Baratza Coffee Grinders Review: 6 Best Models
Baratza coffee grinders are at the top of the game. The brand offers affordable, high-quality, and user-friendly coffee bean grinders for home use.
Baratza caters to various needs and budgets, making coffee bean grinders for drip, espresso, or both. We rounded up our six favorite Baratza coffee bean grinders in 2024, with options for every style of coffee lover. We wrap it up with a guide to help you choose the best Baratza for you.
The 6 Best Baratza Coffee Grinders in 2026
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Baratza Vario W+ |
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Baratza Virtuoso+ |
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Baratza Encore |
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Baratza Encore ESP |
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Baratza Forte BG |
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Baratza Sette 270 |
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Baratza is one of the top names in home burr coffee grinders. They straddle an important middle ground between cheaper brands such as Capresso grinders and expensive commercial models from the likes of Eureka and Mazzer, an intelligent choice that has served the company well (1).
We are very, very clear that the thing we want to specialize in is high-end home use and right-size café use.
Baratza coffee bean grinders run the gamut from entry-level favorites like the Encore to commercial-quality machines like the Forte. Regardless of model, they are renowned for pairing high-end burrs and build quality with friendly features like an easy-to-use design, compact footprint, and affordable price tag.
1. Baratza Vario W+
Best for: Drip coffee, Espresso
- Burr type: Flat steel
- Burr size: 54 mm
- Grind settings: 220
- Hopper capacity: 10.6 ounces
Our top pick is the Baratza Vario W+, which marries advanced technology, user-friendly design, and an approachable price tag. Plus, it’s one of few grinders suitable for espresso and drip coffee, making it a great choice if you like to mix up your morning brew.
The W indicates that the Vario W+ includes grind-by-weight technology, the most accurate and consistent way to dose ground coffee.
The base of the grounds bin has a built-in scale, accurate to 0.1 g, and you can pre-program three doses for your favorite brew recipes (2). I like having a preset double shot, single-cup pour over, and full carafe.
Vario W+ sports an impressive 54 mm flat steel unimodal burrs set to deliver exceptional grind distribution from fine to coarse. That’s what makes this home grinder suitable for everything from French press to espresso. Additionally, with 22 micro-settings between each macro step, the Vario W+ has the fine adjustments required to dial in an espresso shot properly.
Other nice recent upgrades to this grinder include a metal grind chamber, metal adjustment levers, and a sturdier case. These aid in durability and noise reduction.
2. Baratza Virtuoso+
Best for: Drip coffee
- Burr type: Conical steel
- Burr size: 40 mm
- Grind settings: 40
- Hopper capacity: 10.6 ounces
Baratza Virtuoso+ is much more affordable than the Vario+, running about half the cost. While it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of our Winner, it’s a solid Runner-Up choice that will meet the needs of most home coffee lovers.
The Virtuoso+ is designed for drip coffee only. With only 40 grind size settings, I wouldn’t recommend it for espresso. But it delivers impressively uniform grounds for everything from cold brewing to Aeropress thanks to a newly upgraded steel M2 conical burr set.
Virtuoso+ uses a digital timer for dosing, which can be set up to 45 seconds. This isn’t entirely as accurate as dosing by weight, but it’s more consistent than a manual timer. So you’ll get very reliable results provided you keep the hopper topped up. Plan on recalibrating dose timing every time you change coffee beans.
Why is the Virtuoso+ more expensive than the budget-friendly Encore? They look alike, so let’s make a quick comparison. Regarding coffee quality, the significant differences are Virtuoso’s better M2 burr set and more precise digital timer. Virtuoso+ also features a sleek and durable brushed stainless finish and LED illumination of the grounds bin for dark mornings.
3. Baratza Encore
Best for: Drip coffee
- Burr type: Conical steel
- Burr size: 40 mm
- Grind settings: 40
- Hopper capacity: 10.6 ounces
The Baratza Encore coffee grinder is something of an icon at this point. It has been the first grinder for many coffee lovers, serving as an entry point into genuinely great coffee at home. It’s a massive step up from pre-ground coffee or a blade grinder with a price tag that doesn’t feel overwhelming.
The Encore remains one of the most affordable burr grinders on the market. Its value is increased by Baratza’s world-leading support and customer care. Plus, it’s very easy to access the burr chamber and interior for cleaning and maintenance to prolong its life.
