Baratza Virtuoso+: M2 conical burr, timer

The M2 conical burr

Baratza describes the M2 burr as precision milled in Europe and says it delivers balanced extraction. Conical burrs are common in home grinders and give a dependable grind for filter and pour over. The listing does not state the number of grind settings or the burr diameter.

Timer and dosing

The grind timer can be set to a tenth of a second. Set it once for your usual recipe, and the grinder will deliver a similar amount each morning. Like any timer, a change in bean or grind setting will alter the weight, so scales remain useful.

For pour over in particular, a repeatable dose saves time each morning: you set the timer once for a mug or a jug and only fine tune when a new bag of beans arrives.

Noise, lights and grounds bin

Baratza says the sturdy construction makes grinding quieter, though no decibel figure is given. The barista lights sit above the grounds bin, which has an anti-static finish to stop grounds clinging. It is a small feature, but it makes it easier to see how much has been ground.

What the listing does not say

The listing gives a capacity of 56.6 g, which is unusually low for a hopper grinder and may refer to something else, such as a single dose measure. It does not clearly state the hopper size or grind range. Power is 70 watts and weight is 3.5 kg. Check these details if you plan to keep a full bag of beans loaded.

Weight and power suggest a compact, conventional countertop grinder, but without dimensions in the listing you will need to measure against Baratza's own specifications.

Against the Encore ESP Pro and Sage Dose Control Pro

The Baratza Encore ESP Pro offers stepless adjustment, two dosing modes and a stated 300 g hopper. For a hopper grinder with numbered steps, Sage's Dose Control Pro lists 60 of them alongside a 340 g bean capacity. The Virtuoso+ focuses on burr quality, a precise timer and the lights.