waroros Senior Member Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Posts: 5 Location: Bkk Expertise: Just starting
Posted Thu Aug 30, 2012, 11:03pm Subject: Vario or Mazzer mini-e for espresso only
What will you choose between these models?
Mini-e has 64mm burrs, is it a lot faster? Who has better consistency? Who has less clump & better distribution? More durability? Is it too hard to adjust time dosing with Mini-e screw?
NobbyR Senior Member Joined: 10 Jul 2011 Posts: 1,611 Location: Germany Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Poccino Opus One, Ariete Grinder: Eureka Mignon Istantaneo,... Vac Pot: N/A Drip: Melitta Linea Unica de Luxe Roaster: N/A
Posted Fri Aug 31, 2012, 4:19am Subject: Re: Vario or Mazzer mini-e for espresso only
As far as ease of use is concerned, the Vario with its macro and micro dial has IMHO all advantages on its side, and there's very little clumping. Distribution is up to you, not the grinder. As far as durability is concerned, it's hard to judge the Vario simply because it has not been around as long as the Mazzer.
*** "This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee)
Posted Fri Aug 31, 2012, 12:10pm Subject: Re: Vario or Mazzer mini-e for espresso only
I've also been comparing the Vario and Mazzer Mini-e for my next step up and as I don't have either I can't comment on the first 4 points of the original post but I know that Mazzer have released an updated version of the Mini-e with a digital timer that doesn't use the screw adjustment:
sn_85 Senior Member Joined: 1 Dec 2011 Posts: 131 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Quick Mill Andreja Premium Grinder: Baratza Vario
Posted Fri Aug 31, 2012, 8:46pm Subject: Re: Vario or Mazzer mini-e for espresso only
I think if you're going to get a Vario I would spring for the Vario-W, it's still a good $300-$400 less than the Mini-E. Both these are on my radar for future upgrades. The beauty with both is that speed wise it shouldn't really matter much. You press the button and in the mean time you go grab your milk or prepare your other things. I own the Preciso and from my experience and what I've read is that the Baratza's have minimal clumping and grind retention. Conversely you always see someone trying to sweep out old grinds from their Mazzer. The Mazzer is more durable and won't likely break down but their customer service is non-existent and is limited to taking it to your retailer or some service center. On the other hand Baratza has hands down the best customer service in the business, or any business for that matter. As posted already, Mazzer came out with an update to their Mini-E type A to where you change the timer by a button.
waroros Senior Member Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Posts: 5 Location: Bkk Expertise: Just starting
Posted Sun Sep 2, 2012, 8:42pm Subject: Re: Vario or Mazzer mini-e for espresso only
Thank you for all your suggestions. I decide to go for Vario-W. I'll have to wait since it hasn't available in my country, Thailand, right now. We used 220v and it release under marhlkonig brand.
I actually have experience with rocky, vario, and virtuoso, and preciso before. The vario work best for first few months, good fluffy and dosing. However, it get fluctuates and spray the coffee all over my counter all the time. So, I considered about mazzer, which seem harder to fail.
If there is a shop online from other country with 220v which is shipping internationally?
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,678 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Tue Sep 4, 2012, 7:31am Subject: Re: Vario or Mazzer mini-e for espresso only
YMMV but I have had off line email with people and they are often more happy with a Mazzer grinder than they have been with their Vario. It may be a personal thing too, just saying give a lot of thought to what you want to do, it looks to me that from the start of this thread to now has only been a few days with only a few replies to the question asked. Have you done a lot of research away from this thread? I just think that this is a lot of money to spend either way, just be sure of what you want and what you are getting. This is not a knock against any product, rather is is just a message to slow down a little and think just what it is that you REALLY want.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
Posted Tue Sep 4, 2012, 12:16pm Subject: Re: Vario or Mazzer mini-e for espresso only
I'd be really interested in the reasons people give for preferring a Mazzer over a Vario - I'm sure in a lot of cases it's an "irrational" personal preference, but it's definitely a lot of money to spend on either grinder so the more information I can get before handing over my card details the better!!!
