Getting a Baratza Virtuoso+

[LMichaels]

So, yesterday I had the opportunity to pull the trigger on a nearly brand new Baratza Virtuoso+ grinder. For dirt cheap. What's the "catch"? The PO tried to grind chocolate in it totally fouling up the internals.
But, I've been through as bad or worse with some mixers. So I figured WTH I keep seeing how wonderful and all the praises people put on them. And I'm getting it for pennies on the $$$. And since they're built like the mixers I work on. To be able to be disassembled, cleaned and repaired, I figured how bad can it be?
My though is, I can tear it down and put a nice fresh (no grease) batch of Simple Green in my ultrasonic cleaner. Drop the pieces in with the heater as well turned on to melt and dissolve the chocolate, blow dry everything and give the bad boy a whirl.
Or would anyone have different cleaning advice?
In any case I am really very curious as to how this unit will stack up to my Breville and my new(er) KitchenAid conical burr grinders.

 

[Bruno]

So, yesterday I had the opportunity to pull the trigger on a nearly brand new Baratza Virtuoso+ grinder. For dirt cheap. What's the "catch"? The PO tried to grind chocolate in it totally fouling up the internals.
But, I've been through as bad or worse with some mixers. So I figured WTH I keep seeing how wonderful and all the praises people put on them. And I'm getting it for pennies on the $$$. And since they're built like the mixers I work on. To be able to be disassembled, cleaned and repaired, I figured how bad can it be?
My though is, I can tear it down and put a nice fresh (no grease) batch of Simple Green in my ultrasonic cleaner. Drop the pieces in with the heater as well turned on to melt and dissolve the chocolate, blow dry everything and give the bad boy a whirl.
Or would anyone have different cleaning advice?
In any case I am really very curious as to how this unit will stack up to my Breville and my new(er) KitchenAid conical burr grinders.

Most of us know by now you’d be the guy to ask for advice on how to clean it.
Good luck, can’t wait to see how this goes.

 

[Joe Anshien]

Sounds like good smelling fun Make sure to post pictures!

 

[DanHoo]

There are YouTube videos showing how to take it apart to reset the grind for espresso and to replace the internal parts.

I'm sure some some videos are bozos with crap instructions, but that grinder has replaceable parts and is designed to be serviced.

BTW, I have a virtuosa plus and it's great.

 

[DanHoo]

My though is, I can tear it down and put a nice fresh (no grease) batch of Simple Green in my ultrasonic cleaner. Drop the pieces in with the heater as well turned on to melt and dissolve the chocolate, blow dry everything and give the bad boy a whirl.

I can't wait to see pics of what's inside.

 

[JKalchik]

I can't wait to see pics of what's inside.

I'm honestly not sure if I'd be impressed, or completely horrified.

Then again, I have no idea how somebody could make the mental leap to grinding chocolate in a burr grinder. Whole cacao beans, maybe, but not chocolate.

A warm Simple Green solution should take care of dissolving sugars & fats, don't know if it'd take care of the proteins, though.

 

[timothy]

Maybe run some rice thru until it comes out white.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

What a ridiculous think to try to “grind”! Why on earth would someone do that? End product would be silly, use a bloody grater !
Right tool for the job and all that.

 

[LMichaels]

People will never cease to amaze sometimes.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

“There’s nobody like people!” Charlie Waller

 

[JKalchik]

People will never cease to amaze sometimes.

I put it a little different. I have low expectations, and they're still not met.

 

[DanHoo]

I put it a little different. I have low expectations, and they're still not met.

I'm often shocked, yet not surprised...

Edit:... at things I see people do.

 

[Ed P]

"There is no cure for stupid." -- Ron White

Costco is removing the in-store coffee grinders because people continue to double-grind beans. In a location where the grinder was located near the food court, somebody put a hot dog in the grinder.

 

[JKalchik]

Costco is removing the in-store coffee grinders because people continue to double-grind beans. In a location where the grinder was located near the food court, somebody put a hot dog in the grinder.

IMNSHO, that's not stupid, that's malicious. Anything more I'd say would probably run counter to Terms of Service here.

All of the Costco outlets here seem to have the grinders between the food court and the Automotive desk. So far, I think they all still have the grinders in place.

 

[BFletcher]

I wonder if they used it to aerate hot water first... make themselves a cup of hot chocolate.

 

[LMichaels]

I could see where someone would try something dumb like this. If you look online there are all types of people pointing out how much healthier it is to brew dark unsweetened chocolate in your coffee brewer than coffee. Though I am unsure I believe it's done with roasted cocoa beans (similar to roasted coffee beans). So I guess I could see someone thinking "oh just grind up chocolate" in the coffee grinder. I'm unsure if they're using coffee grinders to grind the cacao beans to make this brew or what exactly is being done.
Honestly I've been reading on it but am quite confused as to what and how the brew is actually being done

 

[LMichaels]

Something else I found on this whole cacao brewing thing

 

[Jim C in Denver]

Baratza

Specialty coffee burr grinders delivering exceptional cup quality. Precision. Consistency. Innovation. #WeGrindYouBrew #DontDumpItFixIt

www.youtube.com

Baratza has great support (see link).

And if your DIY efforts fail, they also have a great repair service. After I failed myself, I sent it in and they fixed it for me for a very reasonable price. Still going strong years later.

 

[LMichaels]

Baratza

Specialty coffee burr grinders delivering exceptional cup quality. Precision. Consistency. Innovation. #WeGrindYouBrew #DontDumpItFixIt

www.youtube.com

Baratza has great support (see link).

And if your DIY efforts fail, they also have a great repair service. After I failed myself, I sent it in and they fixed it for me for a very reasonable price. Still going strong years later.

Yeah I've been finding their online presence. Nice to see too, the videos are actually presented my actual service people, not goof balls on YouTube that pretend to be a tech on TV
BTW more I think about this (cleaning everything). I think my ultrasonic with the heated tank is a good way to go with it. The Simple Green will help get the big stuff while the vibes will help it get into crevices, and the heated bath will help break down the fats present from the cocoa or nibs the PO put through it.
Can't wait to get my hands on it and see what can be done. Maybe it will be an adjunct business to my mixer business. Get broken Baratza machines and rebuild them.
One thing for sure I think they'd be more pleasant to work on then some of the filthy awful smelling gear boxes I deal with

 

[JKalchik]

One thing for sure I think they'd be more pleasant to work on then some of the filthy awful smelling gear boxes I deal with

That is a bet that I would NOT take. I'd be far more likely to suspect that there's coffee grinders that would require a full HazMat suit with bottled air for disassembly.