Coffee Scales for Cafés: Felicita and Hario Compared

On an espresso bar, use a small, fast, water-resistant scale that fits on the drip tray — the Felicita Arc weighs up to 2 kg in 0.1 g steps, with auto-tare and auto-timer. For pour-over bars and retail, the Hario Polaris shows your brew ratio live on the display.

Weighing is the simplest way to make coffee consistent. A standard 1:16 pour-over is 15 g of coffee to 240 g of water, and scoops can’t measure that reliably because ground coffee’s density changes with grind size and bean. A scale with a timer also tracks brew time — the other half of dialling in.

What should a café look for in a coffee scale?

1. Response speed. Any lag means you overshoot your yield.
2. 0.1 g resolution. Espresso margins are small.
3. Footprint. An espresso scale has to fit on the drip tray.
4. Water resistance. Bars are wet places.
5. Timer and auto modes. Auto-tare and auto-start timers free up a hand.
6. Rechargeable battery. No hunting for batteries mid-service.

How do the scales compare?

What do competition baristas say?

We’ve supplied Felicita scales to UK Barista Championship and UK Brewers Cup competitors. Here’s what three of them told us.
“They are small and lightweight – easy to pick up and move one handed, which is crucial as so often we are multitasking behind the bar. They are quick to tare and to react, and the display is as clear as can be.”
— Ted Longden on the Felicita Arc, 2022 UK Barista Championship

“You press the button you want and the scale responds instantaneously. No lag or delay.”
— Evangelos Koulougousidis, 2022 UK Barista Championship

“The display is bigger and brighter, and you can remove the top… coffee can be messy and it’s easy to clean.”
— Dhan Tamang on the Felicita Parallel

What is the Hario Polaris Brew % guide?

The Polaris shows where you are in your pour against your target ratio, in real time. That takes the mental arithmetic out of pour-over, which makes it a good training tool for new baristas and an easy sell to home brewers. Hario UK’s guide to brewing by weight explains it for customers.

What’s the new Hario Barista Glass Scale?

Launched in 2026, the Barista Glass Scale pairs weighing and timing in one flat unit with a glass top plate — easy to wipe down between brews and smart on a counter. At 180 × 120 mm it’s a pour-over station scale rather than a drip-tray scale, so pair it with a Felicita Arc if you also need one for espresso.

Which scale bundles work for retail?

1. Hario V60 Drip Decanter + Felicita Incline bundle
2. Hario Polaris + V60 Drip Decanter bundle
3. Hario Polaris V60 Size 02 All-in-One bundle

Browse all coffee scales.

Frequently asked questions

Why weigh coffee instead of using scoops?
Ground coffee’s density changes with grind size and bean, so the same scoop can vary by several grams. Weighing lets you hit a ratio such as 1:16 — 15 g of coffee to 240 g of water — every time.

What coffee scale do baristas use for espresso?
Espresso baristas need a small, fast, water-resistant scale that fits on the drip tray. The Felicita Arc is a common choice: it weighs up to 2 kg in 0.1 g steps, with auto-tare and auto-timer modes.

Is the Felicita Arc waterproof?
The Felicita Arc is water-resistant, which helps it survive spills on a busy espresso bar. It’s made from aluminium and charges via USB.

What is the Brew % guide on the Hario Polaris?
It’s a live display showing how far through your pour you are against your target coffee-to-water ratio, so you don’t need to calculate weights while pouring.

What ratio should I use for pour-over?
A standard starting point is 1:16 — 15 g of coffee to 240 g of water. Adjust to taste: use more coffee for a stronger cup or less for a lighter one.