Despite its low cost, the Encore isn’t strictly an entry-level conical burr coffee grinder. You’ll find it on the bar of many coffee professionals. The simplicity of its operation – a manual timing knob and pulse button – keeps it cheap rather than poor quality. And you can always pair it with a good coffee scale if you want to level up.
The Encore is equipped with an impressive set of 40 mm conical steel burrs that deliver uniform grounds for all manner of drip brewing. But it lacks the fine adjustments required for espresso.
4. Baratza Encore ESP
Best for: Drip coffee, Espresso
- Burr type: Conical steel
- Burr size: 40 mm
- Grind settings: 40
- Hopper capacity: 10.6 ounces
The new Encore ESP needs minimal introduction as it maintains the features and low price of the beloved Encore – with one crucial distinction.
The grind adjustment mechanism of the ESP has been altered such that the first 20 settings are micro-steps suitable for dialing in espresso, while the remaining 20 settings are macro-steps suitable for drip and French press coffee.
It’s a simple and elegant way to make an entry-level coffee grinder equally at home with your French press or espresso machine.
Encore ESP comes with a dosing cup and a grounds catch bin, which you can swap in and out for different brew methods.
As a nice bonus, Baratza has also included the M2 burr set from the more expensive Virtuoso in this new grinder rather than the M3 of the Encore.
Learn more in our complete Baratza Encore ESP review.
5. Baratza Forte BG
Best for: Drip coffee
- Burr type: Flat steel
- Burr size: 54 mm
- Grind settings: 230
- Hopper capacity: 10.6 ounces
Baratza Forte BG is the most expensive grinder on this list, and it’s for serious pour over nerds (or commercial use) only. But if you’re on a quest for the perfect crisp V60 or Chemex brew, this grinder can’t be beaten.
It was initially designed for commercial use – picture those specialty coffee bars preparing pour overs to order – and has the build quality to back that up. But at under $1000 and with a compact footprint, it is growing in popularity among enthusiastic home baristas.
Forte’s big selling point is the 54 mm flat steel burr set that has been specifically created for uniformity in the medium to coarse range of the grind spectrum. The precise burrs are paired with a high-torque DC motor that is 70% more powerful and longer lasting than the Vario, a necessary upgrade for commercial use.
The Forte BG can grind by weight thanks to a built-in scale, just like the Vario W+, but it also has the option to grind by time in cases where that is more practical. It’s all controlled via an intuitive digital display, and you can pre-program three doses each by time and weight.
6. Baratza Sette 270
Best for: Espresso
- Burr type: Conical steel
- Burr size: 40 mm
- Grind settings: 270
- Hopper capacity: 10.6 ounces
Any coffee expert will tell you that pulling a proper shot of espresso requires a good espresso grinder; it’s just as important as the espresso machine. Ask that same expert, “What’s the most affordable grinder I can buy that is good enough for proper espresso?” And a good number of them (myself included) will tell you the Baratza Sette 270 grinder.
The Sette has a 40 mm conical burr set with a straight-down grinds shute that yields just about the lowest grind retention in the game – move over, trendy Niche Zero. It uses a digital timer for dosing, and you can pre-program three doses to ensure consistency. You can also get a grind-by-weight version of the Sette for a bit more cash.
The 270 grind size settings are divided into 30 macro-steps with 9 micro-steps between each, and they’re controlled via a dual adjustment system that makes it quick and easy to change settings. While stepless grind adjustments are the gold standard for espresso, it’s the rare espresso lover who really needs more than 270 options.
The Sette has a few other nice tricks up its sleeve. There’s its iconic design (Sette means seven in Italian) and compact footprint. And the latest model includes an adjustable portafilter holding fork that has been redesigned for better stability. It’s also crazy fast – up to 3.5 g/s at the finest settings! The only downside is its legendary volume; this is not a grinder for the noise-adverse.
How To Choose The Best Baratza Coffee Grinder
The Vario W+ is our top pick, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best grinder for you. This buyer’s guide is here to walk you though the factors determining your personal top pick among Baratza coffee bean grinders.
How Do You Drink Coffee?
Is your preferred brewing method coffee, espresso, or both? This is always the first question to ask when buying a coffee grinder. While many cheap grinders advertise their suitability for “everything from cold brew to Turkish coffee,” that is rarely true. Just because a grinder can deliver a particular grind size doesn’t mean it can deliver the grind quality.
