I'll admit to having been over the moon when I learned that a Fellow scale had hit the market. Having already reviewed a number of the manufacturer's products, I had a sneaking suspicion that the Fellow Tally Pro Precision Scale could be the ultimate device for pour-over nerds like me.
I’ll admit to having been over the moon when I learned that a Fellow scale had hit the market. Having already reviewed a number of the manufacturer’s products, I had a sneaking suspicion that the Fellow Tally Pro Precision Scale could be the ultimate device for pour-over nerds like me.
With that in mind, I decided to buy the Fellow scale to test out for you. And having put the thing through its paces I can tell you that it really is very special.
Still, can the Fellow Tally Pro’s features and functionality justify its $185.00 asking price? I’ll do my best to answer that question in this review.
A premium coffee scale
Fellow Tally Pro Precision Scale
You get what you pay for
Gorgeous design
Super-fast response time
Innovative Brew Assist Mode
Accurate to tenth of a gram
High-quality build
Very expensive
Fellow Tally Pro Precision Scale Overview
In case you haven’t been paying attention, Fellow has been taking the coffee world by storm over the past few years. The San Francisco-based manufacturer consistently releases drool-worthy premium coffee gear that never fails to get hearts aflutter. What’s more, products like the new Fellow Aiden coffee maker, or the Fellow Ode Gen Grinder and Clara French press don’t just look great – they also perform to the highest standards.
So, it’s little surprise that the Fellow Tally Pro Precision Scale looks like something you’d want in your kitchen. Featuring a sleek, minimalist silhouette, the Fellow scale offers a masterclass in restrained modern design.
However, this expensive piece of kit also packs in a ton of features – many more than you’d expect to find in an ordinary coffee scale. For instance, the Fellow scale features an innovative smart brew assist mode to help inexperienced brewers achieve pour-over perfection.
That’s all well and good, but will newcomers to the wonderful world of specialty coffee want to spend close to two hundred bucks on a scale? I’m not entirely sure.
Still, if you’ve already entered the Fellow rabbit hole, the prospect of having the Tally Pro sitting next to your Stagg EKG Kettle and Opus Grinder might seem irresistible!
Fellow Scale Features
OK, so we’ve established that the Fellow Tally Pro is a thing of beauty with plenty going on under the hood. What’s more, it costs a pretty penny.
So, let’s continue this Fellow scale review by taking a closer look at what we’re dealing with and what sets it apart from the competition.
Build Quality and Design
As I was unboxing the Fellow scale, I was immediately impressed by the sheer weight of the thing. Clocking in at 1.2 pounds (553 grams), the Tally Pro feels reassuringly solid and well-built.
While there is some plastic involved, the base has a sleek black glass cover, while the matte black tray is made of sturdy aluminum.
Featuring a chunky dial and a couple of easily accessible buttons, the Fellow scale is streamlined and minimalist in all the right ways. And while you might have a hard time fitting the Tally Pro under your home espresso machine portafilter, it’ll be ideal for Chemex and French press.
Having used the Fellow scale extensively, my main complaint would be that the glass cover shows fingerprints like nobody’s business. Also, coffee grounds tend to get stuck in between the base and the weighing tray. Still, it’s easy to remove the tray for cleaning, so no biggie.
User Interface
As I mentioned above, the Fellow scale’s user interface includes a dial and a pair of buttons. Oh, and I should make special mention of the classy OLED display.
The dial turns the scale on or off, and can also be used to tare. Plus, you’ll find yourself turning the dial to switch between measurement units and brew ratios. As for the buttons, one controls the timer function while the smaller button switches between modes.
I have to say the Fellow scale is incredibly intuitive and easy to use. In fact, I barely needed to open the user manual during my testing. Overall, I’d say that’s a big win for the Fellow design team, especially given the fact that this coffee scale has a lot going on.
Modes
The Fellow Tally Pro Precision Scale offers three modes, the first of which is Weight Mode. As you’d expect, this mode allows you to switch between units, which is handy if you’re using the Tally Pro to weigh things other than coffee beans.
I’d say that experienced home baristas will get the most use from Timer Mode. Here, the display features a timer on one side and weight in grams on the other. So, if you already have your pour-over recipe down pat, you’ll easily be able to monitor your brew.
Perhaps the biggest selling point of the Fellow scale is its Brew Assist Mode. With this setting, you’re able to choose your coffee-to-water brew ratio before weighing your coffee. Once that’s done, the scale automatically calculates your target water weight.
I’ll discuss my experiences using Brew Assist Mode a little later. Still, I do have to point out that most folks shelling out for the Tally Pro will already be fairly comfortable making pour-over without a guide. Which makes me wonder whether the Brew Assist Mode will see much use. Then again, I could see it being a valuable tool for baristas in a busy commercial setting.
