Fellow Ode upgraded SSP burrs vs. Baratza Vario upgraded steel burrs

#1: Post by **pehrk** » September 14th, 2021, 9:45 am

Thoughts on which of these would be a better investment? I have a separate grinder for espresso, so this will only be utilized for drip / pour overs. Any other recommendations for electric grinders in this price range ~$500?

#2: Post by **Jonk** » September 15th, 2021, 4:51 am

This is my take: Fellow Ode brew grinder review

And yes, consider a ghost burr grinder as well, like Fuji Royal R220 or Xeoleo 520N. I thought the R220 does best with medium/medium-dark roasts though, so it depends a lot on your preference.

#3: Post by **Jonk** » September 18th, 2021, 7:25 am

To elaborate some more, in my experience with these burrs I've had the highest highs with the SSP unimodal, but also more bland cups. Some roasts will work better with the Vario steel burrs so it's not an easy choice but on the whole I'd feel less restricted with a Vario if I could only pick one.

#4: Post by **dsc106** » November 5th, 2021, 4:21 pm

I am bumping this thread because I am curious as well. The Ode has 64mm burrs and the SSP are impressive. The Vario+ with 54mm steel burrs, while not yet officially launched, seems very highly regarded.

Between these two flat burr grinders ($500 Ode w/64mm SSP vs $600 Vario+ w/54mm Steel Burrs), which would you think is the better investment. Any indications on how quality in the cup may compare?

My intuition may tell me the Baratza will be more reliable and better supported in the long run than the Fellow product. Obviously the Vario+ can handle espresso grinds as well if calibrated as such. But like the OP, my use case here is just for drip/pour over brewing and I have a dedicated espresso grinder (niche zero).