Didn't see any threads on this, and since I can't post on the thread on coffeed.com, I thought I would start one here.

I do a lot of manual brew at home, multiple methods, and actually have been scraping by with a postal scale from Walmart. However, I want something more specifically geared to what I am doing. So I saw this one online:

http://bit.ly/bt31dm

...and realized that I had seen one very like it on Nick Cho's video on brewing with the v60, or something. (Incidentally, I thought it was extremely funny....and I am guessing that it was Nick's)

What do you use? Do you recommend it? Why or why not?

I generally aim for multipurpose tools, as space and finances are limited, so it has to weigh beans, water, the baby, .....ok, kidding about the baby.

Posting links in your comments would be oh so helpful, too!

Thanks!

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I'd contact Rob Tuttle. He's got some good scales, that one looks rather cheap, if you ask me. I bought a Salter scale from Bed Bath and Beyond for $50 that's good, but it doesn't give minute gram measurements. Hope that helps.
Here's a couple of useful links:

This is a pretty useful digital scale review site with good info on specific models, manufacturers, calibration info.

I have two scales that I use - one for brewing and one for espresso. The one I use for brewing is a nice Salter baker's kitchen scale. We bought it from King Arthur Flour, and I like it for its extremely long auto-shutoff time. For brewing you need at least 1 gram resolution and it needs to stay on for the 5 minutes or so that a brew will take to complete. Looks like they have one that is less expensive as well.

My espresso scale is a pocket My Weight gram scale from Right On Scales. Its really only useful for espresso, but has the .1g resolution that I need for espresso work.

I've been happy with Right On, and hear really good feedback on Old Will Knot too.

Hope this helps.
In scrounging around online, I managed to discover this one...

http://bit.ly/ckoNiB

Not a bad price either.

Now, what about testing my tamping? Do most of you use some kind of bathroom scales? If so, do you prefer digital?
And I just ordered it....thanks for the advice, y'all.

Paul Yates said:
In scrounging around online, I managed to discover this one...

http://bit.ly/ckoNiB

Not a bad price either.

Now, what about testing my tamping? Do most of you use some kind of bathroom scales? If so, do you prefer digital?
Great!

Gotta say, I think we did all right. We may not be Coffeed, but if it makes you feel any better we can kick you off, then require an email application to join back up - which we will promptly ignore.

You didn't really think we would let that one go, did you? :)
Paul Yates said:
In scrounging around online, I managed to discover this one...

http://bit.ly/ckoNiB

Not a bad price either.

Now, what about testing my tamping? Do most of you use some kind of bathroom scales? If so, do you prefer digital?

Its cute! Specs look good, it'll be great for weighing espresso and small drip batches. Too small to brew on, but nice and portable.

Yes, we just use a small bathroom scale for training tamp pressure.
Har! Har! Naw, I figured I'd get some heckling...I can appreciate the difficulty of approving new members to coffeed. I'm just glad I can read the discussions, even if I can't take part. So much to learn! And I am extremely grateful for my BX peeps who are always so willing to geek out about this, that, and the other thing.

Oh, and regarding the size of the pocket scale I ordered. I got the 800 gram since my clever pourover never exceeds 600 grams, and I don't brew chemex the way the rest of you do, anyway. Nope, I do it the way Jason D. taught me! But I might experiment, you know, keep it fresh and new. James Hoffman read that book, "Everything but Espresso" and said that he was experimenting with some different techniques on the Chemex. If he does, maybe I should be open to it too.

Brady said:
Great!

Gotta say, I think we did all right. We may not be Coffeed, but if it makes you feel any better we can kick you off, then require an email application to join back up - which we will promptly ignore.

You didn't really think we would let that one go, did you? :)
For tamping, I use a bathroom scale and a Click Mat. I actually prefer a mechanical bathroom scale over digital: cost $10, get beat up a lot, no delay on the read. I thought the Click Mat was pretty goofy until I tried it; it's pretty great. I've finally got all my fellow baristas to agree on a standard tamp by throwing that around a lot.

http://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/Espresso-Gear-Click-Mat-p/scg10080...

Paul Yates said:
In scrounging around online, I managed to discover this one...

http://bit.ly/ckoNiB

Not a bad price either.

Now, what about testing my tamping? Do most of you use some kind of bathroom scales? If so, do you prefer digital?
Brady, how are you brewing coffee that the scale needs to remain on through the entire brew?


Brady said:
Here's a couple of useful links:

This is a pretty useful digital scale review site with good info on specific models, manufacturers, calibration info.

