Acaia scale has risen to the top of the coffee scales. We asked a coffee shop owner if they were worth the significant cost.
Christian Hartono is a character in the film Christian Hartono The Acaia scale brand has gone from startup to established participant in the speciality coffee sector in just a few years. Aaron Takao Fujiki launched the company’s first scale as a kickstarter project in 2013.
Many people were hesitant at first because of the seemingly astronomical price tag for something as simple as a scale, but it was eventually funded. What drew your attention to the scale? the appealing, clean appearance, along with cutting-edge functionality designed exclusively for the coffee professional
The first scale was introduced at the SCAA expo in 2014 and received the ‘Best New Product’ award. Looking for the best coffee scales? we have compiled some reviews you can use as reference.
Nowadays, Acaia has become the gold standard of coffee scales I own three different models from the brand:
- the Pearl
- the Lunar
- and the Cinco
In this review, I’ll tell you more about the pros and cons of each one of them.
Acaia Scale: Acaia Pearl Review
The largest model is the Acaia Pearl. Let’s begin by discussing the Acaia Pearl. It’s the company’s first product, as well as the cheapest and greatest scale. It was also my first time using the Acaia scale.
The original version is white, and as soon as I felt it in my hands, I knew it was a high-quality product that would work flawlessly in every manner.
It will assist you in achieving optimal extraction whether manual brewing or properly measuring your espresso dose. It’s been four years in my coffee shop, and it’s still doing a fantastic job. It appears to be lasting longer than I anticipated.
The battery can be recharged through USB and is still in good working order after all these years. Even if the LED display has dimmed a little, we can still read it.
My primary issue after four years of using this coffee scale is that the display is a little difficult to read outside and that it isn’t totally waterproof.
Acaia Scale: Acaia Lunar Review
The Acaia Lunar coffee scale is a small but multifunctional scale. (Christian Hartono photo) The Acaia Lunar model was the second to be released. Because it’s specifically built for the limited space around the espresso drip tray, it’s smaller than the Pearl.
It’s water-resistant, long-lasting, and includes ‘espresso modes’ like ‘auto tare’ and ‘auto start.’ This is really beneficial to the skilled barista. Anodized aluminum is used to make the scale. It immediately gave me a sense of permanence and quality when I first held it after purchasing it in 2015.
Even though it has a lot of dents and scratches after four years of use in my café, this scale still works properly (dropped a tamper and a portafilter, submerged in water).
Acaia Lunar vs Pearl
So, if I had to choose just one scale from Acaia, which would it be?
Despite the fact that both scales have proven to be quite robust in a café atmosphere, I still prefer Acaia Lunar as the best all-around coffee scale. It’s the priciest Acaia scale, but it’s made of anodized aluminum and feels more sturdy and water resistant than its bigger brother.
The espresso settings work nicely (it seldom misses a shot), and the smaller proportions fit neatly on the espresso drip tray.
When it comes to hand brewing, the Lunar has also performed admirably. Despite its modest size, it can hold the 6-cup Chemex and read the display without difficulty. When you have a range server with a broader bottom, like my Brewista carafe, it becomes an issue.
The Lunar’s reduced proportions are also a huge bonus when it comes to travel. It’s become my go-to travel companion for preparing coffee everywhere I go.
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