REF113 Refractometer

The REF113 is a handheld optical refractometer for measuring Brix — the ratio of sugar to product weight in a liquid. It reads from 0 to 32% Brix with a 0.2% minimum scale and +/- 0.2% accuracy, and built-in automatic temperature compensation between 10 and 30C means a reading taken in a warm kitchen is still valid. It is an optical instrument, so there is nothing to plug in.

Why operators choose the REF113

• 0 to 32% Brix scale — covers the range that matters for juices, syrups, soft drinks and slush mixes
• Verifies the sugar band your warranty may depend on — Benchstar granita and slushy machines require a mix between 13% and 18% sugar, and running outside that band voids their warranty — this is the instrument that proves you are inside it
• +/- 0.2% accuracy with 0.2% minimum scale — fine enough to sit confidently inside a five-point band rather than guessing
• Automatic temperature compensation, 10-30C — a reading taken in a hot kitchen still holds, without a correction table
• Brix affects taste and consistency directly — syrup-to-water ratio drives both quality and, in a slush machine, whether the product freezes correctly
• Measures a wide range of liquids — fruit juice, coffee and cocoa drinks, soft drinks, tomato juice, and water-soluble cutting oils and washing solutions
• Unpowered optical instrument — no battery, no cord, nothing to fail — it works anywhere
• Use before priming and after a syrup change — the two moments when an out-of-spec mix is most likely to go unnoticed

Specifications

Venue suitability

The REF113 belongs in any venue running a granita or slushy machine, a post-mix system, a juice bar or a syrup-based beverage line. It is most valuable where sugar content is not just a quality matter but a warranty condition — Benchstar's granita machines require a 13-18% mix, and this is how you confirm it before the machine tells you the hard way.

Compare the full range of coffee and beverage equipment or see more from Benchstar.

Installation & delivery

There is nothing to connect — this item is unpowered, so there is no electrical or plumbing work involved. It is a handheld optical instrument, so there is no installation, no power and no consumables. Follow the supplied instructions for calibration, and take readings before priming a machine and again whenever the syrup is changed — those are the two points where an out-of-spec mix slips through. Dispatched from our Sydney HQ with partner warehouses in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth for faster delivery Australia-wide. Backed by a 12-month return-to-base warranty — the unit is returned for service rather than attended on site. See our warranty information page for full terms.

Frequently asked questions

Q: What is Brix and why does it matter? A: Brix is the ratio of sugar to product weight in a liquid. It results from the syrup-to-water ratio and directly affects taste and quality. In a granita or slushy machine it also determines whether the product freezes to the right consistency.

Q: When should readings be taken? A: Before priming a machine, and again whenever syrups have been changed. Those are the two moments when an incorrect mix is most likely to go unnoticed.

Q: Does it need batteries or power? A: No. It is an optical refractometer with no electrical parts at all.

Q: How accurate is it? A: Accuracy is +/- 0.2% with a minimum scale of 0.2%, across a 0 to 32% Brix range. Built-in automatic temperature compensation covers 10 to 30C.

Q: What can it measure besides juice? A: Fruit juice, coffee drinks, cocoa drinks, soft drinks and tomato juice, plus water-soluble cutting oil and water-soluble washing solution.

Q: What warranty applies? A: Twelve months, return to base. The unit is returned for service rather than a technician attending on site — reasonable on a benchtop appliance you can transport, but worth factoring into downtime planning.