Accurate weighing is essential, but digital scales for baristas have even more features. Come now to discover what digital barista scales can do and how you can make the most of them when making coffee.
What do you need from a scale when making coffee?
The most important function for which you choose a barista scale is accurate weighing in grams. Better yet, in tenths of grams. Making coffee requires precision and repeatability. Thus, you can't do without certainty in the weight of a batch of beans, ground and liquid coffee and water . Therefore, you are looking for a scale that can be relied upon to weigh correctly. At this point, it pays to trust in the reputation of a brand whose products have already been proven by baristas. At GreenPlantation, this is true for virtually every barista scale on offer. Also important is accuracy to tenths of grams, which is also a feature of each of the scales in our e-shop.
What other features do barista scales have?
For digital barista scales, the most practical feature is the timer. Properly prepared coffee, as we all know, counts on batch accuracy - weighing as well as extraction time. This is true regardless of the preparation method. That is, both for espresso and filter coffee. Most barista scales with a stopwatch (timer) operate in manual mode. Press the button on the scale to start the timer and manually turn the stopwatch off again as needed.
However, sometimes scales may have automated modes for counting down the time. The stopwatch in auto-mode is usually started when a weight increase is detected, i.e. when the first drop of extracted coffee hits the container on the scale. So let's now talk about what the automatic modes are on the most popular barista scales and how to use them.
Today, we're going to take a look at premium barista scales, following on from our previous article.
Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2
Among the latest pieces from Timemore is the Black Mirror Basic barista scale in version 2. This brand produces a large number of barista accessories which they try to keep in a price friendly category, as we have come to expect from them. Therefore, they develop products in phases and improve their products gradually and according to the real needs of customers. What could be improved has been improved and what baristas love has been continued. Like the display of the coffee pouring speed in g/s or the "Auto Timer" mode.
The "Auto Timer" function of the Timemore Basic 2
You switch from classic weighing with manual stopwatch start to the "Auto Timer" function by pressing the "Timer button" 5 times in a row to start the timer. An audible signal will sound and you will see the letter A in a circle on the display, which is the symbol of this function. Then place your dripper on the scale, insert the filter, pour in the coffee and press the stop button.
The display will start a countdown: 3...2...1... and the display will reset to the start position, where you can start pouring coffee at any time. Once the scale detects the start of the process (weight increase by the water being poured) will automatically start the timer. When you need a pause in timing just press the stopwatch button, likewise to restart after a pause (at 40s of inactivity the timing will be paused automatically). Resetting the timer is then done by holding down the timer button.
Timemore Black Mirror Nano
The Black Mirror Nano scale is practically a miniaturized version of the classic Timemore scale. Besides being smaller, it differs in a couple of modifications created just with the tiny size of this barista scale in mind. The display is on a bevel so that it can be seen beautifully from the angle from which the barista will be looking at the scale. The buttons are on the sides. The tiny scale fits all the features of its larger sibling. It can display the pour speed as well as automatic timing.
The "Auto Timer" and "Flow Rate" functions of the Timemore Nano
While the larger Timemore scale's flow measurement - "Flow Rate" is constantly displayed, the Nano scale's mini display displays the function at the touch of a button. This is located on the left side of the scale just behind the stopwatch button. You don't have to worry about this stopping the timer, it still runs even if you switch the display to show the flow rate.
There are two modes on this scale for automatic timing of extraction. One for filter coffee - "Pour-over timing mode" and the other for espresso - "Espresso Timer Mode". Pressing the timer button 3 times in a row will start the automatic timer mode for filter coffee preparation. You will hear the beep again, see the letter A in a circle on the display and a 3 second countdown will start before the display resets to the start position. All as with the larger scale see. "Auto Timer" for the Timemore Basic 2 described above.
The sequence of modes is as follows: "Regular mode, Pour-over timing mode, Espresso Timer Mode". To switch between them, press the stopwatch button 3 times in succession. Once you reach the espresso timing mode, the display will show the abbreviation "ESP" in the timing location. Then you just place the cup on the scale, the automatic function symbol will flash slowly and as soon as the first drop of espresso hits the automatic extraction time countdown will begin. When the espresso is done and you take the cup off the scale, the timer will stop and you can check the readings. The scale will automatically reset to the starting position for the next espresso.
Fellow Tally Pro
Fellow products are a barista's heartthrob, so to speak. They exude their makers' love of coffee and coffee itself. Of course, they are super reliable, designer and powerful. Well now here is their Tally Pro scale with "Brew Assist" mode. This mode is accessed by pressing the "Mode button" above the main function button "Dial". The mode sequences go as follows: "timer, weight, brew assist".
