Does the Varia VS6 espresso grinder stay as much as the hype? Be a part of us as we check it to seek out out.

BY VASILEIA FANARIOTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT

Pictures by Vasileia Fanarioti

The world of espresso grinders is more and more shifting towards excessive precision and flexibility, with single-dosing grinders turning into a staple for house baristas and small cafés alike. The Varia VS6 enters this area with a set of compelling options: interchangeable burrs, variable RPM management, and micron-level grind changes. However how nicely does it carry out in real-world situations? This “Take a look at Drive” places the VS6 by way of a number of brewing setups, evaluating every part from design and value, to retention and taste readability.

Primarily based in New Zealand, Varia has already made a distinguished identify for itself within the specialty-coffee business, successful awards just like the 2021 Specialty Espresso Affiliation (SCA) Greatest New Product Award for his or her Varia Brewer, and the 2022 Specialty Espresso Affiliation Japan (SCAJ) Good Design Product Award for his or her VS3 grinder. Realizing this, it’s secure to say that our expectations for the VS6 had been excessive.

Unboxing the Varia VS6

Proper out of the field, the Varia VS6 makes a powerful first impression. Not like the same old cardboard packaging, the grinder arrives in a TSU-1 resin onerous case, which is shockproof, waterproof, and dust-resistant. Inside, customized EPE + EVA foam inserts maintain every part securely in place.

Included within the package deal are:

• The VS6 grinder (pre-fitted with 58mm flat burrs)
• A 58mm magnetic dosing cup
• Silicone bellows, to help in lowering grind retention
• A cleansing brush and a spare elements toolkit
• An influence cable (region-specific)

The packaging feels sturdy, designed to guard the grinder from delivery injury. Whether or not that is mandatory for many consumers is debatable, however it does trace at a product constructed with longevity in thoughts.

Design and Construct High quality

The VS6 has a compact however substantial presence. At 10.7 kg, it’s heavier than most house grinders, largely resulting from its full aluminum physique. Not like some opponents that blend supplies, no plastic elements come into contact with the espresso. The 76.5-degree sloped geometry is designed to attenuate retention, although real-world testing will decide how efficient this truly is.

Magnetic parts—together with the dosing cup, hopper lid, and alignment collar—improve usability. The grinder additionally options ionization needles to counteract static buildup and a spring-loaded knocker to assist dislodge any remaining grounds. These additions recommend a deal with effectivity, however their effectiveness must be examined in day by day use.

Tech Specs and Options

On paper, the Varia VS6 provides a excessive stage of management over the grinding course of:

• Motor & Energy: 300W brushless motor, designed for easy, quiet operation
• Burrs: 58mm flat burrs (default), with an choice to improve to 63mm conical burrs
• RPM Management: Adjustable between 500 and 1600 RPM, permitting for exact grind pace changes
• Grind Changes: Stepless, with five-micron precision and a revolution counter to trace settings
• Hopper Capability: 80g, suited to single dosing moderately than batch grinding

The mixture of variable RPM and interchangeable burrs makes the VS6 one of many few grinders able to fine-tuning each grind texture and pace. Whether or not this leads to a noticeable distinction in extraction stays to be seen.

Setup and Calibration

Organising the VS6 is simple. After inserting it on a secure floor and plugging it in, the hopper is connected with a easy twist. The grind dimension is adjusted by rotating the hopper, with the magnetic sight ring displaying the setting.

A key side of any new grinder is burr seasoning. The VS6 requires about 4 kilos of espresso to totally season the burrs, permitting espresso oils to coat the surfaces. Till this course of is full, customers could expertise greater static retention. Throughout testing, utilizing the Ross Droplet Method (RDT) (spraying a light-weight mist of water onto beans earlier than grinding) helped mitigate this challenge.

Testing the VS6 Throughout Completely different Brew Strategies

To get a full sense of the VS6’s capabilities, I examined it with espresso, pourover, and immersion brewing (French press) to see how nicely it dealt with totally different grind sizes and changes.

Espresso

The VS6 made effective changes straightforward, and as soon as dialed in, the grind settings remained constant from dose to dose. Retention was minimal, although I did discover some static, even with the built-in ionization needles. The bellows helped filter out any lingering grounds, however utilizing them each time wasn’t all the time the smoothest workflow. That mentioned, for a single-dosing grinder, the VS6 did a strong job maintaining waste to a minimal.

Pourover and Immersion

Switching between espresso and filter grind sizes was easy, and the particle distribution remained impressively uniform. At greater RPMs, the grind consistency was visibly extra even, whereas decrease speeds created a barely softer profile, which I discovered fascinating when brewing delicate, high-acidity coffees.

Dialing in RPM for Taste

One of many extra distinctive options of the VS6 is its adjustable RPM, and I used to be curious to see how it will have an effect on espresso extraction. Testing photographs at 500, 1100, and 1600 RPM produced noticeable variations:

• 500 RPM: A mellow, lower-acidity shot with a easy, creamy texture
• 1100 RPM: A brighter, extra acid-driven espresso, ending rapidly on the palate
• 1600 RPM: A balanced sweetness and acidity, with a structured physique and longer end

For filter brewing, I discovered that decrease RPMs highlighted readability and sweetness, whereas greater speeds produced extra physique and texture. Throughout all brew strategies, the VS6 maintained a clear and exact taste profile, making it straightforward to experiment with totally different approaches.

Upkeep and Cleansing

Accessing the grinding chamber is comparatively easy. The hopper unscrews, exposing the burrs, and the decrease burr could be eliminated with the included toolkit. The comb and bellows assist maintain the chamber clear, although some retention is inevitable.

The proprietary burrs could also be a limitation for some customers, as third-party options are unavailable. Nevertheless, Varia provides a number of burr geometry choices, which supplies some flexibility.

Who It’s For

The Varia VS6 is a grinder designed for many who search precision, flexibility, and full management over their grind settings. With interchangeable burrs and adjustable RPM, it stands out as a extremely adaptable software for each house baristas and small espresso retailers trying to fine-tune their extractions.

For house customers, the VS6 provides a excessive stage of grind customization, making it preferrred for many who take pleasure in experimenting with totally different brew strategies and taste profiles. Its exact changes and minimal retention guarantee consistency throughout a number of grind settings, whether or not for espresso, pourovers, or immersion brewing.

In a small espresso store setting, the VS6 proves to be a flexible and environment friendly possibility—significantly for cafés providing quite a lot of brew strategies or searching for a dependable secondary grinder. The flexibility to regulate RPM and swap burrs supplies baristas with an added stage of management, permitting them to focus on totally different traits of their coffees with ease.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vasileia Fanarioti (she/her) is a senior on-line correspondent for Barista Journal and a contract copywriter and editor with a main deal with the espresso area of interest. She has additionally been a volunteer copywriter for the I’M NOT A BARISTA NPO, offering content material to assist educate individuals about baristas and their work.

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