DaveZ Senior Member Joined: 5 Jan 2009 Posts: 12 Location: Phoenix AZ Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Trying to decide Grinder: Baratza Vario Vac Pot: Yama Drip: Bunn, Keurig Roaster: popcorn popper
Posted Tue Mar 10, 2009, 12:34pm Subject: Re: The Baratza Vario Grinder Owner's Thread
John,
I also thought it was a hopper issue but i could hear it click as I rotated the hopper into place. I even went so far as to leave the hopper off and engage the pressure switch with my finger. (Kids, don't try this at home ;-) ) That is why I continued to mess with it until I could make it work and it is repeatable. I wanted to make sure I was not returning a good grinder due to operator error.
Like I said, I can get it to run by pressing one of the Grind Time buttons so a time is displayed on the LCD display, then press the start button and it runs. I can also press one of the preset times but I then have to press the up or down Grind Time button then Start and it will run.
Posted Tue Mar 10, 2009, 12:53pm Subject: Re: The Baratza Vario Grinder Owner's Thread
DaveZ Said:
John,
I also thought it was a hopper issue but i could hear it click as I rotated the hopper into place. I even went so far as to leave the hopper off and engage the pressure switch with my finger. (Kids, don't try this at home ;-) ) That is why I continued to mess with it until I could make it work and it is repeatable. I wanted to make sure I was not returning a good grinder due to operator error.
Like I said, I can get it to run by pressing one of the Grind Time buttons so a time is displayed on the LCD display, then press the start button and it runs. I can also press one of the preset times but I then have to press the up or down Grind Time button then Start and it will run.
Actually, it might help. I found the pressure switch and it seems to run fine, I can engage now engage the machine without the hopper. It looks indeed like the hopper wont lock in properly to actually engage the switch... Hmmm. I may just need to file the threading mechanism on the hopper for it to rotate far enough to engage the switch, or I could always tape down the switch. Part of me wants to make my vendor deal with this, though.
Bing! Yup, I had just had to gently force the hopper into place. It took two hands since I was scared to break the thing, but everything seems to be working fine now. Whew.
Thanks for the help, folks, and apologies for play-by-play.
kemperj Senior Member Joined: 19 Jan 2009 Posts: 7 Location: Ohio Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Quickmill Alexia Grinder: Mazzer Kony, Baratza Vario Vac Pot: Yep Drip: PID Bunn BTX Roaster: Behmor 1600, Whirley pop
Posted Wed Mar 11, 2009, 10:30am Subject: Re: The Baratza Vario Grinder Owner's Thread
Mark,
How is the range on the vario. Could someone go from French Press to espresso. Do you think it has adequate range for both? I know this is going to be an issue for many of us hoping to find one grinder to do it all.
cflorimo Senior Member Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 7 Location: Newhall, CA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Mar 11, 2009, 11:26am Subject: Baratza Vario Grinder- 3 weeks to arrive, 10 minutes to break.
My Vario showed up yesterday after three torturous weeks of waiting (it was ordered in conjunction with an Alex Duetto, which has been stuck with pre-ground espresso awaiting the Vario- Both came from Chris's Coffee Service). Once I overcame the seemingly common problem of not rotating the hopper far enough to engage the safety switch, it ground like a champ.
The Vario chewed through the included Grindz at a pleasant pace and with not much noise- far less than the cheap capresso 'burr' grinder I had been using for my press pot previously. Then I fed the Vario a half cup of beans to clean the Grindz residue, and these too went through like gangbusters. I adjusted down to the espresso range (yes, with the burrs spinning) and then tried to grind some more coffee, but the burr seized and the motor squealed as either the pulley or a belt spun inside.
I had to remove the hopper (which would be far easier if you could close off the bottom before removal), remove the upper burr, shake out all the bean chunks, sweep out all the grinds, blow out all of the dust and then reassemble to get the burr to spin again. But as soon as I tried to grind coffee, it seized up again.
Normally I would use tools to peek inside to locate the probably-obvious problem, but I just didn't feel like taking a screwdriver to something that had been in my possession for only 6 hours. Also I was a bit embittered and lacking caffeine and that is a dangerous state for tool wielding. In an attempt to seek professional help I sent an email to Chris' Coffee Service describing my issue. Their customer service is often touted as being terrific and they have been prompt and attentive to me in the past, so maybe I was expecting too much from them. When they merely offered their condolences and told me to contact Baratza instead, I was a bit let down. Had I known that their involvement would end as soon as the grinder was safely delivered I probably would've chosen a supplier much closer than 7 days via ups ground. I know I shouldn't judge them on a product they neither manufacture, nor test, nor repair- but when something only works for about 20 seconds the overwhelming urge is to take it back to the store and ask for a new one.
I have since emailed Baratza and I'm awaiting their reply. I will keep you posted on the progress, but right now I have to take my old Illy can down to the office coffee cart to beg for some espresso grind to get me through the week.
cflorimo Senior Member Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 7 Location: Newhall, CA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Mar 11, 2009, 4:42pm Subject: Re: Baratza Vario Grinder- 3 weeks to arrive, 10 minutes to break.
Well, I called Baratza this afternoon and happened to get Kyle on the phone (once he said his name I recognized his voice from the Coffeegeek podcast). Not only did he immediately offer to ship me a new grinder, but he was willing to stay on the phone with me and walk me through the steps while I took the grinder apart so we could share a 'look' inside. I was pleased, since taking it apart was what I had really wanted to do all along. Inside we found that one of the motor mounting screws had backed out, allowing the toothed belt to slip on the drive pulley. And even though I think I'll have no problem adjusting back to proper tension, Kyle still offered to send me a new one if I felt that I would have any trouble with it at all.
I am certainly quite pleased with my Baratza experience in terms of their eagerness to assist (and to track down any problems with the initial production machines). I'm hoping for good things when I get to grinding this evening.
greatphotos Senior Member Joined: 5 Mar 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Colorado Springs Expertise: Just starting
Posted Wed Mar 11, 2009, 4:51pm Subject: Re: The Baratza Vario Grinder Owner's Thread
The belt on the Vario can't slip, it's a timing belt with raised areas that engage a gear. It's probably a calibration change to fix it which can be done by the user if they choose. You can call Baratza directly on the phone and they will get you to the right person immediately. They did for me. No need to wait for email. Then if they determine you need a new grinder they can ship it right then.
Not sure I understand why you would say it "can't" slip. the "raised areas that engage a gear" only make it less likely to slip, but not that it can't. a timing belt on a car can slip as can a bicycle chain on the toothed gears. If the belt is loose (as it appears to have been) makes a slipping belt quite likely.
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