Accuracy and Capacity
At this point in my Fellow scale review I should probably get down to brass tacks and give you some numbers. After all, you’d expect this expensive luxury scale to deliver in the accuracy department, right?
Well, have no fear – the Tally Pro is incredibly sensitive and accurate. In fact, it’ll start registering weight at 0.1 grams and detects changes of a tenth of a gram. To put it another way, the Fellow scale consistently detected the addition of one single coffee bean during my testing.
In Weight Mode you’re able to switch between grams, pounds, ounces and milliliters, making the Tally Pro nice and versatile. Plus, the maximum capacity is 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds), which is pretty impressive for such a compact scale.
Battery
The Fellow Tally Pro Precision Scale is equipped with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery which will last for around 13 hours of constant use. In other words, you won’t need to charge the Fellow scale more than about once every couple of months.
When the battery starts to get low the scale will let you know via a flashing indicator. Once you start seeing that, simply attach the USB-C side of the included cable to the scale and the USB-A side to a charging block.
Hidden Video Game
While the folks at Fellow take their coffee gear very seriously, it turns out they do have a sense of fun. I’d heard a rumor that the Fellow scale had a hidden video game, but couldn’t find even a hint in the user manual.
So, I jumped on Google and a quick search led me to instructions for accessing the game. It’s called Jumpy, and you can get to it by going to Brew Assist Mode, turning the dial to 1:42 then pressing the timer button.
Oh, and I was excited to learn that Jumpy is actually the final installment in a trilogy of Fellow games. The others are in the Stagg EKG and EKG Pro kettles.
The Fellow Tally Pro Scale in Use
As I mentioned earlier, operating the Fellow Tally Pro Precision Scale is a piece of cake thanks to its intuitive user interface.
During my testing I mainly focused on the Brew Assist Mode seeing as that’s the Fellow scale’s biggest selling point. And I have to say that this mode is actually really cool, seeing as it takes all the pesky math out of your pour-over brewing recipe.
I started by weighing 20 grams of coffee on the scale before selecting my desired brew ratio of 1:16 using the chunky dial. Once that was done, the Fellow scale instantly calculated the optimal amount of water and displayed it in milliliters on the right side of the screen.
Then it was simply a case of grinding my coffee beans, adding them to my Fellow Stagg XF dripper and setting the carafe and dripper on the scale. Once I was ready to start brewing, I pressed the timer button and began pouring.
The screen displays the time on the left, the actual weight in the middle and the target weight on the right. And once I’d hit the target weight the actual weight turns from black to white.
There can be little doubt that the Fellow brew assist feature is really cool. Personally, I enjoyed being guided through the brewing process without having to think too much.
Still, seeing as this mode is obviously targeted toward newbies, I would have expected more emphasis on pouring technique. For example, a flow rate indicator would definitely help novices improve their pour-over game.
Fellow Scale vs Acaia Pearl
The Acaia Pearl has long been the scale of choice for professional baristas. To be honest, it’s easy to see why.
The Acaia Pearl can boast all the same features as the Fellow Tally Pro scale, including accuracy to the tenth of a gram and a super fat response time. Moreover, the Pearl’s rechargeable battery will last for around 40 hours of use.
What sets the Acaia Pearl apart is its Bluetooth connectivity and real-time flow rate indicator. Plus, it has a wider range of scale modes. Essentially, the Pearl is quite a bit more sophisticated than the Fellow scale.
Finally, the Acaia Pearl is more compact and streamlined, making it a more effective option for using while you’re pulling shots of espresso.
Verdict: Fellow Tally Pro Precision Scale
A premium coffee scale
Fellow Tally Pro Precision Scale
You get what you pay for
Gorgeous design
Super-fast response time
Innovative Brew Assist Mode
Accurate to tenth of a gram
High-quality build
Very expensive
Having reached the end of my Fellow scale review, I can’t help but wonder who this thing is for. I mean, the Tally Pro’s asking price is pretty eye-watering, even for a fully fledged coffee nerd.
Listen, I was pretty blown away by the Fellow scale’s design and performance during my review. Still, when you consider that there are plenty of much more affordable options out there, is the Brew Assist Mode really worth it?
I guess it all comes down to how much you’re willing to spend on a coffee scale. Plus, I’m sure that even the most experienced pour-over aficionados would appreciate the option of taking all the calculations out of the brewing equation.
Either way, the Fellow Tally Pro is an impressive scale that’s certainly worth considering.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my Fellow scale review. What’s your experience with this beautiful coffee scale? Tell me all about it in the comments section!
