I have an opportunity to sell my Vario such that it would be an extra ~$150 more (shipped) for a Vario-W refurb. Shortly after I got my Andreja, I realized that the weight in the hopper affects the amount of time it takes to get my 16g dose, so I've been weighing every shot. I also weigh my grounds for AP and french press.

Putting a value on the time I spend weighing and adjusting my timer is something only I can do, but for those with a Vario-W do you find yourself wishing you had the option to go back to portafilter dosing?

In the -w manual (or somewhere on the Baratza site, it's been a while) there's an explanation to how to use the PF holder. Basically you see how long a dose takes using the scale into the container, and program that into the timer. Then use that time for the PF holder doses.

I thought that was kind of kludgy but it will kind of work. I would check that time every now and again.

I realize that's not what you were asking but I felt it was info you might appreciate.

Edit- to clarify

But do you dose directly into the portafilter holder? Cause you cant do that with the W either. You would be paying for a scale that you don't use. Having said that I have a Forte and the scale is amazingly accurate.

I sold my Vario-W two weeks ago in favor of an HG1 but when I had it the weight feature was one of the best things about it.
If you have to adjust the grind on timed grinder then you are constantly chasing the output which will change the extraction. The W takes that variable out of the equation. The ability to shake up the grinds in the bin is a plus and being able to dump the grinds over the sink is another.
I also made a single dose tube attachment and used the weight of a shot glass on top of the beans to feed it.

What sold me on the HG1 is the ability to weigh my beans beforehand and get nearly the same accuracy of weight which the Vario W was giving me.
Once you get use to weight based grinding there is no going back.

Prescott CR wrote:In the -w manual (or somewhere on the Baratza site, it's been a while) there's an explanation to how to use the PF holder. Basically you see how long a dose takes using the scale into the container, and program that into the timer. Then use that time for the PF holder doses.

I thought that was kind of kludgy but it will kind of work. I would check that time every now and again.

I realize that's not what you were asking but I felt it was info you might appreciate.

Edit- to clarify

I just went through the manual and do not see this - it sounds like something from the Forte?

Only the Forte has that capability.
It's good but once you change the grind you have to re calibrate the dose.
I imagine that the output will vary depending on how many beans are in the hopper.

Have had the Vario-W for about a year now. The siren song of the jumbos keep calling but would have a hard time going back to weigh and load, especially if it entailed poking with chop sticks, sweeping, slapping, etc. I only keep enough beans in the hopper for a couple of days, the hopper's lid fits tight but probably not air tight. The grinds bin retains very little coffee. The grinder has very low retention and after the grind is done I just give it a little shake. After calibrating the scale, it was within a couple tenths of a gram checking the grinds weight against the displayed weight. When reprograming the desired weight, I just add the difference(or subtract), and then it's even closer.

So it's just pick one of the three programable weight settings, hit grind, shake coffee into portafilter, and thats it. After about six months of use I did a deep cleaning and there might have been a few tenths of a gram in the burr chamber and none in the chute, which has the flapper removed. There has been enough written about the grind quality that I don't need to reiterate. The build quality is robust enough for it's intended purpose, I don't beat the snot out of my kitchen appliances so don't need something built like a tank.

Timer grinding seems to make more sense in a commercial application.