# Mahlkonig vario / Hasbean beans problem



## 2OldBean (Feb 22, 2015)

I'm interested to hear people's views on problems I've been having; I bought a Mahlkonig vario (domestic, not K30) last November but after about 5 days of use it stopped working with the drive belt slipping. I suspect there was something other than coffee in with the beans (scratch on the new ceramic burr). After some 'discussion' with Coffee Italia they agreed to get it fixed. 2 months later I got the grinder back with, I'm told, a new belt and a new motor - Frank from ferrari-espresso said "it didn't sound right" after the new belt was fitted, hence new motor.

I've now had the grinder back for about 6 weeks and it seemed to be working perfectly until last week when it started taking a little longer than usual to grind. Now belt slipping again and unable to grind coffee.

Coffee Italia say that the only reason for it going wrong is stones or twigs going in with the beans and blame English coffee. I've been using beans from HasBean which seem to be popular on this site and I've been checking them reasonably carefully this time round.

Am I just unlucky/doing something stupid? Is there a known issue with the Varios? Should I buy my beans elsewhere?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Certainly not the beans.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Where abouts are you?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Very unlikely to be the beans ...what do the burrs look like....it seems unfair to blame English roasters and twigs when they don't even know if the burrs are damaged or by what


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## 2OldBean (Feb 22, 2015)

I'm near Plymouth, Devon.


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## 2OldBean (Feb 22, 2015)

Burrs have a single scratch sustained on first injury. Otherwise look new.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

2OldBean said:


> Burrs have a single scratch sustained on first injury. Otherwise look new.


Not English twigs or stones then.....


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## Steve7 (Dec 19, 2014)

Sale of goods act.

Ask for for a new one. They have to be fit for purpose irrespective of warranty length. This isn't fit for the purpose you would expect it be sold for.

Get tough and demand a replacement or fix to make it as new.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

2OldBean said:


> Am I just unlucky/doing something stupid? Is there a known issue with the Varios? Should I buy my beans elsewhere?


It's not the beans

I had a Vario develop a slip recently after years of faithful service

Replaced the belt and pulley but it's still slipping

Looking into a new motor for it.

Only slipping on very fine grind - works great for filter still.


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## Bennicus (Mar 12, 2015)

English coffee, haha


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

2OldBean said:


> Am I just unlucky/doing something stupid? Is there a known issue with the Varios? Should I buy my beans elsewhere?


1. I don't think it's going to be a problem with the beans, also please reember ANY coffee from ANY roaster could have a foreign object in it and should always be checked.

2. I doubt you are doing anything stupid

3. If you can get you money back under the sale of good act, purchase something else (used or new)

I do not think the Vario is the great grinder everyone else does, I reviewed one about 5 years ago http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/pdf/compact-grinder-1-closerlook.pdf I was not hugely impressed. Many of the areas I thought would become a problem did. e.g. lever arms slipping, problems adjusting, drive cogs stripping, belts losing their teeth poor grind quality. I really don't know why people buy these grinders considering how much they cost. I also feel they won't have the longevity of other grinders and it seems that a lot of have had to either repair them or adjust them in ways I wouldn't consider reasonable. Every time I say this I simply get shouted down and I don't know why people are so keen to push it. Also the company I did the review for...still sells it, so it's not like I was biased.

Go look at the looong Vario thread on coffeegeek and then try and fine one for Mazzer, or Macap, or Eureka and you won't....this alone should tell you something. one common theme is "fantastic customer service"...usually applied to the supply of free spares to fix the grinder when it goes wrong. I think it could have been such a good grinder, had it used a single adjustment dial like the pro m, decent steel burrs and had had a better drive system from the beginning....Also the espresso to filter dream with the flick of a lever didn't come true for me....there simply was not the range of adjustment to do it and it required a more significant burr adjustment with an allen key for that.

If you can....get something else that will be relatively trouble free.....

*P.S. I think it would be good for the title of the thread to be changed......it's a little unfair to Hasbean for the title to remain as it is, I suggest "Mahlkonig vario /beans problem*"


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## Mr.Sun (May 19, 2015)

Should ask the seller for a new unit or replacement.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

,................................old post


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