Which to buy · Every setting
Fellow Ode Gen 1 vs Varia VS3 (2nd Gen)
Conical against flat — the VS3 (2nd Gen)'s scale curves where the other runs straight. The Ode Gen 1 is numbered 1–11; the VS3 (2nd Gen) is numbered 0–19.
Which to buy
Choose the
Ode Gen 1 if you…
- brew filter only — Fellow says the Ode does not grind for espresso
- want 64 mm flat burrs
- grind up to 80 g at a time
Choose the
VS3 (2nd Gen) if you…
- want espresso as well — Varia's chart starts at settings 1–3 for espresso
- want stepless adjustment — 10 microns per marked increment, Varia says
- weigh single doses — 30 g hopper, and Varia quotes under 0.1 g retention on a 10 g dose with RDT
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 · Varia — VS3 Grinder
| Ode Gen 1 | VS3 (2nd Gen) | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Fellow | Varia |
| Scale | Numbered dial | Numbered dial |
| Dial range | 1 – 11 | 0 – 19 |
| Burrs | Flat | Conical |
| Espresso → filter | 2.6 numbers | 8.5 numbers |
| Filter → coarse | 7.4 numbers | 9.7 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 56.7 on the Ode Gen 1 but 22 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.
| Ode Gen 1 | VS3 (2nd Gen) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.8 |
| 1.1 | 2.9 |
| 1.2 | 4.9 |
| 2.2 | 6.6 |
| 3 | 8.2 |
| 3.2 | 9.6 |
| 5 | 10.6 |
| 6.1 | 11.6 |
| 7.1 | 12.6 |
| 8.1 | 14 |
| 9.1 | 15.6 |
| 10 | 17.3 |
| 11 | 19 |
| VS3 (2nd Gen) | Ode Gen 1 |
|---|---|
| 0.8 | 1 |
| 2.9 | 1.1 |
| 4.9 | 1.2 |
| 6.6 | 2.2 |
| 8.2 | 3 |
| 9.6 | 3.2 |
| 10.6 | 5 |
| 11.6 | 6.1 |
| 12.6 | 7.1 |
| 14 | 8.1 |
| 15.6 | 9.1 |
| 17.3 | 10 |
| 19 | 11 |
Side by side, by brew method
Where each grinder lands for the same brew, worked out from its own dial curve.
| Method | Ode Gen 1 | VS3 (2nd Gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 1.1 | 2.1 |
| Moka pot | 1.2 | 4.5 |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 2.2 | 6.6 |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 3.1 | 9 |
| Siphon | 4 | 9.6 |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 4.1 | 10 |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 4.2 | 10.4 |
| Drip / batch brew | 5 | 10.6 |
| Cupping | 3 | 10.9 |
| Chemex | 6.1 | 11.5 |
| French press | 8 | 13.4 |
| Cold brew | 9.2 | 16.5 |
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.
Fellow Ode Gen 1
Varia VS3 (2nd Gen)
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.
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.