Recommended inexpensive scale for weighing coffee?

[pearsons_11114]

Can anyone recommend an inexpensive scale for weighing coffee?

I've looked on Espresso Parts and on scales.com, and found them both difficult to search. Accuracy is often not spec'ed. Most of what I've found is either +/-2 gram or super accurate and expensive or just doesn't tell you. I'm looking for something that will be accurate to +/-0.1 gram and run in $25-60 range.

Thanks!

[HB]

Searching eBay on 500+digital+scale will yield pages of choices costing less than $15, shipping included. I prefer the ones that use AAA batteries because the replacements are cheaper and easier to find. One minor caveat: Not all of the eBay ads state how long before the scale turns off automatically. If you're taring the cup for brew ratio comparisons, the scale may turn off before the extraction completes. Some scales have a 1-3 minute timeout, others have a 30 second timeout.

[cafeIKE]

The 500g scale at Harbor Freight for ~$18 in store / ~$10 on line is accurate to ±0.1g
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/...f?Itemnumber=93543

It also has a counting mode for those who prefer to dose by bean count rather than weight.

[doug_m]

I ordered a 1kg scale with stated 0.1g accuracy for $11.00 USD shipping included from http://www.dealextreme.com
I haven't received it yet - 2 weeks for delivery. Hoping its better than the Salter scale I have now - only 0.5 g accuracy.

doug

[Zendel]

http://www.rightonscales.com

[Mark08859]

I enjoy using a Proscale with a touch screen. Click Here. It comes in both 250 and 500 gram capacities. Very easy to use.

[doug_m]

Received the 1kg 0.1 gram accuracy scale yesterday. It is a small unit approx 3" wide x 4" long. It will accommodate a filter basket or other small container. It has a 3 min auto shut off and tare function and runs on 2 AA batteries.
I was reading the Basket Overdosing thread yesterday and Ken Fox mentions this scale and provided a link on page 5. (link to mentioned post)

EDIT - link added by moderator

[ChrisC]

I bought the same one direct from HK on eBay. Cheaper base price, but then I paid extra for shipping, so Ken's link is a better deal. The shipping from China was fast though.

Just used it for the first time this morning, works like a charm. With a bit of balancing (made easier by using the scale cover as a tray), I can put the whole empty portafilter on the scale and tare that, so no need to remove the basket for weighing.

[Ken Fox]

Searching eBay on 500+digital+scale will yield pages of choices costing less than $15, shipping included. I prefer the ones that use AAA batteries because the replacements are cheaper and easier to find. One minor caveat: Not all of the eBay ads state how long before the scale turns off automatically. If you're taring the cup for brew ratio comparisons, the scale may turn off before the extraction completes. Some scales have a 1-3 minute timeout, others have a 30 second timeout.

Dan makes a good point. I bought a scale from Costco that has a timeout of less than 30 seconds and it is completely useless for coffee.

There are a lot of these things out there and the ones that I have bought have all been decent. All of this stuff is being made in China, and probably most of them will have similar components. You could even decide to buy two of them at a cheap price with the expectation that nothing electronic that costs $12 is going to last too long. These are disposable electronic devices, but if you can get a year out of it, then who cares?

ken

[CoffeeOwl]

Here is the one I use, and there is the US market equivalent I guess.


EDIT: it's a little more expensive then $11, but comes with 2-year warranty.

EDIT2: look for my post on 6 december 2007 before you eventually buy it (oh no, don't buy it....)

[jesawdy]

Does that platform give you enough room to get the whole portafilter on there to tare it? How long before auto shut off?

[CoffeeOwl]

It's only a little smaller then the one from DX (if you meant it) but I think putting the whole portafilter on either one to weight the coffee isn't good idea (unless it's a bottomless one).
The timeout of this unit is 75 seconds.

edit: and La Spaz portafilter is 675g

[calmaniac]

I have had excellent experiences with these guys. All they sell is scales! I have bought the My Weigh brand, but they sell many others as well.

http://www.oldwillknott.com/

[CoffeeOwl]

OK, just let's all hope that I was know-all for the last time in my life
The scale I said I was using got finally broke 2 days ago.
Its electronics was all the time not working properly, the readout was shaking in about 0.5 grams and going up after repetitions (like the objects were getting heavier and heavier), but I thought that it's the way a cheap scale shall work - up till today.
The scale from Deal Extreme has just arrived. It's completely accurate! No shaking, reads the same weight of the same objects time after time, and also it's better built - there are no moving parts etc.
Delivery took over 2 weeks, but I guess it's fine for the price ($11)

3 days without scales and around $53 is the punishment for my being the wise-guy (for the scale that got broke had a 2-years warranty, but... I didn't receive any invoice with it)

[Ken Fox]

The scale from Deal Extreme has just arrived. It's completely accurate! No shaking, reads the same weight of the same objects time after time, and also it's better built - there are no moving parts etc.
Delivery took over 2 weeks, but I guess it's fine for the price ($11)

I have a Myweigh scale on one counter next to two grinders, and one of those $11 Deal Extreme scales on the other counter next to the other grinder. The Myweigh, which cost 3x as much, is no more accurate than the Deal Extreme scale which also takes up less room and will weigh a whole PF plus the coffee (one can "Tare" the PF on the scale and then fill it), whereas the Myweigh is limited to 300g which precludes using the PF.

The dealextreme scale is a huge bargain and I recommend it highly.

ken

[caeffe]

I just bought 2 of these per Mr. K. Fox's comments above. Good deal, took about a week to get to me from Hong Kong.

Now I can measure my dose accurately! I've just been using 2 scoops and going with that.

[caeffe]

BTW, what have folks been using as a calibration weight for this?
Or should I just check it's repeatability by checking the weight of a couple of nickels since I see nickels are supposed to weigh 5g ea.

[japa_fi]

I haven't calibrated mine because:
1) it seems accurate enough out of box
2) the actual measured number is not that important (ie. if it's 20g or 25g), more important is to find the correct amount and use that every time. Ie. I've aim for 16.5g on my scale. I don't care if it's actually 15.5g while the display says 16.5g because that is the amount producing best results.

[caeffe]

I'm just thinking and worrying that eventually this scale may creep, hence requiring a recalibration.
Months from now, what could be 14g may be something else (14.5 or 15).

I guess I could do this with the same stack of nickels (~5g ea) and check if it changes over time. The question then will be recalibration against some accurate calibration weight.

[CoffeeOwl]

Have a note of weight of something and check from time to time the weight of it, what's the problem?