This is a great tool to more conveniently measure your SG or Brix %. When using a hydrometer, you need to get a trial jar sample of wort from your kettle when it is near boiling and then wait for the wort to cool before getting a reading. With the refractometer you only need to take a small sample using a spoon or pipette straight from the kettle and only wait a few seconds before dropping a very small sample on to your refractometer.