Which Baratza grinder is right for you?
Baratza Encore or Virtuoso?
This has been a question that coffee lovers have debated for years.
Don’t worry, I’m here to answer the question of what’s the difference between Baratza Encore Vs Virtuoso.
The answer depends on what you’re looking for in a coffee grinder and the features that are important to you. Once you figure out which Baratza grinder best suits your needs, then it’s time to decide between Baratza Encore vs Virtuoso.
Baratza has been around for quite some time now, but they are still putting out quality products that are affordable. The Baratza Encore and the Virtuoso are two of Baratza’s most popular coffee grinders. They both offer a range of grind settings, which is great for espresso drinkers who need to be able to dial in their exact preferred grind size.
The Baratza Encore is an entry-level grinder with conical steel burrs that offers great value for money at its price point. If you’re looking to spend more on a higher-end machine, then the Baratza Virtuoso might be your best choice.
Both of these machines have a lot in common, but there are some differences that may help you decide which one is better for your needs. The battle of Baratza Encore vs Virtuoso will separate these two burr grinders in terms of performance, speed, design, and price point. Here I’ll give an overview of each burr grinder so that you can decide which one is the perfect fit for your kitchen!
- History of Baratza
- Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
- Baratza Virtuoso Burr Coffee Grinder (Virtuoso Plus)
- What is the difference between Baratza Virtuoso and Baratza Virtuoso Plus?
- What are the Similarities Between Baratza Encore vs Virtuoso Plus?
- What are the Key Differences Between Baratza Encore vs Virtuoso Plus?
- Final Thoughts: Which One is Best for You?
History of Baratza
The name “BARATZA” comes from Arabic and Swahili, meaning “a place where locals gather to drink coffee”. Baratza is an innovative U.S based company that specializes in electric coffee grinders for home use. It has a rich history of innovation, quality, and consistency. Creators Kyra Kennedy and Kyle Anderson launched their company in 1999 to provide the best grinders on earth for those who put their minds to making great coffees!
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
One of the best grinders for beginners, Baratza Encore is a great way to start your morning off with an aromatic cup. The Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder is very popular in the coffee lovers community for its precise grinding, durability, and smooth operation. All of these are at an affordable price.
Baratza Encore is an amazing grinder that has 40 different grind settings, providing you with a wide range of options from 250-1200 micron grind sizes for any brewing method. It uses its powerful DC motor to power the burrs, allowing them to produce cool ground coffee no matter how coarse or fine they are set.
The Encore has a high-quality thermoplastic gearbox which makes the gears durable and less noisy. So you can use it every day without worrying about damaging your equipment. With its easy-to-clean design and economical maintenance, the Encore is perfect for all coffee aficionados. Baratza encourages you to replace components on your Encore grinder. Parts are available online, and there is even a turnkey service program if something goes wrong with the machine.
You may also read: Best Coffee Grinder for Percolator
Pros
- Sleek and sturdy design
- Wide range of grind settings
- Affordable price
- Available in two colors
- Can easily moderate it
- Easy maintenance with great customer support
Cons
- It uses M3 burrs
- Not so good for espresso grind
Baratza Virtuoso Burr Coffee Grinder (Virtuoso Plus)
The Virtuoso Plus is a high-end grinder that surpasses expectations. It was innovated by Baratza in collaboration with new manufacturers to produce better quality coffee beans for everyone who loves it. Its name translates from Italian as something honorable or virtuous – which definitely suits this grinding machine’s performance well!
Baratza Virtuoso Plus also includes 40 grind settings with a range of 200 to 1400 Microns grind size to get more control on your desired beverage. It’s a mid-range multipurpose device that retails over $100 more than the Encore, with great feedback from professionals in this field.
It’s a professional-quality coffee grinder that will give you the most flavorful cup of Joe. It features 40mm conical burrs, which provide commercial quality and even grounds for your brew.
The Baratza Virtuoso Plus is equipped with high-speed functions, allowing you to grind at 2g per second (or even higher). It also includes a 40 seconds timer on its front mounted dial so that users can program their preferred settings easily! There is a pulse feature that allows you to set how many beans should go in at one time and grind exactly what quantity needed on demand! When it comes to versatility, the Baratza Virtuoso Burr Coffee Grinder can handle most methods. It has an upgraded M2 burr that produces a more uniform grind at espresso and coarse settings which makes this model perfect for manual pour over as well!
Pros
- High-quality body materials
- The sturdy base prevents the vibration
- It uses upgrade M2 burrs
- Always it confirms grind consistency
- Easy to operate
- 40 grind settings
- Best value for its quality
Cons
- High price
- A bit heavier
- Sometimes it may overheat
What is the difference between Baratza Virtuoso and Baratza Virtuoso Plus?
The Virtuoso Plus comes in 2019. It is an updated version of the original Virtuoso that was released in 2005. Like its predecessor, it retains all-important rugged features and upgraded M2 burr to make grinding easier and faster than ever before!
Baratza has added some new features to their Virtuoso Plus grinders in response to customer feedback:
The most notable change is the digital timer, which allows for more convenience and visibility.
The new transparent bin and LED lights make it easier to watch the coffee volume from outside.
With the Virtuoso Plus now you’ll be worry free about any excess ground that may damage your grinder!
What are the Similarities Between Baratza Encore vs Virtuoso Plus?
