Baratza Virtuoso+ Coffee Grinder ZCG587BLK, Black

After 18 years with my trusty Solis Maestro (which I believe was a predecessor to Baratza), I decided it was time for an upgrade and passed my old grinder (still going strong) down to my daughter to replace her brand new but constantly-jamming OXO. I'm absolutely thrilled with the Baratza Virtuoso Plus - it has exceeded all my expectations. Grind Consistency is Exceptional I was genuinely surprised by how consistent the grind quality is. Coming from someone who owned a professional Mahlkonig grinder at my coffee shop, I can confidently say the Virtuoso Plus produces results that are almost on par with high-end commercial equipment (the ubiquitous boxy BUNN grinders you see in grocery stores don't make that cut, I'm afraid). The 40mm M2 Etzinger burr set delivers remarkably uniform particles across the entire grind spectrum, from coarse French press to fine pour-over settings. Speed and Efficiency This grinder is both quiet and impressively fast - it produces grounds at nearly twice the speed of my old Solis. At 2g/second grinding speed, it makes my morning routine much more efficient without waking the whole house. The minimal coffee retention (only about 1.5-2g gets trapped in the grinding chamber) means virtually no waste between different coffees. Thoughtful Design Features The lighted grounds bin is a nice touch that makes it easy to see your grind progress, especially in early morning light. While I don't personally use the digital timer (I prefer weighing by scale), it's a convenient feature for consistent dosing that can be set in one-second increments up to 60 seconds. The front-mounted dial makes adjustments simple and intuitive. Handles Dark Roasts Like a Champ One of my concerns was how it would handle oily dark roasts, but this grinder takes them in stride. The oils don't cause any jamming or clogging issues - a stark contrast to some cheaper grinders that struggle with this. Why I Chose the Virtuoso Plus Over Entry-Level Options While I heard some concerning reports about Baratza's entry-level models breaking within the first year from a couple of friends, the Virtuoso Plus represents their more robust mid-range option. After researching extensively on coffee-focused websites like Whole Latte Love (not just Amazon reviews), this model consistently received praise for its durability and performance. The build quality feels substantial and professional-grade. It is extremely heavy, and grinds like a (very quiet) beast. Perfect for Serious Coffee Enthusiasts Whether you're doing pour-over, French press, or even light espresso work, this grinder delivers the consistency you need. It's built for heavy use - perfect for families or small offices where the grinder sees daily action. The grind range from 200 to 1200 microns covers virtually every brewing method you could want. Final Verdict This is hands-down a 5-star purchase. For the price point, you're getting professional-level grind consistency, thoughtful engineering, and the reliability that Baratza is known for in their higher-tier products. If you're serious about your coffee and want a grinder that will serve you faithfully for years (like my old Solis did), the Virtuoso Plus is an excellent investment. Highly recommended! Additional thoughts As a sidenote, I have nothing against OXO as a brand - in fact, I have very positive experiences with their brewing equipment, both electric and pourover. It is only their grinder that has been troublesome.

For french press, pour overs, aeropress, etc, this is a fantastic grinder. The grind is fairly uniform, the grinder is easy to use, and the entire thing is well made and made for repairs--an investment that will last a lifetime or more! However, for espresso, you *can* recalibrate the grinder to grind down to small enough grinds. This taking off the shell and essentially shifting the grind size range down. By this I mean let's say 0-40 is the range for however your Virtuoso + is currently calibrated. If you recalibrate it to the finest setting, the range, relative to the original, then becomes something like -8-32. As such, this does work for espresso--I managed to dial in some recipes with the use of puck screens and such to compensate for pressure. But the step size itself is fairly big for espresso. What I mean is that the ideal grind size for whatever espresso you want to make is very likely in between grind sizes--and there is no way for you to calibrate this grinder to be in that middle ground. Well, there is: you can do the stepless mod, but per Youtube, this comes with its own compromises (the hopper will shake a lot so you will have to stand there holding the hopper for consistent grinds). Either way, works well for my current espresso skill level and usage. That being said, if you have one of the lower end entry level machines with the pressurized baskets (like mine) and just simply want to make a mocha or strong coffee but not a "proper" or "perfect" espresso, then the grind size/steps kinda don't matter all that much. These types of baskets are meant to eliminate all the nuances of proper espresso making. When you start messing around with unpressurized baskets though, you may be somewhat unhappy depending on how you like your espresso. In case you are interested in the grind sizes I use, here they are below. Keep in mind my Virtuoso + is calibrated to the finest possible setting (Baratza has videos showing how to do this). French press - I use an Espro P7, so I use a medium grind because I can filter out the grounds. I use size level 28 and the standard 1 min bloom, 3 min brewing, 30 sec plunge technique Espresso - I use a Casabrews CM5418 but unpressurized baskets. The one I have dialed in the best (as well as I could with this machine and grinder) is the IKAPE 51mm high extraction beehive basket. For this basket, I use 15.5g of medium/medium-light beans at size 4 with the GEMINI 51mm Puck Screen at 0.8mm thickness. The puck screen is primarily to keep the showerhead clean and compensate for pressure as well as volume since I cannot dial in the grind size any better. The pressure ends up being ~8.5-9 BAR on my machine. it will be a bit on the sour side but still good. If you want something a bit more on the bitter side, then with the same basket, I do 16g of the same beans, grind level 5, with the MHW Bomber3 51mm 0.8mm puck screen. The pressure will be 6.5-7.5 BAR with my machine.

