Baratza Virtuoso+ Coffee grinder: Full Review

The Baratza Virtuoso+ is one of the most popular burr coffee grinders available today for home coffee enthusiasts and cafes looking for an affordable option with professional-grade performance. It's a high quality electric conical burr grinder that offers an impressive 40 different grind settings, accurate grind consistency, and a durable and user-friendly design.

With the Virtuoso+ model, Baratza has made some nice upgrades over the original Virtuoso including an updated gearbox, larger grounds bin, enhanced speed control, and a digital timer for precise grinding times. These notable upgrades make an already excellent grinder even better and assure your money is well spent.

The Virtuoso+ aims to provide a near commercial-grade grind quality in a compact home appliance suitable for various brew methods like drip, pour over, cold brew, espresso, and more. Whether you're a home barista or small cafe owner in search of a versatile grinder, the Virtuoso+ is a strong contender in its price range. Let's take a closer look at its capabilities and see how it performs.

Design

The Baratza Virtuoso+ has an attractive yet functional design made to deliver consistent grinds while taking up minimal counter space. The materials used in the grinder are durable and designed for daily use.

The main materials are stainless steel for the burrs and ground coffee bin and heavy-duty plastic for the bean hopper and outer casing. The use of stainless steel ensures the burrs stay sharp for precise grinding. The plastic components are thick and sturdy but maintain a lightweight feel.

In terms of size, the Virtuoso+ has a compact footprint of 13 inches tall by 6 inches wide. It weighs in at a portable 7 pounds, making it easy to stow away or bring to events. The size and weight make it perfect for home kitchen use where counter space is limited.

The Virtuoso+ is available in black, white and red color options. The visual design is simple yet elegant, featuring a digital display and minimal branding. Overall the Virtuoso+ has a contemporary look suitable for any kitchen décor.

The Cuisinart DCG-20BKN is another excellent option for those seeking a reliable coffee grinder. This model is compact and easy to use, with durable stainless steel blades that provide a uniform grind. Its simple one-touch control and transparent lid make it user-friendly for anyone, from beginners to coffee enthusiasts. The DCG-20BKN is lightweight and easily portable, perfect for small kitchens or taking on the go. It's an excellent companion for the modern coffee drinker looking for convenience and efficiency in their coffee-making process.

Grind Settings

The Baratza Virtuoso+ offers 40 different grind settings to choose from. This provides an exceptionally wide range of grind size options, from fine espresso grinds up to coarse French press grinds.

With 40 settings available, you can really dial in the perfect grind size for your brew method. The grind settings allow for precise calibration in small increments between the different grind sizes.

The grind adjustment mechanism makes it simple to toggle between settings. There is a convenient ring you turn that clicks from one number to the next. It is very easy to make either small adjustments or switch to a drastically different grind size.

The extensive range of precise grind settings gives you tremendous flexibility no matter what type of coffee brewing you do. You'll be able to optimize the grind for espresso, pour over, cold brew, French press, and other popular methods.

Another excellent coffee grinder option is the Breville BCG820BSSXL. This grinder boasts a smart and easy-to-use interface with 60 precise grind settings. Its stainless steel conical burrs ensure minimal heat generation, preserving essential oils for perfect flavor in every cup. Suitable for espresso, Aeropress, drip coffee, French press, and more, the Breville BCG820BSSXL provides a versatile grinding experience for any brewing preference.

Grinding Performance

The Baratza Virtuoso+ excels when it comes to grinding performance. This burr grinder has a powerful DC motor that can grind coffee beans quickly and efficiently. The Virtuoso+ is capable of grinding about 2 grams of coffee per second, which is significantly faster than most other home burr grinders in this price range.

The noise level is also quite low for this type of grinder. You'll hear more of a whirring sound rather than a high-pitched whine during grinding. This makes early morning coffee grinding much less disruptive for others in your household.

Consistency is excellent with the Virtuoso+ burrs. The cone-shaped burrs produce grounds of uniform size, which is important for brewing flavorful coffee. The consistency also minimizes the amount of fine coffee particles that can clog up espresso machine filters.

Grounds retention is very low with this Baratza grinder. The grounds bin and chute are designed to minimize the number of grounds left behind after grinding. This helps maximize the amount of coffee that ends up in your portafilter or brew basket. The minimal retention also makes it easier to switch between different coffees.

Overall, the Baratza Virtuoso+ delivers outstanding grinding ability. It's fast, quiet, consistent, and doesn't leave much ground coffee behind. This excellent grinding performance makes it easier to achieve delicious coffee beverages.

Ease of Use

The Baratza Virtuoso+ coffee grinder scores high marks for ease of use. The control panel is simple, with an on/off switch, pulse button, and clearly marked grind setting adjustment knob. The settings range from 250 to 1200 microns, allowing precise control over grind size for various brew methods.

