Baratza is a reputable brand that has made a name for itself in the grinding industry by consistently producing high-quality grinders. The company’s attention to detail and unique design has made it a fan favorite among coffee enthusiasts and professionals alike.
One of Baratza’s most popular and unique models is the Baratza Sette. This grinder features a sleek and modern design that is unlike anything on the market.
Its unique design makes the Sette stand out from the rest, and it’s not just all about the looks. The Sette also boasts some impressive features that make it a popular choice.
There are three different models of the Baratza Sette on the market: the Sette 30, Sette 270, and Sette 270 Wi. Each model has its own unique features, making them suitable for different types of users. The Sette 30 is the cheapest model in the Sette range, and it is perfect for someone who is looking for a simple grinder.
It features a time-based dosing system, which means that you can set the grind time and the Sette will grind enough coffee for one shot. This model is excellent for someone who is just starting with home brewing, and who wants to experiment with different coffee beans.
The Sette 270 is the original model, and it has been popular among coffee enthusiasts since its debut. This model comes with macro and micro-settings that allow you to make precise adjustments for your coffee grind.
Additionally, it has pre-programmed dose settings that allow you to grind the exact amount of coffee you need for your brew. This model is a great choice for anyone who wants a versatile grinder that can deliver consistent results.
The top-of-the-range model in the Sette range is the Sette 270 Wi. This model features weight-based dosing, which means that the grinder will accurately weigh your coffee beans before grinding, ensuring maximum precision. The Sette 270 Wi also comes with a built-in scale, which makes it easy to grind the exact amount of coffee you need.
This model is perfect for professionals or serious home baristas who need the ultimate level of accuracy. Overall, the Baratza Sette range is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking for a high-quality grinder.
With its unique design and impressive features, the Sette is a great addition to any home barista’s arsenal. Whether you are just starting or you are a seasoned pro, there is a Sette model that will suit your specific needs.
3) Design
Baratza has a reputation for unique and innovative designs, and the Sette is no exception. The Sette’s design is unique because of its straight-through grinding path.
The Sette uses a stationary burr mounted directly below the bean hopper, and a rotating outer burr. Unlike traditional grinders, the Sette does not have a dosing chamber or ground coffee collection bin.
The Sette’s design allows for speed, fluffy grinds, and zero retention. The Sette’s straight-through design means that coffee beans travel straight through the grinder and into your portafilter.
This design results in faster grinding times compared to traditional grinders because the Sette does not need to grind beans and then push them out of the grinding chamber. Additionally, the Sette’s micro-adjustments allow for precise grind settings, with fewer grounds left behind in the burrs.
The result is freshly ground coffee that tastes better. The Sette’s unique design means that it has zero retention, which is a significant problem with other grinders.
Retention is the amount of coffee left behind inside the grinder between uses. When a grinder retains coffee grounds inside the burr chamber, the next user’s coffee can be affected by stale grounds mixed in with fresh.
The Sette’s design allows for instant grinding with no beans left to become stale between grind cycles. Another unique detail about the Sette’s design is its portafilter holder.
The portafilter holder can be adjusted to fit any size portafilter, making it easy to dose directly into your portafilter. Additionally, the Sette’s unique grind speed claims to outperform almost all other grinders regarding grind speed while still maintaining an excellent grind quality.
4) Build Quality
While Baratza is known for designing high-quality grinders, the Sette uses plastic construction materials instead of metal. This fact might seem off-putting at first glance.
However, the plastic used is high-quality and is designed to last, even with everyday use. Plastic construction also has the advantage of being lightweight, making the Sette easy to move around your kitchen or coffee bar.
The most common issue with the Sette is gearbox failure. The Sette’s gearbox uses a plastic drive gear, which can strip after heavy use.
This issue has been known to affect both the Sette 270 and 270 Wi models. However, Baratza has improved the gearbox design and is known to provide free replacement gearboxes for affected customers.
Baratza also has a reputation for exceptional customer service. Baratza offers a one-year warranty on the Sette, but they also sell replacement parts, offer troubleshooting guides, and have technicians available to help customers over the phone or email.
Baratza stands behind their products and is dedicated to providing their customers with the best possible experience. Conclusion:
The Baratza Sette range of grinders is an excellent option for anyone looking for a high-quality, precise, and unique grinder.
The Sette’s design is unlike any other grinder on the market, resulting in fast grind times, fluffy grinds, and zero retention. While the Sette uses plastic construction materials, it is well designed for everyday use, and Baratza’s replacement gearboxes and exceptional customer service provide peace of mind for any potential issues.
Overall, the Baratza Sette is a great addition to any coffee enthusiast or professional’s brewing setup.
5) Grind Consistency
The Baratza Sette uses steel burrs made by Etzinger, a Swiss company known for producing high-quality burrs that deliver consistent grinds. The Sette’s burrs are conical, which allows for more contact with coffee beans, resulting in a more uniform grind.
