Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsCertainly affordable, reasonably usable, but questionably durable. The jury's still out.
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2021
Nearly everything I'm looking for in an espresso scale at an extremely easy price point. But the reasons for its low price are unsurprising, and become evident quite soon. My rating stays at middling until I'm convinced otherwise.
Pros:
• Easily fits under a Flair espresso maker.
• Built-in count-up timer.
• Backlit, legible readout.
• Very affordable.
Cons:
• Apparently vulnerable to liquid.
• Occasionally inconsistent accuracy.
• 1-2 second lag.
• Less than optimal battery life, at least with frequent use. Consider rechargeables.
In terms of functions, this scale's simplicity works very well for me. I don't need or want complicated programming, brew profiles or social media functions, and *especially* no wireless connectivity radiating an EMF right underneath my coffee. No thanks.
There's none of that here - just the weight in grams or ounces to a reasonably accurate degree, a timer in whole seconds and a tare function. Fine with me. I say "reasonably accurate" because, although the scale is usable enough, it can take around a second to catch up and another to register that it's stabilized, and readings can fluctuate at different weighings for the same object within 1 to 3 tenths of a gram. Less than ideal, but if you're looking in this price range and don't think you could manage with that, I'd suggest re-examining your expectations a little. Also, the timer has no pause/resume function. In sequence, pressing the button gives you start, stop, and reset. Not a critical flaw for me, but something to be aware of.
Also not critical but could stand improvement is battery consumption. The batteries the scale came with lasted about 3.5 months. This is after daily use and, not infrequently, more than once per day. You can judge by your own usage, but I replaced them with rechargeables as soon as they died.
However, it does appear to need better protection. All the other drawbacks are manageable, but THAT is critical. This is meant to be used near and under hot liquids, after all. With such a small form factor, the chiclet-style mechanical buttons are quite exposed to splashes and drips. In hindsight, I wish I'd thought of covering them with a little Saran Wrap or something. Less than 2 weeks in and the power button already feels sticky. At least, I presume that's from drips and not simply from wearing out already. Fairly worrisome either way, really.
So at only $12 bucks, is it worth it? Maybe, with certain compromises. Obviously, I like that I don't need another device if I want to time a shot. I haven't seen another scale in this price range that has a timer, save for a few exact copies with different branding. Ethics notwithstanding, it won't be nearly as attractive a price if I have to keep replacing it. So, we'll see how well it lasts.
