Baratza is well known for their quality burr grinders and choosing one to purchase is understandably confusing with all the different options available.
Today we are going to talk about what makes the Sette different than the Vario. We will put the Vario up against its toughest competition yet since Baratza offered up its 3 Sette models to its consumers in 2016.
The Main Differences
While the Vario was built for use as a light commercial grinder, the Sette is truly a home grinder. While the Sette might be able to withstand some light cafe use, it’s designed primarily for home coffee enthusiasts that demand perfection from their grinders.
Perhaps the largest difference between the two, is where they have a burr to grind. Sorry, I couldn’t help it!
Literally, the Vario uses flat ceramic burrs to grind the coffee beans into submission while the Sette uses conical steel burrs. This allows the Sette to be a minimal retention grinder because the beans have nowhere to sit once ground.
Now there are whole forum posts devoted to which burr design is best. Trust me, I found them. But both burr designs are going to give you consistent grinding results based on the fact that they bring two surfaces together to crush the beans. Baratza has designed both of these grinders to be minimal retention grinders
Ceramic burrs tend to give you a few more fines than steel burrs. However, Vario has been designed with a narrow particle distribution making it superior to other ceramic burr grinders. Baratza has brought on the steel burrs because of their exact grinding consistency.
So let’s compare:
Baratza Vario
The Vario features 3 adjustable preset time buttons and macro and micro adjustments for accurate grinding and dosing into either your portafilter with the portaholder or into the included 8 oz grinds bin. This professional grade grinder is small enough to use at home and is a workhorse for use in a cafe. The 54mm ceramic burrs coupled with the high torque DC motor, grind the coffee during long grind cycles without heating up the beans.
The bean hopper holds 8 oz of beans and an additional extender can be purchased that can hold 9 more oz. Baratza also offers a shutoff hopper which allows you to remove the hopper with the beans in it so you can change between beans. Since this grinder was designed for commercial use, this is a no brainer but a somewhat new change that Baratza has added. Baratza has also made steel burrs for this machine for those that still prefer steel to ceramic.
Features
- Grind Speed 1.6-2.6 g/sec
- Grind range 230-1150 microns
- 10 Macro and 23 micro adjustments, 230 total combinations
- 3 adjustable preset timer buttons plus a manual timer button, adjustable within 0.1 seconds
- 8 oz bean hopper
- 8 oz grinds bin
- Portaholder and grinds bin included
Baratza Vario-W
The same great grinder but offered with the capability of accurate weight based grinding. The Vario-W offers the same footprint, macro and micro adjustments and ceramic burrs that exist in the Vario grinder, they’ve just upgraded it. It features a precision load cell that guarantees accurate weight based dosing, eliminating the need for an additional scale in your work space. This model does not have a portaholder like the basic Vario, but does come standard with a shutoff hopper.
Features
- Grind Speed 1.6-2.6 g/sec
- Grind range 230-1150 microns
- 10 macro and 23 micro adjustments, 230 total combinations
- 3 adjustable preset buttons plus a manual start/stop button, adjustable within 0.1 gram
- 10 oz bean shutoff hopper
- 5 oz grinds bin
Baratza Sette 270
The Sette 270 as well as the entire Sette line, feature an entirely new design look and grinding technology. The 40 mm steel conical burrs and their placement create the perfect delivery of your grounds with minimal grind retention. The new design uses the outer burr to turn, while the inner burr is stationary. This grinder also has a different and unique look to it compared to the rest. The grinds bin isn’t enclosed like it is with the Vario grinders and it’s easier to switch between the portaholder and the grinds bin or even into your preferred brewing holder like the Hario V-60.
The Sette 270 is a time based grinder and like the Vario, is adjustable with 3 presets within 0.1 seconds. It also has macro and micro adjustments but the micro adjustment is stepless, making it almost infinite in grind combinations. It grinds faster than the Vario and the hopper has a shutoff key that makes it easy to switch between different beans.
Features
- Grind Speed 3.5g-5.5g/sec
- Grind Range 230-950 microns
- 30 macro and 9 stepless micro adjustments, 270 combinations, maybe more
- 3 adjustable preset timer buttons plus a manual timer button, adjustable within 0.1 seconds
- 10 oz bean shutoff hopper
- 5.5 oz anti-static grinds bin
- Adjustable portaholder, holds portafilter, grinds bin, or any other brewing holder
Sette 30 AP
For those who don’t need as much out of their grinders, the Sette 30 AP is Baratza’s economy model in the Sette line. The same great design, burrs, and timer based grinding in a much more affordable and simpler model. 30 steps of grinding adjustment coupled with the simple to use adjustable timer, make this the grinder accessible to those who want to get into excellent espresso grinding not spend a lot.
Features
- Grind Speed 3.5g-5.5g/sec
- Grind Range 230-950 microns
- 30 Macro steps of adjustment
- Digital display with 2 time adjustment buttons allow for 0.1 second increments and a start/pause and stop button
- 10 oz bean shutoff hopper
- 5.5 oz anti-static grinds bin
- Adjustable portaholder, holds portafilter, grinds bin, or any other brewing holder
Sette 270W
The 270W is the final and most revolutionary of the Sette models featuring weight based grinding capability. Everything is the same in this model as in the 270 but it is further upgraded with a built in scale with a 20 millisecond response time and a tenth of a gram sensitivity. If you require a weight based grinder or are just enamored with the fact that this great grinder weighs your coffee for you, this is a great option.
Features
- Grind Speed 3.5g-5.5g/sec
- Grind Range 230-950 microns
- 30 macro and 9 stepless micro adjustments, 270 combinations, maybe more
- 3 adjustable preset weight buttons, start/pause button, stop button and grind adjustments within 0.1 grams
- 10 oz bean shutoff hopper
- 5.5 oz anti-static grinds bin
- Adjustable portaholder, holds portafilter, grinds bin, or any other brewing holder
So Which One Is The Best?
Where And How Do You Want To Use It?
To decide which grinder is best for you, you’ll need to ask yourself this question. If it is to be used in a cafe for espresso, the basic Vario is going to suit you best because of it’s long grind abilities and the standard portaholder. But if you want to use it for pour-overs in your cafe, the Vario-W is going to be better suited to your uses.
If you are looking for a home grinder, then the Sette line is going to be a better option for you and they’re a bit more affordable as well. The AP is a great option for beginners wanting a good quality espresso grinder but for those that like to play with their grinders, they will quickly become frustrated with just 30 steps of adjustment.
This is why the Sette 270 or 270W are the better options for extreme coffee enthusiasts that want to play with their grind settings and perfect their craft. You’ll just have to decide between time or weight based grinding abilities to choose between the two.
For me, I love weight based grinders because I drink pour overs every morning. Eliminating the extra step of weighing my coffee makes my morning cuppa habit more streamlined. For more information about the Sette line, see the other article here.
