Baratza Encore vs Baratza Virtuoso+ – Which Is Better? Following will show you an in-depth look into the Baratza Encore Grinder and Baratza Virtuoso+ grinder.
Ever thought of what makes dainty coffee, it is not only just about the quality of the beans or the consistency of the brew; the grind is another considerate factor.
In buying pre-ground coffee, you mind end up sacrificing a lot of freshness and flavor. For beginners, the oxidation process begins as soon as coffee beans are ground.
This results to older grounds having a staler taste. It’s also quite difficult to control the uniformity of your grind when someone else is doing it, your presence in making high quality is highly appreciated.
Some of it might be lumpy and coarse; or fine and powder, it can also be mixed together thus creating a terribly uneven cup of coffee.
Either way, to cut the long story short, in order to get an ameliorate cup, consider buying whole coffee beans and grinding them from home.
What if a challenge sets in on what kind of grinder to consider purchasing?
If you may need some in choosing between different models then you may consider the following variances between the Baratza Encore and Baratza Virtuoso+.
| FEATURES | BORATZA ENCORE | BORATZA VIRTUOSO+ |
| Home Use | ||
| Daily Maximum Grind capacity | 1 Kg | 1 Kg |
| Hopper capacity | 230 g | 230 g |
| Grind range | 250-1200 microns | 250-1200 microns |
| Fines ( Coarse Grind Setting) | More | Less |
| Grind Speed ( per 12g) | 15 seconds | 8 seconds |
| Burr size | 400mm conical burrs | 400mm conical burrs |
| Price | $$ | $$$ |
| Build Materials | Plastic | Plastic or steel |
| Weight | 7Kg | 8Kg |
| Extra features | N/A | Built-in 60-second timer. |
The following is an in-depth look of the above Baratza encore conical burr coffee grinders.
Both grinders are compared and contrasted depending on their functional capabilities and their makings.
The Baratza Encore Grinder
This is a simple, user-friendly grinder that is not made up of a lot of bells and whistles.
Moreover, it is a cost-friendly Baratza encore grinder that does not require sophisticated knowledge of coffee in order to own, operate, clean or even repair.
An awe-inspiring feature of the Encore is its impressive technology under its plastic molding, which is operated through very basic controls such as an on and off switch and a one-touch pulse button.
The Baratza Virtuoso+ Grinder
This is a bit advanced coffee grinder. It comes along with additional special features that are not included in the Encore grinder.
The Virtuoso+ has a quicker grinding speed and a heavier counter and heavier countertop appliance. It is also more expensive than an initial purchase.
Structure of Baratza Encore and Baratza Virtuoso+
Both of the Baratza brand grinders use 40 mm conical burrs for their grinding. As a matter of fact, burr grinders are better than blade grinders due to their uniformity issue.
If you want the size, quality, and coarseness of your grounds to be precise all round; then consider the burr. This is because they deliver this kind of a result more consistently than the blades.
Another amazing feature about the Baratza grinders is that they come with the inclusion of identical DC motors.
However, regardless of the product, you may wind up purchasing, you are guaranteed to enjoy the same powerful motor with a rotation average of 450 PM and a grind range of 250-1200 microns.
The two grinders start to differ when it comes to features. This is because the Encore grinder has a simple on and off switch located on the side of the grinder’s body.
It also has a front-mounted pulse button to grind your beans directly into an espresso filter basket.
When it comes to the virtuoso+, the same front-mounted pulse button is also available but its side switch is a 60-second wind-up timer with a customizable range.
Its settings are adjusted depending on what you may be trying to brew.
For example, a French press may require a different grind than a saturated drip brew coffee maker.
Grind Settings of Baratza Encore and Baratza Virtuoso+
Baratza Encore
It has a ground speed of 0.8 to 1.1 grams per second. This is to mean that it may take you about 30 seconds to grind 70 grams of coffee.
It also means that you can make anywhere from three to six cups of coffee within a full minute of grinding depending on the size of your mug or travel thermos. The Baratza Encore grinder still offers 40 individual grind settings.
These are all clearly visible on the hopper with white tally marks against black plastic, so it is not difficult to change them.
The lower settings are majorly for making a fine grind while the higher settings evolve from medium-coarse to fully coarse.
