# Vario burr lifespan



## chewy (Jan 16, 2013)

Does anybody know how long the ceramic burrs should last on a Vario? I'm finding that it isn't grinding fine enough and is grinding too much at the moment plus the extraction isn't producing enough crema compared with normal. The burrs don't look warn and have cleaned them recently. I haven't recalibrated the grinder after refitting the burrs before.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

How much coffee has been through the burrs? Sounds like it needs re-calibrating to me.


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## chewy (Jan 16, 2013)

I've had it a few years now. It is one of the early ones where the settings slip (couldn't spot a serial number on the bottom of the grinder). It doesn't get used much at the moment (i.e. just weekends for a few coffees). I think I bought it in 2009 from Hasbean.


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## chewy (Jan 16, 2013)

I have tried recalibrating the grinder and cleaned the chute as the rubber flap was being held in place by old grinds. My grinder is similar to the one in the link below (except a sticker covering where the dedicated adjustment screw is on the later ones):

http://www.home-barista.com/grinders/recalibrating-baratza-vario-t10282.html

I'm still getting grinds sprayed and not fine enough. Moving the screw towards the front resulted in coarser grinds so I moved it backwards which seemed finer although still lots of husk. Extraction was pretty poor as the crema all but disappeared by 30 seconds. I tried newer beans which had the same issue unfortunately. The burrs seem reasonably sharp although not enough to draw blood.

I'm not sure what the serial number is as it isn't shown in the same place as the Baratza versions.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Are your levers slipping when grinding?

Check this guide:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25117037/Vario-Re-Calibration.pdf

What dosing are you using, and what espresso machine?

You definitely should be able to grind fine enough.


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## chewy (Jan 16, 2013)

Mine is an early version where the rubber needs to be removed in order to make adjustments. It doesn't have to hole shown in the instructions you attached.

Yes the levels slip so I hold the right hand side one up as I grind. It seems to have got worse of late but it always slipped a small amount.

I'm using the default 10 second dose rather than weight e.g. 18g as it has served me well since I bought the grinder. I'm using a Gaggia Classic (recently descaled).


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Glenn has shims to stop the levers from moving on their own - PM him to see if you can nab a set!

Not sure what to suggest about the tuning then, I know mahlkonig will do a service but it might be at cost


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## chewy (Jan 16, 2013)

Looks like I have damaged the burrs. I obviously moved the primary calibration screw too far backwards - I should have figured it by the nasty smell.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

PM me for a set of shims

Sounds like you need some new burrs too (but try the shim fix first)

They will last many years in the home.


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## chewy (Jan 16, 2013)

Thanks Glenn they arrived.

I took the grinder into Bella Barista who advised me that I did not need new burrs after all. They were kind enough to set it up at no cost to myself.


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

I have a Vario at work for guest and decaf beans, I generally re-calibrate the burrs every week or so as they are pretty temperamental.


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