I have two scales that I use - one for brewing and one for espresso. The one I use for brewing is a nice Salter baker's kitchen scale. We bought it from King Arthur Flour, and I like it for its extremely long auto-shutoff time. For brewing you need at least 1 gram resolution and it needs to stay on for the 5 minutes or so that a brew will take to complete. Looks like they have one that is less expensive as well.

My espresso scale is a pocket My Weight gram scale from Right On Scales. Its really only useful for espresso, but has the .1g resolution that I need for espresso work.

I've been happy with Right On, and hear really good feedback on Old Will Knot too.

Hope this helps.
My favorite place to buy gram scales... the local head shop. Where there's one head shop there's usually more, that means huge selection in one area. The scales are usually cheap and accurate (they probably assume you need accuracy and they will be confiscated regularly). Seriously, head shop. That and Target has a few that work well for brewing on.


Dennis McQuoid said:
Brady, how are you brewing coffee that the scale needs to remain on through the entire brew?


Brady said:
Here's a couple of useful links:

This is a pretty useful digital scale review site with good info on specific models, manufacturers, calibration info.

I have two scales that I use - one for brewing and one for espresso. The one I use for brewing is a nice Salter baker's kitchen scale. We bought it from King Arthur Flour, and I like it for its extremely long auto-shutoff time. For brewing you need at least 1 gram resolution and it needs to stay on for the 5 minutes or so that a brew will take to complete. Looks like they have one that is less expensive as well.

My espresso scale is a pocket My Weight gram scale from Right On Scales. Its really only useful for espresso, but has the .1g resolution that I need for espresso work.

I've been happy with Right On, and hear really good feedback on Old Will Knot too.

Hope this helps.

I brew pourover on a scale. No pouring kettle yet, so I just pour direct from my teakettle. I was pouring the hot water into a pyrex measuring cup for a while, but you lose so much heat that way. Once I was reminded that 1mL water = 1 gram I switched and haven't looked back.

I guess it doesn't need to stay on through the whole drip-out, so technically it only needs to stay on for 3 minutes or so. I just like having the extra margin of error, in case I forgot something and have to spend 45 seconds looking for it.

Or I could just pony up for a fancy kettle and weigh water into that...



Andy Atkinson said:
My favorite place to buy gram scales... the local head shop. Where there's one head shop there's usually more, that means huge selection in one area. The scales are usually cheap and accurate (they probably assume you need accuracy and they will be confiscated regularly). Seriously, head shop. That and Target has a few that work well for brewing on.

Brilliant!


Brady said:


Dennis McQuoid said:
Brady, how are you brewing coffee that the scale needs to remain on through the entire brew?


Brady said:
Here's a couple of useful links:

This is a pretty useful digital scale review site with good info on specific models, manufacturers, calibration info.

I have two scales that I use - one for brewing and one for espresso. The one I use for brewing is a nice Salter baker's kitchen scale. We bought it from King Arthur Flour, and I like it for its extremely long auto-shutoff time. For brewing you need at least 1 gram resolution and it needs to stay on for the 5 minutes or so that a brew will take to complete. Looks like they have one that is less expensive as well.

My espresso scale is a pocket My Weight gram scale from Right On Scales. Its really only useful for espresso, but has the .1g resolution that I need for espresso work.

I've been happy with Right On, and hear really good feedback on Old Will Knot too.

Hope this helps.

I brew pourover on a scale. No pouring kettle yet, so I just pour direct from my teakettle. I was pouring the hot water into a pyrex measuring cup for a while, but you lose so much heat that way. Once I was reminded that 1mL water = 1 gram I switched and haven't looked back.

I guess it doesn't need to stay on through the whole drip-out, so technically it only needs to stay on for 3 minutes or so. I just like having the extra margin of error, in case I forgot something and have to spend 45 seconds looking for it.

Or I could just pony up for a fancy kettle and weigh water into that...



Andy Atkinson said:
My favorite place to buy gram scales... the local head shop. Where there's one head shop there's usually more, that means huge selection in one area. The scales are usually cheap and accurate (they probably assume you need accuracy and they will be confiscated regularly). Seriously, head shop. That and Target has a few that work well for brewing on.

Brilliant!

To be really punctual only 1l of cold water weights 1000grams. When using water that is over 90 degrees celsius (as one usually does with coffee), the weight of a litre is more like 940 grams.

If you look at the old brewing charts, there was a mistake made that has now been corrected with the temperatures.

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