The Acaia brand has gone from a startup to an established player in the specialty coffee world in just a few years. The company’s first scale was launched in 2013 as a Kickstarter project by Aaron Takao Fujiki.
At first, many people were skeptical due to what could be considered a relatively high price for something as basic as a scale, but eventually, it was successfully funded.
What stood out about the scale was the attractive, minimalist design, combined with highly advanced functionality specifically created for the coffee professional.
In 2014, the first scale was launched at the SCAA expo and won the ‘Best New Product’ award.
Nowadays, Acaia has become the gold standard of coffee scales among professionals.
I own three different models from the brand:
- the Pearl
- the Lunar
- and the Cinco
In this review, I’ll tell you more about the pros and cons of each one of them.
Acaia Pearl Review
Let’s start by talking about the Acaia Pearl. It’s the company’s first product, the cheapest, and also the largest of the scales. It was also my first Acaia scale.
The original version is available in white and black, and once I held it in my hand, I understood that this was a quality product designed to perform perfectly in every single way.
It will help you achieve maximum extraction in manual brewing or measure your espresso dose precisely.
It has been four years already at my coffee shop and still does the main job well. It seems that it will last longer than I expected.
The battery itself is rechargeable via USB and it still works well after all these years. Even though the LED display has become dimmer, we can read it easily.
After four years of using this scale, my main concern is that the display is a bit difficult to read outdoors and that it’s not completely waterproof.
In day-to-day work, this scale gets exposed to both water and coffee. However, so far, it has withstood everything and done its job well.
One of the main selling points of Acaia scales is that it has Bluetooth connectivity.To be honest, I have never found this feature useful for any of the models and only use it to check the battery status.
I should also mention that Acaia recently released an updated version called the ‘Pearl S’. It has a better display and new, advanced apps. However, this model is even more expensive than the original Pearl.
Acaia Lunar Review
Acaia Lunar was the second model to come out. It is smaller than the Pearl since it’s specifically designed for the limited space around the espresso drip tray.
It is water resistant, durable, and has specific ‘espresso modes’, such as ‘auto tare’ and ‘auto start’. This is a big help for the professional barista.
The scale is made out of anodized aluminum. Once I held it after purchasing it in 2015, it instantly gave me a feeling of durability and craftsmanship.
After having used this scale for four years in my cafe, it still works well, even though it has a lot of dents and scratches (dropped a tamper and a portafilter, submerged in water).
Overall, the Lunar has done an excellent job. Even though it’s made for espresso, it still works as an all-purpose coffee scale.
You can use it for:
- espresso
- manual brewing
- as a travel companion due to its compact size
I’m still amazed by how durable yet reliable Lunar has been on my coffee journey. The anodized color also maintains well for Lunar.
⚠️ Pro Tip: In late autumn 2021, Acaia is introducing new and upgraded versions of the Lunar and Pearl. The new models will have USB-C charging instead of the old micro-USB plug. The new Pear also comes with a flow indicator and brighter display.
One major drawback, however, is when you have two milk drinks on the scale at the same time, you risk spilling some liquid if you press the tare button. There’s not a lot of space.
It’s possible to get a weighing plate accessory that you put on top of the scale. This will allow you to weigh larger things like a portafilter or two cups simultaneously. However, In my opinion, the design is a bit odd, and paying an additional $30 seems too much for something that could easily be included.
| Specification | Acaia Lunar | Acaia Pearl | Acaia Pearl S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Lunar | Pearl | Pearl S |
| Display Resolution | 0.1 g | 0.1 g | 0.1 g |
| Modes | Weighing, timer, auto-tare, auto-start, flow rate | Weighing, timer, auto-tare, auto-start, flow rate | Weighing, timer, auto-tare, auto-start, flow rate |
| Charging Cable | USB-C (2021 and newer*) | USB-C (2021 and newer*) | USB-C |
| Rechargeable Battery | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Materials | Aluminum, Acrylic | Plastic | Plastic |
| Dimensions | 105 x 105 x 15 mm | 160 x 160 x 32 mm | 160 x 160 x 32 mm |
| Weight | 265 g | 500 g | 620 g |
| Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price |
Acaia Lunar vs Pearl
So if I had to pick one scale from Acaia, which one would I choose?
Though both scales have proven to be very durable in a café environment, Acaia Lunar still wins my heart as the best allround coffee scale.
It’s the most expensive Acaia scale, but it also comes with anodized aluminum and feels more durable and water-resistant than its bigger brother.
The smaller dimensions fit perfectly on the espresso drip tray, and the espresso modes work well (it’s rare that it misses a shot).
The Lunar has also been a good performer regarding manual brewing. Despite being small, it can still hold the 6-cup Chemex without difficulty reading the display. The challenge is having a range server with a wider bottom, such as my Brewista carafe.
The smaller dimensions of the Lunar are also a big plus for traveling. It has become my reliable travel partner for brewing coffee everywhere.
Bonus Section: Acaia Cinco Review
In 2018, Acaia released the limited edition Acaia Cinco to celebrate their 5 years anniversary. It might be the smallest dedicated coffee scale on earth and it’s made for Acaia fans like me.
It was produced in limited number, only 1000, and it’s tiny. It can only hold 500 grams maximum. It’s perfect for tea leaves, or a 1 group espresso machine. I have used it several times for traveling along with my Kinto carafe and Tetra Drip. However, it’s too small for the Aeropress and Delter Coffee Press, so for this reason I still prefer Acaia Lunar.
Acaia Scale Review Conclusion
By now, I have almost collected all the different Acaia scales. For me, the brand has already proven that it has what it takes to serve the needs of the specialty coffee community.
I’m still keeping an eye on the Acaia team to see what they come up with next time, but if I have to choose, Acaia Lunar will be my most reliable buddy when diving down the bottomless ocean of coffee brewing.
Of course, there will always be other competitors with different value propositions. However, all Acaia variants have their own unique capabilities, and for me, it’s still the most suitable among the brands that I have tried.
