Baratza Vario W+ Coffee Grinder Manual

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for choosing the Vario W+ coffee grinder! The Vario W+ makes it easier than ever to make professional quality coffee at home.

The Vario W+ is a compact, weight-based grinder that is capable of grinding for a wide range of brew methods. The Vario W+ has a small footprint, an intuitive control panel, a scale that is accurate to a tenth of a gram, and macro/micro adjustment levers for accurate grind adjustment.

The grinder is fitted with 54mm flat steel burrs. The replaceable steel burrs generally last around 10 years of standard home use.

SAFETY INFORMATION

Keep these instructions for future reference. Read the information below very carefully as it contains important safety information for use of this appliance.

• Use only with AC current and the correct voltage. See the label on the base of the grinder to determine the correct voltage.
• Only clean the grinder housing with a dry or slightly damp cloth. Do not immerse the grinder, plug or cord in water or any other liquid.
• Baratza will not accept any liability for damage, injury, or warranty if the grinder is used other than for its intended purpose (i.e. grinding roasted whole coffee beans) or is improperly operated or repaired.
• Do not operate the grinder with a damaged cord or plug. If the supply cord is damaged, it must be replaced by the manufacturer, its service agent or similarly qualified persons in order to avoid a hazard.
• Keep the appliance and its cord out of reach of children aged less than 8 years.
• Do not leave your grinder unattended while turned ON.
• This appliance can be used by children aged from 8 years and above and persons with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities or lack of experience and knowledge if they have been given supervision or instruction concerning use of the appliance in a safe way and understand the hazards involved.
• Cleaning and user maintenance shall not be made by children without supervision.
• Always unplug the grinder from the electrical supply before assembling, disassembling or cleaning. To unplug, grasp plug and remove from the outlet. Never pull on the cord.

ALWAYS unplug the electrical supply cord prior to cleaning the grinder.

PARTS IDENTIFICATION

1. Hopper Lid
2. Bean Hopper
3. Bean Shut-off Knob
4. Grind Weight Preset Adjustment Buttons
5. Micro Adjustment Lever Knob
6. Macro Adjustment Lever Knob
7. START/STOP Button
8. Tare Button
9. Grind Weight Presets
10. Grounds Bin
11. Burr Calibration Tool
12. Burr Removal Tool
13. Upper Burr Carrier
14. Steel Burrs
15. Scale Platform

GRINDER SETUP

1. Place the grinder on a level surface.
2. Hand wash the hopper (2) hopper lid (1), and grounds bin (10) with warm soapy water. Let air dry or dry with a clean cloth.
3. To install the hopper: With the hopper upright and the shut-off knob (3) pointing toward the back left of the grinder, place the hopper on top of the grinder and find the point where it settles into place. Push down and rotate the hopper clockwise to center the shut-off knob and lock the hopper into place. The hopper must be locked into place to engage the microswitch so that the grinder can operate.¹
4. To install the grounds bin: Hold the bin with the opening facing up by its front tab. Center the grounds bin in front of the grinder and slide it carefully onto the scale platform.
5. Plug in the grinder. The display should illuminate and go through its startup process.
6. Reference the grind settings chart and use the macro adjustment (5) and micro adjustment (6) arms to select a grind setting.²
7. Add beans to the hopper. Ensure bean shut-off knob is turned open. 'OPEN' should be facing up on the knob.

GRINDING OPERATION

After setting up the grinder as outlined in the previous section, press a preset button (9). The screen will show the corresponding programmed grind weight in grams. Press START/STOP (7) to begin grinding. While grinding, the screen will count up the weight as coffee is ground into the grounds bin. When the preset weight is reached, the motor will stop, and the display will reset again to the programmed preset weight.

ADJUSTING THE GRIND SETTING

The Vario W+ has a micro adjustment lever knob (5) to the left of the display and a macro adjustment lever knob (6) to the right. The Micro adjustment arm is used to make smaller changes to the grind size, while the macro adjustment arm is used to make larger changes. Twelve micro adjustment clicks are equivalent to one macro adjustment click. The grind setting is adjusted by moving the micro and/or macro adjustment lever knobs up or down. Moving a lever arm up will result in a finer grind, whereas moving a lever arm down will result in a coarser grind. When making a finer grind adjustment with coffee in the hopper, the motor must be running.

At setting 1M and settings finer, the burrs (14) will audibly contact each other. The grinder is calibrated for the burrs to touch at this point, and it will not damage the burrs to grind at their contact point or finer if there is coffee being ground. However, running the grinder without coffee while the burrs are touching for extended periods of time will reduce the lifespan of the burrs.

