Do you guys use scales?

[Evan Draper]

I would likely get into an analysis paralysis with all the options available today.

If you're spending this much time choosing a $30 scale, will you ever buy any tea?

[looseTman]

"If you're not part of the solution, ..."

If you don't have anything constructive to contribute, it's better to not to reply. My purpose for posting is to gather info from people with more experience so I make an informed decision more quickly and move on with other priorities. It's conceivable that the info I've and others have posted may help other TC members.

[Evan Draper]

No hard feelings. I just wanted to highlight that many people have mentioned that they stop using their scales as their tea careers progress, so spending all this time on what seems like a decision of fundamental importance right now may be an obstacle to your journey with the tea itself. "Mistaking the pointing finger for the moon," and all that.

[Chip]

Eventually every discussion on scales is likely to get bumpy.

I hug my scale every morning knowing it is going to help me brew an incredible cup of Sencha to start the day. I would be lost and lonely w/o it.

I actually came into using a scale years after I began drinking tea ... every TeaJourney is different.

[looseTman]

Hi Evan,

Thanks for your clarification.

We've been buying 1-2 lbs. at a time of our favorite loose teas for many years. Lately, we've been buying in bulk from Rishi, TeaVivre, and Zen Tea Life.

For those who are intuitive, a scale may not be important. However, for those who are sensing, a scale may be very helpful. I’m not a fan of imprecise measurements such as: scant, rounded, generous, heaping, “1-2 tsps.”, etc.

I’m very impressed with TeaVivre’s very specific Brewing Guide http://www.teavivre.com/info/recommend-brewing-guide/
which provides recommendations in grams. However, I have no experience estimating grams. Thus, the interest in a scale.

Digital timers, scales, and thermometers (w/o lag) help insure consistency, which is a wonderful thing. Great for reducing frustration, and minimizing the odds of weak or bitter tea, especially if it's an expensive one.

[Chip]

Digital timers, scales, and thermometers (w/o lag)

These are a few of my favorite things! Sensing versus intuitive here too. When it comes to tea, I have never pretended to be intuitive instead being quite comfortable in my own sensing skin. Telling a sensing individual to be intuitive in how they approach tea can be a little like asking Mr. Shy to be Mr. Gregarious. Sensing or intuitive for that matter are a part of our personalities. Some lean one way and some lean the other ... at times radically.

... help insure consistency, which is a wonderful thing. Great for reducing frustration, and minimizing the odds of weak or bitter tea, especially if it's an expensive one.

+1, spoken like a true sensing person.

[MarshalN]

If precision is so important, I would also recommend getting realtime chemical analysis of your water, because we all know what's in your water greatly affects the tea that comes out.

[wyardley]

"If you're not part of the solution, ..."

If you don't have anything constructive to contribute, it's better to not to reply. My purpose for posting is to gather info from people with more experience

And you're not listening to the people with more experience who are telling you that it's simply not as complicated as you make it.

I don't use a scale most of the time, but I'm not anti-scale, and I do own one (I've got a kitchen scale too, which probably gets more use). I agree with the suggestions to just buy a $10-30 scale; any of the models mentioned in previous threads on this topic will work perfectly fine for the purpose you're going to use it for. FWIW, I've got a hemp composite my-weigh scale, and it works fine.

[looseTman]

If precision is so important, I would also recommend getting realtime chemical analysis of your water, because we all know what's in your water greatly affects the tea that comes out.

I could not agree with you more. Been there done that - a few times.

[looseTman]

Digital timers, scales, and thermometers (w/o lag)

These are a few of my favorite things! Sensing versus intuitive here too. When it comes to tea, I have never pretended to be intuitive instead being quite comfortable in my own sensing skin. Telling a sensing individual to be intuitive in how they approach tea can be a little like asking Mr. Shy to be Mr. Gregarious. Sensing or intuitive for that matter are a part of our personalities. Some lean one way and some lean the other ... at times radically.

... help insure consistency, which is a wonderful thing. Great for reducing frustration, and minimizing the odds of weak or bitter tea, especially if it's an expensive one.

+1, spoken like a true sensing person.

Kudos Chip! Thanks for the +1

[looseTman]

Hi wyardley,

You may be right. Time will tell.

I think it's unlikely that I'll be able to eyeball the appropriate number of grams until after I develop some experience actually measuring grams with a scale. Perhaps after that point I may not need to use one.

I do think intuitive people are more likely to correctly estimate the appropriate amount of tea. One size may not fit all.

[arcticfox]

Not wanting to read the past 8 pages, my suggestion might be way off mark, but if measureing a few grams of tea at a time is all you're going to use this scale for, I'd just go with a cheap digital pocket scale. I got one on Amazon (or was it Ebay?) for about $7. It tares, it responds quickly, it's accurate to 0.1g, but has a max of 300g. And it fits in my pocket. I've found it more than adequate for my tea needs, and quite helpful when I split a 250g order of tea with a friend, when it came in one huge bag. There's no need to spend more than that on a fancier scale if you don't need the 0.01g accuracy or the 500g - 1000g capacity.

[wyardley]

Hi wyardley,

You may be right. Time will tell.

I think it's unlikely that I'll be able to eyeball the appropriate number of grams until after I develop some experience actually measuring grams with a scale.

I wasn't suggesting that you shouldn't buy a scale, just that you shouldn't over-think your choice of scales so much.

[lordmage]

i was thinking of getting one after i ordered my first OTTI however after receiving the 5 10g samples i came to realize a gram is a lot less then a tsp... i forgot my tin so i had to keep them sealed till tonight i guess oh well matcha kept me going.

[dgm]

IMO, using a scale is unnecessary, and makes teatime feel less like teatime and more like I'm working in a laboratory.

My milligram scale does come in quite handy for... other things, though.

we all know what's in your water greatly affects the tea that comes out.

So true. I use filtered tap water, and replacing an old filter with a fresh one makes a huge difference in tea quality.

I mean, think about it. Tea is probably 99.99% water, so of course the quality of water is a significant factor.