Best hydrometer for homebrewing beer and wine: Amazon picks

Triple Scale Hydrometer uses a sealed glass float containing a paper scale printed with three measurement columns. The hydrometer is placed in a sample of wort or beer in the test jar, and the reading is taken at the meniscus level (where the liquid surface meets the hydrometer scale). The included test jar holds approximately 200ml. Temperature correction: the hydrometer is calibrated at 60F; readings at other temperatures require a correction factor (add approximately 0.001 to specific gravity for every 10F above 60F).

Triple scale hydrometers are a generic homebrewing supply item produced by multiple manufacturers and sold under homebrew brand names.

At $8, the triple scale hydrometer is the most affordable gravity measurement tool in this guide.

Hanna HI96811 uses an LED light source and photodetector to measure the refractive index of the wort sample. The built-in ATC circuit automatically adjusts the reading for sample temperature between 50F and 86F. The digital display shows Brix to one decimal place. Calibration uses distilled water (should read 0.0 Brix). The unit runs on 3 AAA batteries.

Hanna Instruments is a Rhode Island analytical instrument manufacturer established in 1978. They produce refractometers, pH meters and conductivity meters for laboratory and food production use.

At $90, Hanna HI96811 is the best value digital ATC refractometer in this guide.

Brix Optical Refractometer uses a glass prism and an internal scale viewed through an eyepiece. Place 1 to 2 drops of wort on the prism plate, close the cover plate and hold up to light. The ATC bimetallic strip automatically adjusts the scale for temperatures between 50F and 86F. Calibrate with distilled water before each session by adjusting the calibration screw until the scale reads 0.0. The refractometer requires no batteries and no power source.

Optical Brix refractometers are a generic instrument produced by multiple manufacturers and sold under multiple brand names for homebrew supply and agricultural use.

At $20, the optical ATC refractometer is the best value no-battery gravity measurement tool in this guide.

Anton Paar EasyDens uses an oscillating U-tube sensor: a U-shaped glass tube is excited to oscillate at a natural frequency, and the oscillation frequency changes with the density of the liquid inside the tube. The meter calculates density from the oscillation frequency and compensates for sample temperature automatically. The 2ml sample size minimizes beer waste. The readout displays specific gravity, Plato (degrees) or density in g/cm3.

Anton Paar is an Austrian analytical instrument manufacturer established in 1922, producing precision density meters, refractometers and viscometers for laboratory and industrial use.

At $200, Anton Paar EasyDens is the best value laboratory-grade digital density meter in this guide.