The Varia VS3 is one of the most interesting espresso grinders on the market in the price range below 400 euros. The single dosing grinder is robust, compact and delivers good espresso quality. In the Kaffeemacher review, the grinder revealed only a few weaknesses. Overall, the strengths outweigh the weaknesses.
The Varia VS3 is already a very good offer with a price of 370 euros via intermediaries in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. However, the grinder can be ordered via the manufacturer’s website for less than 300 euros, although shipping and customs duties still have to be added. In this case, the grinder is sent directly from China.
The Varia VS3 is an interesting espresso grinder for anyone who wants to start making espresso.
Strengths of the Varia VS3 espresso grinder
- Good espresso quality, with a taste on the full-bodied side.
- Compact espresso grinder, with a width of only 9 cm, a depth of 31 cm and a height of 14.8 centimeters.
- Elegant design with high-quality housing and available in white and black.
- Low dead space of 0.05 grams when using the bellows. Then also a high level of consistency when dispensing the dosage.
- Despite its compact design, the coffee hardly heats up inside the grinder.
- Very affordable espresso grinder with good performance, not only for the price.
Weaknesses of the Varia Vs3
- Very slow espresso grinder, with only 6.7 grams of coffee dispensed in 10 seconds. The slowest grinder we have ever tested.
- When adjusting from espresso to finer grinds, such as ristretto, the grinder is not precise when returning to the original recipe.
- Very large power adapter like a laptop. If you can’t hide it underneath the worktop, you’ll be bothered by the aesthetics.
- Although the grinder is quiet, it hums unpleasantly brightly and the sound suggests that the motor is not very powerful.
- Grinding cones are only designed for 150 kg of coffee. This is significantly less than other grinders, which admittedly sometimes cost 100 to 150 euros more.
- No service from the mill in Germany, Switzerland or Austria.
Compact and powerful?
With dimensions that make it one of the slimmest grinders on the market, the Varia VS3 impresses with its elegant design. The combination of a black or white lacquered stainless steel body and its solid stability is impressive across the board. Despite its low weight of just 3.7 kg and an attractive price of €370 (with occasional special offers, most recently seen for CHF 270 in Switzerland), it looks anything but cheap.
In terms of performance, the grinder is a little weak on the chest. It also only rotates at 170 revolutions per minute and grinds 6.7 grams of coffee in 10 seconds. This makes it the slowest grinder we have ever measured.
Grinder and durability
Ausgestattet mit einem 48mm konischen Mahlwerk aus hochstickstoffhaltigem 420er Edelstahl, verspricht Varia eine Haltbarkeit von 150 kg Kaffee. Although this is less than some other grinders, it is still sufficient for 12,000 espresso extractions. The highlight: the grinder can be easily changed, and Varia also offers cones with different performances, which we are currently testing. The grinder is infinitely adjustable and the adjustment is sufficiently precise.
Espresso that tastes good
The espresso quality of the Varia VS3 with the standard grinding cone is solid. It delivers a full-bodied and well-balanced espresso that is somewhat weaker with more complex coffees, but is ideal for medium roasts. Our measurements show a good particle distribution that can easily keep up with significantly more expensive espresso grinders.
A look at the accessories
Despite the positive overall picture, there are also points of criticism. The included dosing cup could fit better, and the additional cost of a larger, compatible cup tarnishes the picture. In addition, although the grinder is compact, it requires a large block power supply, which could be a nuisance in some kitchens. The small water sprayer, which is included in the delivery and appears to be of high quality at first glance, did not last long during our test.
Slowly but quietly
Although the Varia VS3 is the slowest grinder in our test field, it impresses with its low noise level. But quiet is not always pleasant. We only measured 73 decibels with the Varia VS3. However, the buzzing of the grinder is very intrusive, does not appear to be of high quality and detracts from the good impression of the grinder.
Single dosing excellence
As a single dosing grinder, the grinder must always dispense the same amount of coffee without much dead space. This is what the Varia VS3 does when we use the bellows. We measure a standard deviation of just 0.05 grams of coffee.
While adjustments to the grinding degree can be carried out well in the range of similar coffees, the grinder has major problems with large adjustments. For example, if the grinder is set to Ristretto and then set back to Espresso, the grind will deviate from the previous setting. This is not ideal for a single dosing grinder, because switching from one recipe to another is something that good single dosing grinders should be able to do. However, if we stay in the espresso range, the Varia VS3 delivers sufficiently good performance.
Conclusion: unbeatable value for money
Despite some points of criticism, one thing is certain: the Varia VS3 offers unbeatable value for money. It is an excellent choice for beginners and impresses with its good espresso quality, low dead space and simple operation.
In the 200 euro range, I like to recommend the Sage Smart Grinder Pro as an espresso grinder. For me personally, the Varia VS3 is my entry-level recommendation in the price range above, for all those who want to enter the world of espresso preparation with a stylish and good grinder in the single dosing area.
In a world full of espresso grinders, the Varia VS3 stands out with its combination of performance, design and price. It proves that good quality doesn’t always have to be expensive and that you don’t have to do without good espresso even on a smaller budget.
