Can I use an ordinary kitchen scale for coffee?

Yes. A kitchen scale with a gram display and tare can weigh grounds and water. A dedicated coffee scale usually adds a timer, smaller display steps or other brewing features.

Do I need a built-in timer?

A timer helps repeat a pour-over or espresso recipe, but a separate timer works too. The built-in timer is a convenience, not proof that the scale weighs more accurately.

Does a 0.1 g display mean 0.1 g accuracy?

No. It describes the smallest displayed change. Accuracy and repeatability require tests with known weights.

How much capacity does a pour-over scale need?

Add the empty brewer, server and planned water weight. A 2 kg maximum works for many home setups, but a heavy carafe can use much of that capacity. Tare does not increase the maximum load.

Coffee Scales for Pour-Over and Espresso

Do you love coffee? Me too — coffee and blues. I like to grind and brew at home; it is a creative activity. But a cup is hard to repeat when the amount of coffee or water changes each time.

Problem? I went looking for a scale that would make the next brew less of a guess. The useful questions are simple: Will my brewer fit? Can I read the display? Do I want a timer on the scale? Here are three current models to compare against those needs.

Three coffee scales worth comparing

Model	Maximum load	Displayed gram steps	Reason to consider it
Hario V60 Drip Scale	2 kg	0.1 g from 2–200 g; 0.5 g from 200–500 g; 1 g above 500 g	Simple pour-over timer and compact server-sized platform
Timemore Basic 2.0	2 kg	0.1 g listed; 0.5 g minimum detection weight	Automatic timer and water-flow display
Acaia Pearl 2021	2 kg	0.1 g listed	Bluetooth brewing features and USB-C charging

Published specifications checked against the linked Hario, Timemore and Acaia pages on September 28, 2026. We have not measured the three scales under a common test protocol. Display increments are not accuracy results; product versions and availability can change.

Hario V60 Drip Scale: keep the brew simple

The Hario scale puts a timer beside the weight display and has room for a pour-over server. It is the least elaborate option here if your main goal is to see time and water weight together. Pay attention to its changing display increments: a coffee dose between 2 and 200 g appears in 0.1 g steps, but the water total above 500 g appears in whole grams. Hario also says this model is not water resistant. Check the V60 model details.

Timemore Basic 2.0: watch the pour

Timemore lists a 2 kg maximum, 0.1 g displayed steps and a 0.5 g minimum detection weight. Its automatic timer and flow-rate display give you more feedback while pouring. Those features could help you practice a repeatable pour, though you may not need them if you already use a separate timer. It has a rechargeable battery and a silicone pad; Timemore describes a protected dial and charging port, not a certified immersion rating. Check the Basic 2.0 listing.

Acaia Pearl 2021: connected brewing

The Pearl 2021 has a 160 × 160 mm platform, a 2 kg maximum, 0.1 g listed increments, Bluetooth 5.0 and USB-C charging. Its connected modes may appeal if you want to record or explore brewing data. If you only want the grounds and water weight, they may be more than you need. Make sure the listing says Pearl 2021; Acaia's original Pearl and Model S have different specifications. Check Acaia's model page.

Questions to ask before buying

Do you need the timer?

What is the timer's job? It lets you see how long a bloom or pour takes and repeat it on the next brew. It does not tell you the perfect time for every coffee. A phone or kitchen timer can do the job; an integrated display is simply easier to read while both hands are busy.

What does “design” mean here?

By design, I do not just mean a brushed finish or a pretty shape. Consider whether your brewer fits on the platform, whether you can see the display with a server on top, and whether the buttons work when your hands are wet. For espresso, measure the clearance below your machine with the cup in place before buying a scale intended mainly for pour-over.

How much weight and detail do you need?

A 2 kg rating includes the dripper, server and water, even after you press tare. A heavy carafe can use up much of that capacity. “Graduation” or “readability” means the display's smallest step. A 0.1 g step helps you see a small change in a dose, but it cannot establish accuracy. To judge accuracy and repeatability, the same known weights must be tested across each model's working range.

Try a repeatable starting recipe

For a filter brew, try 18 g of ground coffee and 288 g of water: a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio by weight. Tare the empty brewer, add the grounds, then tare again before pouring the water. Change one variable at a time when you adjust the next cup. If you do not have a scale yet, our guide to measuring coffee without one gives a practical spoon-and-cup estimate, with the uncertainty explained.