Whoever told you high-quality brewing equipment had to be expensive and bulky lied. Enter Varia Brewing, manufacturers of exquisite and precise espresso accessories that won’t break your budget.
At the heart of the brand (as you might guess from the name) is modular variability—one object with multiple uses. This design philosophy permeates their entire product catalog, from grinders to brewers and beyond.
Keep reading for some of our favorite Varia products, and stay tuned: we’ll be releasing an exclusive interview with Ramsey Gyde, Varia’s founder and the driving force behind most of their designs, next week!
The VS3 Grinder
Varia’s VS3 grinder is remarkable in several ways. Let’s start with the perfect marriage of near-infinite versatility with the simplicity of single-button operation. The micrometric, stepless grind adjustments are made by rotating the bean hopper and allow for virtually endless particle sizes, from Turkish-coffee-fine to cold-brew-coarse. Beyond that, all you do is press the only button on the grinder to turn it on or off.
That means the VS3 is perfect for beginners due to its simplicity and ease of use, but won’t limit espresso enthusiasts’ ability to experiment with a wide variety of brewing methods.
The VS3 is also built like a tank. It weighs a full 8 lbs despite being literally the smallest electric grinder we’ve ever seen. This is thanks to its space-grade aluminum housing and full stainless steel gearbox motor construction, all of which are machined to exacting precision tolerances.
All of this results in a grinder that delivers as much on performance as it does on aesthetics. It’s built with a 76.5° acute angle and comes with handy silicone bellows and a magnetic dosing cup that make for ideal zero retention conditions. What’s more, the 170 RPM motor offers a slower grind speed that won’t scorch your beans.
At just $329, the VS3 grinder is an absolutely incredible value. If this grinder has a flaw, it’s that the motor can sometimes struggle with super-dense, lightly-roasted, single-origin coffees (though upgrading to the Hypernova Plasma-coated titanium burrs solves this issue entirely).
But if your tastes lean more to the middle of the roasting spectrum and single-dosing is in your wheelhouse, there really isn’t a better value out there.
The AKU Scale
For years, the Acaia Lunar has reigned supreme as the epitome of what an espresso scale should be. Varia’s AKU scale doesn’t exactly usurp that crown definitively, but it does offer the majority of the same features as the Lunar and a comparable build quality at less than half the price.
There are two features the Lunar has that the AKU doesn’t: app-connectivity and a flow rate indicator. On the other hand, the AKU actually has a higher weighing capacity and better water resistance (IPX5) than the Lunar does, so it’s a more durable scale overall.
Plus the non-slip silicone feet mean the AKU offers both accuracy and stability. It’s also slightly larger than the Lunar, which makes it a good choice as a pour-over scale as well (while not being too tall to fit under most portafilters either).
The PRO Brewer
For anyone still figuring out what their favorite brewing method is, or folks who want to keep all their options open, Varia’s PRO Brewer is going to be your new best friend. This is a single, quality piece of brewing equipment that can be used as a French press, moka pot, and pour-over cone.
Switching between the various brewing methods is easy—you just unscrew one part and screw on another—and the results are quite excellent. Look—I’m not over here saying this is the absolute best French press, moka pot, and pour-over cone I’ve ever used, but the PRO brewer really does make excellent coffee in all three configurations.
More Varia to Love
There are more exciting products from Varia than we could discuss in a single blog. Take a look at our full collection and, if you think you might be interested in upgrading your espresso setup, go ahead and schedule a Coffee Cast. It’s a free, one-on-one consultation from one of our in-house experts to help you decide on the perfect product for your needs.