There are a lot of similarities between these devices
| Features | Baratza Encore | Baratza Virtuoso Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Grind Settings | 40 | 40 |
| Capacity of Bean Hopper | 8 Ounce | 8 Ounce |
| Control of Grinding | 40mm | 40mm |
| Capacity of Ground Bin | 5 ounces | 5 ounces |
| Dimensions (W x H x D cm) | 12 x 35 x 16 | 12 x 35 x 16 |
| Gear System | Same | Same |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 Year |
What are the Key Differences Between Baratza Encore vs Virtuoso Plus?
It seems both of them have similar features but there are some key differences that set them apart. I’ll go over the major ones here so that you can make an informed decision on which one will work best for you!
| Features | Baratza Encore | Baratza Virtuoso Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Image |  |
 |
| Body Material | Plastic | Plastic/Stainless Steel |
| Standard Burr | 40mm M3 Burr | 40mm M2 Burr |
| Conical Burrs | 40mm | 40mm |
| Control of Grinding | On-Off Switch | 40-second timer |
| Grind Size Range | 250-1200 Micron | 200-1400 Micron |
| Grinding Speed | 0.8 -1.1 g/sec | 1.5 – 2.4 g/sec |
| Burr Speed | 450 RPM | 500 RPM |
| Weight | 6.83 lbs | 7.05 lbs |
| Amazon Ratings | 4.5 out of 5 | 4.7 out of 5 |
| Ratings on Amazon | 10215 | 1220 |
| Price | Check Today’s Price | Check Today’s Price |
Let’s have a look in detail some of these key differences:
Body Materials:
The Baratza Encore is designed with thermoplastic construction for better durability and performance, as well! It’s perfect for the beginner who wants to experiment in their brewing, as it provides a great experience without breaking the bank!
The Virtuoso Plus has a brushed stainless steel front panel and bottom that weighs 7.05 lbs as compared to 6.83lbs of the Encore, which makes it more durable than its predecessor.
Standard Burrs:
It’s no surprise that both the Encore and Virtuoso Plus have 40mm conical burrs. But there are definitely key differences between them which set them separate in a big way!
The Baratza Encore comes with M3 cone burr and Virtuoso Plus has an upgraded version with the new design called “M2”. You can see that they’re both similar in shape, but there are some subtle differences between them by looking at their respective images below:
It is easy to see that there are major differences between the two grinders: M2 has longer, sharper edges while the M3 features blunted edges. The M2 cone burr, which is also used in Baratza Preciso comes with blades that creep up longer on the edges, and overall it has a more round shape.
Grinding Speed:
The Baratza Encore has been upgraded with the new GB 2.0 gearbox, which allows it to grind up 0.8g/sec – 1.1g per second! This can produce ground for 4-6 cups in only one minute on average. The machine’s quieter performance makes it perfect for any office environment too. It has a high torque DC motor that grinds your beans at 450 RPM, so you can expect less heat and more flavor! It also has gears with thermal cutoffs, so you don’t have your beans burned due to overheating!
The Baratza Virtuoso Plus can grind up to 2.4g/sec while the Encore only produces 1 g/second, so it will prepare more grounds in less amount of time! It runs at a speed of 500 RPM that is faster than the Baratza Encore, but it may affect your coffee’s taste if you use too much force and grind all of those beans quickly. But It has an adjustable speed control that can modify the RPM range for those who like their strong flavor profiles with less acidity intact.
Control of Grinding:
The Encore comes with an on-off dial switch and a front button that allows you control of your desired settings, without having any timer or other functions!
The Virtuoso Plus comes with a digital timer that will allow you to set the countdown for each shot from 1/10th of second up until 10 seconds. It enables you to dose precise amounts for minimum waste and brewing consistency.
As well as both of these grinders having the pulse mode option lets you top off or grind directly into your portafilter easily!
Ground Bin Design:
The Encore features a clear ground bin with an easily visible horizontal line to indicate the right fill height. But Virtuoso Plus has a LED lighted bin that is more helpful to monitor and control the amount of coffee and dispensing. For the design of these bins, they can be used without fear of overfilling, which could potentially damage the motor.
Price:
Both the Encore and Virtuoso Plus siblings are available to suit every need. Some might be more expensive than others depending on what you’re looking for in your grinder, but they all offer great features!
The Virtuoso Plus is a step up from the Encore in every way and it is more expensive than Encore. The extra investment for more programmability gets you faster and finer grinding with or without hands-on use!
While the price of these two models is more than 100 dollars, it is definitely not higher than automatic grinders. It isn’t comparable with the affordability of manual grinders also. So in this case, before choosing any grinder you should consider what features are convenient and best for you.
Final Thoughts: Which One is Best for You?
When deciding between the Baratza Encore vs Virtuoso Plus, it’s important to consider your needs. If an entry-level performer is not enough for you then maybe a more advanced model would better suit you.
If you want a budget-friendly, straightforward burr grinder for excellent coffee and are not very much worried about the quality of espresso drinks the Baratza Encore is your best bet.
Buy Virtuoso Plus if you’re looking for more control and precision. It has an excellent micro-adjustment range that allows users to dial in their grinds with confidence.
In the end, it all depends on what you need for your lifestyle. I hope you found this article helpful in making an informed decision about which of these grinders best suits your coffee brewing preferences!
