The Best Coffee Scales for Excellent Pour-Overs and Shots of Espresso
We tested seven models in our Lab to see how they compare in accuracy, performance and ease of use.
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If you're a coffee lover who takes their morning cup seriously, a good coffee scale might be something to consider: They help ensure consistency (whether you’re measuring coffee beans, grounds or water) so you can always enjoy the same great taste. While you can use your kitchen scale, coffee scales are designed to be more precise to the tenth of a gram, boast a timer and many are waterproof and heat-resistant.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, we’ve tested over 17 kitchen scales over the last two years, including seven coffee scales for this story. To determine the best coffee scales, we tested each model for ease of use, accuracy and performance when dosing beans, pulling shots of espresso or making a pour-over. And before we tested, we consulted with coffee expert John Holmquist, commercial and residential sales manager at Seattle Coffee Gear.
Pros
- Display brightness adjusts to indoor lighting
- Rechargeable batteries
- Connects to an app
Cons
- May take some practice to learn how to use all of its features
In our Lab tests, the Acaia Pearl Coffee Scale received a perfect score for both ease of use and accuracy. We love how versatile this coffee scale is for someone who enjoys both pour-over and espresso: An 8-cup Chemex rests nicely on it, while it also fits perfectly on the drip tray of the Breville Barista Express Impress Espresso Machine. And this scale is sleek in appearance with a display that adjusts in brightness, making it easy to read in various indoor light conditions. It was easy to read in both our well-lit Lab and in a dim home setting.
There's no need to replace its batteries, as this scale comes with rechargeable batteries, that, according to the brand, will last for 30-40 hours before needing to charge. John Holmquist told us that he uses this coffee scale at home. "I've had it for seven or eight years, charge it every month and it still works like it's brand new," he said. "It's the most used appliance in my kitchen."
There are multiple features that we appreciated about this scale, but we especially loved connecting it to the Acaia Coffee App for superior ease of use when making a pour-over coffee. Since the scale's display is so sleek and minimal it can be a bit tricky to navigate at first, but with the help of the app and some practice this a great scale for the coffee nerd in your life. And if you want a scale with even more bells and whistles the Acaia Lunar is another high-quality scale to look into.
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| Dimensions | 6.50" x 1.25" x 6.50" |
|---|---|
| Minimum weight capacity | 0.1 g |
| Maximum weight capacity | 2,000 g |
| Automatic shut-off time | 4:30 minutes |
| Units of measurement | Grams, ounces |
| Modes | Weigh, espresso, timer, auto start, beverage, auto tare |
| Battery type | Rechargeable with included cable |
Greater Goods Morning Maestro Coffee Scale
Pros
- Bright and easy-to-use control panel
- Offers five units of measurement and high weight capacity
- Protective silicone mat fits snugly and is dishwasher safe
Cons
- Hangs off of most espresso machine drip trays because of its design
While this coffee scale might have fewer bells and whistles than other models we tested, we still think it's a great buy, especially for someone who doesn't want to spend more than $5o. It's very easy to use and boasts an intuitive design. The screen is bright and easy to read, and it has unit, tare, power and timer buttons so there's no confusion about which button to push to operate each of its functions.
We found that it nicely held a Chemex for pour-over but while you can put it on the drip tray of an espresso machine, it hangs off slightly. It can weigh in five different units of measurement: grams, ounces, fluid ounces, pounds and milliliters, and has the highest weight capacity (3,000 g) of the picks on this list making it useful for baking.
In our tests, it received a perfect score in accuracy and a high score in ease of use. We found it to be a bit more difficult to clean due to various buttons and crevices. However, we did find the protective mat nice – it fits securely on top of the scale, compared to others we tested that can slide off. According to the brand, the cover is also dishwasher safe. Greater Goods provides a five-year warranty for this scale.
| Dimensions | 7.63" x 5.2" x 1.1" |
|---|---|
| Minimum weight capacity | 0.3 g |
| Maximum weight capacity | 3,000 g |
| Automatic shut-off time | 2 minutes |
| Units of measurement | Grams, ounces, fluid ounces, pounds, milliliters |
| Modes | Weigh, weigh and time |
| Battery type | 3 AAA batteries included |
Fellow Tally Pro Studio Digital Coffee Scale
Pros
- Multipurpose scale is great for baking as well
- Perfect score in accuracy and responsiveness
- Brightly lit control panel
Cons
- Coffee grounds and flour can get caught in the knob crevices
This Kitchen Gear Award Winner from Fellow is your ultimate pour-over sidekick. It can read measurements down to 0.1 gram and has a feature that lets you select the ratio of coffee to water based on the type of coffee you're brewing and helps you measure accordingly. It also includes a timer for the perfect steep. "It's a multipurpose scale, large enough for a Chemex or a portafilter with lots of smart features," said Holmquist. However, we found that it didn't sit straight on the drip tray of an espresso machine because of its rounded shape.
Fellow's coffee scale received a perfect score in accuracy and a high score in ease of use, though it needs some extra care when it came to cleaning. In fact, since this is a great multipurpose scale, one of our analysts has been using it for over a year for everything from coffee to sourdough baking and has found flour and coffee grounds do get stuck in the scale's knob crevices easily. Thankfully the scale's pan can be removed for cleaning.
