5.0 out of 5 stars Fast, convenient, and tiny.

E. · June 27, 2025

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } This is a pretty cool little digital refractometer. I'm a homebrewer and technically, I didn't need this. I already have the standard floating glass hydrometer, along with all the accoutrements. And, I have an analog handheld refractometer. Each has their ideal usage scenario, though lately I've largely been solidly in camp refractometer.I like this even more than my handheld analog refractometer. It is so small and light, it's easy to toss it on a lanyard and wear it around your neck, so you always have it within reach. It takes an even smaller sample size than the regular refractometer and you get a reading in under a second. Using my old analog handheld unit, I'd have to fiddle a bit with the focus, find a good light source to point it at (a challenge when brewing in the basement) and take a reading that was often a bit of an estimation, since haze in the sample tends to make the line fuzzy. Here, I just put a drop on and press the buttom. Boom, it's done in less time than it took to type the first word. Way easier to read the result than it is with the mechanical one. Measures in Brix in big numbers, with temp in celcius below that, and for what it's worth, refractive index is displayed in small numbers at the bottom. Along the top, the charge and connectivity status is displayed.Calibration is just as easy as reading a sample. There is but a single button to press and a second long press of the button sends you into calibration mode. Take a few seconds to calibrate against distilled or tap water and off you go.I do still need to run it through the calculations for the wort correction factor. But, that's not much of a chore and it's something one needs to do for all refractometers.One interesting and nice feature is that there is a companion app and the device connects via Bluetooth LE. It's obviously very much geared towards coffee brewing. It's a beta release and it's unclear how much utility I'll get out of it. You can select pour-over or expresso, beans, grind, record profiles, and quite a bit more. With the app being very coffee-focused, I'm not certain how much I'll actually use it for homebrewing, but it's a nice addition and should give me a record of measurements. That is, if I can figure out how to use it. To me, it's not at all intuitive and I don't see any obvious way to send data to the app. But, it let's you know the battery %, which is helpful, as the display on the device itself is just your basic for bar battery graphic.Price-wise, it's certainly not the cheapest digital unit available, but I think it's priced appropriately. Less expensive ones seem to have a lower precision than this unit (0.2% vs. 0.1%). And, that tiny form factor has really grown on me. It may be one of the smallest and lightest units out there. I don't think you can find that combination of features for less.If I had to wish for anything, I guess I'd wish that the companion app was as useful for other uses as it seems to be for coffee and that there were better instructions for the app. I'm sure it should be sending data, but as yet I can not figure it out. And, I do wish that it read out in specific gravity as well as brix. But, the conversions are easy to run, so it's not a big deal to me.All in all, I'm pretty happy with the device. I just have to figure out how to make good use of the companion app for my purposes and I'll be a very happy camper indeed.

5.0 out of 5 stars Handy, fast, app is nice, checks all the boxes

A. · June 19, 2025

It's not super clear from the listing but this is the DiFluid Air refractometer, which means it has bluetooth support for an accompanying mobile app and is set to display values in Brix. I'm using this for coffee and would prefer TDS, but that's a separate model and the app will do the conversion for me so no big deal there. Device is dead simple to use, there's a process to calibrate with distilled/RO water, then you just drop in some of your sample, press the button, and a few seconds later you have your reading and it'll also show in the app (if enabled). I don't have any way to gauge accuracy here but a well-prepared espresso shot came in at 9.95% TDS which is right in the range I'd expect.Really happy with this thing, when I first got into coffee a comparable device cost $800. This is an incredible value if you're hoping to take your brews to the next level.

5.0 out of 5 stars So Easy to Use

C.R. · June 26, 2025

This digital Brix meter is a fantastic little tool. Not only is it much easier to use than a standard optical refractometer, it’s also simpler to clean, which makes it way more convenient for quick checks. It came with a couple of disposable pipettes, but in practice, I find it’s easier to just squeeze a few drops of juice directly from the fruit onto the sensor.I tested it with a cotton candy grape and got a precise reading of 18.32 Brix... far more precise than anything I could’ve eyeballed with an optical meter. I'm super impressed by the accuracy and ease of use. Highly recommended for anyone who wants reliable sugar content readings with minimal fuss.

5.0 out of 5 stars Tiny and easy to use

E. · June 28, 2025

DiFluid Brix Refractometer is tiny. Fill with sample, press the button, and read. So easy to use. I use brix refractometers to prepare drinks but majority to gauge sweetness. This refractometer even measures temperature. The price is very competitive.