Grind setting conversion
DF64 DF64 Gen 2 vs Varia VS3 (2nd Gen)
Two grinders cross-shopped at the same money. The DF64 Gen 2 is numbered 0–90; the VS3 (2nd Gen) is numbered 0–19.
| DF64 Gen 2 | VS3 (2nd Gen) | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | DF64 | Varia |
| Scale | Numbered dial | Numbered dial |
| Dial range | 0 – 90 | 0 – 19 |
| Burrs | Flat | Flat |
| Espresso → filter | 26 numbers | 5 numbers |
| Filter → coarse | 52 numbers | 13 numbers |
The same number means different things
Both grinders use a numbered dial, which makes it tempting to copy a number straight across. Setting 10 sits at grind index 0 on the DF64 Gen 2 but 57.1 on the VS3 (2nd Gen) — 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.
| DF64 Gen 2 | VS3 (2nd Gen) |
|---|---|
| 10 | 1 |
| 21.1 | 2.9 |
| 30.4 | 4.6 |
| 32.4 | 5.1 |
| 34.4 | 5.6 |
| 37.9 | 6.4 |
| 47.3 | 8.3 |
| 56.8 | 10.3 |
| 66.2 | 12.2 |
| 73 | 14 |
| 78 | 15.7 |
| 83 | 17.3 |
| 88 | 19 |
| VS3 (2nd Gen) | DF64 Gen 2 |
|---|---|
| 1 | 10 |
| 2.9 | 21.1 |
| 4.6 | 30.4 |
| 5.1 | 32.4 |
| 5.6 | 34.4 |
| 6.4 | 37.9 |
| 8.3 | 47.3 |
| 10.3 | 56.8 |
| 12.2 | 66.2 |
| 14 | 73 |
| 15.7 | 78 |
| 17.3 | 83 |
| 19 | 88 |
Side by side, by brew method
Where each grinder lands for the same brew, worked out from its own dial curve.
| Method | DF64 Gen 2 | VS3 (2nd Gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 16.7 | 2.2 |
| Moka pot | 30 | 4.5 |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 32.4 | 5.1 |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 35.5 | 5.9 |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 41.7 | 7.2 |
| Drip / batch brew | 47.3 | 8.3 |
| Chemex | 56.4 | 10.2 |
| French press | 71.2 | 13.4 |
| Cold brew | 80.8 | 16.6 |
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.
DF64 DF64 Gen 2
Varia VS3 (2nd Gen)
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.
Dialing in the VS3 (2nd Gen)
A compact grinder that tries to cover espresso and brew in a small footprint, and mostly succeeds. The second generation improved the burr alignment that limited the original. Expect to work harder at the espresso end than on a dedicated machine.
Own a different grinder?
Convert between any two of 78 models
The converter runs the same maths for any pair in the catalog.
Open the grind converter →Send me both charts
Every setting for the DF64 DF64 Gen 2 and the Varia VS3 (2nd Gen), side by side in your inbox.
One email with both charts. Nothing else unless you ask.
Switching grinders mid-bag?
Log a brew, say how it tasted, and BrewMark tells you which way to move — in whichever grinder’s numbers you are actually using. Free on iOS.
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