Acaia Lunar Scale - Black 2021 Model

The latest (2021) edition of Acaia's Luna scales is, without doubt, an excellent product. It's beautifully made and highly water resistant, and is supplied with a heat resistant pad to protect the surface when brewing, as well as a USB type-C charging cable and calibration weight. Those not familiar with the product will need to thoroughly read the manual to fully understand its comprehensive feature list, but it's a highly sensitive/responsive and versatile piece of kit that's essential for use in dialling in your espresso grind or measuring out your select teas to the very last fraction of a gram. And with it's timer, and both auto and manual tare functions, it will cover all bases for the majority of users. It also talks to a series of Acaia coffee apps that are ... MoreThe latest (2021) edition of Acaia's Luna scales is, without doubt, an excellent product. It's beautifully made and highly water resistant, and is supplied with a heat resistant pad to protect the surface when brewing, as well as a USB type-C charging cable and calibration weight. Those not familiar with the product will need to thoroughly read the manual to fully understand its comprehensive feature list, but it's a highly sensitive/responsive and versatile piece of kit that's essential for use in dialling in your espresso grind or measuring out your select teas to the very last fraction of a gram. And with it's timer, and both auto and manual tare functions, it will cover all bases for the majority of users. It also talks to a series of Acaia coffee apps that are available for both Android and iPhone for those interested in recording recipes and brewing statistics. It's a really great piece of kit, let down only by its extremely high purchase price. The packaging is very 'Apple-like', and it's clear that Acaia are targeting this at the high-end enthusiast market. But if you can afford it, and you're happy to pay a premium for something that many folk might consider to be just a bit 'too special' for their needs, you're unlikely to be disappointed. I took the plunge and so far have no regrets. I just hope it proves sufficiently durable over the long term to have made it worth paying the price. I do suspect it probably will.

A++ surprisingly easy to use

This Acaia Lunar is the standard you see in use in every youtube video. I was trying to stay basic and didn't think I'd need this scale as a beginner espresso maker. But even as a learner the Lunar has lots of advantages for developing your skills and dialing in. Over time, I'll explore some of it's more advanced timing/measuring/flow-rate modes, along with app interface for seeing the process. But in the meantime what surprised me is how easy it is to use for basic tasks. Much prefer it for all basic tasks due to the easy touch, sensitive, press buttons, the easy tare function, the small footprint for convenience, the overall build quality and exactly right design.

Acaia Lunar Scale Black

Very high-tech and very useful, but by no means necessary. Various modes cover espresso and pour-over scenarios indicating elapsed time, weight, and flow rate. Coming from a typical kitchen scale, there is a learning curve. There are SIX different modes, and I'd recommend skimming the manual to learn how to disable the modes that you won't need, as it can be cumbersome to cycle through all of the modes to land on the one you want to use. I wish the buttons were actual tactile buttons as the touch-sensitive buttons don't always provide ample feedback, but I understand the current design makes the scale more waterproof. For example, if you are pulling an espresso shot with preinfusion, you probably don't need flow rate, but you might like the auto-timer feature to ... MoreVery high-tech and very useful, but by no means necessary. Various modes cover espresso and pour-over scenarios indicating elapsed time, weight, and flow rate. Coming from a typical kitchen scale, there is a learning curve. There are SIX different modes, and I'd recommend skimming the manual to learn how to disable the modes that you won't need, as it can be cumbersome to cycle through all of the modes to land on the one you want to use. I wish the buttons were actual tactile buttons as the touch-sensitive buttons don't always provide ample feedback, but I understand the current design makes the scale more waterproof. For example, if you are pulling an espresso shot with preinfusion, you probably don't need flow rate, but you might like the auto-timer feature to start counting elapsed time from the moment of the first drops land in your cup.At this price point, I think the display would benefit from something like you see on the Fellow Stagg EKG Kettle, with a color display rather than a simple LCD screen.Something I don't see mentioned often is that the Bluetooth capability allows you to use profiling apps on your phone to keep a log of the flow rate of your pours. I think this can add another layer of enjoyment when you are dialing in your shots/pours. I didn't realize I'd like this aspect of the scale the most.Pros:- ideal modes for basic weighing, espresso workflow, and pour-overs- Bluetooth capability and app integrations to provide fun ways at looking your brew methods- small, thin, rechargeable and long battery lifeCons:- buttons can be hard to press- lots of modes can make it confusing to navigate- you expect scales to be really simple and intuitive, this one is not, but provides benefit when you learn it- expensive

