Tea Scale Recommendations

[Running for Tea]

After reading the grams/teaspoon thread and with the gyokuro OTTI upcoming, I think it is about time that I consider investing in a tea scale. I've always gone by the teaspoon is ~2 grams rule, but I'd hate to be missing a tea's full potential or wasting excess leaf due to inaccuracies. Any shared recommendations/experiences would be much appreciated!

[debunix]

Inexpensive but very useful digital scales are easy to find online. Look for one with 0.1g accuracy, and size and weight capacity to hold your favorite tea-weighing vessel (Cha he or a small bowl). Jewelry scales are usually just right. IME specific brand is less important than tare capacity & fit in your tea drawer/cabinet/shelf. I haven't paid over $12.

[Stentor]

Also some detect and display changes in weight quicker than others. Some react in real time, some take half a second or so. You'll want the real time one.

[futurebird]

If you don't care about the slow up-dating, there are nice digital scales for about $8 shipped on ebay. Just check that batteries are included...

I don't know much about "nicer" scales.

[BioHorn]

Search is your friend:

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... ay#p212472

[Bob_McBob]

Also some detect and display changes in weight quicker than others. Some react in real time, some take half a second or so. You'll want the real time one.

This is something very few people consider when buying and recommending cheap digital scales. After trying a fairly large selection of eBay specials, I can't emphasize enough how much of a difference it makes to use a scale that responds and updates quickly, giving an accurate and certain final reading with no lag.

The My Weigh Triton T2 costs just over $15 and is by far the nicest inexpensive digital pocket scale I've ever used.

[edkrueger]

May I suggest: http://tinyurl.com/bkkae7l

I have this one: http://tinyurl.com/bypcako

[Chip]

Also some detect and display changes in weight quicker than others. Some react in real time, some take half a second or so. You'll want the real time one.

This is something very few people consider when buying and recommending cheap digital scales. After trying a fairly large selection of eBay specials, I can't emphasize enough how much of a difference it makes to use a scale that responds and updates quickly, giving an accurate and certain final reading with no lag.

The My Weigh Triton T2 costs just over $15 and is by far the nicest inexpensive digital pocket scale I've ever used.

I never considered this factor. Weigh ... errr way back when when I finally saw a digital scale, I just bought it w/o hesitation since I had wanted one for tea for quite some time (plus I like measure gadgets ). I guess I lucked out as it is still perfect and must be real time since I never had any lag. But now, they are everywhere and uber cheap.

But then again, I never noticed "real time" being in specs for scales. I look periodically since the one I have is quite old now and is used everyday and often hard use (OTTI/NOTTI).

But yeah, lag times would really suck with a scale ... same with digital thermometers, although they all seem to have some lag ... but some are realllly slow.

[debunix]

I just checked and to my surprise, the same model I'm using now is still available on Amazon for $6.29. It has little to no lag.

[Running for Tea]

Thanks for the replies! I'm glad I asked because the response time was something that hadn't crossed my mind.

The My Weigh Triton T2 costs just over $15 and is by far the nicest inexpensive digital pocket scale I've ever used.

I'm leaning toward this scale.

I just checked and to my surprise, the same model I'm using now is still available on Amazon for $6.29. It has little to no lag.

This has complicated my decision. That's $10 that could be going to tea!

[Running for Tea]

Also, will I need a calibration weight as well?

[Chip]

Also, will I need a calibration weight as well?

In 8 years, I have never had to recalibrate. I place a new dime on the scale to test every so often.

I did not buy a calibration weight.

[Stentor]

Also, will I need a calibration weight as well?

Some scales ship with one.

[victoria3]

I recently got a new scale and thermometer on amazon and can recommend them both. They respond quickly and are accurate.

AWS-1KG Digital Scale 1000x 0.1g
Taylor Digital Thermometer -40 to 446F /-40 to 230C

AWS-1KG-Digital-Scale-&-Taylor-Digital-thermometer.jpg (24.76 KiB) Viewed 3534 times

I thought I'd add that prior to getting these devises my temperature guesstimates were 20 degrees lower than actual (so I was steeping cooler) and I've experienced that no two teas weight the same per teaspoon. I now consider these a basic investment, especially if posting reviews and or purchasing higher priced teas.

[5am]

AWS is a good company for an affordable scale I own two and the both work perfectly for tea. I prefer mine with the .01g accuracy (my $.02)