Do You Really Need A Waterproof Coffee Scale? Yes, Here Are Our Top Picks

The question of a waterproof coffee scale arises often. After all, there is a lot of water around when you are using your coffee scales. Thus, the question, do you really need a waterproof coffee scale when brewing coffee, is one that we get often asked.

To give you a quick answer – I can only say “sort of”. The full answer is a little more complex than a simple yes or no.

…Let’s not drag this along any longer; keep reading as we dig in and answer

Do You Really Need A Waterproof Coffee Scale?

While, as you can, and probably have guessed by our headline, waterproof digital coffee scales are something that you need.

Let’s clarify the “sort of”. waterproof

Coffee scales are not waterproof, and they don’t need to be. There is nowhere you will go, or will you ever be weighing your coffee while completely submerged in water. Thus, your coffee scales will never be submerged in water.

You absolutely do need to use digital scales that are water-resistant. It is highly probable that at some point your scales will get accidental drops, drips and splashes of water, milk and perhaps even an accidental jet of steam from your steam wand.

Admittedly, I’d love to see waterproof scales, simply as they will give me a piece of mind.

Read: Pour over coffee scale

Waterproof Coffee Scale – Our Top Rated Water Resistant Digital Coffee Scales

Let’s now talk about what we consider to be the best and top-rated water-resistant digital coffee scales.

#1 Timemore Coffee Scale – The Timemore Black Mirror

Weight Range: 0.5 grams to 2 kg.

Timer: Yes.

Increments: 0.1 grams.

Power Source: Fully Rechargeable lithium battery. USB-C

The Timemore Black mirror is a modern and beautiful coffee scale with well-chosen features to help you brew excellent coffee, including the all important timer function which will help you to adhere to brew times for the drinks that you are making.

It has a tare function and an accuracy of 1/10th of a gram and an auto-off which kicks in after just 3 minutes. It is slick and shiny, while off it is just like a black mirror – hence the name of this model.

The display is apt and very easy to read without straining your eyes. The silicone heat pad is well thought of and a nice addition when weighing your portafilter. It’s perfect for most brewing methods including pour-over, French press, Chemex and drip coffee. Unfortunately, it is not ideal for an espresso, other than weighing your coffee grounds while they are in the portafilter. This scale is a little too large to fit on most espresso machine drip trays.

You will love the minimalist design. Even though it has a fully rechargeable lithium battery and is water-resistant, the USB-C is exposed and vulnerable to water.

Read: Kitchen scale for coffee

#2 Acaia Coffee Scale The Acaia Pearl S – The Best Coffee Scale For Espresso

Weight Range: 0.5 grams to 2 kg.

Timer: Yes.

Increments: 0.1 grams.

Power Source: Fully Rechargeable lithium battery. USB-C

Acaia coffee scales are an industry favorite and expert baristas love them! This, the Acaia Pearl S is the coffee scale that is used at barista championship events. It is highly likely that you will see this in use at artisan coffee shops.

Like the Timemore Black Mirror, this is a minimalist design and looks rather elegant and stylish. Great features are its built-in timer, touch-sensitive controls, splash resistant outer casing and silicone heat pad.

The adjustable auto-off function can be adjusted in increments of 5 min, 10 min, 20 mins, 30 min and 60 min.

It is a precision scale with an accuracy of 0.1 grams and has Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity and access to an array of their apps for both Android and iPhone to help with your brewing. The apps are valuable tools that even monitor your pour rate. It is the perfect choice for an experienced or semi-experienced home barista looking to take their coffee to the next level.

Coffee enthusiasts love the Acaia Pearl for a reason, It is well-designed and has coffee lovers in mind. The best part is the accuracy, every single one is hand built.

#3 Hario Coffee Scale – The Hario V Drip Coffee Scale Best For Pour Over

Weight Range: Zero to 2 kg.

Timer: Yes.

Increments: 0.1 grams.

Power Source: AAA batteries.

The Hario V Drip Coffee scale is outstanding for pour-over coffee. It comes with a built-in timer with a split display. On the left is where your timer is and on the right where your weight measurement. Both are easily readable.

This scale is not the most stylish as it is rather plain, but at least you have a few color options, which are black, white and stainless steel. The auto-off function activates after 5 minutes of inactivity. helping you to save battery life.

The auto-off function, notably, will not activate when you are using the timer. This is a very useful function when you are making pour-over coffee.

#4 The Ozeri Touch Professional Digital Kitchen Scale – The Top Budget Pick

Weight Range: 1g to 5.7 kilogram.

Timer: No.

