Which to buy · Every setting
Baratza Vario+ vs DF64 DF64 Gen 2
Two grinders cross-shopped at the same money. The Vario+ is numbered 1–130; the DF64 Gen 2 is numbered 0–90.
Which to buy
Choose the
Vario+ if you…
- want macro and micro levers — the manual gives twelve micro clicks to each macro step
- want timed dosing with three presets
- grind into a portafilter with the included PortaHolder, or from a 300 g hopper
Choose the
DF64 Gen 2 if you…
- want stepless adjustment
- single-dose — the bellows hopper holds about 50 g
- want 64 mm burrs, with an optional Red Titanium set
Shop links are affiliate links: BrewMark earns a commission if you buy through one, at no extra cost to you. The verdicts were written without regard to it.
Turin now sells the DF64 Gen 2 as the Gen 2.7; the "Gen 2" revision names vary by seller.
Sources: Baratza — Vario+ · Baratza — Vario+ manual · Turin — DF64 Gen 2.7
| Vario+ | DF64 Gen 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Baratza | DF64 |
| Scale | Numbered dial | Numbered dial |
| Dial range | 1 – 130 | 0 – 90 |
| Burrs | Flat | Flat |
| Espresso → filter | 48.5 numbers | 55.2 numbers |
| Filter → coarse | 53.3 numbers | 22.3 numbers |
The same number means different things
Both grinders use a numbered dial, which makes it tempting to copy a number straight across. Setting 46 sits at grind index 23.4 on the Vario+ but 26.5 on the DF64 Gen 2 — close, but worth checking.
Converting a setting
If a recipe quotes a setting for one of these grinders, read across for the equivalent on the other. Rows are spaced evenly by grind size, not by dial number — on a conical burr those are not the same thing.
| Vario+ | DF64 Gen 2 |
|---|---|
| 2P | 12.4 |
| 2R | 20.8 |
| 2V | 30.3 |
| 4M | 43.6 |
| 5P | 56.9 |
| 6S | 67.9 |
| 7S | 69.4 |
| 8S | 70.9 |
| 9T | 72.4 |
| 10N | 75.8 |
| 10Q | 80.5 |
| 10S | 85.2 |
| 10V | 89.9 |
| DF64 Gen 2 | Vario+ |
|---|---|
| 12.4 | 2P |
| 20.8 | 2R |
| 30.3 | 2V |
| 43.6 | 4M |
| 56.9 | 5P |
| 67.9 | 6S |
| 69.4 | 7S |
| 70.9 | 8S |
| 72.4 | 9T |
| 75.8 | 10N |
| 80.5 | 10Q |
| 85.2 | 10S |
| 89.9 | 10V |
Side by side, by brew method
Where each grinder lands for the same brew, worked out from its own dial curve.
| Method | Vario+ | DF64 Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 2Q | 17.5 |
| Moka pot | 2S | 27.6 |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 4M | 35 |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 6M | 64.4 |
| Siphon | 6T | 68 |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 7L | 68.5 |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 7P | 69 |
| Drip / batch brew | 7S | 69.4 |
| Cupping | 7V | 69.8 |
| Chemex | 8S | 70.8 |
| French press | 10M | 74.1 |
| Cold brew | 10R | 83.1 |
The shape of each dial
Where the connectors bunch, that grinder’s dial is compressed and single steps count for more. Comparing the two shapes tells you which gives finer control, and where.
Baratza Vario+
DF64 DF64 Gen 2
Dialing in the Vario+
Two-stage adjustment: a macro lever in steps and a micro slider between them. That means a given "setting" is really a pair, and quoting one number without the other loses information — worth remembering when comparing notes with other Vario owners.
Dialing in the DF64 Gen 2
A 64mm flat-burr single-dose grinder that became popular precisely because it puts commercial burrs at a domestic price. Espresso is the design centre; the burr choice you fit matters more to grind character than the dial does.