How to choose a barista scale - a great comparison of scales

If you're a barista, you probably know that using a barista scale in your café will be appreciated by your customers, who will be even more likely to come to your café because they can rely on the consistent quality of your coffee.

At first glance, it may seem that the scale will make coffee preparation less fun, the coffee will always be the same and you won't be surprised by how the final cup of coffee actually tastes, but the opposite is true. With alternative brews, like the V60 or Aeropress, it also allows you to try out recipes from different barista aces because it makes it easier to keep track of how much ground coffee to use and when and how much water to use. And you'll be able to take your barista skills a step further.

See how to make filter coffee in Chemex by barista and coffee enthusiast Broddie Vissers aka The Nomad Barista.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A BARISTA SCALE

What sets barista scales apart from others is the built-in stopwatch. And although it may seem like a small thing, after just a few uses you'll be asking yourself how you could have lived without it.

Another thing to definitely focus on is theaccuracy of the weighing, this should ideally be to tenths of a gram. It is a scale, so you will definitely be interested in how much it actually weighs. Most scales have a 2000g capacity, but there are a few exceptions. Smaller scales designed primarily for espresso preparation have a capacity of just 500g, for example, such as theRhinowares Coffee Gear Dose, but you can prepare some alternatives with it. There are exceptions in the other case too, the largest capacity scales have a capacity of 3000g.

If you're looking for a barista scale to use, you'll probably be interested in thepower supplyas well , as some sort of cable or batteries are the last thing you want to deal with. You'll find USB cable charging on most scales these days, but what differs is the battery life.

If you want a scale for making espresso, so a scale that will playfully fit in your coffee maker under your cup, thedimensions of the scalewill also be important .

A BARISTA SCALE THAT TAKES DRIP BREWING UP A LEVEL

This is going to be something for coffee lovers and especially drip coffee lovers. Timemore really knows their way around a scale, and with the Timemore Black Mirror Dual Sensor, they've really stepped it up a notch. This is no ordinary scale, this one has two sensors. One is classically on the surface of the scale, the other is located on the removable dripper holder. So the scale can measure two values at once. You will be able to control both the amount of water you have poured into the dripper and how much coffee has dripped into the container.

Aside from the minimalist design, you'll definitely be impressed by theapp that lets you monitor the water flow rate, save your favorite recipes, and fine-tune them too. You can alsoadjust the height of the holder or remove it completely.

OR TIMEMORE BLACK MIRROR SINGLE SENSOR

If you prefer to brew your coffee in a different way to a dripper, but the Mirror Dual Sensor features appeal to you, you needn't despair. Timemore also makes a version without a holder, the Timemore Black Mirror SingleSensor . Other than the lack of a mount, they have everything in common. The2000g capacity , the easy two-button operation, and the fact that you won't need any batteries to operate them, just the USB-C cable you find in the package. This will give you 7 hours of continuous operation. Plus, the scale automatically shuts off after 5 minutes when you're not using it.

You can also control the scale' sfeatures in the app , such as enabling or disabling coffee brewing modes, setting the display brightness and auto-off timer, or setting what units you want to weigh in. The app will also show you a flow chart so you can get better at pouring your coffee. In addition to the filter wizard and flow chart, the Acaia Pearl S includes 5 more modes. This scale will give you a very interactive coffee brewing experience, no doubt about it. Both Pearl and Pearl S models can be found in two colour options, black and white.

THE SMALL BUT HANDY ACAIA PYXIS ULTRALIGHT

This scale may cost a lot of money, but it will give you a lot of music. What you definitely won't find in other scales issensitivity to hundredths of grams. I could say that thePyxis puts other scales in your pocket with its features, but the truth is that no other scale fits as playfully in your pocket as the Pyxis. Its dimensions of 7x7x1 cm are quite ideal for travelling. And so is its 100g weight. Plus, you won't be making a lot of coffee at once when you're on the go, so its 500g capacity won't limit you too much. It will also be ideal for making espresso, as it fits neatly on the drip tray. Like other barista scales from Acaia, the Pyxis has Bluetooth 4.0 functionality, so it connects to both Apple and Android mobile apps. Unlike the others, however, it also offers a 100g calibration weight. To calibrate, you need an instrument where you know the exact weight so you can determine if the scale is measuring correctly. If the weighing is incorrect, you can calibrate the scale to that weight.

