If you’d like to take coffee-making seriously and create a consistently great brew at home, then you’ll need to measure your coffee grounds accurately with a good coffee scale. Even though the little plastic scoop that comes with most brewing gadgets or sometimes event teaspoons can be good for most people they tend to deliver inconsistent results. So if you’d like to take your brewing to the next level, accurately measuring your grounds is a must.
This site contains affiliate links.
Our Top Picks for Best Coffee Scale
What is a Coffee Scale?
A coffee scale or a gram sale gives you tighter control on how much grounds you use. These scales are accurate up to 0.1 grams which are generally more precise than the average kitchen scale, which tends to display weights to the nearest gram or 0.5 grams.
So in short a coffee scale is a scale that can accurately measure small increments of weight often down to 0.1g.
Why Use a Coffee Scale?
A coffee scale gives you more control over the coffee and water ratios you use. This way you can brew your coffee using the golden coffee to water ratios, a widely accepted “best way” to brew a well-balanced cup of coffee.
The golden ratios are: 15-17g of water to 1g of coffee.
Consistency is also important when it comes to brewing. A scale will help you move from hit and miss territory to a level of consistency where you know what to expect from your brew.
In short, using a coffee scale will help you to avoid brewing disappointment as you’ll be able to control your coffee variables a lot better. If you’re someone who believes that variety is the spice of life, then perhaps you’re not a coffee scale person. However, if you get annoyed with yourself about today’s bad coffee when yesterday’s was so good then you’ll want to get a scale for sure.
Our Picks for the Best Coffee Scale for Precision Brewing
1. Acaia | Pearl™
- Maximum Weight: 2060 g
- Increments: 0.1 g
Acaia was originally funded through Kickstarter back in 2013 and the Pearl scale won Best New Product at the SCAA Expo in 2014. If you’re looking for a scale with laboratory precision balances that are beautifully designed then you’ll absolutely love this product. It is definitely not the cheapest option but it’s very precise.
This scale has an ultra-fast response time of 20ms and pairs with their mobile app where you can sync and track your brew times and graph your pour. You can even customise the auto-off, but it won’t shut down during brewing. The battery is rechargeable as you’d expect from a high-end scale and last between 20 and 30 hours. It has a timer mode to display weight and time simultaneously, it also has an espresso mode to time and weigh espresso brewing.
Pros:
- Rechargeable battery
- Auto tare mode
- A range of modes from espresso to beverage mode
- Precise
- Connects to the Acaia app
Cons:
- Scratches easily
- It’s high tech and takes time to get used to
2. Hario V60 Drip Coffee Scale and Timer
- Maximum Weight: 2000 g
- Increments: 0.1 g
Hario is a Japanese manufacturer that produce a range of kitchenware and heatproof glass products. The scale includes an integrated timer and drip coffee timer for perfect bloom times. It has an auto power-off in 5 minutes when not activated and the timer is not in use.
It takes a few seconds to boot up before it’s ready to begin, but this is not necessarily bothersome. It measures in 0.1-gram increments as long as there are less than 200 grams on the scale, which works for coffee measuring. The buttons are touch-sensitive so it won’t affect the weighing process at all.
Pros:
- Auto-off
- Good timer function
- Very precise
- Rechargeable battery
Cons:
- Slight delay in weight changes
3. HERO ULTIMATE COFFEE SCALE
- Maximum Weight: 3000 g
- Increments: 0.1 g
The Hero Coffee scale is easy to operate and has a widescreen LED display. It comes with a built-in countdown timer and automatic timing function so that you can brew coffee in the perfect ratios. It’s accurate and has a built-in USB rechargeable battery that can be used for up to 48 yours with 3 months worth of standby time.
This scale is good for beginners or pros as it contains a high sensitivity sensor. The tare function makes adding coffee and water easy and simple with a large enough weighing platform to even fit a portafilter. The scale is made with tempered glass so the touch screen works similarly to your phone.
Pros:
- Auto timer function
- Glass platform
- Large weighing platform
- Rechargeable battery
Cons:
- Multifunction on/off button can be a bit confusing
4. Coffee Gator, COFFEE Scale with Timer
- Maximum Weight: 3000 g
- Increments: 0.1 g
Coffee Gator started in 2015 and they make a range of coffee gadgets, we’ve featured them in our best coffee canister post previously. With this scale, you can remove the guesswork out of coffee making at a reasonable price.
