Virtuoso+

If $500 is your budget, then Ode 2. I have the baratza virtuoso+ and it gets the job done just fine, got it for $200. Prefer the look of the Ode 2 I’ll admit.

When my encore got to be over twelve years old, I sent it to baratza and had it rebuilt…new motor, circuit board etc. I also had them upgrade the burr to the m2 burr. This is the burr used in the virtuoso +. While I was waiting, I got a virtuoso +, because I can’t wait that long for a cup of coffee😄

Look to your left on the shelf, pre-ground coffee! "but I like freshly ground coffee. Not really fresh like that day ground, just ya know quasi fresh/stale with an accurate grind" Virtuoso™+ | Baratza (US) I will never ever regret buying this coffee grinder.

To answer your questions: WDT never hurts and often helps. The cheap ones are fine. No need for spinning gears. A metal screen or paper filter on top will keep the machine cleaner. At your current level of expertise, you don't need to bother with paper on the bottom. The stock single wall baskets fr

Curious of your definition of high retention. Have this, clean it weekly and don't have this issue. But I only use for espresso and the single dose hopper. Couple pumps at the end usually pushes the residual out. Its a much better grinder (for me) than my DF54 and Baratza Virtuoso+.

I have the Virtuoso+ (predecessor to the ESP Pro) and while I can't give you a suggested grind setting because the two machines don't have the same numbering scale, I can talk a bit about the timer feature. The timer is very useful if you have a daily driver coffee and plan to brew that bean almost

Friend, I had this machine (plus version ) it's nice latte machine - with espresso grade grinder you can absolutelly choke it with no problem. If you can not make it 30 second - it's grinder issue. Grind is only thing that caps your lower pressure in this class of machine. It has OPV for upper limit

I got a Delonghi Dedica Maestro Plus on sale on Amazon for $300. It was between this and the Bambino Plus because my wife wanted the auto steamer. My grinder is a Baratza Virtuoso+. I know it's not an espresso grinder but I also make a lot of cold brew at home and could only afford one grinder after

The Virtuoso+ will probably be the only grinder to last as long as your MM. They are ugly and built like tanks, but you can basically rebuild the entire machine, ship of Theseus style, using parts from the Baratza site. The Ode2 is pretty though…

For brewed coffee you won't do better than the Baratza Virtuoso+. It's cheaper and superior than most brew grinders. Actually, you could upgrade the Encore to the M2 burrs and turn it into an almost-virtuoso.