CHOOSING A GRIND SETTING FOR A BREW METHOD

The settings shown in the table below should be used as a general starting point. The actual grind size needed for a particular brew method will vary depending on many factors, such as: degree of roast (light vs. dark), freshness, environmental humidity, variety of bean, oil content, etc. Practice and personal preference will ultimately determine which setting is right for the desired taste, brewing style, and the particular beans used.

* Espresso grinding may require a finer calibration. See Burr Calibration section for more information

Some recipes use visual descriptions to describe the grind size required, such as "ground to the consistency of kosher salt." To visually determine the necessary grind setting, grind a small amount of coffee into the grounds bin (10) by pressing the START/STOP button, then press it again to stop the grinding. Check the grind size. If the grind size is close to what is desired use the micro adjustment lever to fine-tune the grind size. If the grind size needs a large adjustment, adjust the macro adjustment lever to a new position.

WEIGHT-BASED PROGRAMMING

Various aspects of the weight function of the Vario W+ can be adjusted as outlined below.

Programming Grind Weight Presets:
The Vario W+ is equipped with three programmable weight preset buttons (9) labeled 1, 2, and 3. Each button comes standard with the following weight presets (in grams): 1 = 15.0g, 2 = 30.0g, 3 = 60.0g. The weight saved under each preset can be adjusted by doing the following:

1. Select either preset 1, 2, or 3.
2. Press the up or down arrow buttons to adjust the weight preset. Once the desired weight value is reached, press and hold the numbered preset button for 3 seconds. The weight value on the display will blink to indicate that the new preset setting is stored.
3. To program the other presets, repeat steps 1 and 2. These grind weight settings will still be saved even if the grinder is unplugged and then plugged back in.

Programmable Offset:
The Vario W+ comes equipped with a programmable offset. The offset is set to 0.0 grams from the factory. If the amount of coffee ground is consistently over the preset weight, adding to the offset will allow for more accurate dosing. To change the offset:

1. Unplug the grinder.
2. Plug the grinder back in and hold the up and down arrows as the grinder boots up.
3. The current offset will display.
4. Use the up and down arrows to change the offset by 1 tenth of a gram at a time. The offset must be 0.0 or greater, and a negative offset is not possible.

Press the START/STOP button and the new offset will be saved. Once saved, the grinder will return to the last used grind weight preset and the grinder can be used with this new offset in place

SLEEP MODE

To minimize standby power consumption, the Vario W+ will go into "sleep mode" automatically after 3 minutes of non-use. While in sleep mode, the display will turn off. To "wake up" the Vario W+, press any button. The grinder will not enter sleep mode when in override mode.

OVERRIDE MODE

The Vario W+ motor will automatically shut off and Err2 will display if there is not a substantial increase in weight in a few seconds (additional info in the Troubleshooting Error Codes section below). This feature can be turned off temporarily by overriding all display functions other than the START/STOP function. Override mode will be useful if recalibration is necessary. To put the grinder in override mode:

1. Unplug the grinder.
2. Plug the grinder in.
3. As the display starts up, hold down START/STOP.
4. When the grinder is in override mode, - - - will display on the screen.
5. The motor will run continuously after the START/STOP button is pressed and will stop after START/STOP is pressed again.
6. Exit override mode by unplugging the grinder and then plugging it back in.

TROUBLESHOOTING ERROR CODES

The following codes may appear on the display to indicate that there is an operation error.

Err1: Indicates that the weight on the scale is above the desired target weight. The light next to the TARE (8) button will flash.

• If there is already ground coffee in the grounds bin above the target weight, or if the scale is tared before placing the grounds bin on the grinder, this error will occur.
• This error can be cleared by pressing the TARE button to tare the scale, or by emptying the grounds bin.

Err2: Indicates that the load cell has not seen a substantial increase in weight in a few seconds during grinding.

• This may indicate that either coffee is not being ground, or that coffee is being ground more slowly than expected.
• Ensure that the bean hopper (2) is rotated into place clockwise to engage the top interlock switch and that the bean shut-off knob (3) is in the open position.
• If the hopper is in place and open, the motor is engaging, but no coffee is being ground, a clog may have formed. Please check the Troubleshooting page on Baratza.com for information on clearing clogs.
• Some different varieties and roasts of coffees may grind more slowly than others. If this seems to be the case, this error can be cleared by pressing the START/STOP button, and then grinding can be resumed by pressing the START/STOP button again,

Err3: Indicates that the scale is registering a weight value that exceeds the maximum load.

