NEOWEIGH Espresso Scale with Timer

The key things are accuracy, size, response speed, and durability. The NEOWEIGH delivers well on accuracy (0.1g precision) and size (fits most drip trays), and the price is hard to beat. Where it makes some compromises — and this is worth knowing upfront — is response speed and water resistance. Several reviewers note a 2-4 second delay when weighing very light changes, and it's not waterproof, which is a real consideration in a wet espresso environment. If those are dealbreakers, you'd need to spend significantly more on something like an Acaia. But for most home baristas, reviewers call this scale 'unbeatable at the price point.'

The honest answer is it gets you about 80% of the way there at maybe 20% of the price. Premium scales like the Acaia Lunar offer faster response times, Bluetooth connectivity, waterproofing, and apps — but they cost 10-15x more. The NEOWEIGH gives you the core essentials: accurate 0.1g weighing, a built-in timer, and a compact form factor. Where it falls short is the 2-4 second response delay for small weight changes, lack of waterproofing, and occasional rounding tendencies. Reviewers overwhelmingly describe it as 'excellent value' and 'unbeatable at the price point.' For most home baristas, the premium features of expensive scales are nice-to-haves, not need-to-haves.

For the vast majority of home baristas — yes, absolutely. The difference between 17.9g and 18.1g in your portafilter is negligible in the cup. Even experienced baristas and coffee professionals work at 0.1g precision. One reviewer who owns a coffee shop uses this scale commercially and finds it accurate enough. Where 0.1g might not cut it is if you're doing ultra-precise cupping or competition-level work, but for daily espresso brewing, it's more than adequate. Reviewers actually call the precision 'sufficient for espresso' and praise it as one of the scale's strengths.

This is the NEOWEIGH's most notable weakness for espresso use. Several reviewers report a 2-4 second delay when registering small weight changes, and a slow refresh rate compared to premium scales. For manually stopping a shot at a target weight, this means you might need to anticipate and stop a couple of grams early. It's not a dealbreaker — plenty of reviewers successfully use it for daily espresso — but if you're used to the instant response of an Acaia or similar, the lag will be noticeable. Most home baristas learn to compensate quickly.

No, and this is a surprisingly important design detail. The buttons on the NEOWEIGH are physically decoupled from the weighing platform, so pressing the timer (or any button) doesn't register as weight or throw off your reading. Multiple reviewers specifically appreciate this — it's a common complaint with cheaper scales where pressing buttons causes the weight to jump. The timer button is a tactile physical button rather than a touchscreen, which reviewers prefer for reliability and ease of use with wet or floury hands.

This is one area where you should set realistic expectations. While many reviewers report great long-term performance — including a coffee shop owner using it commercially — there are some durability concerns. One reviewer reported screen failure after just 34 days, and a few others received units that appeared used or damaged. The lack of waterproofing also affects longevity in a wet espresso environment. At this price point, most users feel the value is excellent even if they need to replace it after a year or two, but it's worth knowing it may not match the multi-year lifespan of premium scales.

Here's the basic workflow: Power on with the one-click button — the display lights up with a large, easy-to-read LCD. Place it on a flat surface. If you put your portafilter or cup on before turning it on, the auto-tare feature zeros it automatically, which is a nice touch. Otherwise, place your container and press tare. Add your coffee grounds or pull your shot. Press the timer button when you start extraction — it's a physical button with a satisfying click. When you're done, press the timer again to stop. The display shows both weight and time simultaneously. Power off with the same one-click button when you're finished.

The NEOWEIGH has a large backlit LCD that's one of its standout features — multiple reviewers specifically call out how bright and easy to read it is, even in a dimly lit kitchen. The main number shows weight (toggleable between grams and ounces), and the timer display runs alongside it. The backlight makes it readable even when it's tucked under an espresso machine on the drip tray, where lighting can be tricky. It reads down to 0.1g increments in gram mode and 0.01oz in ounce mode.

It's pretty straightforward with this NEOWEIGH scale. First, place your cup or shot glass on the scale and hit tare to zero it out. Then start pulling your shot and press the timer button at the same time — it's a tactile physical button, not a touchscreen, so you get a satisfying click and don't accidentally bump the weight reading. Watch your shot weight climb toward your target (say 36g for a 2:1 ratio) while the timer counts your extraction. Most good espresso shots land between 25-30 seconds. When you stop the shot, stop the timer. Reviewers specifically like that the buttons are decoupled from the weighing platform, so pressing them doesn't throw off your measurement.

The 2:1 rule is a classic espresso guideline — you want roughly twice the weight of liquid espresso out as the dry coffee you put in. So if you dose 18g of ground coffee, you're aiming for about 36g of espresso in your cup. The NEOWEIGH scale makes this easy to nail because it has 0.1g precision, so you can weigh your dose precisely, tare the scale, place your cup, and watch the shot weight climb in real time. Pair that with the built-in timer and you're tracking both your ratio and extraction time simultaneously — the two most important variables for dialing in great espresso.