An excellent scale for espresso

I am quite pleased with the speed, precision, and size of the Lunar - it's honestly much smaller than you can even think of unless you've seen it in person. I bought this to replace a Hario scale which I have used for 4 years, and only replaced because it's rather large for the space under the grouphead on my new espresso machine, and I wanted to be able to time shots. I would say if you really want to be able to do it all, this scale is it; it's incredibly capable but I have been conflicted as to whether I liked it because of how many options and complexities there are. Once I turned off modes I wasn't using and got used to the fact that higher precision = higher potential to be disturbed by high pressure steam or movement and learned to be more cognizant around ... MoreI am quite pleased with the speed, precision, and size of the Lunar - it's honestly much smaller than you can even think of unless you've seen it in person. I bought this to replace a Hario scale which I have used for 4 years, and only replaced because it's rather large for the space under the grouphead on my new espresso machine, and I wanted to be able to time shots. I would say if you really want to be able to do it all, this scale is it; it's incredibly capable but I have been conflicted as to whether I liked it because of how many options and complexities there are. Once I turned off modes I wasn't using and got used to the fact that higher precision = higher potential to be disturbed by high pressure steam or movement and learned to be more cognizant around it, I'm very pleased with it. I would say it's definitely the best espresso scale, but the price point should give pause if you don't truly have a need for all the functionality and customizability - if you're not weighing every dose and then weighing and timing every shot, you might be well served by a simple pourover scale with 0.1g precision and a timer.

GREAT QUALITY AND FEATURE PACKED!

Was debating for a while as I tried a bunch of other scales in a range of prices. Some were too big for my drip tray, didn’t have auto tare and auto timer or were too sensitive and finicky. I decided to just go ahead and get the Lunar 2021 and instantly fell in love with it. The build quality is great. The display is easy to read. It’s quick and responsive. Plus, it has every mode you can need. Before I was measuring my double shots by volume—2 oz. Now I’m learning to pull shots by weight and this scale is a pleasure to use each morning. I highly recommend it, especially if you like buying the best you can afford, treat your things well and plan to have them for a long time!

Nice scale, but the power button is annoying

Size is great for espresso making, but still large enough to balance a full portafilter on. Build quality is great also. Lots of nice programmable modes, but I only use 2 of them. One for dosing and one for brewing. Sometimes the flow rate slows and the timer shuts off which is annoying but that is my prep fault. I'm still playing with modes that work best for my evolving workflow. One thing that I find very annoying is the power button. You have to precisely know where it is since it's difficult to see. It's not a physical button so it shares functionality with other features, like changing modes. You have to hit the virtual button twice to shut it off. Also when cleaning it turns on when wiping rather than staying off. It's annoying enough to me that it lost a star.

Okay. I am giving this

Okay. I am giving this scale 5 stars because, in fairness to the manufacturer, it is everything you would expect in a seemingly ridiculously priced piece of hardware: well built, precise, accurate, feature rich, etc. It completely matches the manufacturer’s specification and claims..However, this device is NOT for someone simply seeking an accurate gram (or ounce) scale. It goes way, way, way beyond that with features mere mortals will probably never use. Ever. This is for the complete, over-the-top coffee roaster/espresso drink designer who needs to control as many variables as possible related to weight and pour time, and create a record or inventory of such things. Includes blue tooth for integrated software updates, USB-C cable, calibration weight, access to a ... MoreOkay. I am giving this scale 5 stars because, in fairness to the manufacturer, it is everything you would expect in a seemingly ridiculously priced piece of hardware: well built, precise, accurate, feature rich, etc. It completely matches the manufacturer’s specification and claims..However, this device is NOT for someone simply seeking an accurate gram (or ounce) scale. It goes way, way, way beyond that with features mere mortals will probably never use. Ever. This is for the complete, over-the-top coffee roaster/espresso drink designer who needs to control as many variables as possible related to weight and pour time, and create a record or inventory of such things. Includes blue tooth for integrated software updates, USB-C cable, calibration weight, access to a variety of applications to track drink history, etc. I am not complaining here: just make sure this is really what you “need.”