It comes with a heat-resistant rubber matt and loading tray allowing you to place hot coffee on your scale. This scale can easily double up as a general kitchen scale similar to the others mentioned but at a more affordable price.
Pros:
- Auto timer function
- Compact
- Fairly quick readout
- Large LCD
Cons:
- Can’t re-set the timer without turning it off
- A bit small if you’d like to weigh a portafilter
5. Brewista Ratio Pour-Over Coffee Scale
- Maximum Weight: 2000 g
- Increments: 0.1 g
The Brewista is an innovative ratio scale that allows you to make perfect pour-over coffee. This scale is meant for pour-over and will work best for this brewing method but it has a manual mode to accommodate other brewing methods.
It’s a nicely built and precise scale and is water protected. The scale charges via USB so no batteries to charge separately or replace. For auto mode, you need to follow the sequence precisely for best results.
Pros:
- Adjustable water and coffee ratios
- Automatic and manual modes
- USB rechargeable
- Auto-off function
Cons:
- Buttons are on the small side for bigger fingers
6. KitchenTour Coffee Scale with Timer
- Maximum Weight: 3000 g
- Increments: 0.1 g
The Kitchen Tour can weigh from 0.3g up to 3000g with precision. It has a built-in timer to time your brew consistently. The tare function allows you to add different ingredients which are always great. It comes with a waterproof silicone non-slip matt.
It doesn’t come with rechargeable batteries but it takes AAAs which you should be able to buy as rechargeable regardless. With a 2 mins auto-off, it won’t drain your batteries.
Pros:
- Timer function
- Auto-Off
- Easy to operate with touch-based buttons
- Large LCD
Cons:
- Tare button push doesn’t always register
7. Libra Digital Coffee Scale
- Maximum Weight: 3000 g
- Increments: 0.1 g
The Libra Coffee scale can be used for all brewing types or even baking. It’s got sensitive touch screen buttons and comes with a waterproof, non-slip silicone mat. To save battery it will switch off after 120 seconds.
It takes AAA batteries, that must be bought separately, so perhaps just pick up a set of rechargeables from the outset. This is a functional and sleek scale.
Pros:
- Timer function
- Auto-Off
- Leight weight and accurate
- Large LCD display
Cons:
- The touch screen could be a bit more sensitive
8. ERAVSOW Coffee Scale with Timer
- Maximum Weight: 3000 g
- Increments: 0.1 g
The Eravsow is a nice budget scale with a precision sensor for accurate measurements. It has a good size LCD display with low battery and overload indication. Although you’ll have to brew quite a bit of coffee to get to over 3kg. This scale comes with a timer, tare function and stainless steel surface.
AAA batteries are included, but they aren’t rechargeable so you might want to swap those when they die. This scale comes with a hanger hole so you can hang it on the wall or hooks when not in use to help save space.
Pros:
- Timer function
- Auto-off
- Washable silicone top
- Wall mounting option
Cons:
- The timer isn’t cleared when the machine turns off so you’ll have to clear it every time before you start
Choosing the Best Coffee Scale
For precision, we’d definitely recommend getting a digital scale. It just makes life a lot easier and reduces the room for error. Old fashioned scales can be error-prone as the angle at which you look at the scale or dodgy eyesight first thing in the morning can affect the accuracy of your measurement.
Timer: Timers are convenient for measuring extraction times, but ultimately not essential. You can use other devices to time your brew if you choose. If you’d like it all in one place then getting a coffee scale with a timer built-in makes sense as a multitude of devices can become a pain.
Rechargeable: Most batteries come in rechargeable options, so do your bit for the planet and invest in rechargeables if you can. Some scales are rechargeable via USB, which can be very handy.
Water Resistant: Most scales used in the kitchen and in wet areas are splash-proof. It makes sense that you’ll get the occasional spill when you make coffee, so double-check that it’s got some level of waterproofing.
Size: A decent size coffee scale will allow you to brew coffee and double it up as a kitchen scale. This will mean that you won’t need two kitchen gadgets to take up space. However, if you’re only looking to use it as a coffee scale, make sure that it’s big enough to fit your brewing gadget or method of choice such as your French Press or Pour Over gadget.
Can I use Kitchen Scale for Coffee?
Technically you can, but kitchen scales are generally not as accurate as coffee scales as they tend to measure to the closest 0.5 grams or gram. If you choose your coffee scale well you should be able to use it as a general-purpose kitchen scale as well.