Shot timer

A stopwatch dedicated to timing espresso extraction — sometimes a standalone unit, sometimes integrated into a smart scale, increasingly built into the machine itself.

Why it matters — Shot time tells you whether your grind is in the right range. A timer is one of the cheapest tools that immediately improves shot consistency, because you can see whether today's pull matches yesterday's.

Good to know

• Most modern espresso scales (Acaia, Felicita, Timemore) have a built-in timer that auto-starts when flow begins.
• Standardise where you start the timer — when the pump starts, not when the first drop falls — so your numbers stay comparable.

Related: Coffee Scales