The Acaia Orion bean doser is intended for commercial use.
The sci-fi-lab-core doser will immediately make any coffee shop a great deal cooler through looks alone.
However, it might not be one of the best coffee scales available.
Brace yourself, Im about to tell you the Orions asking price.
It starts at $950 and goes up to $1,050 for the color I tested.
I know a coffee bean doser that costs almost as much as the average monthly studio rent?
For this premium price, I expect premium performance.
The Orion is by far the priciest coffee doser Ive ever tested, but its also the most high-tech.
No, I dont think its worth the $1,000+ price tag.
But for professional baristas orsuperpassionate home coffee brewers, it could be worth it.
Find out the full story in this Acaia Orion coffee bean doser review.
Its really expensive:$1,050 for the white version, or$950 in the gray colorway.
This makes it the priciest coffee doser Ive ever tested.
But, then again, it is theprettiestcoffee doser Ive ever tested.
So based on looks alone, its a 10.
The Orion, as a wholebean doser, is quite literally in its own galaxy of functionality.
Nothing else does what the Orion does but is that because no oneneedsit?
Acaia Orion review: Design & functions
Theres no way around it: the Orion is gorgeous.
Gorgeous in a star-sailing, galaxy-hopping, planet-orbiting kind of way.
I cant fault the design, which is a common theme with Acaia products.
Every single Acaia scale or doser Ive tested is just beautiful.
The Orion is unmistakably well-crafted.
The back of the cylinder is plain, and the front houses the dial screen.
Regarding aesthetics alone, I have no notes.
Yes the Orion is another specialty coffee gadget you oughta study to use.
These modes consist of: weighing, manual dosing, and auto dosing.
There are three dosing tweaks: precise, fast, and green.
Green is only intended for pre-roasted green beans.
I did my testing in precise mode.
Weighing is self-explanatory: it just weighs pre-dosed coffee.
You have to be in weighing mode to turn off the Orion.
This app is just a firmware updater.
I dont see why anyoneneedsthe Orion: myEureka Mignon Specialitadoses ground coffee just as well.
I suppose if youseriouslyneed speed, you might need the Orion.
Acaia has confirmed to me that the Orion learns bean mass and density after around three doses.
For example, Ethiopian beans are often smaller than other varieties.
Ethiopian beans average a screen size of 14/64 or 16/64, whereas Brazilian beans are 17/64 or 18/64.
This number refers to the size of holes in a screen measured in 64th of an inch.
I know specialty coffee gets a bit baffling.
I tested the Orion by dosing coffee in ascending gram-by-gram increments.
Here are my results.
This was in precise mode.
It maxed at 102dB during dosing.
However, for such an expensive product, you would expect it to be perfect every single time.
Imagine having to re-dose in rush hour at your cafe.
I would be incredibly frustrated.
For the most part, it was accurate during testing.
However as Ive reiterated throughout this review, I just dont knowwhothe Orion works for.
A professional barista, sure but why not just get the Orbit grinder, which doses ground coffee?
Acaia Orion review: How does it compare?
As I stated above, theres very little to compare the Orion to.
Nothing else does what the Orion does.
Two, well, no one reallyneedsthe Orion.
Even just getting Acaias Orbit grinder makes more sense the Orbit doses coffeeandgrinds it.
I like the Orion, and it does its job well, but its simply unnecessary.
If youreallywant an Acaia product, why not just get the Orbit?
Acaia Orion review: Verdict
As Ive touched on throughout this review, I dolikethe Orion.
I think its striking to look at, it performs well, and its fun to use.
But is it worth it?
Even if it was $100 Id say that.
I loved the Pearl S during testing, but is it worth $220?
Very few coffee gadgets are actually worth their asking price.
Especiallywhen theyre a $1,050 coffee bean doser that doesnt even grind the coffee.
Its simply not worth the price.
Im just baffled bywhothe Orion is designed for.
Sure, but why wouldnt they just use the Orbit to dose and grind beans?
Sure, but why would they spend over $1k on something that is essentially a mechanized spoon?
Theonlyuse case I see is roasters dispensing whole beans into bags.
The bottom line is this: the Orion performs exceptionally well.
