Shortly after I had purchased and received my first espresso coffee machine, I essentially relied on a measuring tablespoon to add dry ground coffee to my filter basket assuming a level tablespoon to be the equivalent of 7-9 grams of coffee required to brew a single shot of espresso. I then used a 3-ounce shot glass measuring cup to measure/control the amount of hot water to be dispensed during the brewing process to produce 1-2 liquid ounces of espresso to achieve a 1:2 coffee to water ratio I believed to be true. For example, if I wanted to brew a single shot of espresso, I would begin by adding one level tbsp of coffee to my filter basket and program the water volume controls to dispense just enough hot water to give one liquid ounce of espresso. However, I soon realized over time a level tbsp became a heaping tbsp not to mention once the brewing cycle stopped, a residual amount of liquid espresso would drip down from the brewing head adding more liquid espresso to that already present in the cup beneath. Moreover, I had also come to learn my espresso coffee machine's default program settings for the volume water controls used to dispense hot water for brewing a 1-2 cup espresso dispensed twice the amount of hot water required. Needless to say, the 1:2 coffee to water ratio I initially thought I had been using all along for brewing an espresso was essentially not what I had anticipated in which event I decided to purchase a coffee scale based on the fact, weight doesn't lie. This noted, the amount of dry ground coffee added to the portafilter basket would no longer be hit and miss like before using a tbsp given 7-9 grams of coffee displayed on the scale is 7-9 grams unless the scale is out of calibration. Furthermore, using a coffee scale to weigh the amount of liquid espresso displayed in grams allowed me to program or start/stop the machine's water volume controls to produce the exact amount of liquid espresso required. For example, I was now able to brew a single shot of espresso adding 7-9 grams of coffee by weight to my filter basket and dispense enough hot water to produce 14-18 grams of liquid espresso based on a 1:2 coffee to water ratio.

All considered, should those who presently brew their own espresso at home without depending on a coffee scale to add/measure dry ground coffee and liquid espresso consider purchasing a coffee scale. The answer may be Yes/No and depends on how well versed you may be in brewing espresso and how exact you want to be with/without having to rely solely on your palate. If in fact you happen to be well versed in brewing espresso and are blessed with a discriminating palate, the tbsp/shot glass method described above may be sufficient. On the other hand, if you happen to be confident in your proficiency for brewing espresso but prefer a more reliable and definitive method to achieve/determine a specific coffee to water ratio based on exact dry ground coffee and liquid espresso measurements in grams, a coffee scale may be a worthwhile investment.