Fellow Tally's "Brew Assist" function
In this mode you will see three sections on the display. On the left the coffee weight, on the right the water weight and in the middle the ratio of the two weights. The ratio value is the BR or the so-called "Brew ratio" and thanks to the Tally you don't have to recalculate the weights in your head for the different brewing methods. For example, for a French Press I use a BR of 1:15, for a V60 I use a BR of 1:16 and for a Moka pot I usually have a BR of 1:10. Use the functional rotary "Dial" button to adjust to the desired BR and pour the coffee. You can see straight away that using for example 20g of coffee with a BR of 1:16 you will need 320g of water. ????
When you press the "timer button", the scale remembers the selected BR. The time display is at zero, but on the right side of the display you can still see the target value of the water weight you want to achieve in the brew according to the given BR. As soon as you start pouring the coffee, automatically starts the timer on the left side of the display. In the middle, the current pouring weight is displayed. As soon as you reach the target value, the center section with the actual weight will be displayed and you know you're done.
Brewista Smart 3
The square black and silver compact Smart scales from Brewista were at one time owned by perhaps every other coffee shop and barista. They fit everywhere, were clear and easy to understand in operation thanks to the 4 function buttons: "ON/OFF, MODE, TARE, TIME". What more could you ask for in a coffee maker? Now the Brewista Smart version 3 is here and apart from a few modifications, mainly in the appearance, it does exactly what we are used to. But the truth is that not every barista knows what treasure is hidden in their Brewista scales. Many people have never used this scale to its full potential, they just keep pressing start and stop, yet Brewista scales even have 5 functional modes.
Modes of the Brewista Smart Barista Scale
- MODE 1: fully automatic mode
- MODE 2: "Auto-tare" mode (when you put the cup on the scale, the time and the weight are automatically reset, once you want to start making coffee you have to start the stopwatch manually with the "TIME" button, after removing the cup for checking the values are displayed for 5s)
- MODE 3: "Auro-tare" and "Auto-timer" mode (when you put the cup on the scale the time and the weight are automatically reset, once the scale detects the start of the extraction - the coffee starts flowing into the cup, it automatically starts the timer, after removing the cup for checking the 5s display of values follows)
- MODE 4: "Auto-tare" mode (like mode 2, but stopwatch is not active, only for automatic resetting when cup is placed on scale and maintaining the beverage weight value after removing cup for checking at 5s display)
- MODE 5: instant "Auro-tare" and "Auto-timer" mode (for automatic resetting of the scale in weight and time and their immediate automatic start, followed by 5s display of values after removing the cup for checking)
Felicita ARC
Digital scales Felicita ARC are actually already such a hi-tech coffee accessory. They are connected via Bluetooth to a mobile app, where you can monitor real-time readings or analyse data from previous coffee weighings. Right on the scale you can set the modes to your liking or calibrate the scale if necessary. At the base, the Felicita ARC has several modes, which you switch between by holding the start button for 1s and of which there are 3 with automated "Auto Start Modes".
"Auto Start Mode" on the Felicita ARC
The pre-programmed auto start modes are graphically represented on the scale by the drop, square and triangle symbols. If you select the mode in which the drop is displayed, the scale will automatically respond by starting the timer when the first drops of coffee fall into the cup on the scale.
In the mode where you see the drop sign and a square on the display, this is the automatic timing when the first drop of espresso hits the cup on the scale (as in the previous mode). But this is also preceded by an automatic reset - "auto-tare" - when the cup is placed on the scale.
The display of the triangle and square on the display of the scale indicates that the automatic mode for "auto-tare" and "auto-timer" is set , including the measurement of the preifusion time.
Acaia Pearl
I'll end my discussion of automated modes on coffee scales with one that has been the queen of all barista scales in the world for years. A luxurious, futuristic and in every respect perfect scale in a popular model like the Acaia Pearl. What automatic modes does this designer scale offer? (Acaia vs Felicita)
Functional modes of the Acaia Pearl
- Mode 0 - Weighing mode
- Mode 1 - Espresso mode (weighing with manual timer switching, which displays the time in cycles from 0-59 s)
- Mode 2 - Timer mode (weighing with manual timer with a range of 9 min 59 s)
- Mode 3 - Auto Start Mode (auto-tare and auto-timer mode)
- Mode 4 - Beverage Mode (auto-timer mode with steps for brewing filter coffee)
- Mode 5 - Auto Tare Mode
Switch between modes by long pressing the on/off button on the scale. The modes go in sequence as I have listed them in the description above. Double tapping the T ("tare") button will reset the selected mode. You can configure the weighing modes. You can communicate with the scale via the mobile phone app. There you can see the "real-time" weight measurement, weighing history, save recipes or prepare coffee according to them. You can adjust various parameters, even the welcome greeting when you switch on the scale, because you will never let this darling - which will hopefully never run out of coffee - out of your hand again.