While this scale might be the most expensive pick on this list, we think this is a great buy for anyone that takes their coffee seriously. The control panel is bright and easy to read and it's super responsive to every drop of coffee.
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| Dimensions | 9.06" x 8.46" x 2.56" |
|---|---|
| Minimum weight capacity | 0.1 g |
| Maximum weight capacity | 2,500 g |
| Automatic shut-off time | 10 minutes |
| Units of measurement | Grams, ounces, pounds, milliliters |
| Modes | Weigh, weigh and time, brew-assist |
| Battery type | Rechargeable with included cable |
Pros
- Highly compact and easy to travel with
- Rechargeable batteries that last up to 24 hours
- Good price point for its accuracy, ease of use and versatility
Cons
- Protective silicone mat doesn't stay in place well
The Wacaco Exagram Pro is the perfect solution for anyone short on storage or who travels a lot and isn't fond of hotel coffee. This petite coffee scale weighs only 5 ounces and fits nicely in your hand; it also comes with a protective carrying case. There's no need to worry about batteries while traveling as this coffee scale is rechargeable (the brand says a charge will last for up to 24 hours).
In our Lab tests we found this scale offers superior accuracy and ease of use. It fits nicely on an espresso machine drip tray, can hold a portafilter and is perfect for dosing out coffee beans. While a large Chemex will fit on it (as shown here), it feels a bit unstable. Even though this scale is pint-sized, we found it impressive that it could weigh up to 2,000 grams and appreciated that it has a pour-over ratio setting as well.
While you cannot use this scale to weigh a large bowl because you wouldn't be able to read the control panel, we still found this scale versatile because of its size and ability to throw it into your backpack for commuting to work, trips or even at the gym for weighing out protein powder. One thing to note, while it does have a protective silicone mat, we found it slid around on the scale easily.
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| Dimensions | 5.71" x 5.51" x 2.32" |
|---|---|
| Minimum weight capacity | 0.3 g |
| Maximum weight capacity | 2,000 g |
| Automatic shut-off time | 5 minutes |
| Units of measurement | Grams, ounces, milliliters |
| Modes | Normal, espresso, pour-over (units or ratio) |
| Battery type | Rechargeable with included cable |
Other coffee scales we tested
- Subminimal Subscale: This unique coffee scale cup is solely designed for dosing out coffee beans. While we found it accurate and easy to use, it was less versatile than other top performers.
- OXO Good Grips Precision Scale with Timer: We love the OXO 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull-Out Display for our kitchen needs, but we found this scale less accurate, which is important when it comes to weighing out coffee.
- Hario V60 Drip Scale: While at a great price point, this scale lacks many of the ease-of-use features that other picks on this list have.
How we test the best coffee scales
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab's side-by-side coffee scale testing, we evaluated scales based on accuracy, ease of use and performance.
Accuracy: To determine which coffee scales are the most accurate, we test three samples of each scale to ensure consistency from unit to unit. We weigh an assortment of steel weights that weigh 3.5 grams (small amount of coffee), 7.1 grams (shot of espresso), 14.2 grams (double shot of espresso) and 227.1 grams (half a pound of coffee) to make sure each scale takes an accurate reading.
Ease of use: We test each scale for ease of cleaning, ease of installing or charging batteries, efficiency of the automatic shut-off and how long it takes to turn off, ease of taring, range of measurements, visibility of readout and whether or not there was a backlight to help visibility. We also evaluated unique coffee scale specific features like timers, brew assist and more.
Performance: We tested out each coffee scale in real-life scenarios, including on an espresso machine to measure shots of espresso and on a pour-over with an 8-cup Chemex. We also weighed out 7.1 grams of espresso beans in a tare bowl to replicate dosing for a single shot of espresso.
What to look for when shopping for the best coffee scale
✔️ Size: Your primary use case for a coffee scale determines what size of scale you should look for. If you're using it for espresso, you will need a scale that is small enough to fit on top of a drip tray, but large enough that it can hold a portafilter. If your primary use is for pour-over, you'll want a size that can comfortably fit the base of your pour-over or French press vessel.
✔️ Weight: Most coffee scales should be able to weigh as little as 0.3 grams, which is a lower weight than most standard kitchen scales. The maximum weight is often less than a standard kitchen scale since coffee scales are designed to weigh out only coffee, not a large bowl of flour. If a coffee scale does have a higher weight capacity (around 2,000 grams) then you can use it for other kitchen tasks as well.
✔️ Units of measurement: A good kitchen scale should be able to switch easily from ounces and pounds to grams and kilograms because recipes may be written in metric or imperial units. However, coffee ratios are usually only measured in grams, but diversity in units of measurements makes a coffee scale more versatile and one you can also use as a standard kitchen scale.
✔️ Timer: Having a timer on your coffee scale is especially important if you're using your scale for pour-over or French press. It will help you understand when to end the brewing process.
