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The best coffee scales help you find precise ratios.
It has a companion app, is IPX5 rated, and a range of modes including pre-infusion timing.
But there are plenty of other options for a range of homes, uses, and budgets.
These are my favorite.
Quick list
Best overall
The Felicita Arc is my best overall coffee scale for a reason.
Best espresso
Espresso evangelists need look no further: the Acaia Lunar is the scale for you.
It’s very expensive, but it’s oh-so good.
The minimalist coffee scale weighs and times easily.
It’s remarkably easy to use, with no confusing button mashing or studying the user manual necessary.
If there was an extra day in the week, Id gladly spend it working in a coffee shop.
Ratios are your best friend.
I’ve personally tested and reviewed every single coffee scale on this list.
Best coffee scale overall
1.
Felicita Arc
Our expert review:
Here it is: my best overall coffee scale.
The Felicita Arc is the only coffee scale on this list with an IP rating its IPX5.
For electric kitchen appliances, this is averygood rating, and will give you some peace of mind.
In testing, I had to study the instructions to make the most of this scale.
The Arc connected to my phone via Bluetooth and worked out my pouring consistency.
If youve used the Acaia Brewmaster app, the Felicita version works almost exactly the same.
The Felicita Arc is the most versatile, intelligent, and functional scale on this list for its price.
Best premium coffee scale
2.
This is, hands-down, the best coffee scale Ive ever personally used.
But its eye-wateringly expensive, and thats why its our bestpremiumcoffee scale.
Flow-rate practice monitors your pouring stability, and will alert you if you pour too fast or too slow.
I found this not only useful, but very entertaining during testing.
You select your desired recipe, and itlll be sent to the scale via Bluetooth.
The scales LED screen will teach you, step-by-step, how to brew your desired coffee.
Each recipe is uploaded by a roastery or a member of the Acaia community.
This scale taught me how to use Kalita Waves, and Ill never forget that!
Theres only one major flaw to the Pearl S: its not waterproof.
But, if youve got $220 to spare, this scale willnotdisappoint.
Best pour-over coffee scale
3.
Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2
The Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2 has everything.
Looks, live flow-rate monitor, accurate weighing and timing.
you gotta pour with one of the best gooseneck kettles and control your flow.
The 6-inch-tall pad means your coffeemaker of choice wont be teetering off the edge and confusing the weight display.
In terms of usability, the Black Mirror Basic 2 is a great option.
This scale is super accurate; in testing, it displayed the same weight as the reference scales.
Best espresso coffee scale
4.
The Lunar is no different.
I must say that the Lunar is a beauty, an utter sight to behold.
The sleek black exterior has a bright LED screen, perfect for those aesthetic coffee setups.
It almost lookedtoobeautiful in my chaotic coffee testing setup.
Right out of the box, I calibrated the scale with the provided calibration weight.
The scale is supremely accurate and comes with a calibration weight, so itll always be reliable.
However, the Lunar doesexcelwith espresso.
The Lunar has a seldom-seen pre-infusion auto-timer, which measures the espresso pre-infusion time.
What makes the Lunarsopremium is the companion app, Brewmaster.
This app connects to the Lunar via Bluetooth and can act as a remote scale on your phone.
For espresso enthusiasts, though, theres nothing better than the Lunar scale.
Best budget pour-over coffee scale
5.
It weighs to an accuracy of 0.1g, which is standard on most coffee scales these days.
Theres a timer so it’s possible for you to calculate flow-rate.
In terms of what it lacks, theres very little missing when you consider the affordable price.
Its not particularly attractive, but if you dont care for aesthetics, this wont be an issue.
For those trying to save bucks, the KitchenTour Coffee Scale is the one for you.
Best budget espresso coffee scale
6.
Wacaco Exagram Pro
The Wacaco Exagram Pro coffee scale performs like amuchpricier scale.
Considering this scale is an affordable $49, its a force to be reckoned with.
Besides, in practice, I found the lack of flow-rate monitor didnt negatively affect my extraction process.
I wasnt even restricted to just espresso.
I got the Wacaco Exagram Pro working with my 6-cup Chemex, which is my largest pour-over coffee maker.
The pour-over mode counted me up based on my desired ratio.
Best coffee scales: Specs compared
All prices were correct at time of writing.
I do love this coffee scale it’s cute, it’s compact, and it’s effective.
Read my fullMaestri House Coffee Scale review
I did have a great time testing the Acaia Orion.
It’s notreallya coffee scale, but more a coffee doser.
You key in your desired weight, and the Orion doses that amount of coffee.
It works great, but it also happens to be over $1,000.
Read my fullSubminimal Subscale Doser review
I think the Fellow Tally Pro is an excellent scale.
However, it has no flow-rate mode, and is a staggering $185.
I compare weight accuracy by weighing the same object on up to six scales simultaneously and noting down discrepancies.
We used these tests to evaluate the best coffee scale to decide which ones are the best for you.
There are lots of different specialty coffee styles, so each scale is analysed based on its respective functionality.
USB-C rechargeable scales tend to score high on convenience and maintenance, as you wont have to purchase batteries.
In terms of ease of use, this means: How much of a learning curve was there?
Did we master the scale right out of the box?
Or did I have to study the instruction manual?
The list we present here is after hours and hours of testing and daily use.
The answer to this question depends on your individual use case.
Do you have an espresso machine with a narrow drip tray?
Or are you a proud French press or Chemex user?
To increase compatibility, youd need a larger scale with a pad big enough to fit your brewing equipment.
If you have a Chemex, youd need a scale with at least a ~5 inch weighing pad.
Will you use it simply to ensure accurate espresso brewing, or do you want to measure pre-infusion time?
Would you like to master the art of coffee:water ratio?
Youll want something nice and basic like the KitchenTour, which weighs and times, with no confusing functions.
These scales all have companion apps, which connect to the scale via Bluetooth.
Each espresso or pour-over you make will be logged in the app.
you’re free to even make graphs of your flow-rate for extra-curricular studying.
Obviously these features are overkill, unless you class yourself as a coffee aficionado.
Before you choose your perfect coffee scale, you should probably know exactly what you need.
Let me walk you through a bit of the coffee jargon you might have glazed over.
Portafilter
Portafilter is the metal basket in the group handle where you put the coffee grounds.
Puck
Puck refers to the coffee grounds in the portafilter.
Flow-rate
Flow-rate is basically how fast the water comes out of the coffee.
A coffee scale can help you figure outwhatthat taste is.
Then, how long that water takes to travel through the puck into the spout.
There is no right or wrong, it all depends on your taste.
Ratio
Ratio is how much water to coffee there is.
Espresso is 1:2, so for 18g coffee, you should get 36g out.
However, coffee is all aboutyourtaste, so you might not like these ratios.
A coffee scale can help you figure out your ideal ratio.
If a scale is rated IPX4 and above, it can withstand a little water splashing and cleaning.
FAQs
Are coffee scales worth it?
In short, coffee scales help you work out ratio, consistency, and personal preference.
What does a coffee scale actually do?
As you mightve guessed, a coffee scale simply weighs coffee.
I know, simple, right?
Theres so much more, though.
Do you need a coffee scale?
What kind of scale do you need for coffee?
Coffee scales and food scales are not the same thing.
Coffee scales also must have a weight display to 0.1g and a timer.
Anything more than this is simply a flourish however welcome those flourishes may be.
