ConsFirst / Coffee grinders / Compare
Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder vs Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2
Which one has the downsides you can live with?
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The short answer
Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder ranks higher (#2 vs #3 of 8) and scores better on grind range, durability. Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2 wins on grind consistency, noise & speed.
The biggest complaint about the Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder is very loud; for the Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2 it's jams and clogs. Pick the one whose catch bothers you less.
Side by side
| Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder | Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank in coffee grinders | #2 | #3 |
| Price tier | $$ | $$$ |
| Type | Electric burr | Electric burr |
| Amazon 1–2★ share | 9% | 24% |
| Overall score | 3.5 | 3.8 |
| Grind consistency | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Grind range | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| Static & mess | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Noise & speed | 2.5 | 4.5 |
| Durability | 4.0 | 3.0 |
Price tiers: $ under $100 · $$ $100–250 · $$$ over $250. Highlighted = clearly better (a score gap of 0.3 or more, or a 1–2★ share at least 3 points lower). Scores are explained, with sources, on each product's page.
Top complaints
Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
- Very loud
Food & Wine measured 88 dB and says it will likely wake every sleeper in the house. Noise level is mixed on Amazon.
- Fiddly hopper assembly and chute chaff
Serious Eats' biggest gripe is that the gasket, ring and hopper aren't intuitive to assemble. Chaff builds in the chute and falls out when you remove the bin, and static takes about 40 seconds to dissipate. Good Housekeeping also notes extra setup steps.
Source: Serious Eats, Good Housekeeping - Weaker at the extremes; pricey
Food & Wine found the grind got motley at the coarsest end and couldn't dial in top espresso at the fine end. Value and durability are mixed on Amazon, with some units breaking in under two months.
Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2
- Jams and clogs
Jamming is the one negative aspect on Amazon, and owners report constant clogging and more maintenance than expected. Serious Eats found grounds back up into the burrs if the catch cup isn't directly under the chute.
- No espresso, small batches
Food & Wine and Serious Eats say it can't grind for espresso. Wirecutter says it holds too little for more than two people and lacks convenience features.
- Pricey; mess reports vary
Serious Eats says you may be paying extra for design, and value is mixed on Amazon. Wirecutter found it noticeably messy, with the on/off button too close to the counter, while messiness and anti-static are mixed aspects on Amazon.
Who should pick which
Pick the Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder if
Big batches of drip coffee
Tinkerers who try many brew methods
A timer for repeatable doses
Skip it if: Noise would wake the house; You want precise espresso; You'd rather not wrestle with hopper assembly
Pick the Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2 if
Pour-over, drip, AeroPress and cold brew
Quiet mornings
Single-dosing with almost no retention
Skip it if: You want espresso; You brew for more than two people at once; You don't want to clear jams
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