What is the S1 Mini?
The smallest coffee scale on this site, and that is deliberate rather than a compromise.
Maestri House publishes 3.74 by 3.93 by 0.75 inches and 0.65 pounds, 0.1g accuracy across a published 0.5 to 2000g range, two timing modes, three units in grams, ounces and millilitres, an ABS body, rechargeable power and auto shut-off. The maker states it works on most espresso machines and small pour-over stands.
Smaller than the S2, and the reason is the drip tray
Espresso drip trays are the tightest space in coffee and machines vary a lot.
The S2 is 105mm square and 20mm thick, already built for a drip tray. The S1 Mini is 95mm and 19mm, and on some machines that difference is what lets a cup fit underneath.
Machines with low group heads, or trays with raised edges, will not take a larger scale at all. If you have measured your gap and it is tight, this is the one that fits when the others do not.
It is also the one that travels. At 295g it goes in a bag with a hand grinder and an AeroPress Go without being noticed.
ABS rather than glass, and what that costs
The S2 has a borosilicate glass top and this has plastic.
Glass takes heat from a hot portafilter without complaint, does not stain from coffee oils, and wipes clean. ABS is lighter and will not shatter, which is why it is here on the smaller, more portable scale.
ABS also picks up static more readily than glass or metal, and it discolours over years with coffee oils. On a scale sitting under a group head getting steam and drips, that is the real trade rather than any question of accuracy.
The published range starts at 0.5g again
Maestri House states a working range rather than implying accuracy to zero, on both its scales.
0.5g to 2000g is the honest bound of the load cell. Below half a gram it is not claiming anything.
For coffee that is irrelevant, since the smallest thing you weigh is a few grams. It is worth crediting because most listings simply say 0.1g precision and leave the reader to assume that holds all the way down.
S1 Mini vs S2
Same maker, same job, and it comes down to millimetres and materials.
The S2 is slightly larger with a borosilicate glass top and more reviews behind it. It is the better object if it fits.
The S1 Mini is smaller, lighter and plastic. Measure the gap under your group head first: if the S2 fits, take it. If it does not, this is the answer and it carries 1,194 reviews of its own.
Is the S1 Mini worth it?
Worth it if space is the constraint. Otherwise take the larger one.
It is well reviewed, properly specified on size and range, and it fits where nothing else does. At $37.96 it is mid-priced rather than cheap, and the size is what you are paying for.
Maestri House publishes no response time, no water resistance rating, no warranty term, no flow rate function and no battery capacity. Response time matters most on an espresso scale, where a shot is 25 seconds, and no scale on this site publishes one except the BOOKOO.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
Buy it for a tight drip tray or a travel bag.
It suits an espresso machine with little clearance, a rucksack, and anybody weighing shots in and out.
Do not buy it for filter brewing into a large vessel, where a 95mm platform is too small. And do not buy it for flow rate or a ratio calculator, which the S3 has and this does not.
Frequently Asked Questions
How small is the S1 Mini?
3.74 by 3.93 inches and 0.75 inches thick, weighing 295g. It is the smallest scale on this site.
How is it different from the S2?
Slightly smaller, lighter, and an ABS top instead of borosilicate glass. The S2 is the better object where it fits.
What is the working range?
0.5g to 2000g at 0.1g, and the maker publishes that lower bound rather than implying accuracy below it.
Will it fit my espresso machine?
Measure the gap under your group head. This fits where larger scales do not, but no scale fits every machine.
Is it rechargeable?
Yes.
