Sometimes even a workhorse deserves a bit of an upgrade. Thatโ€™s exactly what Baratza has done with the Vario, the Bellevue, Washington-based companyโ€™s mainstay prosumer grinder. The new series keeps much of the original concept of the all-around grinder but adds significant improvements to usability and construction.

The announcement came on Friday, October 1st (International Coffee Day) via a virtual release held by Baratza. Both grinders in the lineโ€”the Vario and the Vario-W, the grind-by-weight version of the originalโ€”received the upgrade and are now known as the Vario+ and Vario W+, respectively.ย  Keeping with its slim counter profile and inclusive approach to grinding, offering grind settings from espresso to French press, the new Varios feature a range of improvements and updates. These include steel burr sets on the Vario W+, โ€œhigh-visibility backlit LCDโ€ on both units, an improved user interface, and โ€œLED barista lights to monitor output,โ€ per the press release.

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But perhaps the most welcome changesโ€”speaking as a Baratza user hereโ€”come in the construction. A sturdy upgrade has been issued top to bottom on both grinders, particularly in theย precision micro- and macro-adjustment systems, providing a total 220 total grind settings. The grind chamber has been given and all-metal makeover to increase the durability even further.

Per the press release, the new Vario+ and Vario W+ will begin shipping out resellers and home users in late November 2021. Prices (in the US) for the new grinder series range from $529 for the Vario+ up to $599 for the Vario W+. For more information on the new Vario+ and Vario W+, visit Baratzaโ€™s official website.

Zac Cadwaladerย is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas.ย Read more Zac Cadwaladerย on Sprudge.

Disclosure: Baratza is an advertising partner with the Sprudge Media Network

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