Compare controls and overall external dimensions

The basic scale has a manual timer and measures 183 × 129 × 27 mm. The automatic version has auto timer and tare and measures 128 × 118 × 20 mm. The mini also has auto timer and tare and measures 100 × 95 × 19 mm. All three are USB-C rechargeable and come with a protective non-slip mat. Splash-proof does not mean immersion or rinsing under the tap.

Use your scale for two separate measurements. First, weigh the ground coffee you put in the filter basket. Then place your empty cup on the scale and use the tare function so that the display starts at zero. During brewing, you can see how many grams of espresso end up in the cup. The timer shows how much time has elapsed.

With an automatic timer, the selected mode determines when the timer starts. This is not necessarily the same moment you turn on the pump. Therefore, compare measurements that were started in the same way. Write down your dose, espresso amount, and time, and then change one setting. This is a tool for measuring, not an automatic solution for espresso that doesn't taste good.

Geert-Jan works with the Barista Essentials tools almost daily in workshops. If you want to learn how to better use the three measurements, the digital module The 3 Golden Rules of Espresso is a good addition. This is an explanation you buy separately; no scale is included. For a suitable cup, see the cups per drink size. If you also want to try other coffees, choose from the coffee beans for espresso and cappuccino to suit your taste.

Catching is direct support for weighing

After the three main scales, there are five existing 60 ml espresso cups and the controlled espresso shot glass. Choose a catching container that fits on your scale and under your filter holder. According to the supplier, the half-glazed espresso cups are 50 mm high with a diameter of 58 mm. The overall external dimensions of the classic cups and the shot glass, including handle and spout, are not confirmed; do not infer them from 60 ml or a photo.

Add the height of your scale to that of the catching cup. The mini with a 50 mm half-glazed cup requires a total of 69 mm, plus space to place and remove it. With the automatic version, that is 70 mm, and with the basic version, 77 mm, always excluding any extra mat or required clearance. These are calculations, not a guarantee of fit. The milliliter markings on a glass do not replace a weight measurement; tare the empty glass and read the espresso in grams. Preferably wash the glass by hand.