Beginner Equipment: Scales
If you’re a beginner home brewer or thinking about getting started, you’ve probably ventured down the wormhole of equipment: brewing vessels, grinders, coffee canisters, maybe even an espresso machine! There are many pieces of equipment, each with its own merits in the coffee making process. As a humble home brewer myself, I’ve found a solid coffee scale is critical to creating a consistent cup of coffee and allows for measurable adjustments to dial into your ideal coffee taste.
Repeatability
To achieve a consistent output, you need consistent inputs and a repeatable process. Nailing the process part is easy: you set the same grind setting, use the same time interval, and use hot water. But, unless you’re naturally gifted and can guess object weights, your inputs will be inconsistent each brew unless explicitly measured. Sure, you could use measuring cups if you have nothing else, but even measuring cups are inconsistent for weight (a cup of water weighs more than a cup of coffee grinds) and making smaller adjustments for ratio changes is even harder. A scale provides precision for each input (water, coffee, and time if a timer is included), each and every time you brew. Most food scales also have a tare function that allows for a seamless zero-ing of weight so there’s no math involved, only a focus on hitting the right amount of each input.
Flexibility to Experiment
With repeatability accounted for, a scale allows you to play with incremental adjustments to your inputs. You can experiment with different ratios of the same coffee (e.g. a coffee brewed at 1:12 ratio vs 1:16 ratio) or compare and contrast different coffees/roasts at similar ratios to get a sense for what flavors you prefer in your ideal coffee cup.
Other Perks
Scales are versatile throughout the kitchen. At our house, we use a scale when baking, cooking, or experimenting with recipes. Pricier scales also boast a sleek and contemporary aesthetic, if you’re looking to add that vibe to your kitchen décor.
Quality Options at Various Price Points
A scale should be accurate (to the 10th decimal) and readable. Beyond that, you’re only paying for the look of the scale. A built-in timer is also nice, but if you’re balling on a budget, use free timer apps on your phone or even a microwave timer.
Basic scale for $13.99 – batteries included, 3kg measuring capacity, timer included
Slightly nicer-looking Timemore scale for $54.00 – less capacity at 2kg max, rechargeable
The sports-car of scales, the Acacia Pearl scale costs $150.00 – same specs as the Timemore scale, but also includes a flow-rate indicator, a helpful measurement for pour overs, though a timer and normal scale also suffice for pour overs.
