Best Coffee Scale for Pour-Over & Espresso

A scale is the most under-appreciated piece of coffee equipment. Grinders, machines, and kettles get the attention. But the scale is what lets you reproduce the coffee you liked yesterday, and what stops you from making weak coffee today because you eyeballed the water wrong.

For pour-over, espresso, and AeroPress, a good scale needs three things: accuracy to 0.1g, fast response time, and a rechargeable battery. The picks below cover the best scales in 2026 across price points and use cases.

Quick comparison

Rank	Scale	Precision	Response	Battery	Price
1	Acaia Pearl S	0.1g	<0.3s	30+ hr	~$200
2	Acaia Lunar	0.1g	<0.3s	30+ hr	~$230
3	Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2	0.1g	<0.5s	12 hr	~$70
4	Felicita Arc	0.1g	<0.5s	10 hr	~$110
5	Greater Goods Coffee Scale	1g	<1s	AAA batteries	~$30

How we picked these

For a coffee scale, the critical specs are precision (0.1g is required for espresso, 1g is acceptable for pour-over), response time (the scale needs to register weight changes during a pour, which means sub-second response), and battery life (rechargeable is better than replaceable, but capacity matters).

We ranked by espresso capability first (because espresso is the most demanding use case), then by pour-over experience, then by value. The Acaia Pearl S wins because it’s the most accurate, fastest-responding, and longest-battery scale in the category. The Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2 wins the value category at $70.

#1: Acaia Pearl S — best overall

The Pearl S is Acaia’s mid-range scale, designed for pour-over and espresso. It has 0.1g precision, sub-300-millisecond response time, and a rechargeable USB-C battery that lasts 30+ hours. The auto-tare and auto-timing features are barista-quality.

What it does well: The Pearl S is the fastest-responding scale in the category. It registers weight changes as you pour, so you can hit a target weight with 1g accuracy mid-pour. The rechargeable battery lasts a week of normal use. The build is solid (the platform is a removable, washable pad).

Where it falls short: The Pearl S is $200. For pour-over only, that’s a lot. The scale is also a bit small for larger vessels (Chemex 6-cup is tight). The Pearl S doesn’t have a flow rate display (the more expensive Acaia Pyxis has that).

Who it’s for: Someone who wants the best scale regardless of price, and who uses it for both pour-over and espresso.

#2: Acaia Lunar — best for espresso machine integration

The Acaia Lunar is the same scale as the Pearl S, but with a different form factor designed to sit on an espresso machine drip tray. It’s smaller, more compact, and optimized for shot weighing.

What it does well: The Lunar is sized exactly to fit under a portafilter spout. The display is angled for visibility from above. The response time is identical to the Pearl S. The rechargeable battery lasts a month of normal use.

Where it falls short: The Lunar is too small for pour-over. It’s designed exclusively for espresso machine use. The price is $230, which is the highest on this list.

Who it’s for: Espresso machine owners who want to weigh their shots as they pull. The Lunar is the right pick if you’re weighing shots and nothing else.

#3: Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2 — best value

The Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2 is the best scale in the under-$100 category. It has 0.1g precision, sub-500-millisecond response, and a rechargeable USB-C battery that lasts about 12 hours. The build is plastic with a stainless platform, which is a downgrade from the Acaia but acceptable.

What it does well: The Black Mirror Basic 2 is the best dollar-for-dollar scale in the category. The precision matches the Acaia (0.1g). The response time is fast enough for pour-over and most espresso use. The rechargeable battery is convenient. The price is $70.

Where it falls short: The response time is slower than the Acaia (500ms vs 300ms), which is noticeable during fast pours. The battery life is shorter (12 hours vs 30+). The build is plastic-heavy.

Who it’s for: Most buyers. The Black Mirror Basic 2 is the right pick if you want a real coffee scale and you don’t want to spend Acaia money.

#4: Felicita Arc — best pour-over

The Felicita Arc is a pour-over-focused scale with a slim profile and a fast response. It has 0.1g precision, sub-500-millisecond response, and a rechargeable battery. The slim design fits on crowded counters.

What it does well: The Arc is the most pour-over-friendly scale on the list. The slim profile fits on narrow counters. The display is large and easy to read. The response time is fast enough for V60 and Chemex pours. The build is aluminum and feels premium.

Where it falls short: The Arc is more expensive than the Timemore ($110 vs $70) for similar performance. The auto-tare and auto-timing are less polished than the Acaia. The battery is not user-replaceable.

Who it’s for: Pour-over enthusiasts who want a scale designed for the use case and don’t mind the Acaia-adjacent price without the Acaia performance.

#5: Greater Goods Coffee Scale — best budget

The Greater Goods scale is the cheapest “real” coffee scale on the market. It has 1g precision (not 0.1g), about 1-second response time, and runs on AAA batteries. The build is plastic with a stainless platform.

What it does well: The Greater Goods is $30. It weighs accurately to 1g, which is fine for pour-over (where 1g doesn’t change the cup meaningfully). The battery is replaceable. The build is acceptable for the price.

Where it falls short: The 1g precision makes the scale unusable for espresso. The 1-second response is too slow for accurate pour-over targeting. The build feels cheap. The battery is not rechargeable.

Who it’s for: Someone who wants a scale for pour-over only and doesn’t want to spend more than $30.

Who shouldn’t buy a coffee scale in this category

If any of these are true, a different tool is right:

You brew with a coffee maker that doesn’t support pour-over. A regular kitchen scale works fine.
You brew one cup at a time using the “just fill it” method. A scale doesn’t add value to your workflow.
You want a scale for baking. Buy a kitchen scale with a wider range and a 1g precision that’s fine for baking.

The bottom line

For most people, the Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2 is the right pick. It’s $70, it has 0.1g precision, and the response is fast enough for pour-over and most espresso. The Acaia is better, but the Timemore is 1/3 the price for 90% of the performance.

If you want the best, the Acaia Pearl S is the reference scale. The build, the response, the battery — everything is top-tier.

If you’re weighing espresso shots only, the Acaia Lunar is sized for the use case.

Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2 on Amazon · Felicita Arc on Amazon

FAQ

Do I need a 0.1g scale for pour-over? No, 1g is fine for pour-over. Most pour-over recipes tolerate ±2g of variance. 0.1g precision is for espresso, where a 0.5g difference in dose changes the shot.

Is the Acaia worth $200? For pour-over only, no. The Timemore is fine. For espresso and pour-over, the Acaia’s response time and battery life are noticeably better.

Can I use a kitchen scale for coffee? For pour-over, yes — most kitchen scales are 1g accurate. For espresso, you need 0.1g precision, which most kitchen scales don’t have.

How long do these scales last? The Acaia and Timemore last 5+ years. The Greater Goods lasts 2-3 years. The battery is the typical failure point on the cheap scale.

Do I need a waterproof scale? Helpful, not required. The Acaia has a removable, washable pad. The Timemore has a small splash guard. For most home use, splashes are manageable.

Prices and availability last verified July 2026. GrindMinded earns a commission when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure for details.