• This most likely means the grounds bin is jammed on top of the scale platform (15), or there is excessive weight placed on the scale platform.
• Remove the bin from the scale and replace it, ensuring that it rests evenly on the scale platform and does not contact other parts of the grinder. The error will clear automatically.

Err 4: Indicates that the display is not receiving signal from the scale.

• This likely means that there is damage to the loadcell or that the loadcell wire is unplugged internally.
• Please contact Baratza Support for further troubleshooting steps and solutions.

BURR CALIBRATION

The Vario W+ factory calibration will accommodate a wide range of brew methods and calibration should not need to be adjusted out of the box for most brew methods. However, if the Vario W+ is unable to grind finely enough or coarsely enough for a particular brew method at the finest and coarsest settings, respectively, follow the instructions below.

TO RECALIBRATE THE GRINDER TO FACTORY SETTINGS:

1. Empty all beans from the grinder.
2. Follow the instructions in the Grinding Operation section of this manual to enter override mode.
3. Lower the micro (5) and macro (6) levers all the way to the bottom of the range.
4. With the hopper and grounds bin (10) in place, press START/STOP (7) and run the grinder long enough to expel any remaining coffee; when remaining coffee is expelled, press START/STOP.
5. Remove the grounds bin and insert the calibration tool (11) into the round hole behind the discharge chute until the tool settles into the head of calibration screw inside.
6. Press START/STOP to run the motor.
7. With the motor running, move the macro arm up to setting 1 or until burr contact is heard, whichever comes first. If there was no burr contact detected when adjusting the macro lever, move the micro arm to M or to the point at which the burrs make contact, whichever comes first.
8. If the grind setting is at 1M and the burrs are not in contact, use the calibration tool to turn the calibration screw toward the finer direction (as indicated on the tool) until a change in motor pitch is heard. This will bring the grinder back to factory calibration.
9. If the burrs make contact prior to reaching setting 1M:
   1. Insert the tool and turn the calibration screw in the opposite direction of the arrow on the tool to loosen the calibration screw and thus coarsening the calibration.
   2. Move the macro arm to 1 and the micro arm to M. If a change in motor pitch is heard before reaching this setting, the calibration screw may need to be loosened further.
   3. With the lever arms at setting 1M, tighten the calibration screw until burr contact is heard.
10. Following burr calibration, unplug and then plug in the grinder to exit override mode.

The calibration point can be set anywhere between 1A and 3Q depending on user preferences. It is not recommended to set the calibration point to a setting outside these parameters.

CLEANING THE GRINDER

Routinely cleaning the grinder is important to ensure that the grinder performs as intended. With standard home use, the grinder should be cleaned at least once per month. If darkly roasted coffee, oily coffee, or flavored coffee (which has added oils) is being used, more frequent cleaning may be necessary.

Do not put the bean hopper, hopper lid, or grounds bin in the dishwasher. Hand wash only. Do not immerse the grinder housing in water. Do NOT wash the burrs with water.

REMOVING THE HOPPER

1. Ensure the bean shut-off knob (3) on the hopper (2) is in the closed position. The side of the tab on the bean shut-off knob that says 'CLOSED' should be facing up.
2. Grip the hopper and rotate it counterclockwise to unlock it.
3. Lift the hopper up and off the grinder.

CLEANING THE HOPPER AND GROUNDS BIN

1. Empty the hopper and the grounds bin (10) if there is coffee in either.
2. Wash the hopper and grounds bin with warm soapy water with a soft sponge or cloth. If necessary, rinse. The parts can be dried with a clean dry cloth or set aside to air dry.

CLEANING THE BURRS AND GRIND CHAMBER

To manually clean the burrs (14) and the grind chamber, the upper burr carrier (13) will need to be removed from the grinder.

1. Place the included burr removal tool (12) on the upper burr carrier so that the notches on the tool interlock with the wings on the upper burr carrier.
2. Rotate the burr removal tool clockwise to unscrew the upper burr carrier from the grind chamber.³ Set the burr removal tool aside.
3. Once the upper burr carrier is unscrewed completely, lift it up to remove it from the grinder.

UPPER BURR CARRIER AND UPPER BURR CLEANING

1. With the upper burr carrier in one hand, use a non-metal, bristle brush such as a toothbrush to clean around the burr carrier and on the surface of the top burr.
2. For a deeper clean of the upper burr carrier, use a small flat-head screwdriver to remove the screws holding the burr in the burr carrier. Set the screws and burr aside and use a non-metal bristle brush to clean the rest of the upper burr carrier as well as the back of the burr. Once cleaning of the burr and carrier is complete, use the screwdriver to reinstall the screws and burr. Take care not to overtighten the screws during reinstallation.