Extraction time is just as important as weight when pulling espresso. A shot that hits 36g in 20 seconds tastes completely different from one that hits 36g in 30 seconds — the first will be sour and underextracted, the second balanced and sweet. Having the timer built into the scale means you can watch both variables simultaneously without fumbling with your phone or a separate timer. The NEOWEIGH scale puts weight and time right on one large backlit display, which reviewers appreciate for keeping their workflow simple and their eyes in one place.

A simple test: use a known calibration weight or even a stack of coins with a known weight. With this NEOWEIGH scale, reviewers consistently confirm it's accurate at 0.1g precision for espresso-relevant weights. One thing to watch for — some users report it tends to round or snap to whole numbers, especially with very light objects. For espresso doses in the 14-20g range, this isn't usually an issue. A few reviewers also noticed minor weight drift over longer periods, which may be temperature-related. If you notice drift, let the scale sit powered on for a minute before use to stabilize.

If you're seeing inconsistent readings, there are a few common culprits. With the NEOWEIGH scale specifically, reviewers have noted some weight drift that appears to be temperature-related — if your scale is sitting near a hot espresso machine, the heat can affect readings over time. Also, the scale has a slight rounding tendency toward whole numbers, so very small weight differences might not register consistently. Make sure you're on a flat, stable surface, use the tare function before each measurement, and give the scale a moment to stabilize. If you place an item on the scale immediately after turning it on, the auto-tare feature will zero it out, which is handy but could confuse you if you didn't expect it.

Yes — bottomless portafilters are actually called out as one of the best use cases for this scale. The compact size fits well underneath, and the silicone mat helps catch any stray drips from the exposed basket. Just keep in mind that a bottomless portafilter can spray more than a spouted one, especially while you're learning, and since this scale isn't waterproof, you'll want to be extra careful about cleaning up moisture quickly.

It's arguably the best beginner espresso scale you can buy. The controls are dead simple — one button for power, one for tare, one for the timer. The large backlit display shows big, clear numbers so you're not squinting while learning. The auto-tare feature is forgiving for new users, and the low price point means you're not making a huge investment while you're still figuring out if espresso is your thing. Multiple reviewers highlight how straightforward it is to use right out of the box. The 0.1g precision is more than adequate while you're learning to dial in your shots.

No — the timer can only be started, stopped, and reset. There's no pause-and-resume function. For espresso, this isn't usually an issue since you're timing a continuous extraction. But if you're using the timer for other brewing methods where you might want to pause between pours (like a pour-over bloom phase), this limitation could be inconvenient. The timer button itself is stiff with a slight split-second delay, which a reviewer noted, though most users find it perfectly functional for tracking shot times.

The silicone mat serves double duty — it provides grip so your cup doesn't slide during extraction, and it adds a layer of protection against liquid splashes reaching the scale's electronics. Given that this scale is not waterproof, that protection is pretty valuable in an espresso setup. Four reviewers specifically mention the mat as a positive. One creative user even discovered it works great for opening stuck jar lids when it's not on the scale. We'd recommend keeping it on during use, especially since it's included free.

The NEOWEIGH comes with the scale itself, a silicone mat, and batteries. The silicone mat is a nice inclusion — it protects the scale from liquid spray and keeps things from sliding around. One creative reviewer even mentioned using the silicone pad to open stuck jar lids when it's not on the scale. The scale cover can also be popped off at a 90-degree angle if you don't need it, giving you some flexibility in how you set things up.

The scale has a one-click power on and off, making it quick to use. It also features an auto-tare function — if you turn it on with something already sitting on it, it zeros out automatically, which is genuinely useful when you leave your portafilter on the scale between uses. Reviewers appreciate the simplicity of the single-button power controls compared to scales that require long-presses or multi-step sequences.

You can, but it's not ideal. The NEOWEIGH was designed with espresso in mind — the compact size that makes it perfect for drip trays means it's quite small for larger brewing equipment. Reviewers specifically mention that tall cups, regular coffee mugs, and Chemex brewers are not a great fit. The 1000g weight limit could also be tight for a full Chemex brew (water alone for a 6-cup Chemex weighs around 700g, plus the brewer itself). For pour-over, a larger kitchen scale with a timer might serve you better.

Make sure the NEOWEIGH is set to gram mode (it supports both grams and ounces). Place your empty portafilter basket or dosing cup on the scale and press tare to zero it. Then add your ground coffee until you hit your target dose — typically 18g for a double shot. The 0.1g precision means you can get within a tenth of a gram of your target, which is plenty accurate for consistent espresso. The large display makes it easy to read even while you're grinding and distributing coffee.

For espresso, you want a scale with at least 0.1g precision — and that's exactly what the NEOWEIGH offers. Technically, 0.01g scales exist, but for espresso brewing, 0.1g is more than sufficient. Even professional baristas work at that precision. Where higher-end scales like the Acaia Lunar pull ahead is in response speed and waterproofing, not raw accuracy. The NEOWEIGH's 0.1g readings are reliable for dosing and shot weighing according to multiple reviewers, including one coffee shop owner who uses it commercially.