Cleaning the Virtuoso+ is straightforward. The grounds bin, hopper, and burr chamber are all removable for easy access. Baratza provides a grounds bin brush, making it simple to whisk out residual grounds. The hopper and burr housing just need a quick rinse or wipe down. Reassembly takes seconds with the burr locking into place with a satisfying click.

Overall, the Virtuoso+ is designed for convenient daily use. The controls are intuitive, cleaning is hassle-free, and the burrs can be changed out in under a minute with no tools required. This ease of use makes the Virtuoso+ a pleasure to operate for home brewing enthusiasts.

Grounds Bin

The grounds bin of the Baratza Virtuoso+ has a capacity of 8.8 ounces or 250 grams. This large capacity means you can grind a good amount of coffee before needing to empty out the grounds bin.

Removing and emptying the grounds bin is simple and mess-free. There is a handy grounds bin door that flips open for easy disposal of used coffee grounds. The grounds bin itself slides out cleanly from the front of the grinder. There is minimal mess or spillage when removing the grounds bin, even when it is full of used coffee grounds.

The generous size of the grounds bin, paired with the easy removal design, makes clean up fast and convenient with the Virtuoso+. You won't need to stop grinding to empty out the grounds bin too frequently.

Durability

The Baratza Virtuoso+ has a durable and high quality build that makes it reliable for daily use.

• The 40mm steel burrs are made in Europe from hardened alloy steel for precise and consistent grinding. They remain sharp for many years of daily use.

• The gearbox, motor, and burr shaft are made of high quality metals that hold up well over time. The DC motor is carefully tuned and balanced.

• The grounds bin, hopper, and other external parts are made from quality ABS plastic that resists cracks and breaks.

• Baratza offers a 1 year warranty that covers defects, with the option to extend to 2 years for a fee. Many users report getting 5+ years of reliable daily service from the grinder before needing repairs.

• The Virtuoso+ is designed and tested for precise grinding up to 5 lbs of coffee per day. Home users can expect it to last many years with proper maintenance.

• The simplicity of the internal mechanism and quality components lead to an exceptionally durable and reliable grinder. It's built to last through daily use for many years.

Value

The Baratza Virtuoso+ offers exceptional value for a midrange electric burr coffee grinder. At around $250, it compares very favorably to competitors in the same price range. The Virtuoso+ combines high-end performance and features with a price tag that's accessible for serious home brewers.

Key aspects that make the Virtuoso+ a great value buy:

• Professional-grade 40mm conical burrs deliver incredibly consistent grinds across a wide array of brew methods. Many competitors use cheaper burr sets that don't perform as well.

• Precise digital timer with programmable settings allows you to perfectly dial in your grind each time. Most rivals in this price range lack this level of grind customization.

• Durable metal grounds bin collects your coffee neatly and is easy to clean. Plastic bins found on some competitors wear out quickly.

• Powerful DC motor provides years of reliable performance. Lesser motors burn out faster.

• Backed by Baratza's excellent customer service and industry-leading 1 year warranty. Many competitors only offer 6 month warranties.

• Attractive, compact design takes up minimal counter space. Made to last on your kitchen counter for years.

When you consider the quality, consistency, precision, durability, and support, the Virtuoso+ delivers tremendous value compared to other electric grinders under $300. It's an investment that will reward you with better daily cups of coffee for years to come.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• High quality stainless steel burrs designed for durability and grinding performance
• Micro adjustments for dialing in precise grind sizes
• 40 grind settings for various brew methods like espresso, drip, etc.
• Low RPM motor to reduce heat buildup and protect beans
• Quick grinding time - 1g/sec for drip, 0.8g/sec for espresso
• Grounds bin holds up to 5oz of coffee grounds
• Quieter operation than comparable grinders
• Backlit grounds bin makes it easy to see the coffee grinds

Cons

• More expensive than entry-level burr grinders
• Grounds can clump together due to static buildup
• Grounds bin can be tricky to reattach properly
• Burrs may become misaligned over time, requiring recalibration

Conclusion

The Baratza Virtuoso+ conical burr coffee grinder is an excellent choice for home brewing enthusiasts looking for a high-quality grinder with precise grind size control. Its 40 individual grind settings allow you to fine-tune your grind for optimal flavor extraction across various brew methods like espresso, pourover, French press, and more.

The Virtuoso+ performs consistently with low noise and minimal static buildup or clumping of grounds. Its commercial grade conical burrs will stay sharp for many years of daily use. The grinder is also easy to use and maintain thanks to user-friendly controls, clear grounds bin, and convenient front-mounted pulse button.

Overall, the Virtuoso+ grinder combines exceptional grinding performance and intuitive usability in a sleek, durable package. While it may seem expensive upfront, it's a worthwhile investment that will make your daily coffee routine much more enjoyable for years to come. If you're looking to upgrade your home brewing equipment, the Baratza Virtuoso+ is highly recommended.