Brewing espresso at home is an art and a science. Using a scale for home espresso is essential for consistency and precision, which leads to a better understanding of your own preferences! But of course, if you’re reading a blog about the Varia AKU, surely you’re already acquainted with the need for a scale in your ‘spro workflow. If you’re on the fence about using a scale at all in your espresso, please read THIS BLOG by our Head of Coffee, Phil, to convince you why it’s one of the best investments you’ll make into your home espresso set-up!
Review: The Varia AKU Scales - Precision and portability for the home barista
The Varia AKU scales are a standout option for home espresso brewers seeking a mid-priced workhorse, combining excellent performance with a compact and durable design.
Built to last with a compact form factor
The Varia AKU scales are constructed from aluminum PFA and feature an IPX5 water-resistance rating, making it robust and built to last.
The Varia AKU is small and portable, aided by an included case. At 120mm x 110mm x 19mm, it should fit on the drip tray of most home espresso machines. However, the shorter width and curved edges might make it difficult to fit 2 mugs or larger cups under the portafilter. This is the perfect size for 2 espresso cups or a single medium to large cup on the drip tray.
Also included is a calibration weight (a way to calibrate your scale) and a charge cable, making this a great travel companion if you take your espresso journey on the road.
These dimensions were perfect for weighing a smaller domestic 54mm portafilter, however, a commercial 58mm portafilter, having a longer handle, was a little bit of a balancing act. Still very capable, but if you have a long spouted and long handled portafilter, it might overhang the scale, which can easily be overcome by placing the scale near the edge of the bench!
Accuracy and responsiveness
The Varia AKU scales offer great responsiveness and accuracy, with a readability of 0.1g, and 1g above 2kg. With a 3.1kg capacity, this is also great for larger batch brews or other kitchen tasks beyond espresso.
The reaction time to weight change is excellent, meaning you won’t have to mentally juggle a delay from the scale when manually brewing. The auto tare and timer features are also quite fast.
Key features for a seamless workflow
The scale is simple to switch between manual and automatic modes. It features an automatic tare and automatic timer mode, which is useful for espresso as all you need to do is load on your cup of choice and the scale will set itself to zero. As soon as the first drop of liquid lands in the cup, the scale and timer both start, so you can measure everything you need to know to dial your brew ratios.
The sleep timer can be adjusted to 5, 10, 20, 30 or 60 minutes, or turned off completely, with a default setting of 5 minutes. The scales are powered by a 3.7V/1200mAh Lithium Polymer battery that takes 2 hours to charge via USB-C.
The physical power switch/button is a nice touch that helps with battery longevity during transport. Bluetooth is available for firmware updates only.
The controls are simple and self explanatory and the included pamphlet is comprehensive. Unfortunately, the silicon cover for the USB-C port is not affixed to the unit, so it would likely be easily lost.
Read more about other essential equipment for your home coffee setup.
Final thoughts
The Varia AKU scales offer great value for their price point, which is around $180 AUD. Highlights include their quick and precise readings, durability and premium accessories like the case and calibration weight. While some portafilters and cups might be a squeeze, the scale's small to medium size and high capacity make it a versatile tool for any coffee enthusiast.
P&R’s score:
- Price/Value - 7.5/10
- Form Factor - 8.4/10
- Features - 9/10
- Overall - 8.3/10
