Which to buy · Every setting
Baratza Vario+ vs Eureka Mignon Specialita
Two grinders cross-shopped at the same money. The Vario+ is numbered 1–130; the Mignon Specialita turns 0–24 rotations.
Which to buy
Choose the
Vario+ if you…
- want macro and micro levers — the manual counts twelve micro clicks to each macro step
- want three timer presets and a PortaHolder for grinding into a portafilter
- want a choice of burrs — ceramic on the black model, steel on the white
Choose the
Mignon Specialita if you…
- want stepless adjustment
- want a dose counter and an Extra Dose function
- want Eureka's Silent Technology and ACE anti-clump system
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Sources: Baratza — Vario+ · Baratza — Vario+ manual · Eureka — Mignon Specialità
| Vario+ | Mignon Specialita | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Baratza | Eureka |
| Scale | Numbered dial | Rotations |
| Dial range | 1 – 130 | 0.0 rotations – 24.0 rotations |
| Burrs | Flat | Flat |
| Espresso → filter | 48.5 numbers | 6.5 rotations |
| Filter → coarse | 53.3 numbers | 7 rotations |
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+ | Mignon Specialita |
|---|---|
| 2P | 1.5 |
| 2R | 3 |
| 2V | 4 |
| 4M | 5.5 |
| 5P | 1+1 |
| 6S | 1+2 |
| 7S | 1+3 |
| 8S | 1+4 |
| 9T | 1+5 |
| 10N | 2+0 |
| 10Q | 2+1 |
| 10S | 2+2 |
| 10V | 2+3 |
| Mignon Specialita | Vario+ |
|---|---|
| 1.5 | 2P |
| 3 | 2R |
| 4 | 2V |
| 5.5 | 4M |
| 1+1 | 5P |
| 1+2 | 6S |
| 1+3 | 7S |
| 1+4 | 8S |
| 1+5 | 9T |
| 2+0 | 10N |
| 2+1 | 10Q |
| 2+2 | 10S |
| 2+3 | 10V |
Side by side, by brew method
Where each grinder lands for the same brew, worked out from its own dial curve.
| Method | Vario+ | Mignon Specialita |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 2Q | 2.5 |
| Moka pot | 2S | 4 |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 4M | 5.5 |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 6M | 1+1.5 |
| Siphon | 6T | 1+2 |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 7L | 1+2.5 |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 7P | 1+3 |
| Drip / batch brew | 7S | 1+3 |
| Cupping | 7V | 1+3.5 |
| Chemex | 8S | 1+4 |
| French press | 10M | 1+5.5 |
| Cold brew | 10R | 2+1.5 |
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+
Eureka Mignon Specialita
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 Mignon Specialita
A stepless espresso grinder first, everything else second. The micrometric adjustment means small movements do real work at the fine end, and the settings below should be read as starting positions rather than detents. It will grind for filter and does it competently, but you are working at the far edge of a dial designed for a different job.