The Sette’s burrs are rated for 20,000 pounds of coffee, ensuring that they will remain sharp for a long time with heavy use. The Sette’s grind consistency is one of its key features that sets it apart from other grinders on the market.
The Sette’s straight-through design means that there is little retention between grinds. This design results in fresh, consistent grinds, even when grinding small amounts of coffee.
The Sette also produces fewer boulders (large coffee grounds) and fines (very small coffee dust) compared to other grinders, resulting in a balanced extraction and superior flavor. One of the significant advantages of the Sette’s zero retention design is the ability to lock in your preferred grind setting and produce consistent grinds.
Since the Sette does not retain any coffee between grinds, you can switch between different coffee beans or brewing methods without affecting the flavor of your coffee.
6) Phenomenal Speed
One of the most impressive features of the Baratza Sette is its speed. The Sette is known for grinding beans faster than almost any other home grinder on the market.
The Sette’s unique design allows coffee beans to go straight through the burrs and into the portafilter, significantly reducing grind times. The Sette is an excellent choice for anyone who values speed, particularly if you make multiple cups of coffee every day.
While the Sette’s speed is impressive, it is not the only factor that makes it a desirable grinder. The Sette also produces high-quality grinds in record time.
With more contact between the coffee beans and the burrs, the Sette produces uniform grinds that translate to a balanced extraction and superior flavor. The Sette’s noise level is another factor to consider.
The Sette is relatively quiet compared to other grinders in its class. The Sette’s burrs rotate at around 300 RPM, resulting in a calmer grinding experience.
While some noise is present during the grinding process, it is not loud enough to disrupt conversations or wake sleeping family members. Overall, the Baratza Sette’s phenomenal speed and grind consistency set it apart from other home grinders.
The Sette’s speed is impressive, but its consistent, high-quality grinds make it a valuable addition to any home brewer’s repertoire. The Sette also manages to deliver on its promise of quieter grinding, resulting in a more enjoyable brewing experience.
7) Issues with Sette 270
While the Baratza Sette range is known for its quality, the Sette 270 has had historical problems with the gearbox. The issue is mainly caused by overuse or heavy use of the grinder and is common for all grinders that use plastic gears.
However, this issue has been addressed by Baratza by updating the gearbox design and replacing it for free for affected customers. The gearbox upgrade also included a redesigned drive gear, which improves the durability and longevity of the grinder.
Another improvement that Baratza has made to the Sette series is the addition of the Sette 30. This model is less expensive compared to the Sette 270, and it comes with simpler features.
The Sette 30 has a simple time-based dosing system that allows you to set a grind time, and the grinder will grind the exact amount of coffee beans necessary to produce that amount of coffee. Despite the simpler features, the Sette 30 is still capable of producing high-quality and consistent grinds.
While the Sette 270 has undergone significant upgrades, it also has weaknesses compared to other grinders in its class. One weakness is that the macro and micro-adjustments can be tricky to navigate, particularly when you try to micro-adjust.
This issue can make it difficult to dial in the perfect grind size to achieve an ideal, balanced extraction.
8) The Verdict
The Baratza Sette range of grinders is an excellent choice for anyone who values quality, consistency, and precision. The Sette’s unique design and high-quality burrs deliver fast, consistent, and excellent grinds.
The Sette’s zero retention and easy-to-use portafilter holder also make it stand out from other grinders on the market. The Sette 30 is an excellent recommendation for anyone who wants to try the Sette range and is new to home brewing coffee.
The Sette 30’s simplicity makes it an easy-to-use grinder, but it still delivers consistent, high-quality grinds that will satisfy most coffee enthusiasts. If you’re considering alternatives to the Sette range, the Baratza Virtuoso+ is a popular choice.
While the Virtuoso+ does not feature the same unique design as the Sette, it is well-constructed and produces consistent, high-quality grinds. Moreover, the Virtuoso+ is a more affordable option compared to the Sette range, making it attractive to home baristas who prefer not to spend too much on a coffee grinder.
In conclusion, the Baratza Sette range is an excellent choice for any coffee enthusiast or professional who values quality, consistency, and precision. While the Sette 270 has undergone significant upgrades to address historical problems and improve on weaknesses, the Sette 30 is a great recommendation for anyone who wants to try the Sette range and is new to home brewing coffee.
Alternatively, the Baratza Virtuoso+ is a popular choice for those who want a more affordable option that produces consistent, high-quality grinds. In conclusion, the Baratza Sette range has become a prominent player in the grinding industry, thanks to its unique design and impressive features.
The Sette’s straight-through grinding path, steel burrs from Etzinger, and zero retention advantage result in fast, consistent, and balanced grinds. While the Sette 270 had historical issues with its gearbox, Baratza addressed these problems with fixes and improvements, offering free replacement gearboxes.
The Sette 30 provides a more affordable option, perfect for beginners. Additionally, the Baratza Virtuoso+ serves as a compelling alternative.
Overall, the Baratza Sette range offers coffee enthusiasts unparalleled speed, grind consistency, and quality, making it a top choice for those seeking exceptional brewing experiences.