The short answer
Buy the Acaia Lunar for the fastest, waterproof, drip-tray-sized espresso scale. Buy the Timemore Black Mirror Basic Plus for the best value with an automatic timer. Buy the Maestri House S3 for an espresso auto-timer mode, or the KitchenTour to weigh shots for very little.
What espresso needs from a scale
- 10.1 g resolution. A gram either way changes a shot.
- 2A timer. Espresso is weight against time; an automatic timer starts with the shot.
- 3A fast response. The reading should keep up with a pouring shot.
- 4A small footprint. It has to fit on your drip tray.
- 5Water tolerance. It will be splashed.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
Quick picks
The answer first. Tap any row to jump to the full reasoning for that pick.
1. Top pick
Acaia Lunar
Upper-mid tier · A compact waterproof espresso scale sized for a machine drip tray.
A 10 ms response in a waterproof body sized for a drip tray.
The Lunar weighs up to 2 kg at 0.1 g resolution with a listed 10 ms response, in an anodized aluminum body that is fully waterproof.
It is built specifically for espresso, sized to sit on a machine's drip tray.
Its 10 ms response keeps up with a shot as it starts, and it can sit under a portafilter where a brewing scale will not.
It is Acaia's espresso scale; the Pearl is its larger brewing scale - see Pearl vs Lunar.
Specification
- Capacity
- 2 kg
- Resolution
- 0.1 g
- Response
- 10 ms
- Body
- Anodized aluminum, fully waterproof
- Built for
- Espresso, on the drip tray
What it does well
- You can submerge it, dry it and carry on - that is not marketing
- 10 ms response keeps up with a shot starting
- Fits under a portafilter where a brewing scale will not
Where it gives ground
- The platform is too small for pour-over
- The most expensive way to weigh 36 grams of coffee
- Overkill unless you are chasing ratios shot to shot
Skip it if
Skip it if you are buying a first scale on a budget. The Timemore below covers espresso well for much less.
2. Best value
Timemore Black Mirror Basic Plus
Mid tier · A rechargeable coffee scale with auto-timing and a flow-rate readout.
0.1 g, an automatic timer and a compact platform.
The Black Mirror Basic Plus weighs up to 2000 g at 0.1 g with a 0.5 g minimum, and starts its timer automatically.
At 152 x 130 x 26 mm and about 380 g, it is compact enough for many drip trays - measure yours before buying.
Its 1600 mAh USB-C battery is rated for up to 10 hours.
It is not waterproof, which is the main compromise on a drip tray - see Pearl vs Timemore.
Specification
- Capacity
- 2000 g
- Resolution
- 0.1 g; minimum detectable 0.5 g
- Timer
- Automatic timing
- Battery
- 1600 mAh, up to 10 hours, USB-C
- Size
- 152 x 130 x 26 mm, about 380 g
What it does well
- Auto-timing and flow rate at a fraction of an Acaia
- USB-C rechargeable rather than a drawer full of coin cells
- Small enough for a drip tray, big enough for a dripper
Where it gives ground
- Not waterproof
- Response is quick but not espresso-instant
- The mirrored top shows every fingerprint
Skip it if
Skip it if you want a waterproof scale. The Lunar is fully waterproof and built for the drip tray.
3. Most modes
Maestri House S3 Coffee Scale
Budget tier · A rechargeable coffee scale with brew modes, ratio targets and a flow-rate display.
An espresso auto-timer mode, ratio targets and IPX4 splash resistance.
The S3 weighs to 0.1 g across 3000 g, with separate auto-timer modes for espresso and pour-over plus standard weighing.
Its ratio mode sets a target from 1:1 to 1:18 - an espresso ratio is easy to set - and beeps when you reach it.
It is rated IPX4 for splashes, and its 500 mAh battery is rated for up to 90 days.
More modes mean more menus than a simple scale.
Specification
- Capacity
- 3000 g
- Resolution
- 0.1 g
- Modes
- Auto timer for pour-over, auto timer for espresso, standard
- Ratio
- Adjustable 1:1 to 1:18, alerts at target
- Flow rate
- Real-time display
- Battery
- 500 mAh, up to 90 days
- Water resistance
- IPX4
What it does well
- Auto-start timers for pour-over and espresso
- Ratio mode calculates the target water weight from your dose
- Rechargeable, with a battery rated for about 90 days
Where it gives ground
- More modes means more menus than a basic scale
- IPX4 resists splashes, not immersion
- Flow-rate readouts only help if you know what to do with them
Skip it if
Skip it if you want the simplest possible scale on a drip tray. The Timemore is simpler.
4. Budget pick
KitchenTour Coffee Scale with Timer
Budget tier · A backlit coffee scale whose 0.1 g resolution applies only up to 500 g.
0.1 g up to 500 g - more than enough for any espresso shot.
The KitchenTour weighs in 0.1 g steps up to 500 g, then 0.5 g to 1000 g and 1 g to 3000 g.
For espresso that limit never matters: an 18 g dose and a 36 g yield sit well inside the 0.1 g range.
It has a backlit display, a built-in timer and a waterproof non-slip silicone pad.
Its touch keys are less reliable with wet fingers than physical buttons.
Specification
- Capacity
- 3000 g
- Resolution
- 0.1 g from 0.3-500 g; 0.5 g to 1000 g; 1 g to 3000 g
- Timer
- Built in
- Controls
- Touch-sensitive keys
- Display
- Backlit LCD
- Pad
- Waterproof non-slip silicone
What it does well
- 0.1 g covers every espresso dose and a typical single pour-over
- The backlit display is easy to read over a dripper
- The silicone pad keeps it from sliding on a wet counter
Where it gives ground
- Resolution drops to 0.5 g above 500 g, which matters for large batches
- Touch keys are less reliable with wet fingers than buttons
- No ratio or flow-rate features
Skip it if
Skip it if you also brew large pour-over batches on the scale. Above 500 g it loses resolution.
5. Skip this for espresso
Acaia Pearl
Upper-mid tier · A brewing scale with a large platform, built for pour-over and batch brewing.
An excellent brewing scale, built for pour-over rather than a drip tray.
The Pearl is a very good scale, and it is on this page because it suits pour-over far better than espresso.
It weighs up to 2 kg at 0.1 g with a 20 ms response, on a large platform built for manual brewing.
Its platform suits a dripper and carafe, not a drip tray, and its response is slower than the Lunar's 10 ms.
For pour-over it is a strong choice; for espresso the Lunar is Acaia's better fit.
Specification
- Capacity
- 2 kg
- Resolution
- 0.1 g
- Response
- 20 ms
- Built for
- Manual brewing, home and shop
What it does well
- Big enough platform to sit a Chemex or a dripper and server on
- Fast and stable enough to pour against in real time
- Flow-rate display turns pouring into something you can measure
Where it gives ground
- Not waterproof - that is what the Lunar is for
- Too large to sit on most espresso drip trays
- Costs several times what a competent scale costs
Skip it if
Skip it for espresso. Buy it for pour-over - see coffee scales.
Measure your drip tray
The most common espresso-scale mistake is buying one that does not fit under the portafilter. Measure the drip tray's width and depth, and the height between the tray and the spouts with your cup on the scale.