Three different shear cell arrangements are considered here in order to discuss and compare the accuracy of their measurements at low and moderate Rayleigh number, that is to say, in reduced gravity environments. To do so, specific numerical procedures have been designed in order to quantitatively estimate the corresponding associated errors as a function of time and at the end of the diffusive process. The present work clearly shows that the interdiffusion-couple configuration is, from the point of view of accuracy, the worst one. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.