lozinsky Senior Member Joined: 19 Jun 2012 Posts: 16 Location: Vancouver Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Tue Sep 4, 2012, 3:13pm Subject: Re: Vario or Mazzer mini-e for espresso only
I got my Dad a Baratza Vario (not the 'w'), and I personally own a Mazzer Super Jolly Electronic - I can't speak directly to the Mazzer Mini-e. I used the Vario for a week or so when I was last visiting and I was really impressed with the grind quality, overall size of the machine, and minimal grind retention. When I used the Vario it was only for drip coffee so I can't really say if I liked the grind quality more or less when compared to my Mazzer. One thing is for sure, my Mazzer clumps way more than I would like (for espresso), and the Vario didn't clump at all (although it was set for a fine drip setting which wouldn't really clump anyway).
I have a Baratza Encore for drip coffee, and if I could do it again, I would have got the Vario instead, used it for everything, and then down the road picked up an espresso only grinder like the Mazzer that I currently have. I may get rid of the Encore at some point and do just that! It is too much of a pain IMO to switch back and forth between espresso/drip on the same grinder - especially if you do it regularly.
Posted Wed Sep 5, 2012, 4:01am Subject: Re: Vario or Mazzer mini-e for espresso only
lozinsky Said:
I have a Baratza Encore for drip coffee, and if I could do it again, I would have got the Vario instead, used it for everything, and then down the road picked up an espresso only grinder like the Mazzer that I currently have. I may get rid of the Encore at some point and do just that! It is too much of a pain IMO to switch back and forth between espresso/drip on the same grinder - especially if you do it regularly.
I suppose that's the core of my dilemma - I'm the only person in my house who drinks coffee, and I only ever grind espresso so the ease of moving between different type of grind isn't important to me.
I've read lots of positive feedback on the Vario (and the Vario-W), but I worry that the increased complexity of the macro/micro adjusters gives me no real advantage for the way I use a grinder and is just something else to go wrong... I've also heard a few people saying that after some use the Vario can be prone to adjusting itself while grinding, but I don't know if it's a design flaw or a problem with the individual grinders...
What I'm really looking for is a good quality, robust grinder that will last a long time. The Mazzer almost certainly fits the bill but is about £200 more expensive and probably uses more coffee due to retention etc. The Vario almost certainly produces a great espresso grind and is the cheaper of the two, but a £350 grinder is still very expensive and not something I want to replace every few years...
NobbyR Senior Member Joined: 10 Jul 2011 Posts: 1,611 Location: Germany Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Poccino Opus One, Ariete Grinder: Eureka Mignon Istantaneo,... Vac Pot: N/A Drip: Melitta Linea Unica de Luxe Roaster: N/A
Posted Wed Sep 5, 2012, 4:11am Subject: Re: Vario or Mazzer mini-e for espresso only
Take a look at the Eureka Mignon Istantaneo then. It's also a solid stepless grinder with 50 mm flat burrs. It's availaible with and without a timer. As far as the quality of grounds and longevity is concerned, I'd say it's on par with the Mazzer Mini, but it's cheaper.
*** "This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee)
Symbols: = New Posts since your last visit = No New Posts since last visit = Newest post
Forum Rules: No profanity, illegal acts or personal attacks will be tolerated in these discussion boards. No commercial posting of any nature will be tolerated; only private sales by private individuals, in the "Buy and Sell" forum. No cross posting allowed - do not post your topic to more than one forum, nor repost a topic to the same forum. Who Can Read The Forum? Anyone can read posts in these discussion boards. Who Can Post New Topics? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post new topics. Who Can Post Replies? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post replies. Can Photos be posted? Anyone can post photos in their new topics or replies. Who can change or delete posts? Any CoffeeGeek member can edit their own posts. Only moderators can delete posts. Probationary Period: If you are a new signup for CoffeeGeek, you cannot promote, endorse, criticise or otherwise post an unsolicited endorsement for any company, product or service in your first five postings.
= No New Posts since last visit 