeding beans, it's not going to be a game changer in taste for me and it's a ridiculous ask. Why is the varia burrs so expensive for you? I think they're $70 USD from varia direct and I doubt you would pay much in duties/customs. Even in Canada if I pay the big mark up from a retailer, they're $140 CAD

Varia VS4? I've been happy with my VS3, but it looks like the VS4 addresses a lot of the complaints others have had with the cheaper model.

You want to get an espresso focused grinder and a reputable brand under $300. I have three good options. In order of preference considering (grind/burrs, retention, user experience, durability) 1.) Varia VS3 ($270) changeable burr options & quiet 2.) 1Zpresso J Ultra ($199) hand grinder with great accuracy and flavors 3.) Baratza Encore ESP Pro ($299) old faithful but the Varia looks better and quieter with many burr options I’m sorry but I don’t recommend the DF54. Too many complaints and user issues. Turin has a lot of fans though, I’m just not one of them 🤷‍♂️🤠

I have the latest VS3. It’s fantastic for the price range. None of the gen 1 issues remain. It’s just a bit slow.

In cup, Niche Zero is pretty similar, but as others have noted, out of budget, especially with the tariff nonsense rendering them especially unworthy. Baratza Sette 270 is noisy, plasticky, and janky. But excellent support from Baratza and the Etzinger burr gets you better texture and flavor (more clarity, sweetness, dramatically less ashy bitterness). Sometimes on sale just below USD$300. Baratza Encore ESP. Also an Etzinger burr, more liveable than the Sette, perhaps. I mean seriously, the Sette is noisy. Varia VS3 — good when they are good, but I guess QA got wobbly. I had one in a lab for a year, where people abused it 30-40 times a day without a hiccup. But some units were plagued by drifting grind dials which I agree would be infuriating. Stock burrs are decent in cup, maybe slightly cleaner than Niche/JMax. Good body, slow to grind. Excellent build.

This looks exactly like my Varia VS3. Exact copy! My guess is Varia licensed this to a Chinese company and is selling this for 50% of the Varia price.

I had the Baratza ESP. Kinda noisy. Does a good job though. I do drip filter coffee for the family in the morning and espresso drinks in the afternoon. I got tired of always moving the dial back and forth for the different grinds. I got the Varia VS3 for my espressos and use the Baratza for the drip now. I’m very pleased with the results.

Plus on that. Bought the Opus too mostly because I liked how it looks. In person it's all plastic and it was a PITA to use. You will be slamming it on your counter to get the grinds. Then I bought a Varia VS3 and it's been great. Super well made, low retention, easy to use.