# How good is the mahlkonig vario (home) with steel burrs?



## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

I know this is a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string' question, but where on the scale of brew grinders does the vario with steel burrs lie? Obviously above the vario with ceramic and below the ek / r120, but can anyone be more specific?

Should I aim higher? Should I just wait and go for an ek?

yours,

confused (again)


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

As far as I know we never got round to grinder top trumps . Any answer you get in how good is it in comparison to X grinder will be fairly meaningless .

It's 7/10 of an Ek and 8/13 of an r120

Set a budget , set a list of wants and functions - choose a grinder , make tasty coffee - be happy - you choose - we can't choose for you

The Ek really isn't for everyone and I would think long and hard before you get one . It's a step away from the traditional espresso 90 percent of places sell and it require and adjustment in technique and probably a low pressure machine


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## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

I suppose some background is in order....

Ideally I would get an r120/ek43, and yes, that in itself us a tricky question, but not the one on discussion here...

the he point being, either one of those is a while away, whereas I could get a second hand espresso grinder somewhat more cheaply, and thus somewhat sooner. The new machine has made me feel my grinders inadequacies much more, as I kinda knew it would.

i'm just trying to make the decision which way to go basically, which is.... Difficult to say the least. I know people can't make my mind up for me, but some assistance would be appreciated. In better times than these, I could just have bought a 'good' second hand grinder and then sold it on when more had been saved. These are not those times, which makes the decision harder.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

How much money do you want to spend - what do you have now -


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## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

Right now, I have bugger all in the way of money, due to an accidental Vesuvius shaped purchase. I'm working with a vario for both aeropress and espresso.

But I'm saving... The question is whether to try and take an intermediate step (decent espresso grinder + steel burrs for vario). As I said, this would be a no brainer were it easy to sell on grinders, but judging by recent times this isn't nearly as simple as it once was.

It would also look like a minimum of ~500 quid for decent espresso grinder and steel burrs, and part of me wonders whether I should just wait and get what I (actually) want,and to be quite honest whether what I would get second hand would be 'worth' that (which I think it would, but second hand can be a bit of a risk)

I'm kinda trying to assess the two options, hence the question


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

There are outher places to sell grinders - eBay may be Ba better bet than here at the moment .

Again your asking questions which only you know the answer too . Given some of the Royal and majors going for a song at the mo looks like you could pick up a decent falr burr 2nd had for £300 that would piss on the Vario


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

At around the £500 mark puts you in second hand Mythos territory. Very capable grinder for espresso especially once a clump crusher has been fitted.


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## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure for that money I can get something very nice, although generally I don't eBay (I'm one of those people with a PayPal horror story, thus would never use them again), which does rather limit things.

i have looked longingly at royals, mythos, and even a k10, all of which I know would be better than the vario, however would I be settling too low using the vario and steel burrs for my work aeropresses? Given its a large amount of the coffee I drink I would like it to be good (better) quality


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

From what I've read, the Vario with steel burrs was always talked about as being a very capable grinder for brewed so should be perfectly adequate for Aeropress duties. I, personally, haven't used either so by all means do your own research before purchasing one.

@froggystyle has one unless I'm mistaken? Perhaps he can offer some actual real-world experience?


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## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

Having searched (multiple times) there are a few happy people with one, but generally with nothing to compare it against. Lot less info around about brew grinders unfortunately, it would seem.


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

I thought Vario+steel seemed to be they were spoken well of for brewed and some of the hand grinders felds, lidos etc are and that their wasn't a lot in the middle between them and something like an EK or r120 for brewed?


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

That's a good point. Would something like a felgrind not suffice whilst you're saving up for your dream electric grinder (EK43/R120 etc)? Considerably cheaper than a Vario or Mythos!


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## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

I have a Vario, might as well use it (for the cost of the steel burrs) - it won't sell for much.


