Which to buy · Every setting
Baratza Vario+ vs Fellow Ode Gen 1
Two grinders cross-shopped at the same money. The Ode Gen 1 is numbered 1–11; the Vario+ is numbered 1–130.
Which to buy
Choose the
Vario+ if you…
- pull espresso — a portafilter holder and three timer presets come with it
- want separate macro and micro adjustment levers
- swap coffees often — the 300 g hopper has a shut-off
Choose the
Ode Gen 1 if you…
- brew filter only — Fellow says the Ode does not grind for espresso
- want 64 mm flat burrs
- already own one, or are buying used — Fellow lists it as sold out
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.
Fellow now sells the Ode Gen 2 in place of the original; the settings on this page are for the Gen 1.
Sources: Fellow — Ode Gen 1 (archived) · Fellow — Ode Brew Grinder · Baratza — Vario+ · Baratza — Vario+ manual
| Vario+ | Ode Gen 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Baratza | Fellow |
| Scale | Numbered dial | Numbered dial |
| Dial range | 1 – 130 | 1 – 11 |
| Burrs | Flat | Flat |
| Espresso → filter | 48.5 numbers | 2.6 numbers |
| Filter → coarse | 53.3 numbers | 7.4 numbers |
The same number means different things
Both grinders use a numbered dial, which makes it tempting to copy a number straight across. Setting 6 sits at grind index 0 on the Vario+ but 56.7 on the Ode Gen 1 — far enough apart to change the cup.
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+ | Ode Gen 1 |
|---|---|
| 2P | 1 |
| 2R | 1.1 |
| 2V | 1.2 |
| 4M | 2.2 |
| 5P | 3 |
| 6S | 3.2 |
| 7S | 5 |
| 8S | 6.1 |
| 9T | 7.1 |
| 10N | 8.1 |
| 10Q | 9.1 |
| 10S | 10 |
| 10V | 11 |
| Ode Gen 1 | Vario+ |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2P |
| 1.1 | 2R |
| 1.2 | 2V |
| 2.2 | 4M |
| 3 | 5P |
| 3.2 | 6S |
| 5 | 7S |
| 6.1 | 8S |
| 7.1 | 9T |
| 8.1 | 10N |
| 9.1 | 10Q |
| 10 | 10S |
| 11 | 10V |
Side by side, by brew method
Where each grinder lands for the same brew, worked out from its own dial curve.
| Method | Vario+ | Ode Gen 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 2Q | 1.1 |
| Moka pot | 2S | 1.2 |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 4M | 2.2 |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 6M | 3.1 |
| Siphon | 6T | 4 |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 7L | 4.1 |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 7P | 4.2 |
| Drip / batch brew | 7S | 5 |
| Cupping | 7V | 3 |
| Chemex | 8S | 6.1 |
| French press | 10M | 8 |
| Cold brew | 10R | 9.2 |
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+
Fellow Ode Gen 1
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 Ode Gen 1
The original Ode had noticeably more fines than the Gen 2 that replaced it, which is why the Gen 2 burr upgrade became such a common retrofit. If you are running Gen 1 burrs, expect to sit slightly coarser than published Ode numbers to get the same cup.