KitchenTour Coffee Scale review: Premium performance at an affordable price

Coffee can very quickly become an expensive and niche hobby. Not only do you have to spend big bucks on the actual beans, you’re also looking at hundreds of dollars on a grinder, dosers, needle distributors, the best coffee scales, and so on and so forth.

So you’ll want to ensure you’re saving as much as you can where possible. Enter the KitchenTour Coffee Scale. This scale is $29, cheaper than any other coffee scales I’ve reviewed, but performs just as well. If you’re looking to save $$$ (well, maybe just $) on coffee scales, you’re going to want to know about KitchenTour. It can be used with either one of the best coffee makers or the best espresso machines.

The KitchenTour Coffee Scale is easy to use, with responsive touch controls and a built-in timer. While it doesn’t look as pretty as other scales, the savings could be worth it. Find out the full story in this KitchenTour Coffee Scale review.

KitchenTour Coffee Scale review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? People who want an effective coffee scale without spending $$$
• What does it cost? Just $29 at Amazon
• What does it do well? It’s affordable, measures to 0.1g and features a timer
• What do we wish it did better? I wish it was a little prettier

KitchenTour Coffee Scale review: Specs

KitchenTour Coffee Scale review: Price & availability

The KitchenTour Coffee Scale is available for $29 at Amazon U.S.. It does not seem to be available in the U.K. at time of writing. This makes it one of the cheapest coffee scales I’ve seen; the Subminimal Subscale is $49 direct from Subminimal and the Maestri House Mini Scale is $39 from Amazon U.S.. The premium brand Timemore’s Black Mirror Basic 2 Coffee Scale is $59 from Amazon U.S..

KitchenTour Coffee Scale review: Design & functions

As this is a cheaper coffee scale, its design feels quite basic, although it works just as well as pricier models I’ve used. It has the same functionality as other coffee scales, like a timer, tare setting, and down to 0.1g measurements with ounces and milliliters also measurable.

Its pad is quite large, at 8 x 6 inches, which means it’s big enough to fit a Chemex or V60 on top. It’s also slim enough to fit under the espresso drip tray of my KitchenAid Semi-Automatic espresso machine, so it’s a versatile device.

The scale has the same retro-calculator-inspired screen of the Hario V60 Drip Scale, whereas the Timemore Black Mirror 2 Basic Coffee Scale and the Maestri House Coffee Scale have more modern, integrated and brighter LED screens.

The KitchenTour’s design means the buttons (more like touch controls) aren’t built into the same pad as the weighing scale, so pressing a button won’t affect the displayed weight. This was one of my major issues with the $59 Timemore scale; starting the timer caused the displayed weight to shoot up 400g due to my finger pressure, and then jump back down again after removing my finger.

Despite looking basic, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this scale’s functionality. It times well, and although it doesn’t have an auto-timer, this is not an essential feature. The touch buttons are responsive, with no lag whatsoever. I’d like the scale to have a beeping sound so you didn’t have to double-check that the weight had tared or the timer had begun, but this is another minimal complaint.

The scale’s feet were a little uneven, which meant the scale shifted ever-so-slightly with a forceful push, but again, this isn’t something you’re likely to run into in practice unless you’re hammering on the scale.

KitchenTour Coffee Scale review: Performance

As this is the cheapest scale I’ve reviewed, I was concerned it wouldn’t perform as well as some of the more luxury scales I’ve seen recently. However, I love to be proved wrong, and the KitchenTour scale was no different.

As touched on above, the controls respond instantly. Making a coffee with this scale is a breeze; no second presses of ‘tare’ or ‘start’, no massive jumps in weight, no laggy timer. What is a little annoying is that the initial weight displayed on the screen often changes — but only within the first second. When I compared the KitchenTour’s accuracy to four other scales, it displayed a different weight once, but only by 0.1g.

I used my usual winning formula for delicious pour over coffee with my Hario V60 dripper: 12g medium-roast medium-fine ground coffee and 10 ounces of water. Using the KitchenTour’s timer, I timed the overall brewing period to just over 3 minutes, which is about standard for a V60. My coffee was just as delicious as usual following these tried-and-tested steps, and I know that the next time I brew up, the KitchenTour scale will help me get these precise measurements.

If you’re brewing using a pour-over like a Chemex or the like, you’ll want to use the KitchenTour’s silicone heatproof mat to protect the scale from overheating. I found this mat is great at both prevent heat spillage and also increasing grip on the brewer. The KitchenTour has no waterproofing, so be careful if not using the silicone mat.

Using it with an espresso machine is also easy, as I touched on above. You simply place the scale on top of the drip tray and put your desired mug on top. It’s a larger scale, but still fits and balances itself for use with an espresso machine. I was able to measure the volume of espresso poured and time to work out flow rate.

As this is one of the cheaper coffee scales I’ve used, I’m really impressed with the performance and functionality that comes with its $29 price tag.

KitchenTour Coffee Scale review: Storage & maintenance

The KitchenTour Coffee Scale isn’t a rechargeable device: it uses three AAA batteries. Thankfully, these batteries are really easy to find in stores.

The scale doesn’t have an IP rating, unlike the Subminimal Subscale ($49) which is IPX4. This means you can’t get the scale wet. If you use the aforementioned silicone mat, though, you’ll have an extra layer of protection in case of spills.

This scale is really lightweight and only 8 inches long, so will hide away in your kitchen cupboards easily. The gap between the weighing pad and the LED screen is big enough to get a pipe cleaning brush under, so if you spill grounds, you’ll be able to clean them out.

KitchenTour Coffee Scale review: How does it compare?

Firstly, the KitchenTour scale is under $30, and the only coffee scale I’ve reviewed I can say that about. The second-cheapest scale I’ve reviewed is the Maestri House Mini Scale at $36, which has all the same functionality as the KitchenTour. The only difference is that the Maestri House, in my humble opinion, is a little prettier.

The Subminimal Subscale ($49) has an IPX4 rating, meaning that it can be rinsed with water but not submerged. This scale remains the only coffee scale I’ve reviewed that has a durability rating, but the cup-like shape means it’s incompatible with pour-over brewers, and the lack of timer means its versatility is stunted. The KitchenTour scale is a great scale you could even use for baking, and won’t set you back as much as others.

KitchenTour Coffee Scale review: Verdict

If you can look past the basic appearance of the KitchenTour Coffee Scale, there’s no reason this can’t be your next coffee scale. This is the highest rating I’ve given to a coffee scale because its price and performance are more appealing than other scales. While, yes, I do wish it looked a little fancier, there are more important features worth phoning home about.

The weight does tend to change within the first second, but this never negatively affected my brewing process; I merely waited a second before adding more coffee or water. When you press the buttons the LED screen responds instantly, and pressing the ‘start’ button on the timer doesn’t tare your weight or count your finger pressure as extra weight.

If you want a scale that is affordable and performs well, this is the one for you. Every quibble I have with this scale is negligible or easily forgivable, so I wholeheartedly recommend the KitchenTour Coffee Scale to take up residence in your kitchen.