# Mignon Vs Vario which is best for Silvia V3



## Trevor (Mar 21, 2014)

I'm completely new to grinding, when I get my Silvia v3 back and working, I'd like to get a grinder.

I've been looking at both the Mignon & the Vario, but don't know which one is best. I'd like to be able to change grind setting easily from course to fine too.

Which is best for setting up and maintenance too.

Any help and advice would be good.


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Would recommend the Mignon as the better of the two.


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

I would recommend a grinder purely for espresso and not to go back and forth for brewed

both will do espresso grind , I prefer the look of the mignion and it seems a firm favorite on the forum

I've not used one enough to comment on the taste of either sorry.

The vario may possibly be better suited to going back and forth grind wise,but as above I'd have a grinder for espresso and some thing else for coarse (porlex etc ).

The vario has options for differnt burrs for espresso and brew , which should tell you, to use it for one as opposed to both....


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I have had both, and there are a number of issues that need careful consideration. If you were walking innocently along, and someone dropped a Vario out of the 4th floor window, and inadvertently, you stood still for a moment and took off your hat, the Vario would hit you on the head and you would think, what was that annoying little bump, whereas the Mignon would kill you.

Seriously, the vario is made of plastic and chewing gum and will last years with careful use, whereas the Mignoin is beautiful, heavy, really well made with no stupid electronic gadgetry to go caput, and by far the better grinder.

He says, waiting for all the vario owners to come to attack........


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Would you use Either for brewed and espresso though guys .


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

You cannot easily change the settings on a Mignon from coarse to fine as it uses a worm screw thread. The Vario works on levers but you often have to mod them one way or the other to get the best out of each parameter. A lot of people with Varios, for brewed also change the burr set from ceramic to steel because of this


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Mrboots2u said:


> Would you use Either for brewed and espresso though guys .


Certainly wouldn't recommend shifting the Vario from espresso to pour over grind setting. But then, few grinders are happy being moved from fine to coarse setting and back again.


----------



## Jon V (Feb 24, 2014)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Certainly wouldn't recommend shifting the Vario from espresso to pour over grind setting. But then, few grinders are happy being moved from fine to coarse setting and back again.


Some people seem to be able to do this with their Varios. The recommendation is to set the micro adjustment for espresso and not use this when coarsening the macro for filter.

I am having general issues with consistency even without doing this.


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

If you think about it, you need pretty fine tolerances when adjusting/dialling in for espresso. Being able to move from that setting - say for a coarser grind and being able to get back to the exact fine setting is a very tall order indeed.


----------



## Trevor (Mar 21, 2014)

Mrboots2u said:


> I would recommend a grinder purely for espresso and not to go back and forth for brewed
> 
> both will do espresso grind , I prefer the look of the mignion and it seems a firm favorite on the forum
> 
> ...


Thanks for that Mrboots, you've reminded me, someone else told me that a while ago, to have one grinder for espresso & one for brew, that's what I'll do. Looks like it will be the mignion.


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Check with coffeebean he was doing some models for 265 delivered


----------



## EWCC (Mar 27, 2014)

Mrboots2u said:


> Check with coffeebean he was doing some models for 265 delivered


I read in another thread that coffeebean's machine is the standard silver/grey model. Great deal if you don't care much about its colour.


----------



## coffeebean (Jan 26, 2010)

It is the silver/grey one - I can do you a chrome one for £300 if you prefer......


----------



## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

I own a Vario and whilst it is consistent I wouldn't want to switch between pourover and espresso. If you did, you'd have to purge some beans through it every time. Retention is minimal though.


----------

