Grind by Weight vs. Grind by Time: Is a Built-In Scale Worth It?

October 29, 2026 – Kristin Faison

Every recipe in coffee starts with a dose: a specific weight of ground coffee. Get the dose wrong and nothing else lines up. Grinders handle dosing in one of three ways: you do it yourself, the grinder runs for a set time, or the grinder weighs as it grinds and stops at your target. The last two cost more, and the gap between them is often $70 to $200. Here's what you get for it.

Option 1: manual dosing

You weigh beans on a scale, grind them all, and you're done. This is how every hand grinder works, and it's how plenty of people use electric grinders too. It's accurate and costs nothing extra if you already own a scale. The only cost is a few seconds per dose.

Option 2: grind by time

A timer grinder runs for a set number of seconds. You figure out that, say, 9.5 seconds gives you 18 grams, save it as a preset, and press one button each morning. The Sette 270 and Vario+ each have three programmable time presets. The Virtuoso+ has a simpler timer for filter brewing.

Why timed doses drift

Time is a stand-in for weight, and it's not a perfect one. The same 9.5 seconds will give you slightly different amounts depending on:

  • Bean age. As beans lose moisture and gas over a couple of weeks, they grind and flow differently.
  • Roast level. Dark roasts are less dense than light roasts, so the same time produces a different weight.
  • Grind setting. Grinding finer for espresso slows the output. Adjust your grind and your timed dose changes too.
  • Hopper level. A full hopper presses beans into the burrs a little faster than a nearly empty one.

In practice, a timer grinder gets you within a few tenths of a gram most of the time. For drip and pour-over, that's close enough. For espresso, where half a gram changes the shot, many people still check the weight on a scale and adjust.

Option 3: grind by weight

A grind-by-weight grinder has a scale built into the base. You set a target, say 18.0 grams, and it grinds until it gets there. Bean age, roast level, and grind setting stop mattering for the dose because the grinder measures the result instead of guessing.

We carry three:

  • Baratza Sette 270Wi ($599.95): espresso-focused, low retention, 0.1g precision, and a holder that fits portafilters from 49mm to 58mm.
  • Baratza Vario W+ ($599.95): 54mm flat steel burrs from Baratza's commercial Forte line, built-in scale, and a grind range that covers espresso through French press.
  • Baratza Forte BG ($899.95): commercial-grade, steel flat burrs tuned for filter brewing, weight-based dosing for heavy daily use.

The Forte AP ($849.95) does both: grind by time or by weight, your choice.

Side by side

Grind by time Grind by weight
Accuracy Usually within a few tenths of a gram, drifts as beans age Within 0.1g, regardless of beans
Workflow One button, check weight occasionally One button, no checking
When you change beans Re-time your presets Nothing to change
Price in our lineup $249.95 to $529.95 $599.95 to $899.95

Who should pay for weight-based dosing

It's worth it if:

  • You make espresso daily and already weigh every dose by hand. A grind-by-weight grinder removes that step permanently.
  • You switch coffees often and are tired of re-timing presets every time.
  • You make drinks for other people in your house who won't fuss with a scale. They press one button and get the right dose.

Save the money if:

  • You mostly brew drip or pour-over. A timer is close enough, and a separate scale like the Hario V60 Drip Scale ($59) covers the rest.
  • You already own a good scale and don't mind using it. Weighing beans takes ten seconds.
  • Your budget is better spent on a better grinder overall. A Sette 270 plus an OXO scale costs less than a 270Wi and gets you most of the way there.

Our take

Grind by weight is a genuine convenience, not a gimmick. It doesn't make the grind itself better, though. A Sette 270 and a Sette 270Wi grind exactly the same way. You're paying for a scale and the software that runs it. If that saves you a step every single morning, it's money well spent. If you'd rarely notice, put the difference toward beans.

Still choosing a grinder? Our Baratza grinder comparison covers the whole lineup, and how to dial in espresso explains why the dose matters so much.

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