OPTION-O - Lagom Casa

I went from BBE to Bambino Plus. BBE is a great intro machine, but the grinder isn’t the best. I am loving the Bambino Plus (I have Lagom Casa grinder with it). All Brevilles are super easy to use and I think you’d be happy with either

I was actually happy enough with the BBE grinder (older model). But seeing constant posts about it not being the best had me curious. I know see that the steps between settings on the BBE are a little big and I am able to get better results with the Casa.

Would add Lagom Casa to the list. Fantastic home espresso grinder!

I’ve owned a 65 Casa and a gen 2 Ode. Workflow IMO goes towards the Casa. In the cup they’re fairly similar, I think you’d get slightly more clarity to my taste from the Ode, but if you only have room for one grinder then the Ode cannot do espresso without shortening its lifespan.

I LOVE my Casa

The Lagom Casa is also a good option for pour over - great work flow

I totally skimmed over the fact that the OP has a Virtuoso. OP, you really won't get your money's worth in terms of improvement in the cup if you drink only medium to dark roasts. Honestly, an Ode Gen 2 or Timemore 078 would be a bit of a waste, and neither company has Baratza's reputation for reliability and service. Your Virtuoso might just need a bit of TLC. Or you could just get one of the grinders I recommended. If you are really itching to spend some dough, maybe order the new [Lagom Casa](https://www.option-o.com/shop/p/lagom-casa?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22282491509&gbraid=0AAAAArBqeyLITcQFGPZ35mGhGSVsTsA-d&gclid=Cj0KCQjwndHEBhDVARIsAGh0g3DQBDbUkpnQb8lkTIRxKLOIv2jvhqr-kqRp0bPOqXwZnOn45dBSWs4aAhFqEALw_wcB) or [Femobook A68](https://femobook.myshopify.com/products/a68-electric-coffee-grinder).

I haven’t seen anything that suggests the Lagom Casa wouldn’t do well with med/dark roasts, especially because it’s conical. Only the ZP6 and A4Z are conical grinders that I am familiar with that wouldn’t be great with med/dark roasts. The Lagom Casa is supposed to be an all-rounder good for both filter and espresso, which suggests to me that it would handle med/dark roasts fine for pourover. I personally would choose the Lagom Casa over the Ode Gen 2 for your use case. But that’s me.

The Z1 is a beast. But the Casa is amazing also, and at the price I purchased ($389 USD) is incredibly hard to beat.

General rule of thumb is that the grinder is more important than the machine, and many people will spend more on the grinder. A lot of people use the Bambino Plus with much more expensive grinders. The BBP is just the delivery system. The ground coffee (beans and grinder) is what really matters. You can get a grinder that will work for you for less than you paid for the BBP, but the price will be close. Cheapest would be a good quality hand grinder. For electric, Baratza Encore ESP (the espresso-capable version of what you already have) is an option, as is the DF54. If you are willing to spend a bit more, the Lagom Casa could be a great option and would likely keep you happy for years to come.

So, one good grinder that is all metal that works for drip/press/etc is the lagom casa. The least expensive would be something like the df54 or 64. I think they may have a plastic spout where the grinds come out, but that's it. They are possibly more aimed towards espresso. Quality control isn't great from what I know. If you're OK with a bit of plastic outisde of the grind chamber, then something like the fellow opus or any of the baratza grinders would be great.

Grinder: Lagom Casa Brewer: Breville Bambino Plus The grinder is actually more important than the brewer, so you’ll get more bang for your buck there.  If you can’t wait for a Casa, you can also check out the Niche Zero, DF64, Timemore Sculptor 064, or Eureka Mignon Specialita.  The Bambino is probably good for you since you don’t drink milk drinks; most people like the brewing capability, but some people say the steam wand is a little weak.