Short Description

The ERMA 0–18% Brix Hand Refractometer is a compact, portable optical instrument designed for measuring Brix / total soluble solids (TSS) in liquid samples. It is suitable for fruit juices, beverages, food processing, agriculture, laboratories and routine quality control.

The instrument features Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC), an easy-to-read optical scale and adjustable calibration, making it convenient for quick measurements using only a few drops of sample. ERMA 0–18% Brix versions are listed by Indian suppliers for laboratory and industrial use.

⭐ Key Features

• Measurement Range: 0–18% Brix
• ATC: Automatic Temperature Compensation
• Optical handheld design
• Easy-to-read Brix scale
• Adjustable calibration
• Requires only a few drops of sample
• No battery required
• Portable and lightweight
• Non-slip textured grip
• Durable metal/aluminium-style body
• Suitable for laboratory and field testing
• Quick measurement
• Ideal for fruit juice and food applications

Technical Specifications

An ERMA 0–18% listing reports 0–18 Brix, 0.1 accuracy and approximately 250 g weight, while other Indian listings confirm the 0–18% range and ATC configuration.

Product Description

The ERMA Hand Refractometer 0–18% Brix uses the principle of light refraction to determine the concentration of dissolved solids in a liquid.

A small quantity of sample is placed onto the refractometer prism. Light passing through the sample creates a visible boundary that can be viewed through the eyepiece and read directly against the Brix scale.

The 0–18% Brix range is particularly useful for relatively low-to-medium concentration samples such as fruit juices, beverages, syrups and other food-processing liquids.

What Does 0–18% Brix Mean?

°Brix is a scale commonly used to indicate the concentration of dissolved solids in a liquid.

For a pure sucrose-water solution:

10° Brix ≈ 10 g sucrose per 100 g solution

For fruit juices and other complex samples, the Brix reading is normally interpreted as an indication of total soluble solids (TSS) rather than an exact measurement of sugar alone.

Applications

🍊 Food & Beverage

• Fruit juice testing
• Juice concentration measurement
• Soft drinks
• Syrups
• Sugar solutions
• Jams and preserves
• Beverage quality control
• Food-processing liquids
• Raw-material inspection
• Finished-product QC

🍎 Agriculture & Horticulture

• Fruit maturity testing
• Fruit quality assessment
• Produce quality control
• Harvest-quality evaluation
• Juice/TSS testing
• Agricultural research

ERMA hand refractometers are marketed for agriculture, including determining fruit ripeness for quality control during harvesting.

🧪 Laboratory

• Routine Brix testing
• TSS measurement
• Raw-material QC
• In-process testing
• Finished-product analysis
• Research & development

🏭 Industrial

• Process concentration checks
• Food-production QC
• Selected water-soluble formulations
• Lubricant/process control where a Brix scale is appropriate

Automatic Temperature Compensation – ATC

The ATC function helps compensate for temperature-related changes in the optical measurement.

This is particularly useful when samples are measured under varying ambient conditions. However, ATC does not eliminate the need for proper calibration and appropriate sample handling.

How to Use

Step 1 – Clean

Clean the prism with distilled/deionized water and a soft lint-free cloth.

Step 2 – Apply Sample

Place a few drops of the sample onto the prism.

Step 3 – Close Cover

Close the transparent daylight/sample plate carefully so the liquid spreads evenly.

Step 4 – View

Point the instrument toward a suitable light source and look through the eyepiece.

Step 5 – Focus

Adjust the eyepiece until the Brix scale is sharp and easy to read.

Step 6 – Read

Read the value at the boundary between the light and dark areas.

Step 7 – Clean

Remove the sample and clean the prism immediately after measurement.

Calibration Procedure

For routine measurements:

1. Clean and dry the prism.
2. Apply the appropriate reference liquid.
3. Close the daylight plate.
4. View the optical scale.
5. Check the reference reading.
6. If adjustment is required, use the supplied calibration screw/tool.
7. Clean the prism before measuring the actual sample.

Always follow the calibration procedure supplied with the specific ERMA model.

Advantages

✔ 0–18% Brix Range

Suitable for many low-to-medium concentration samples.

✔ Automatic Temperature Compensation

Helps compensate for temperature effects during measurement.

✔ Quick Optical Measurement

No complicated electronic setup is required.

✔ Small Sample Volume

Only a few drops are required.

✔ Battery-Free Operation

The traditional optical design does not require batteries.

✔ Portable

Convenient for laboratories, production areas and field testing.

✔ Adjustable Calibration

Allows routine calibration and reference checking.

✔ Comfortable Grip

Textured grip helps provide secure handling during measurement.

Typical Package Contents

Depending on the supplier/package version, the set may include:

• 1 × ERMA 0–18% Brix Hand Refractometer
• 1 × Protective carrying/storage case
• 1 × Sample dropper/pipette
• 1 × Calibration screwdriver
• 1 × Cleaning cloth
• 1 × User manual

Package contents should be verified against your actual supplied unit before being listed as guaranteed accessories.

Product Highlights

0–18% BRIX

For low-to-medium concentration liquid samples.

ATC

Automatic Temperature Compensation.

OPTICAL SCALE

Simple direct visual measurement through the eyepiece.

FEW-DROP SAMPLE

Requires only a small quantity of sample.

NO BATTERY

Traditional optical operation.

PORTABLE

Suitable for laboratory, production and field applications.

ADJUSTABLE CALIBRATION

Convenient routine calibration.

Suitable For

Fruit Juice Testing | Beverage Testing | Food Processing | Agriculture | Fruit Maturity Testing | Syrup Testing | Sugar Solutions | Laboratory QC | TSS Testing | Research & Development | Restaurants | Industrial Kitchens