All professional coffee shops and roasteries need the highest quality machines, components and coffee beans to get the best flavour. The sort of beans, a coffee machine and a decent grinder are naturally important and play the biggest part in the process of brewing a cup of coffee. But have you ever thought about coffee moisture meters? If you have never heard of such a device, and you want to find out what this actually is and how it works, this article is for you.
What is a moisture meter for coffee?
A coffee moisture meter is a portable device that is used to determine the moisture level not only in coffee beans but also cocoa beans and others. The measurement is usually taken after the harvest, during the drying process. A moisture meter can be also used during the roasting process and storage of ground coffee (or cocoa). The approximate moisture of green beans oscillates between 45% and 55%, however, the International Coffee Organization indicates that the maximum moisture content of coffee beans before roasting should be between 8% and 12%. By the use of a moisture meter for coffee, you can control the drying process and estimate its time. Roastery owners know how important these statistics are because they allow them to create the richest, full-bodied flavours of coffee.
How does a coffee moisture meter work?
Depending on the type of coffee moisture meter you have, the way it works varies. The more intuitive ones can be easier to use and more effective. All you need to do is to place the beans or seeds in a compartment and close the lid tightly. Then you need to press the “test” button and the device will measure the degree of moisture of your beans. Sometimes you can also get the temperature with the actual date and time of measurement. Modern technology lets you transfer the data to your personal computer, so you can compare the current sample with the previous one.
You can get simple coffee moisture meters that are cheaper but still work to the same effect to some extent. For these, the measurement process takes place with the use of a pair of pincers, probes, or antennas. When working with this method, you should do several tests, usually three or four, in order to achieve the average moisture of the sample. Simple coffee moisture meters are suitable for coffee or cocoa beans – if you want to measure other types of substances, you should use an advanced meter.
How much do coffee moisture meters cost?
The price is strongly connected to the type of device you would like to purchase. If you have decided that you do not need all of the functions offered by the most professional devices on the market, then the prices will be cheaper. A coffee moisture meter usually totals from around £40 to £400, which mostly depends on the brand and options the device offers.
If you are considering the purchase of an advanced moisture coffee meter, expect to be paying at the higher end of the market price, this could be around £400 to over £1500 for even more advanced ones. For experienced baristas and coffee roasters, an advanced moisture meter for coffee is a “must-have”, otherwise, the quality of the brewed coffee will be lower.
Where can you buy a coffee moisture meter?
Every component and machine in your coffee shop should come from authorized dealers. You can avoid unnecessary defects and disappointments that way. Make sure you do your research and purchase from a recognised dealer such as CM sales or other companies. Most suppliers like CM Sales will not only have many types of simple and advanced coffee moisture meters but also other supplies that you can use in your coffee shop or roastery.