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## tambu (Sep 7, 2015)

If you can't make a decent cup of brewed coffee with the 54mm ditting flat burrs in the vario then you need to re-evaluate how you're making coffee









On the whole, I'd base that on a couple of things:-

1. they used them at workshop until the ek43 thing happened, and they made very nice coffee which i drank on a regular basis

2. they were famous for being dragged to brewing championships by their owners

3. i used one a few times recently and i'm fairly sure it produced a more even grind than my lido, etc., but only at a coarser setting


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

I couldn't taste much of a difference (if any) between an Encore and a steel burred Vario when brewed side-by-side. Perhaps a little more clarity but this could of just been down to natural variance you'd see between two brews using the same grinder. There was a clear very obvious difference between the Encore and EK. Make of that what you will.

Perhaps get a refractometer instead and optimise what you've got


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## Nod (Sep 7, 2013)

Hey I have a vario with steel burrs and think it is excellent. I brew at work with a brazen and consistently get great results. If u have a vario already it is a no brainier. But the burrs direct from barratza in the USA and they end up much cheaper. I am not a brew master or anything but do do aeropress kalita v60 and Chemex and think the vario works v well...


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## malling (Dec 8, 2014)

I owned a steel burr vario before taking the plunge for an EK, it is fine for what you pay for it and certainly better then those cheapish grinders eg. wilfa and the likes that allot of folks uses. More clarity, better separation etc. and if you already got one it's a no brainier.

I don't really think it's fair to compare it to a bulk, as bulks cost almost 3-5 times as much. So I don't bother to do a comparison as it makes little sense to do so.

The difference from memory to a Feldgrind is so and so - perhaps a slightly higher clarity with Vario steel, but it isn't exactly scientific.

If you can't wait get a new grinder for spro and put steel burrs in. And wait until EK and r120 runs out of fashion and get them cheep! It is just a matter of time anyway with the current development in grinding. Or get what ever comes out


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

My take on it, its a capable grinder with a small footprint which can be key for brewed as most people like a brewed grinder to play second fiddle to the espresso grinder, thus taking it easy to put out the way when not being used.

in the cup, i found it acceptable with V60, Brazen, French press.

Its all down to how much you want to spend and footprint i believe with a brewed grinder.

If you have one already then maybe the alternative burrs is the right route for now, saving some dosh then for an EK or maybe the R120.


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## UbiquitousPhoton (Mar 7, 2016)

garydyke1 said:


> Perhaps get a refractometer instead and optimise what you've got


Ha! Its one thing suspecting that what I have is a bit shit, without spending money to get hard scientific evidence that its a bit shit, and now having no money to upgrade!









Thanks for all the advice, that has made it a bit clearer for me (i.e. the other route of two grinders is worth thinking about strongly) My only wish is that the second hand market was a bit stronger right now!


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## the_partisan (Feb 29, 2016)

I have bought a Vario w/ steel burrs installed second hand as I found it for a quite reasonable price - and very happy with the results. I used with Kalita Wave with a fairly coarse grind and it produced one of the best cups I've brewed at home on my first try. It's either beginners luck or the grinder is very easy to dial in.

It's definitely much better than my old electric grinder, Wilfa and I would say slightly better than Feldgrind as well. As bulk grinders are not an option for me, this seems to be one of the best choices for home brewed use.

Curious what's your calibration point for this grinder with the steel burrs - the point where the burrs touch? Mine doesn't seem to touch at any setting.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

If you can't achieve burrs touching using the sliders, you need to re-calibrate - as below. You don't need the tool they use - a long Allen key will do the job.


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

I've used one before. I'd have one at home. I'd rather an EK but for the sub £500 market they are pretty banging.


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## the_partisan (Feb 29, 2016)

Regarding calibration, Baratza recommended me to calibrate them so that they just start touching at 1A. I suppose this will give the best coarse range? I think if you're able to grind as coarse and as fine as you need - the calibration doesn't really matter that much?


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