If you really want to make incredible coffee, there is not better way tom improve the taste then to get a quality coffee scale. Using a coffee scale along with a burr grinder and fresh roasted coffee will give you the best and most consistent tasting coffee.
But your probably asking yourself, with all the scales out there which one should I get? What should I look for in a coffee scale? Read on and I will tell you why you need a scale to make great coffee and why these coffees scales made my top 5 list.
What to Look For in a Coffee Scale
Ability to Easily Tare
This just means to be able to zero out the scale either before or after (or both) you put something on it. For example you put a cup on the scale … tare it.. and then put in the amount of beans that you need. This is a critical part of any coffee scale as without it, its much more difficult to get a accurate number.
Proper Size
You need to be aware of this, especially if you travel alot and are taking on with you. For example if you use a Chemex alot you will want to get a larger size scale so that it fits on top. However, if you are going to use say.. an aeropress, then you get a smaller one.
Grams or Ounces Option
I would recommend that you get a scale that has the option of weighing grams.. Most of the measuring that’s done in the coffee world seems to be done using the metric system and grams are one of the more common measuring units you will see.
Just to give you a baseline to go by 29 grams is equal to 1 ounce of water and is this very helpful when measuring out your coffee to water ratios since a gram is the same weight as a milliliter of water. You can use a site like Metric Conversions if you want more information on conversions
Timer
This is not such a big deal to me but I have heard from alot of people how handy it is to have one. If your brewing a pour over coffee like say a Chemex or V60 then it is convenient to have and does make the process easier
Top 5 Coffee Scales
Here is my list of the best 5 coffee scales and the reason why I like them. Any one of these coffee scales will help you drink better tasting coffee but the are all slightly different from each other in different ways.
1. Jennings CJ 4000
This is the scale that I used at my coffee shop and I loved it.. It’s reasonably priced and could hold more weight then I would ever put on it (8.8 pounds). The batteries lasted forever and it could take a beating.
Now, I would not get recommend this scale if you are going to be doing espresso but for pour over or drip coffee measurements, it can’t be beat. Keep in mind its not a scale you would want to travel with but for light to moderate use in a kitchen setting.. its a great way to go. You can check current pricing on Amazon
2. Escali Pocket Scale
This is the scale you want to go with if you travel alot and have taken that extra step of bringing your coffee setup with you while you are on the road.
Its super small, light and best of all very affordable while giving you the option of weighing in both ounces and grams (pounds as well for whatever that is worth). Check the current price on Amazon.
3. Hario V60 Drip Scale
Although it was designed with the V60 in mind, this scale can be used for almost any coffee measuring you are going to do and is large enough for use with a Chemex.
What I like about this scale is that it comes with a Timer and can measure all the way down to 0.1 grams so it can be used for measuring out your espresso weight. See what it currently costs on Amazon
4. Ozeri Touch Digital Scale
This scale may not look as impressive as the Hario above but it has all everything it has except the timer and at about half the cost, currently about $20.00 on Amazon. Its not a complicated scale by any means as it only has 2 buttons.
One for switching between your weighing options ( grams, pounds etc.) and the other is the Tare button to zero out the scale. It even comes with tempered glass surface which makes it extra strong and at the same time easy to clean. Its great choice if price is more important then having a timer.. Check out the latest price on Amazon.
5. Acaia Lunar Scale
This is the scale you get if price is not an issue and you want almost an experience when measuring out your coffee.It’s a beautiful piece of equipment and it’s super accurate.
This scale has it all including a timer, bluetooth tech and its own app. Needless to say its built with the best materials around and therefore will probably be the only scale you will need for a very long time. Check what the current price on Amazon.
Final Thoughts
You really cannot go wrong with any of the scales I mentioned. You just have to decide what you are looking for in a scale as well as your budget.
The most important thing here is that you at least get a scale as you will notice a huge difference the taste and flavors that you get when you accurately weigh and measure your coffee before brewing.