With the Timemore Black Mirror Basic, in addition to the built-in stopwatch, you'll find a handy USB-C charging you'll appreciate when you're on the go, a10-hourbattery , so it lasts practically an entire shift, and you can weigh in with it several times a day at home. You will be pleased with the accuracy of weighing to tenths of a gram, a legible display thanks to LED backlighting and above all a very reasonable price - 1599 CZK. The size is practical for both espresso and filter coffee. With its minimalist look, it will fit into any café or home coffee corner. In addition, in the package to the scale you will also find a silicone pad, which will protect the scale in case of spills. Timemore Black Mirror Basic offers you all this . Moreover, the Timemore brand is a bet on safety and quality. That's all I need to say.

BREWISTA SMART SCALE V2 AS A TIMEMORE COMPETITOR

If anyone can compete with the Timemore Black Mirror Basic, it 's theSmart Scale V2 from Brewista, a brand you may know for its high-end gooseneck kettles. Like the Basic, the Brewista fits both the cafe and the home. It weighs to within tenths of grams and you can weigh up to 2000g on it. You'll keep it running by charging it via a USB cable. Spilled coffee? Never mind Brewista is waterproof. The scale is made for espresso preparation and therefore you will find 4 espresso modes, it also offers afilter coffee mode or a manual mode. Good visibility is guaranteed by the backlit display. What the Smart Scale V2 loses when competing with the Basic is the price, the Brewista is about 300 CZK more expensive.

BARISTA SCALES RHINOWARES FOR BEGINNERS AND PROFESSIONALS

The scales from the Rhinowaresbrand will definitely attract you with their affordable price, so if you are at the beginning of your coffee-loving journey and you don't want to invest so much in a barista scale right from the start, but you want to get a quality product, you should take your time. What makes the Rhinowares scales different from the previous ones is mainly the charging, no USB cables, but classic AAA pencil batteries. On our e-shop you can find two scales from Rhinowares, theCoffee Gear Brew, designed primarily for filter coffee preparation, and the Coffee Gear Dose, which in turn is suitable for espresso preparation.

ESPRESSO PREPARATION WITH THE RHINOWARES COFFEE GEAR DOSE

TheGear Dose is made of high quality stainless steel. It is relatively small and so fits easily under the cup in the coffee machine. Of course you can also prepare filter coffee with it, its capacity is only 1000g, but even that should be enough for you. As I mentioned it is ideal for beginners, especially because of its low price of 550 CZK. I Gear Dose will give you weighing accuracy to tenths of a gram. The controls are not complicated, you just use the 4 buttons on the front to operate it. However, you'll probably miss the stopwatch, which is commonplace with other scales.

RHINOWARES COFFEE GEAR BREW BARISTA SCALE FOR FILTER COFFEE

Since theGear Brewis primarily designed for filter coffee, it can't lack a stopwatch. It also offers a larger capacity, as much as 3000g, and like the others, it weighs to within tenths of a gram. The larger size also plays into the preparation of filter coffee, so it's no problem to place a larger Chemex on the scale. The price of the Rhinowares Coffee Gear Brew is not high either, slightly above the 1000 CZK mark. Therubberized surface is practical , which prevents the container from slipping off the surface.

BARISTA SCALE ACCESSORIES FOR EVEN EASIER COFFEE PREPARATION

Thefirst gadget that every barista will definitely appreciate is the lever holder from Timemore. It is a small thing to have, but very practical. Barista scales are often smaller in size, and this Magic Cube will fit on them nicely and make weighing the lever before making espresso easier.

Other accessories for the barista scale are offered by Acaia, specifically aweighing and cupping bowl, you will appreciate this one for making loose tea or perhaps a chai latte, and adosing container, you can weigh the coffee in it for either filter coffee or espresso. In fact, its circumference is compatible with a 58mm portafilter.

WHICH BARISTA SCALE IS THE RIGHT ONE

So which weight should you consider when buying? If you're a pro looking to take your coffee-making skills further, you're probably interested in Acaia's barista scales. For travel , thePyxis Ultralight model definitely wins it , you simply won't get a scale this small and light with this many features from its competing brands. A cheaper, but also high-quality version are the Timemore scales, among which theBlack Mirror Dual Sensor definitely deserves your attention . This one will be especially appreciated by lovers of drip coffee. All these scales are suitable for both business and home use. Then there are the Rhinowares scales , which will be appreciated especially by beginners who do not want to invest too much money in the purchase.

And although the scales I compared offer a wide range of functions, from the basic ones to tracking recipes in mobile apps, and the price range is just as wide, from 500 to 10,000 CZK, I think the winner in the price/performance category can be called Timemore Black Mirror Basic. On its heels, however, theBrewista Smart Scale V2 is definitely on its heels .