Choosing the Right Coffee Scale
The right scale depends on how you brew and how much precision you need. Here's a guide to the range:
Entry level — dosing and basic brewing (under £25): The Rhino Coffee Gear Dosing Scale (1kg / 0.1g, £19.99) is a compact, reliable scale ideal for weighing coffee doses into a grinder or portafilter. Straightforward, accurate and great value — the right choice if you primarily want to dose consistently without the need for a timer or larger platform.
Mid-range — filter brewing and espresso (£35–£85): The Rhino Coffee Gear Brewing Scale (3kg, £39.99) and Rhino Bench Scale (2kg, £39.99) are well-specified everyday brewing scales with built-in timers and responsive displays — ideal for pour over, AeroPress and general filter brewing. The Brewista Smart Scale II (2kg / 0.1g, £44.99) adds a slimmer profile and Bluetooth-ready design. For the best value mid-range option, the Brewista Smart Scale III (20% off, now £79.99) combines high response speed, a high-contrast display and dual-mode timer functionality suited to both pour over and espresso use.
Rhino Stealth Espresso Scale (2kg / 0.1g, £79.99): Specifically designed for under-portafilter espresso use — low-profile enough to fit beneath most espresso machine group heads while the shot is being pulled. A must-have for anyone dialling in espresso by weight.
Premium — Fellow Tally Pro (£164, 6% off): Fellow's flagship precision scale with a 0.1g resolution across a 2kg range, a built-in high-speed processor for near-instant response, a large bright display and a clean, elegant design. The Tally Pro supports both flow rate and auto-start timer modes, making it particularly well-suited to dialling in espresso ratios and pour over recipes with maximum precision. The standout choice for serious home baristas and enthusiasts who want the best.
Pair your scale with a quality gooseneck kettle, pour over brewer or espresso machine for a complete precision brewing setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need a scale for brewing coffee?
Not strictly — but if you want consistency, a scale is one of the highest-impact tools you can add to any brewing setup. Coffee scoops and volume measurements are imprecise because coffee density varies significantly by roast level and grind size. Measuring by weight removes that variable entirely. For pour over and AeroPress, a scale lets you follow a recipe exactly and adjust methodically when the taste is off. For espresso, weighing your dose and your yield is the most direct route to repeatable, well-extracted shots. Even the most basic scale in this collection will make a noticeable difference to your brewing consistency.
What is the best coffee-to-water ratio for pour over?
A commonly recommended starting point for pour over brewing is a ratio of 1:15 to 1:17 — meaning 1g of coffee per 15–17g of water. For example, 20g of coffee to 300–340ml of water. At 1:15, the brew will be stronger and fuller; at 1:17, lighter and more delicate. The ideal ratio depends on your beans, roast level and personal preference. Start at 1:16 and adjust from there — if the coffee tastes too strong or bitter, use less coffee or more water; if it tastes weak or sour, use more coffee or less water.
What is the best coffee-to-water ratio for espresso?
For espresso, the ratio is measured between dose (dry coffee in) and yield (liquid espresso out). A common specialty espresso ratio is 1:2 — for example, 18g of ground coffee producing 36g of espresso in around 25–30 seconds. Ristretto recipes use a tighter ratio (around 1:1.5); lungo recipes use a longer ratio (1:3 or beyond). These ratios are best measured by weight, which is why an espresso scale — particularly the Rhino Stealth or Fellow Tally Pro — is such a valuable tool for anyone dialling in espresso seriously.
What is the difference between a pour over scale and an espresso scale?
The key differences are platform size, profile height and response speed. A pour over scale needs a platform large enough to accommodate a V60, Chemex or AeroPress, and a built-in timer for tracking brew time. An espresso scale needs to be low enough in profile to fit under an espresso machine's group head while the shot pulls, and fast enough in response time to give an accurate live weight reading as espresso flows. Some scales — like the Brewista Smart Scale III and Fellow Tally Pro — are designed to do both well. Others, like the Rhino Stealth, are optimised specifically for espresso use.
What does 0.1g precision mean and why does it matter?
A scale with 0.1g precision can measure in increments of one-tenth of a gram — significantly finer than a standard kitchen scale which typically measures in 1g increments. For coffee brewing, this level of precision matters most for espresso, where a 0.5g variation in dose can noticeably affect shot flavour and extraction time. For pour over and filter brewing, 0.1g precision is useful but less critical — 1g precision is generally sufficient for most filter recipes. All scales in this collection measure to 0.1g.
Should I use a scale for AeroPress brewing?
Yes — a scale makes AeroPress brewing more consistent and easier to repeat. AeroPress recipes are typically expressed as dose-to-water ratios (e.g. 15g coffee to 200g water), and using a scale means you can follow them precisely rather than estimating with the AeroPress's volume markings, which are imprecise. For most AeroPress use, any scale with a built-in timer in this collection will serve well. Browse our full AeroPress range to complete your setup.
