If you are picky with the taste of your coffee or often make your own coffee at home, you might want to consider investing in a quality coffee grinder that can help you to properly grind the coffee beans of your choice to get the maximum flavour out of them. With so many coffee grinders on the market, it can be difficult to know which one to choose.
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In this comparison review, we will take a closer look at two popular grinders on the market – the Baratza Encore and the Virtuoso Grinder.
The Baratza Encore
It also features a high-capacity bean hopper, which can easily hold at least 8 ounces of coffee beans, so if you’re someone who likes to brew coffee in big batches, this grinder might be the ideal one for you.
>> Read Full Review: Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Review
The Baratza Virtuoso
The Virtuoso is suitable for both espresso and French press coffee due to the fact it can grind coffee beans down to as few as 1200 microns. Its 1-minute timer and pulse button enable you to have a high level of control over the grinding process too, which means, with a little practice, you can find the perfect grinding process for every cup.
>> Read Full Review: Baratza Virtuoso Review
Baratza Encore & Virtuoso Grinder Comparison
Now that you know a little bit more about each grinder, let’s do a little comparison to help you figure out which is a more suitable coffee grinder for your use.
Build & Features
Generally, it is fair to say that both the Encore and the Virtuoso deliver in terms of the sturdiness, functional, and attractiveness.
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The Baratza Encore is made with high-quality plastic resin which is stylish yet lightweight and easy to clean. It also comprises an ABS plastic bean hopper, which helps in keeping your coffee fresh.
The Baratza Virtuoso is made from similar materials as the Encore, but also incorporates various steel components which make it higher quality in some ways, and consequently heavier and offer a greater level of stability.
If you are looking for extra stability and great performance, the Virtuoso might be more ideal for you. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative that still performs well, the Encore might be the better option.
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The Virtuoso features a 1-minute timer that makes using the pulse button easy to manage and for you to get more precise grinds. What’s more, the Virtuoso can be fitted with a portafilter holder to use as an alternative to a ground bin.
Grinding
Both the Encore and the Virtuoso use 40mm conical burrs for grinding, which means they both offer similarly uniform coffee grounds and maximise the beans’ flavour, and both have 40 separate grinding settings to meet all of your needs.
>> Related: Capresso Infinity Burr Grinder Review
However, the Encore is able to grind at a speed of 8 to 1.1 g/sec while the virtuoso offers 1.5 to 2.4 g/sec of grind speed, which means you can grind your coffee beans significantly faster. In terms of speed and cleanliness of grind, the Virtuoso might have a slight edge in terms of specs.
The Verdict
For newbies or individuals looking for a simple and basic coffee grinder, the Encore is a great entry level grinder to go for. It’s 40 grind settings and the sturdy body offers a good range of grind options and makes using this grinder a breeze. It also comes with a very reasonable price tag.
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The Virtuoso is a slightly upgraded version of the Encore and features a pulse button, higher grind speed and more grind consistency. For drinks who are more picky or prefer to have even more control, this could be the option to go for.
