Baratza Encore vs Virtuoso – Which One is Better?
The best tasting coffee is obviously one that is made from the richest of coffee grounds and Baratza isn’t one of the world’s foremost high-quality coffee grinding brands for no reason.
However, two products in their lineup – Encore and Virtuoso – have ignited intense competition with one another. The reason for this is because both of them share numerous similar aspects, (including price rates) which is why coffee enthusiasts often compare them with one another.
But, if you are to look at each of their features a little closely as we have done so in this article, you will notice quite a number of differences between Encore and Virtuoso.
To see which of these deserve the spot of “top grinder,” we have focused on the following common aspects:
Contents
Encore And Virtuoso Comparison Table
Here is the Encore and Virtuoso comparison table.
| Baratza Encore | Vs. | Baratza Virtuoso |
 |
 |
|
| 0.8 to 1.1 G/sec | Grind Speed | 1.5 to 2.4 G/sec |
| 40 | Grind Settings | 40 |
| 250 – 1200 microns | Grind Range | 250 – 1200 microns |
| Easy ON/OFF Switch | Features | 60 Second Timer Switch |
| 8 oz | Hopper Capacity | 8 oz |
| Check Price | Price | Check Price |
Grind Settings
It seems like we’ve got ourselves a stalemate in the first round since both Virtuoso and Encore have the same 40-setting grind control. This means that both of them have a wide array of various coarseness options to choose from.
If you dial a 30 on any machine, you will get very coarse grinds, whereas if you dial 10, you will get a finer powder that is more suitable for an espresso.
Winner
Since they both share the same grind settings here, it is fair to say that both Encore and Virtuoso walk away with a win in this round.
Grind Speed
If you’re in a rush, every second count. Encore has a good grinding speed of 0.8 to 1.1 g/sec, but Virtuoso is a little faster at 1.5 to 2.4 g/sec. The good news is that there is only a slight difference in the speed that coffee drinkers will hardly notice the difference. But the expectation remains the same when it comes to grinding and serving grounds quickly and efficiently.
Winner
Even though Virtuoso barely edges out Encore, the main difference will be the one that makes the most cups of coffee at a time.
Grind Angle
In spite of the fact that both machines share many of the same components, the Virtuoso’s inner burr is of higher quality than that of Encore.
In our hands-on with the product, we found that the Virtuoso produced finer grounds than the Encore grinder, even when both of their settings were set to equal numbers.
Understandably, this is by no means an indication that Virtuoso completely dominated its sister product, but anyone who is looking for a bit more fine grind as well as spends a little extra, Virtuoso is the better choice to make.
Winner
Thanks to Virtuoso’s better inner burr, coffee nerds can get better control over the coarseness of their grounds.
Hopper Capacity
We appear to have come across another stalemate in the list as both machines have the same internal capacity of 8 oz. per grind. This is certainly enough to serve several cups of coffee, even though it doesn’t compare to the larger models that are engineered for commercial uses.
But since they’re both built specifically for home-based uses, there really isn’t much to complain about when it comes to capacity, unless of course, everyone in your house is a coffee-crazed maniac.
Winner
Since both have the same hopper capacity of 8 oz. per grind, neither one of them is the winner (or even loser for that matter).
Other Capabilities
Virtuoso and Encore don’t come with a whole lot of bells and whistles, but why would they even? All you really want is to grind some good coffee.
However, what you will find, are features dedicated to improving your coffee grounding experience. For instance, Virtuoso has a built-in 60-second timer on its side, which makes it ideal for multi-cup grinds. The Encore machine, on the other hand, features a manual on/off switch, which means no one-and-done thing here.
Also, the Virtuoso’s “pulse” button gives you a finer degree of manual control over the grind, which is big for espresso marks.
Lastly, one of the most significant differences we noticed was that the Encore was quite louder than the Virtuoso. It might be because of the difference in burr quality, or maybe the difference in build materials, but it isn’t night or day. Still, you have to account for every little detail.
Winner
The Baratza Virtuoso walks away in this round as well due to its pulse button, self-timer, and slightly quieter grinding sound.
Overall Winner
By all accounts, Encore and Virtuoso still produce quality coffee grounds at the end of the day, but the slight edge in quality, speed, and performance ultimately go to Virtuoso.