This Device Makes Me Angry

The Acaia Lunar performs one function reasonably well, and that's measuring the weight of the coffee you've made. If you're not a scientist, it also does a decent job reporting flow rate, provided you behave in exactly the way it wants you to. The one thing the Acaia Lunar is best at is beeping. Here's a typical experience using the scale.Step 1: turn it on. This is surprisingly simple and fast. It zeroes faster than any other scale in my kitchenStep 2: put a cup on the scale. The scale quickly recognizes the cup and re-zeros with a satisfying BEEP. It then decides it wasn't quite zeroed and re-zeros with another BEEP.Step 3: Pull a shot. 4-5 seconds after staring the shot, when coffee begins hitting the cup and has been flowing for a while, the scale counts the ... MoreThe Acaia Lunar performs one function reasonably well, and that's measuring the weight of the coffee you've made. If you're not a scientist, it also does a decent job reporting flow rate, provided you behave in exactly the way it wants you to. The one thing the Acaia Lunar is best at is beeping. Here's a typical experience using the scale.Step 1: turn it on. This is surprisingly simple and fast. It zeroes faster than any other scale in my kitchenStep 2: put a cup on the scale. The scale quickly recognizes the cup and re-zeros with a satisfying BEEP. It then decides it wasn't quite zeroed and re-zeros with another BEEP.Step 3: Pull a shot. 4-5 seconds after staring the shot, when coffee begins hitting the cup and has been flowing for a while, the scale counts the time of the shot and the weight of the coffee.Step 4: Stop the shot. A few seconds after stopping the shot, the Acaia Lunar's timer stops the timer with a BEEP to let you know it's done. The delay at the beginning of the shot minus the delay at the end of the shot results in a time that is predictably 1-3 seconds shorter than the actual time of the shot.Step 5: Continue steaming milk while leaving the cup under the brewhead. This is where things get dicy. The Acaia Lunar attempts to show flow rate but for some reason it does not. Maybe the surface is too unstable or maybe it can't do it until the cup is removed but it continuously flashes something that starts with "flow." Eventually, having decided the surface is too unstable to show flow rate, it decides the surface is stable enough to re-zero again with another solid BEEP. It will continue to re-zero 2-5 times while I am steaming milk making a BEEP every time.Step 6: Remove the cup from the Acaia Lunar and make some quality latte art. The scale will re-zero and BEEP at least twice.Step 7: Set the Acaia Lunar aside and prep for the next shot. at this point the scale will detect being picked up as the next shot (one BEEP for the beginning and one BEEP for the end) and, when I've set it down, it will happily report a flow rate of 50g in 1 second because that is a reasonable time for a shot of espresso. After flashing the flow rate for a while, it will re-zero and BEEP again at least once but often three times.After repeating the process to make another shot, I will attempt to turn off the scale, which is done by tapping the power button twice. What really happens is I tap the power button until it recognizes I'm tapping the power button and stops showing a false flow rate, then I tap it twice more to turn it off.It took some time to get to this point. The controls for the Acaia Lunar are two buttons. With that, you're able to zero, change the automatic zero and automatic flow detection, access the settings and, theoretically, calibrate the scale. I have yet to calibrate the scale because when I do, instead of offering calibration it BEEPs and displays H2O which is a feature that is not documented by Acaia in the Lunar manual or anywhere else I've been able to find.

Took me three years to finally pull the trigger, I’m happy I did!

I’ll be the first to say you do not need this scale to make great coffee. It can give you a greater level of control over the variables that make your espresso inconsistent though. We all love having that cup that makes you stop and almost celebrate how good it is and the lunar has helped me achieve that more consistently… Before this I had been using a cheaper scale for three years and finally decided to upgrade. After about a month, I have given my old scale to a friend and incorporated the lunar into my workflow. The Lunar hasn’t had a direct impact on the taste of my coffee but the build quality is great and the interface is very intuitive. It is much more precise than my old scale and with a bottomless portafilter I am able to fit all of my cups underneath ... MoreI’ll be the first to say you do not need this scale to make great coffee. It can give you a greater level of control over the variables that make your espresso inconsistent though. We all love having that cup that makes you stop and almost celebrate how good it is and the lunar has helped me achieve that more consistently… Before this I had been using a cheaper scale for three years and finally decided to upgrade. After about a month, I have given my old scale to a friend and incorporated the lunar into my workflow. The Lunar hasn’t had a direct impact on the taste of my coffee but the build quality is great and the interface is very intuitive. It is much more precise than my old scale and with a bottomless portafilter I am able to fit all of my cups underneath without using a shot glass. I’m happy with the purchase even though it is a sky-high price point. To the person dishing out a lot of money on the home setup I’d say this is a “Nice-to-have” but definitely not a “must-have”. If you are looking for a high end new gadget this it the scale for you.I haven’t really utilized Acaia’s apps but the reviews make them sound pretty “half-baked” considering they are paired with a $225 product.

Very serious deficiency if you are not aware of it

I am going to buy one of these in a few minutes, as soon as I write this review, but there is something I read in the manual (the "fine print") that everyone must absolutely be aware of: this scale does not support fast charging. The manual says, "*Please note: Using a ?fast-charging? charging block or charging hub (a charging block/hub delivering over 5v at 1A) could damage your Acaia scale?s circuit board." PAY ATTENTION!! ALL IT TAKES IS ONE TIME TO KILL THIS VERY EXPENSIVE SCALE!! This is extremely important because mere 1A USB chargers are becoming increasingly rare, and the charging rate is usually printed in very tiny letters somewhere on the charger. Some laptops have high speed chargers as well. (I was wondering why the charging time is as long as 2 hours.) ... MoreI am going to buy one of these in a few minutes, as soon as I write this review, but there is something I read in the manual (the "fine print") that everyone must absolutely be aware of: this scale does not support fast charging. The manual says, "*Please note: Using a ?fast-charging? charging block or charging hub (a charging block/hub delivering over 5v at 1A) could damage your Acaia scale?s circuit board." PAY ATTENTION!! ALL IT TAKES IS ONE TIME TO KILL THIS VERY EXPENSIVE SCALE!! This is extremely important because mere 1A USB chargers are becoming increasingly rare, and the charging rate is usually printed in very tiny letters somewhere on the charger. Some laptops have high speed chargers as well. (I was wondering why the charging time is as long as 2 hours.) I feel that at this price point the 1A charger restriction is antiquated. For comparison my ridiculously anachronistic Motorola moto g6 4 yo phone does support fast charging.