Increments: 1 grams.

Power Source: Rechargeable lithium batteries.

This is the budget choice and is a great choice. It is practical, functional and has the features that you would expect, like an integrated timer, tare function and, while it is not exactly a compact size it is about the size of an iPad and will fit in your kitchen drawer. The precision and accuracy is measured in single 1 gram increments, which is a bit of a drawback

#5 Etekcity Digital Multifunction Stainless Steel Kitchen Scale

Weight Range: 1 gram to 5 kilograms

Timer: No

Increments: 1 gram

Power Source: AAA batteries

This scale the Etekcity digital scale, is a great looking coffee scale and make with stainless steel. It features a catchy purple backlit display. In terms of size, it’s approximately the same as an iPad Mini. Precision wise, these coffee scales will only measure in gram increments and will start at 2 grams.

Why Should You Use A Coffee Scale When Brewing Your Coffee?

The use of a coffee scale will help you to get your ratio of coffee to water exact, precise. You will know the exact weight of your coffee and the exact weight of your water with no guess work and no estimations.

This is important as the flavor of your coffee, regardless of the brewing method, changes depending on your coffee to water ratio.

Using a coffee scoop or tablespoon and measuring in this manner is just not accurate. The reason for the lack of accuracy is the density and mass of your coffee beans change based on their roast level. This means that, despite having the same volume, the weight is slightly different and thus your ratio is slightly out.

If you have a built-in timer, that is even better as you will have 2 of the key variables that affect your coffee.

Can You Use A Regular Kitchen Scale Work For Coffee?

Yes,

you can do it. Just be aware that if you use a regular kitchen scale to measure your coffee grounds, and your water for that matter, you will not have the same level of accuracy that you need or would expect from a specialist coffee scale.

You will also be missing an important key feature – a built-in timer to time your brewing times. You’ll be able to make a mock-up of a repeatable process for great pour-over coffee, French press coffee, drip coffee and so on but lacking in the required precision.

Using a kitchen scale, you will likely be out each time with your measurements due to the lack of accuracy and precision. Subsequently, your coffee will not taste exactly the same.

How To Clean A Coffee Scale?

Cleaning your coffee scale will vary slightly depending on the type of coffee scale that you have. It is likely that the type of scale that you have is not waterproof, as explained earlier, none really are.

Under no circumstances should you rinse your coffee scales under the water tap or immerse them in water. Doing so will destroy the device that you have spent so much of your hard-earned money on will be destroyed.

All you will really need to do is wipe down your coffee scale with a cloth and give it a good brush down and blow around all edges to ensure that any tiny grains don’t get anywhere.

Most coffee scales have a silicone mat that you can remove and clean.

Frequently Asked Questions About Waterproof Coffee Scale

What Kind Of Scale Do You Need For Coffee?

A coffee scale should be as good as you can afford to buy. Before you can buy one, ensure that you can use the scale that you have your eyes on for brewing the type of coffee that you make most often. Espresso, French press, Pour over and so on.

Look for a coffee scale that is waterproof, has a timer and a precision of at least 0.1 grams or 0.01 grams, which is much better.

Can Food Scale Be Used For Coffee?

To start with, you can most certainly use a digital food scale for weighing your coffee and water. Some food scales are good entry point scales for coffee lovers, but they lack the precision that you need and lack a timer for your essential function of controlling your brew times.

Is Acaia Worth It?

Yes, the Acaia Pearl is worth it. It has everything and a lot more that you are looking for in a coffee scale. It is the coffee scale of choice for expert professional baristas and is used in barista competitions. The Acaia Pearl is the coffee scale that you will see in use in artisan coffee shops.

Do You Need A Scale For Pour Over Coffee?

Yes,

you need to use a coffee scale with a pour over coffee. The use of a digital coffee scale will help you to get precise measurements for both your coffee and your water and ensure that your coffee to water ratio is precise every single time. A coffee scale with a timer will help you to get the brew times exact, every time also. This is precision for two key elements associated with brewing.

Frappé-Ing It All Up – Waterproof Coffee Scale?

No waterproof coffee scale is truly 100% waterproof, it is really an overkill as you really don’t need to have a digital coffee scale that is absolutely waterproof.

It is essential that your coffee scale is water-resistant as your scale will take a splash or two during its lifetime of use. Look for your scale to have a water resistance, splash resistance feature and a silicone mat.

Join our fun and friendly coffee community and tell us about the waterproof coffee scale that you are using, do you recommend it? What can be improved, and what are the top plus points? Find us on Facebook/Meta.

Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location