✔️ Water, moisture and heat protection: Coffee scales often come in contact with hot coffee, whether they're weighing out a shot of espresso or a pour-over. Look for a scale that's waterproof or at least comes with a silicone mat that protects the scale from hot coffee accidentally spilling.
✔️ Automatic shut-off: Most kitchen scales have an automatic shut-off feature that turns the scale off after a period of inactivity to preserve its battery life. If you are a multitasking barista who goes from pour-over to making pancakes and need your scale to remain turned on for a longer period of time, choose a scale with a longer automatic shut-off. Most coffee scales will also not auto-shut off when the timer is on for additional peace of mind.
✔️ Batteries: The majority of the coffee scales we tested simply need to be charged with a USB-C charging cord, which prevents any need to purchase or install new batteries in the future. A few scales still came with AAA and AA batteries though; we found those to be some of the more affordable options we tested and it wasn't too difficult to install the batteries.
✔️ Additional features and modes: Many of the coffee scales we tested came with additional features that you wouldn't find on a standard kitchen scale. Some have brew assist modes that provide the coffee to water ratio for pour-over or cold brew and then special taring features (some scales will automatically tare out the weight of a portafilter).
Who are coffee scales best for?
All types of coffee machine owners can use a coffee scale to weigh out their water and coffee grounds for consistency; they can also be used to better tweak coffee recipes.
✔️ Espresso drinkers can use them to set up their machine, dose coffee beans and weight out shots. They're especially important if you have a manual espresso machine without a flow meter (a small internal device that measures the amount of water released during an espresso extraction) and you need to weigh out your shot yield.
✔️ French press drinkers can use a coffee scale to ensure a consistent coffee-to-water ratio and use the timer to ensure that the coffee doesn't over-extract. We recommend a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio and about four minutes.
✔️ Pour-over drinkers, similar to French press, can use a coffee scale to ensure a consistent ratio (1:16 as well) and utilize a timer to measure the bloom time, control pouring intervals and monitor the total brew time (which should be about the same as with a French press).
✔️ Cold brew drinkers can use a scale to ensure they have the right ratio of ground coffee-to-water in their cold brew maker, which is usually 1:4. They can also use the scale to dilute their cold brew concentrate with water, which is usually 1:1.
✔️ Drip coffee machine users can even use a coffee scale to ensure they have the correct ratio as well. They can use the same ratio as with French press and pour-over and change it depending on coffee roast and taste preference.
✔️ Even tea drinkers can benefit from the use of a coffee scale. They can use the scale to weigh out the right amount of loose leaf tea (as recommended on the packaging) and use the timer function to ensure their tea doesn't over-steep in their tea infuser.
Do you need to weigh your coffee?
"A scale is helpful and makes it less frustrating when you're setting up a new espresso machine," says Holmquist. "If you also feel like you've gotten to a point where your espresso isn't consistently tasting good," Holmquist would recommend investing in a coffee scale. According to Holmquist, while it's not essential to weigh out your coffee, using a coffee scale can take your brew to the next level in consistency.
How accurate does a coffee scale need to be?
Coffee scales should be accurate and precise just like a baking scale, but it varies a bit depending on the type of coffee you're making. "If you're not making espresso, to the gram or half-gram is fine," says Holmquist, "A scale should go to the tenth of a gram for espresso though."
Why are some scales better for pour-over and some for espresso?
Various factors determine whether a coffee scale is better for pour-over versus espresso. The size of the scale should be able to hold a pour-over vessel or fit onto an espresso machine drip tray. A scale for espresso needs to be even more accurate than a scale for pour-over. A very small 0.1 gram of coffee could change an espresso shot, while it wouldn't affect a pour-over as much. Some scales also have special modes, settings and features geared towards espresso, pour-over or both.
Is a coffee scale different than a food scale, if so, how?
Holmquist says that coffee scales differ from food scales because "they have a timer, are more sensitive and more water resistant." We also noticed through our Lab testing that most coffee scales can weigh out smaller weights than most kitchen scales. However if you have a good coffee scale, you should also be able to use it as a kitchen scale for baking and cooking as well.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Eva Bleyer has professionally tested all kinds of kitchen equipment, from oven ranges to juicers to kitchen scales to blenders. She has tested more than 17 kitchen scales (including all coffee scales on this list) in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab. She earned a B.S. in Food Studies, Nutrition and Public Health from New York University and is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute. She is also a coffee connoisseur who understands how important having an accurate coffee scale is for everything from espresso to homemade cold brew.
Eva interviewed John Holmquist for this story. John is a former barista with a passion for coffee, who turned his expertise into a career as the commercial and residential sales manager at Seattle Coffee Gear. With years of experience in both crafting and curating exceptional coffee experiences, he now helps businesses and coffee enthusiasts find the perfect equipment for their needs. Known for his approachable demeanor on Seattle Coffee Gear's YouTube Channel with product reviews, hands on customer service and deep industry knowledge, John is dedicated to fostering a love for great coffee.
Eva (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she tests kitchen gear, home appliances and culinary innovations. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor of science in food studies, nutrition and public health and is a trained chef through the Natural Gourmet Institute. Eva has more than 10 years of experience in the food industry, working as a food stylist, personal chef and marketing manager.
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