A good espresso grinder must produce great grind consistency at the fine end of the grind size spectrum. Moreover, it needs a fine enough grind adjustment to dial in the perfect shot. Stepless grind adjustments are the gold standard, but barring that, you want fine micro-adjustments such as those of the Vario W+, Sette 270, and Encore ESP.
Brew grinders don’t need to deliver super fine grinds, and the size between adjustment steps can afford to be larger. That’s why you can use cheaper options like Encore and Virtuoso. However, the best models, like the Forte BG, have burrs specifically designed to produce uniform grounds at coarse grind sizes.
The Importance Of Burr Size And Shape
Are bigger burrs really better? Yes, but perhaps not to the extent you think. Larger burrs grind coffee faster, leaving less time for heat to build up. All other things being equal, less heat generation equals better flavor. However, for the average home user, the difference in burr sizes is barely detectable, especially when grinding typically small volumes of coffee.
Conical Vs. Flat Burrs
Coffee experts can argue all day about the merits of conical and flat burrs, but it really just comes down to personal taste.
Conical burr sets tend to produce more fines, which results in coffee with a heavier body and less clarity. Flat burrs yield a more consistent grind distribution, producing crisp, clean cups. Many people, such as Espresso Vivace founder David Schomer, prefer conical burr sets for espresso (3).
I favor conical burrs because they produce micro-particles (fines) that add flavor and body to the shot compared to flat burrs.
But that is just one man’s opinion. Let your taste buds guide you.
Programmability And Dose Control
Much of the cost of a coffee grinder comes down to its dosing mechanism. Baratza coffee bean grinders dose by time or weight.
Grinding coffee by weight is the most accurate way to dose coffee and is arguably more important for espresso, which is why both Vario and Sette 270 offer W versions. But if you already own a good coffee scale, you can determine the correct dose by time – though this runs the risk of wasting grounds every time you recalibrate with new beans.
Programmability speeds up your brewing workflow, which can be crucial if you have hurried mornings, especially if you like to switch brew methods regularly. But if you mostly make the same cup of coffee or carafe every day and don’t mind a more basic timing mechanism, an affordable option like the Encore might be more than enough.
The Verdict
The top Baratza grinder is a matter of personal taste. Our overall winner for this year is the Vario W+ because it’s versatile enough to meet the needs of any coffee lover. It’s suitable for drip coffee and espresso, and the grind-by-weight dosing mechanism and programmability make it an easy-to-use addition to your morning routine.
That said, espresso fans might prefer the Sette 270’s additional grind size settings, manual drip super nerds will appreciate the special burrs of the Forte BG, and budget shoppers can’t go wrong with the beloved Encore – still a favorite after all these years. Long story short: there’s a Baratza coffee bean grinder for everyone!
FAQs
Baratza coffee bean grinders are made in Taiwan. They are designed and engineered at the company’s headquarters in Bellevue, Washington, USA.
Yes, Baratza builds their own coffee bean grinders. Every grinder is designed and engineered by the company’s team in the USA before being built at their factory in Taiwan. In 2020, Baratza was bought by the Australian brand Breville, but staffing and manufacturing remain unchanged (4).
Bodum grinders are for budget-minded coffee drinkers rather than specialty coffee fans. Bodum grinders offer lower-priced coffee bean grinders suitable for drip brewing, but they lack the Baratza quality or high-end features of Baratza. The Bodum Bistro approaches the league of the Encore but doesn’t quite measure up, and there is no Bodum grinder capable of true espresso.
References
- Bauder, B. (2016, May 11). Interview: How Is The Baratza Sette Revolutionizing Grinder Technology? Retrieved from https://perfectdailygrind.com/2016/05/interview-how-is-the-baratza-sette-revolutionizing-grinder-technology/
- Bean Leaf Machine (2017, March 13). Why you should weigh your coffee. Retrieved from https://www.leafbeanmachine.com.au/weigh-your-coffee/
- Schomer, D. (2019, August 30). A Call to Action on Espresso Grinders, by David Schomer. Retrieved from https://dailycoffeenews.com/2019/08/30/a-call-to-action-on-espresso-grinders-by-david-schomer/
- Brown, N. (2020, October 2). Breville Acquires US Grinder Maker Baratza for $60 Million. Retrieved from https://dailycoffeenews.com/2020/10/02/breville-acquires-us-grinder-maker-baratza-for-60-million/