One the topper advantages with the Encore is due to its versatility with its grid settings.
Do you like creamy cappuccinos where every sip delivers a smooth, velvety feeling?
Then you just have to make your grounds nice and fine.
How about if you may prefer cold brew coffee that you would steep for hours at a time?
Your grounds then only need to be a little bit more extra coarse.
The good thing is that the Baratza Encore can help you prepare all kinds of coffee beverages from the comfort of your home.
Baratza Virtuoso+
The grinder offers a ground speed of about 1.5 to 2.4 grams per second, a higher speed than that which is offered by the Encore.
With the Virtuoso+, you can brew more coffee in fewer amounts of time.
It is highly convenient for office break rooms and even large families with lots of coffee addicts.
On the flip side, you will want to be more careful when it comes to overheating.
You can burn your coffee beans if your grinder gets to be warm or too fast. This impacts the eventual taste of your brew.
The good thing about the Baratza virtuoso+ is that it comes about with adjustable settings for its electronic speed controller. For this, you may need to break open the gearbox of the unit fiddle with its controls.
However, you can modify its RPM between 405 and 495 rotations per minute. The Baratza virtuoso+ too offers similar grind range as the Encore that is 250 to 1200 microns.
Whether you may be aiming at grounds that are fine, coarse, medium level or in between, then the Virtuoso+ can get it done so easily for you.
Ease of Use
Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder
It is an entry level grinder, so it does not have an overly complicated design that will you scratching your head while trying to make your morning cupper.
It is meant for people who want to step up their coffee game without jumping too far ahead of their personal learning curve.
Some of the ways in which the Encore makes it easy for you to grind your coffee beans may include:
- Each part being operated by simple buttons and switches.
- Presence of an adjustable hopper scale that can be moved between settings of 1 to 40 depending on your preferred grind. 1 being the finest while 40 is the coarsest.
- No fuss or mess when it comes to cleaning. This is because you do not have to attach the Encore with a screwdriver to take things apart so as to rinse them out. Everything is adjustable, detachable or easily reached with a rag.
- The Encore’s 40 mm conical burrs will grind for many styles of coffee. Conical burrs grinders are exceptional at producing consistent grinds from very fine to very coarse as well as being durable and will remain sharp for many years.
- It utilizes a simple efficient direct drive gear reduction transmission to move power from the DC motor to the rotating cone burr. A thermal overload cutout protects the motor from overheating due to excessive use- remember, these grinders are designed to grind a dose at a time for home use.
- It has a replacement for the grounds bin that holds the espresso portafilter for hands-free grinding directly, it also makes for easy cleanup.
- Burrs are easily removable with no tools, making cleaning very easy.
- With unique speed control, the Encore uses a combination of gear and electronic speed reduction to control the rotation of the burr to 450 RPM. This slow speed reduces heat, noise and static generation in the grinder.
Baratza Virtuoso+ Coffee Grinder
This one is at a higher notch compared to the Encore.
While it is a relatively simple machine, it comes with more advanced settings making it possible for one to customize the grinding process in more precise ways:
- There is a 60-second timer for every precise grinding. It will eliminate the usual guesswork about how much is too much. It will also give you more freedom in the kitchen; you can multitask with other things while your machine grinds away. The Encore only has an on and off switch, so it does not offer a lot of convenience or consistency.
- You can change its rotations per minute. If you are worried about overheating the motor with static built-up, you can also slow it down and keep things cool. You can also reduce machine noises this way.
- It has an innovative burr calibration system which ensures that each grinder has a full range of grind. If necessary, the grinders can be user calibrated.
The flip side of the Virtuoso’s expert level grinding technology is that you will need to be familiar with things like overheating warning signs.
If you don’t recognize them or are not willing to learn, then you will just be buying a fancy machine for nothing.
Maintenance for Baratza Encore and Baratza Virtuoso+
The Baratza Encore grinder and the Baratza Virtuoso+ coffee grinder are similar in terms of long-term maintenance. They are easy to wipe down making cleanliness, not a big deal. Their physical parts are made of steel and plastic.
This is so that they do not retain odors or debris. Almost every part can be detached or adjusted in some way. Both grinders are safe to use, too.
Even if you have no idea how grinding technology works, there are built-in safety measures in all Baratza products to keep them steady and reliable.