Works very well and seems well made. The timer is useful for preparing fairly uniform espresso doses and lets you avoid needing a scale for dosing. I like that there is a light shining in the grinder bin so that you can see the quality and volume of the dose. The grind setting can be readily be shifted from espresso to coffee and back in a second.

Many online ratings have this as one of the best home grinders and I’d have to agree. There are more expensive and feature laden grinders but for the money, the Virtuoso+ is extremely tough to beat. I’m most concerned about grind quality and consistency and it just excels in this area. I used a capresso for over 10 years and was very happy with it but this unit blew it away when it came to grind options, consistency and quality.

My first Baratza lasted 20+ years and the build quality of this model is even more robust. The grind quality is great with near infinite levels from coarse to superfine to suit any brew method. The timer makes it easy to grind the perfect amount every time. Love the minimalist function - right increases time in increments of 1, left decreases in increments of 0.1. The one negative, it is loud, as in wake the entire house loud. With such awesome design and build, I feel that deserved attention to solve.

There is more here than meets the eye. Comparing this with my previous Encore, this one is easier to clean and the timer is a very nice feature. At first I thought the timer was a bit frivolous, but no. They have also redesigned the burr. The old one on my Encore was a good design, but the new one on this machine is noticeably better. It produces a much more uniform grain size, which makes for a noticeable improvement in the coffee flavor. I have had mine for a little more than a year. At the time I was hesitant to pay that much for a coffee grinder, but the proof is in the final brew. Knowing now what I did not know then, this investment was worth every penny. The price has come down a bit since I bought mine, so yes I would buy this without a moment of hesitation. For the record, I sometimes use a drip process and sometimes a french press. Adjust the grind for the process you are using, and this will help take your coffee to the next level. No, I am not compensated in any way for writing a glowing review. I was thoroughly enjoying my morning brew and thinking about what has made my coffee better over the last year. This is not the only improvement, but it is perhaps the biggest improvement.

This grinder could be excellent but the choice to include a cheap plastic burr holder which breaks every two months after normal use is unacceptable for a $250 piece of equipment. When the burr holder is functioning properly the grind is consistent yet for some reason it breaks under standard load and then the grind size is all over place making the coffee taste about as good as if you used a $15 blade grinder. The plastic burr holder has 3 tabs that hold the upper burr against the lower burr. When these tabs break, the upper burr isn't held firmly in place while grinding essentially floating and moving creating a mixture of super fine and coarse coffee resulting in massive sour notes and inconsistency across batches. Baratza is aware of this issue as they sell and have an instruction video on replacing the plastic burr holder. The part is $5 but it is ALWAYS out of stock leading the consumer to have to search various distributors to find the critical piece. $5 isn't too bad to get the grinder up and running but then you have to pay an additional $15 for shipping that takes 3 weeks. I went through this process twice - the burr holders have only lasted 2 months or around 50 grinds. The first time the burr holder broke I thought it was a fluke and the replacement would last. No, it was almost the exact same amount of time before the plastic tabs broke again. I tried again and to no avail, the same story. Broken again after 2 months. I honestly wouldn't mind if this was a small issue but it completely changes the flavor of the coffee. This is really disappointing for a product billed as a premium, specialty grinder costing double other burr grinders that have consistent day in and day out reliability. It's especially frustrating when you're excited to enjoy new coffees from local roasters and they're just straight up ruined. I'm not going to put up with spending money buying parts for defective design that is a crutch to the overall grinder. Baratza should honestly recall this grinder and provide a permanent solution. I have reached out to Baratza customer service for a warranty replacement or refund. I can't imagine that they want their premium conical burr grinder to function this way, so I expect some support but I would seriously reconsider this grinder if you want consistent, reliable performance especially if you're wanting to use specialty coffee.

The Baratza Virtuoso+ is hands down one of the best coffee grinders I’ve ever owned! Whether you’re a casual coffee drinker or a serious home barista, this grinder delivers exceptional consistency, precision, and ease of use. Right out of the box, the build quality is outstanding. The stainless steel and high-quality plastic construction give it a sleek, modern look while ensuring durability. The LED-backlit digital timer is a fantastic touch, making it easy to set precise grinding times down to the tenth of a second. This grinder is equipped with 40mm conical burrs, which produce incredibly consistent grounds—whether you’re making espresso, pour-over, French press, or anything in between. With 40 grind settings, it offers a great range of customization for different brewing methods. The digital timer makes dosing effortless, ensuring the exact amount of coffee every time. The motor is quiet and smooth, and the grind speed is fast enough to be efficient but not so fast that it overheats the beans. Adjusting the grind size is simple, and the grounds bin slides in and out smoothly. Cleaning is easy—just remove the burrs and brush them off. Baratza also offers great customer support and replacement parts, making this a long-term investment. If you’re looking for a reliable, high-quality burr grinder that balances precision, durability, and ease of use, the Baratza Virtuoso+ is an absolute winner. Highly recommended! ☕🔥