GRIND CHAMBER, LOWER BURR CARRIER, AND LOWER BURR CLEANING

Note: It is not recommended to remove the lower burr carrier.

1. Use a non-metal, stiff bristle brush such as a toothbrush to clean the area around the lower burr and the surface of the lower burr.
2. For a deeper clean of the lower burr carrier, use a small flat head screwdriver to remove the screws holding the burr in the burr carrier. Set the screws aside and lift the burr out of the burr carrier. Then use a brush to clean the top of the lower burr carrier, the back of the burr, and the opening of the coffee exit chute. Once cleaning of the burr and carrier is complete, use the screwdriver to reinstall the screws and burr. Take care not to overtighten the screws during reinstallation.
   
3. If the upper burr carrier does not rotate clockwise with the burr removal tool alone, a set of pliers can be used to grip the tool for additional leverage

UPPER BURR CARRIER REINSTALLATION

1. Place the upper burr carrier on top of the grind chamber. It should sit level with the grind chamber. It will not thread on properly if it is not level.
2. Use the burr removal tool to rotate the upper burr carrier counterclockwise to carefully thread it into the grind chamber. Threading the upper burr carrier into the grind chamber should be fluid with minimal resistance. If the upper burr carrier is difficult to rotate, rotate the upper burr carrier clockwise to free it from the threading, make sure it is level and that the threads on both the grind chamber and burr holder are free of ground coffee, and try again.

USE OF CLEANING TABLETS

Grinder cleaning tablets are designed to absorb and remove odors and coffee oil residue and should be considered supplementary to normal cleaning. Grinder cleaning tablets should be the only substance used to clean the internals of the grinder. Note that cleaning tablets do not take the place of normal cleaning steps listed above and cannot be used to clear a clog. For grinder tablet cleaning:

1. Remove all beans from the hopper and use the START/STOP (7) button to run the grinder to expel any coffee that remains in the grinder.
2. Adjust the grind setting to 10 and place the recommended amount of the chosen cleaning tablets into the empty bean hopper. Set the target grind weight equal to or greater than the weight of the grinder cleaning tablets.
3. Insert the grounds bin, then press the START/STOP button. Grind all the tablets into the bin.
4. Once complete, we recommend grinding approximately 30g coffee (or the recommended amount in the cleaning tablet instructions) to remove any tablet residue.
5. Discard the ground tablets/coffee.

WARRANTY & SERVICE

U.S. & CANADIAN WARRANTY INFORMATION

Limited Warranty for Baratza Grinders is 1 year from the original date of purchase. This warranty covers all defects in materials and workmanship (parts and labor) including free ground transportation to and from our repair facility within the US and Canada. This warranty does not apply to: improper use, lack of cleaning, abuse, normal wear and tear, lack of proper adjustment, foreign objects (stones, screws, etc.) in the beans, or uses outside the intended use of grinding whole roasted coffee beans (roasted beyond 1st crack). If the purchased grinder fails within one year, email support@baratza.com or call +1 425-641-1245 or toll free 877-701-2021. For additional warranty, support, or troubleshooting information, go to www.baratza.com.

Please note: Grinders that are purchased in the US or Canada and shipped or taken out of the country have a one-year warranty for parts only. If the grinder fails within one year of date of purchase, simply email us at support@ baratza.com or call +1 425-641-1245. Please have the following information prior to contacting Baratza:

1. Proof of date of purchase and
2. Model and serial number (located on bottom of the grinder). A Baratza representative will respond to determine the problem and suggest a solution path. The customer is responsible for paying the freight charges and any duties and taxes for replacement parts that Baratza may send. The customer is also responsible to provide any labor required to repair the grinder.

INTERNATIONAL WARRANTY INFORMATION
For all countries outside the US and Canada, the warranty, support and service is provided by the International Retailer the grinder was purchased from. If the grinder was purchased from a retailer outside of the country the customer resides in, the customer may be responsible for any shipping costs to service the grinder, and may need to pay for service.

PROOF OF PURCHASE & PRODUCT REGISTRATION
The grinder can be registered at www.baratza.com/register-your-grinder. Registration will enable us to contact the registrant in the unlikely event of a product safety notification and assist us in complying with the provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Act. The serial number is located on the bottom of the grinder. Please keep the sales receipt that shows the date of purchase.

FOR REPAIRS OR QUESTIONS

Email: support@baratza.com
For Parts and Information go to: www.baratza.com
For Troubleshooting Help: www.baratza.com/troubleshooting

Documents / Resources

References

• Baratza Home - Baratza
• http://www.baratza.com/register-your-grinder
• Breville Customer Community

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