Baratza - Vario Series

Flat burrs seem to bring out the fruit notes more. I have an opus, ceado, and vario.

🤣🤣 after a while I learned to recognize the difference. To me, I taste much more sweetness on the flat burrs.

The Ode Gen 2 is a significant upgrade over an Encore, but if you're going to be spending that much money on a grinder, just get an a4z for a little more, which is a significant upgrade over the Ode Gen 2. I personally upgraded over the years from encore -> vario -> ode gen 2 -> a4z. Just skip the middle, go right for the a4z.

I had a vario, 886, and upgraded it to steel burrs. I really enjoyed it and being able to also do espresso. But I found that I got more rounded notes and changed it up to try and seek out those specific flavor notes. Ultimately a personal preference

Whatever your budget is you should split it 50/50 between machine and grinder. I stepped up my budget to $1000 for my beginning set up and went with a Breville Infuser and Baratza Vario grinder. I was happy I did. It was better quality and allowed me to grow into it. It lasted many years until I was ready to go to Prosumer level.

Def. At this price point it’s never gonna be quiet. I remember my 17yo Baratza Vario well. The extra $ for the Mignon Silenzio is probably worth it but these well-made grinders just keep going and going. By the time I upgraded I just went up a step to the Eureka Oro XL which I don’t regret

It’s fine for your uses. Ignore the reviews. My first decent grinder was a Baratza Virtuoso. Enjoyed it a ton. Then, when I was ready to upgrade - pre the current explosion of great grinders for home use - I stayed with Baratza for their customer service and after-sales support; got a Vario which I later upgraded to the stainless steel burrs and PF holder. No regrets.

I had the Vario W+ for a while and liked it during that time. Although I have to say that I've abandoned automatic weight dosing by now.

It was convenient, but I would have occasional inconsistencies that led me to think it was part of the problem. Usually it was pretty accurate, but occasionally the weight would be off just enough to be annoying. Also, the grinder retained a fair amount, which was a slight issue the next morning because you'd get some day old grinds. I don't think it was bad at all, and it certainly was convenient... But in the end I started ignoring the weight function by setting the target weight really high, and then single dosing. It also means I can use a couple sprays of water to reduce friction. That being said, now I have a Zerno Z1 which was a remarkable upgrade, and I wouldn't consider going back. The Vario was great for its price range though. It made some good pour over as well.

The Vario W+ is an excellent grinder—its 54mm Ditting flat burrs are tried-and-true for pourover. Plus you get the benefit of excellent product support from Baratza. IMHO, there really isn’t any other grinder to consider because you like the convenience of the hopper and grind-by-weight features. Other people are chiming in with the usual grinder recommendations—and they are good grinders. However, please keep in mind that most people recommend things that work well for them, and according to their own preferences. Most pourover enthusiasts eschew grinders with large hoppers and grind by weight features, for example. Many have a strong preference for hand grinding. Get the grinder with the features that \*you\* want, not the grinder that others would prefer to own. After all, \*you\* are the person who will be using it every day. The Vario W+ is an excellent grinder, and there is no other grinder at its price point that offers its combination of 54mm Ditting flat burrs, generous hopper, grind by weight convenience, and strong product support by Baratza.

The AllGround Sense is an excellent grinder as well, but it’s most likely out of the OP’s budget. The AllGround Sense typically retails for around $1,300. I suppose it’s possible that one might be had for closer to $1,000 if a sale can be found. The AllGround Sense is more espresso-focused, although it is capable of grinding for filter coffee. While the Vario W+ is a primarily filter-focused grinder capable of grinding for espresso. IMHO, the Vario W+ is a better fit for the OP.

Another vote for Baratza. I've had my Baratza Vario-W+ for going on 15 years and it has been flawless. Like others have said, parts and servicing is easy. I replaced the motherboard on it once, but that was due to a power spike after a power outage. Not a cheap date, but it'll give you many years of service. I also like it as you can get consistent weighs due to the built-in scale. Solid build, great service, easy maintenance...Just my .02

A burr grinder is far superior to a blade grinder without question. And don't cheap out. A good burr grinder will last you for many years. I purchased my Baratza Vario-W(built-in scale for consistent grind and weight) over 15 years ago and it is still going strong. It wasn't a cheap date, but I have absolutely no regrets. HTH

I got one thats also 10 years old for free with a secondhand rocket r58 I was buying recently .. so far I only had to re-calibrate it and its working perfectly .. only issue I have is that that the grind size dials move a little during grinding, and if I am not careful they slide down.