Baratza Vario vs the big boys?
- nixter
Just wondering if any of our intrepid experts are planning a proper head to head of the Vario with some of the big boys? If there's already been one then I apologize and please point me to it!
Thanks
Thanks
- JonR10
Click this: https://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/espre ... ers/418092nixter wrote:If there's already been one then I apologize and please point me to it!
Jon Rosenthal
Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
- HB
- Admin
In addition to Jon's Texas Shootout, there's a couple direct comparisons later in Nicholas' Baratza Vario Grinder - Second Look. For those who don't want to read the preamble, skip ahead to here and here.
Dan Kehn
I'll summarize based on everything I've read:

- Vario is about equivalent to the Mazzer SJ in taste.
Vario has added convenience of small size, low waste, programmable dosing.
Mazzer SJ is much bigger and more solidly built, with a proven reliability record.
A new Vario is about half the price of a new SJ, or about the same as a used SJ.

"Disclaimer: All troll-like comments are my way of discussing"
- nixter (original poster)
Wow! I didn't expect those kind of results from the testing. I have a question about the calibration upgrade/adjustment. If my Vario can easily clog my Oscar then I likely don't need the adjustment correct? I currently have it set to 3 clicks down on the right and 5 clicks down on the left.
- ddr
If you can grind for the way(s) that you like to prepare, then you do not need to adjust. In my case I was sliding the right macro adjustment more than half way down to get coarse enough for espresso and I could not get coarse enough for French Press, so I made the adjustment.nixter wrote:If my Vario can easily clog my Oscar then I likely don't need the adjustment correct?
If you do want to make the adjustment just search the forum, I posted Kyle's instructions.
Dan
LMWDP #242
LMWDP #242