Tom’s Guide Verdict
This is one of the most original coffee scales Ive ever seen.
The Subscale doser from Subminimal is beautifully designed, with pristine Tritan plastic and an instantly-responsive LED screen.
The Subminimal Subscale is an espresso doser to be used with thebest espresso machines.
Eyeballing coffee measurements is never a good idea, especially if youre trying to perfect your espresso routine.
As it has no timer, its best used to weigh beans before and after grinding.
At $49, this is a pretty premium price for such a restrictive product.
Perhaps justifying its price tag, the Subscale is a thing of beauty.
But is it worth your hard-earned money?
As it lacks a timer maybe not.
A timer is important for consistent espresso extraction and a fundamental element of home espresso, especially for beginners.
For the Subscales beauty, though, you might be able to look past this.
Find out the full story in this Subminimal Subscale review.
If youre in the U.K., its also49 direct from Subminimal.
Subminimal Subscale review: Design & functions
The Subscales biggest drawback is its lack of timer.
On top of this timer restriction, the physical shape of the Subscale is another important downside.
The Subscale is built from tarnish-proof Tritan plastic with a sophisticated and minimalistic design.
The bright LED panel is instantly responsive and the on/off button is sleek.
But if you havent got a timer?
Id look elsewhere, like the mini-but-mighty Maestri House scale ($39).
Subminimal Subscale review: Performance
Using this scale is actuallyfun.
The screen accurately displays weight before you’ve got the option to even blink.
While I was comparing it against four other scales, the Subscale was the most consistent.
If it’s crucial that you calibrate your Subscale, though, Subminimal has calibration instructions on its website.
I used the Subscale with whole coffee beans before and after grinding.
Then I ground the beans to espresso-fine using myKitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machinedirectly into the Subscale.
I carefully poured the espresso into theKitchenAidgroup handle and extracted the espresso into the Subscale doser.
As I mentioned earlier, theres no timer to measure shots before that 60-second standby time.
The Tritan plastic is good at remaining clear and untarnished.
Subminimal Subscale review: How does it compare?
This is best used with an espresso machine.
Even so, theres a limit to how good a doser without a timer can be.
However if you enjoy solely aesthetically-pleasing products, the Subscale can do no wrong there.
If this was a permanent participant in my kitchen, Id proudly show it off on my countertop.
If youre seriously into coffee, youll need a scale with a built-in timer for ease of use.
On top of this, if you have a dripper, this isnt the product for you.
The shape means you cant place your dripper on top to measure how much water youre pouring in.
Youd be better off with the KitchenTour Coffee Scale or the MaestriHouse Coffee Scale.
Is the Subscale a necessity in your coffee routine?
No, not without a built-in timer.
Its still a good doser, but it would be much more usable with a timer.
