MHW-3BOMBER Cube Mini 3.0 Pro - coffee scale - timer

The main addition is real-time flow rate measurement: you can see live how many grams per second are running into your cup, rather than just the final weight and the time. The 3.0 Pro also has three separate modes (manual, pour-over and espresso), each with its own display and timer behaviour, plus a memory function that remembers your last settings.

What has stayed the same: the compact cube shape that fits under your machine, the accuracy of 0.1 gram, the automatic start with tare, and the USB-C rechargeable battery. If you already own a 2.0 and mostly pull espresso on autopilot, there is no need to upgrade. But if you want to fine-tune your pouring technique or extraction while you are brewing, the flow rate display is what makes the difference.

Flow rate is the speed at which coffee or water passes through, expressed in grams per second. With espresso, that speed tells you straight away whether your grind is too coarse (it runs through too quickly and the shot turns out sour and thin) or too fine (it runs through too slowly and the shot turns bitter). With pour-over, you can see whether your pouring speed stays even.

Because the scale shows this while you are brewing, you can still step in: pour more gently, or adjust your grind for the next shot. Without flow rate you only find out afterwards, from the final weight and the time, that something was off.

In espresso mode you weigh your dose into the portafilter and then your shot into the cup, with the time and flow rate on screen so you can steer towards the ratio you want. Pour-over mode is all about the total water weight and an even pour, with the timer running from the first drop.

Manual mode is there for everything else: weighing out beans, filling a cafetière or simply weighing something in the kitchen. The scale starts automatically and tares itself as soon as you put weight on it, and thanks to the memory function it will still be in the mode you last chose the following morning.

The scale has a built-in rechargeable battery that you charge with a USB-C cable, just like your phone. So there is no need to buy and replace loose batteries.

A handy detail if you make your coffee early in the morning: all the beeps can be switched off with the mute function, so you can go through your coffee ritual in silence.

The Cube Mini 3.0 Pro is designed as a low, compact cube that fits under almost any espresso machine. To be on the safe side, measure the clear space between your drip tray and the spout, and allow for the height of your cup on top of the scale.

That is a sensible check to make beforehand: scales do occasionally get sent back because they turned out not to quite fit under the group head. The scale is made from aluminium with ABS and comes with a heat-resistant silicone mat that protects against heat and stops your cup or portafilter holder from sliding around.