As one of the big coffee grinder makers, Baratza is no stranger to coffee enthusiast around the world. Their Baratza Virtuoso in particular is also a grinder that many will put in their consideration list when comparing for the correct grinder to buy.
In this Baratza Virtuoso Review, we’ll take an in-dept look at this coffee grinder, from its 40 settings to build-in controls. Let’s go.
Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Review
The Baratza Virtuoso features an impressive 40 grind settings that provides a great range of control over the outcome of your drink. Despite being a mid-level grinder, this grinder is pretty sturdy and has a solid build due to the metal components. This machine has good consistency in the grinding result and Baratza is also known for their customer service.
- Has a good 40 grind setting is a respectable range
- It is relatively small in size
- The hopper is quite big and can hold quite large quantity of coffee beans
- Good customer service is a plus point
- Consistent grind results
- The price is relatively higher for a mid-level grinder
- Its operations is still relatively noisy
Features
Consistency of the Grind
With its 40 grind setting options, the Baratza Virtuoso produces the best consistency in its middle and lower range grind but consistency may suffer slightly as the setting reaches the highest 40 coarse setting. This is common for coffee grinders where users can see some slightly bigger chucks in the grind result.
Ease of Operating
Similar to a DSLR camera, the Baratza Virtuoso can be really simple to use (i.e. auto mode) , yet allows users to customise its setting to have as much control as needed. For general users, any of the grind setting goes well with the default 450 rpm grind speed. While on the other hand, more experienced users have the option to adjust the grind time between 405 to 495 rpm or control the rotation speed between 1.5 to 2.4 grams per second.
>> Also read: Cuisinart Coffee Grinder Review
Ease of Maintaining
As shared in the earlier segment of this review, cleaning and maintenance is one of the important factor Kelly and I look for in any of our coffee equipment. Fortunately, for the Baratza Virtuoso, cleaning of the essential parts like burr itself, the hopper that holds the beans, as well as the ground catcher that holds the end product can all be easily cleaned with a simple brush.
Factors to consider when buying a coffee grinder
Almost every coffee grinder has its strengths and weaknesses, here are a few things to bear in mind when choosing a right coffee grinder that suits your needs.
- Settings & control – The number of brewing settings will result in the amount of control you have on the grind. More control will of course allow you to have higher customization and more drink options.
- Design – On top of the looks and color options, the size should also be a consideration when it comes to the design element.
- Ease of Use – This goes hand on hand with the setting and control. How easy and intuitive is it when operating the grinder is essential. You don’t want to get into the situation when you dread starting the grinder up when you start your day when the grinding.
- Ease of Cleaning – This is one of the major factor Kelly and I look at when we look for any coffee machines or accessories. How easy and ‘costly’ it takes to maintain the grinder can affect your overall experience.
- Capacity – This will matter if you are running a café or have a big family of coffee goers. For one to two folks, most coffee grinders should tick this.
Alternatives
Here are some other coffee grinding tools that can be worthy alternative to Baratza Virtuoso. Let’s check them out:
Baratza Sette 30 Conical Burr Grinder
This is another great coffee bean grinder from Baratza. With its 30 grind setting feature, it is an entry level alternative to the Baratza Virtuoso. Off the bet, it definitely has a more modern look in comparison. It also features higher resolution digital timer with adjustable arms that allow grinding directly to the portafilter or the grounds bin.
- 30 brewing settings
- 01 grind timer settings
- It weighs 10 pounds
Breville BCG820BSSXL Smart Grinder Pro
If you are looking for a coffee grinder with a large capacity and with even more grinding settings control, this machine might be able to impress you. It features 60 grinding settings and a hopper capacity of 18 ounces that has a locking system for fast removal and transfer.
On top of these it comes with a 58-millimeter portafilter and electronic timer, which allows for 0.02 grinding timer settings. It also features a wide LCD for ease of control and operating.
- 60 grinding settings
- 02 seconds increment timer
- 18-ounce hopper capacity
- It weighs only 6.40 pounds
Baratza Forte BG Commercial Coffee Grinder
The forte BG is another coffee grinder that has a polished metal body. It has a compact design to fit in most kitchen cabinets and lightweight for effortless transiting. It features a high grinding capacity of 5lbs per day and has an impressive control of up to 260 grind settings. Its mess-free hopper is easy to fit and remove and is much quieter than the Baratza Virtuoso grinder. It’s digital timer can save up to 3 different pre-set options and its built-in digital scale allows for accurate weight based grinding.
- Award winning grinder
- Power grinder that takes up little countertop space
- 260 grind settings
- Grinding capacity of 5lbs per day
- Item weight is 13.23 pounds
Conclusion
The Baratza Virtuoso is a middle level coffee bean grinder that allows for more control to its users if need to, while being a very straightforward to use grinder. It is designed for home use and really does well in terms of its consistency output.