Taking an example in both, there is a thermal cut off switch in both the Baratza Encore vs Virtuoso+ that automatically resets if the motor runs too ragged.
A decent warranty is also enjoyed from the Baratza brand of products.
The warranty lasts for a year and covers all kinds of defects and mishaps as long as an individual you will make a good-faith effort to regularly clean and maintain your machine.
As long as your grinder is not broken down on, say, a non-food item, the whole thing can be sent back to Baratza for repairs.
Baratza recommends replacing their burrs after they have ground 500 to 1000 pounds of coffee, but this kind of a milestone should not be reached for a while.
This will prevent it from being difficult to replace them even when the time comes.
Also, all replacement parts are available for ordering on Baratza’s website.
The Appearance of Baratza Encore and Baratza Virtuoso+
Baratza Encore Grinder
In appearance, the Baratza Encore coffee grinder has a top loaded design where you can deposit your coffee beans into its hopper from directly the overhead.
The grinder body is located below, it is also made with reinforced thermos-plastic that won’t stain, crack or collapse.
The burrs are made of stainless steel. Everything is designed with coffee freshness in mind, so it will protect against the usual aspects of heat, light, and moisture.
The encore hopper can hold eight ounces of coffee beans.
Baratza Virtuoso+ Grinder
The Baratza Virtuoso+ coffee grinder measures 14.5 x 7.9 x 7.1 inches and weighs 8.73 pounds. It is a bit bigger than the Encore and it is still heavier as well.
This kind of additional weight comes from a metal plate at the bottom of the grinder body. It is a sturdier model than the Encore, but the trade-off is that it is even less portable.
In relation to design, it is made in the exact same way as the Encore. The hopper is on top; the buttons are on the side and front of the grinder body; the cabinet is down below.
However, many of the Virtuoso’s parts are made with shiny steel as opposed to hard black plastic, so you might value this gleaming aesthetic a little more terms of style.
Like the Encore coffee grinder, the Virtuoso+ grinder also holds eighty ounces of coffee beans in its hopper.
Just remember that it grinds faster, so you will go through coffee faster, too.
Price of Baratza Encore vs Virtuoso+
The exact prices of these grinders fluctuate depending on the market. So it is not worth quoting them directly.
But, broadly speaking, the Baratza Virtuoso+ maybe anywhere from $50 to $100 more than the Baratza Encore. Its advanced settings and the higher level of special features make it a higher class kind of a grinder.
And of course, you have to be willing to pay for its increased speed, power, and convenience. Life expectancy is also another factor that may contribute to the set of differences when it comes to long-term costs.
While the Virtuoso+ might be a higher quality machine overall. It does not last for so long as the Encore. This is due to the fact that the Encore is a slower machine that grinds less coffee than its counterpart.
So it probably will not reach that 500 to 1000 replacement standard quickly. This brings about no worry in having to pay for replacement parts any time soon.
Final Judgement
On whether to buy the Baratza Encore vs Virtuoso+ grinder, it will all depend on what you may need from a coffee grinder.
If your interest lies on looking for an entry-level grinder, then buying the Encore would not be a choice wrongly made.
It has a very basic design that would not confuse you when its 5 AM and also comes along with higher brain functions which may be a struggle.
It does not have much in the way of advanced settings but can be a good thing for people who may be new to the world of homemade grinding systems.
In case you would want to taste the whole idea before committing a lot of resources when it comes to time and money, then the Baratza Encore coffee grinder is an easy and inexpensive option.
If you may be needing a grinder that is a little more advanced, the considering the Baratza Virtuoso+ would be better a case. It not the biggest, flashiest machine on the market, but it is a step or two above the Baratza Encore.
This is as a result of it coming with more options for coffee customization and has more advanced circuitry under its hood. You will have to pay a higher price up front, but it may be worth the investment if you a regular java coffee drinker.
All things considered, the Baratza Virtuoso+ coffee grinder is a perfect grinder for people who are somewhere between ‘beginner’ and ‘expert’ on the home-brewer scale.
Finally, at the end of it all, it does not really matter if you choose either the Baratza Encore or Baratza Virtuoso+ since both are great products from the Baratza encore line of products. They both will get the job done.
All you need is just to compare and contrast them side by side so as to determine which one is truly right for your purpose.
