Did you know that an expensive espresso machine is almost useless without a good coffee scale? It’s true – no matter how high-tech that machine is, it’s near-impossible to pull a great-tasting shot of espresso without weighing the beans first. And while a pourover, French press, and automatic drip don’t require the exact degree of precision brewing espresso does, a scale is still the best way to improve your coffee across all of these methods.
While a kitchen scale is great for weighing coffee if you mostly make auto-drip, coffee scales up the ante in two ways: they’re usually more precise, showcasing a 0.1-gram resolution, and they also offer lightning-fast responsiveness. The reason weight works better than volume as a measurement for coffee is that there are a number of environmental factors that can affect coffee density, so a standard 2-tablespoon scoop of ground coffee could weigh anywhere between six to 10 grams. Even if you’re not ready to jump into brewing espresso, weighing out coffee for your drip brewer can greatly increase your consistency, especially if you like buying coffee from different roasters.
The Importance of Weighing Coffee and Water for Consistent Brews
We use scales in our cafes when making pour over because it helps us brew consistently delicious cups of coffee. For the best pour over coffee at home, a coffee scale is essential. Scales are already indispensable to scientists, chefs, and Blue Bottle baristas alike. “There are so many reasons why using a scale makes it easier to make good coffee, not harder,” says Kelly Sanchez, Blue Bottle’s Roastery Operations Manager. “The idea that adding new tools to your routine will complicate it is simply not true.”
Eliminating Guesswork with Precise Measurements
Brewing pour over consists of pouring a certain amount of water over coffee at four different intervals. In addition to using a scale to measure the amount of coffee for our brew, we weigh the amount of water we’re pouring throughout the brewing process. To get consistently delicious coffee, you need to start with the right coffee-to-water ratio. Though it might be tempting to guess the amount of coffee and water you need, eyeballing is, at best, a recipe for inconsistent flavor. A digital scale helps you to achieve this certainty—not just once, but every time you brew.
Accounting for Variations in Coffee Density and Grind Size
Utilizing a coffee scale allows you to account for the variations in coffee density and grind size, ensuring consistent coffee strength and optimized coffee extraction. This attention to detail leads to dialed-in coffee ratios and precise coffee dosing, elevating your overall coffee brewing experience.
do you need a scale to make coffee
While we work hard to make sure our cafes are welcoming to our guests, we’re always thinking about how to make it easier for you to brew our delicious single origin, blend, and espresso coffees at home. In Kelly’s expert opinion, a good working coffee scale is essential to bringing out the best in your coffee when brewing pour over, or really, any other coffee brewing method.
Coffee Scales Offer Increased Accuracy and Responsiveness
“Using a coffee scale helps you find out where you’re making mistakes. It really eliminates the mystery of weight and ratio, so you can focus more on pertinent variables, like grind size and coffee origin,” says Kelly. Using a coffee scale can also help refine your coffee experience, allowing you to learn more about what you like and what you don’t.
Finding the Perfect Brew Ratio for Your Preferences
When you’re able to better evaluate your taste, you can tweak your pour over technique, coffee-to-water ratio, brewing time, and even brewing method, in pursuit of the perfect cup. With the help of a coffee scale, you can experiment with different brew ratios to find the one that best suits your personal preferences for consistent coffee strength and optimized coffee extraction.
Top Coffee Scale Recommendations for Home Brewing
When it comes to brewing the perfect cup of coffee at home, having the right equipment can make all the difference. One essential tool that no coffee enthusiast should be without is a reliable coffee scale. In our cafes, Blue Bottle baristas rely on a few standout options to ensure they achieve the perfect brew ratio every time.
Acaia Pearl: The Barista’s Choice for Pour Over
The Acaia Pearl Scale is a favorite among our baristas when making pour over coffee. Its sleek, ultramodern design may be eye-catching, but it’s the Pearl’s impressive features that truly impress. With a timer, charging capabilities, and water resistance, this scale is built to withstand the demands of a busy café. Plus, its Bluetooth connectivity allows “real coffee nerds” to pair it with the Brewmaster app and monitor their pour rate – a crucial metric for perfecting your pour over technique.
OXO Brew Precision Scale: Affordable and Versatile
As accurate gram scales have become more accessible, the market has expanded with a variety of options. One budget-friendly alternative to the Acaia Pearl is the OXO Brew Precision Scale. This durable, travel-friendly scale features a wide platform that helps prevent spills, making it a great choice for home brewers who want a reliable scale without the premium price tag.
Acaia Lunar: Designed for Espresso Enthusiasts
For those who are passionate about brewing the perfect espresso, the Acaia Lunar scale is a must-have. Engineered specifically for espresso, this scale is small enough to fit on an espresso machine’s drip tray, yet it’s even more accurate and responsive than the Acaia Pearl. Constructed from high-grade coated aluminum for durability, the Lunar also boasts Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users to connect with the Brewmaster app and fine-tune their espresso extraction.