Precise measurements in the kitchen are crucial! If you are going to use a kitchen scale, make sure it is an accurate one.
Why is it important to have an accurate kitchen scale? It’s a commonly asked question and we are here to help you answer it. Kitchen scales are an important addition to your baking collection and can be used for a number of different purposes including:
- Cooking
- Baking
- Weight loss and Food intake tracking
While any scales will assist you in the tasks mentioned, if you want truly remarkable results, you may want to invest in a good quality scale with higher accuracy.
When discussing accuracy in scales, we are referring to measurement increments and also the scale’s reliability. Increments refer to how small of a difference the scale can measure. For example, a scale with an increment of 2 grams will only be able to tell you if what you are measuring weights 2g, 4g, 6g…10g etc. If it falls between those measurements, say 3g, it will round to the closest 2g increment.
Reliability refers to how consistent the scale is. As an example, if you weigh a cup of almonds and it reads 251g, then you remove the cup and re-weigh the same item and it reads 249g, this means the scale is unreliable. A reliable scale will weigh the same item and gain the same result each time it is placed on the scale.
Kitchen Scale Features to Consider
When looking at the scales available for purchase, there are a few features you should consider when making your final decision.
Tare function
A tare function allows you to place an empty bowl onto your scale and recalibrate it to show a weight of 0. This is useful when weighing items like flour or liquids. You place your bowl on the scale, set the tare weight and you can then measure the contents of the bowl. This will eliminate the need to subtract the weight of the bowl from the total making your cooking preparations much quicker and simpler.
What is Your Scale Made From
What your scale is made from will affect how easy it is to clean and how durable it is. A scale made from plastic is much cheaper than its stainless steel options but is more prone to breakage. Stainless steel scales are much easier to clean after each use. However, a scale made from stainless steel will also be heavier than its plastic counterpart, so if you are going to be moving your scales around a lot, a plastic scale is worth considering.
Capacity
This refers to the maximum weight the scale can measure. For kitchen scales it is common to have a maximum weight of 5kg/11lb. However, the weight range in kitchen scales is very large and you will be able to find one that suits your specific needs.
Platform Size
The size of the platform on your scale is important to consider. If you are going to be using large bowls frequently, a small scale may be difficult to read because the bowl will be covering the screen (We have found a scale with a great workaround for this and have listed it in our recommendations below). If you are going to be measuring only small items, then a large scale may be unnecessary and will take up a large amount of space.
Recommended Precise Kitchen Scales
We have scoured the internet to find out top 4 product recommendations that we hope you will love!
GreaterGoods Digital Food Kitchen Scale
Great for people who would like to support a charity with their purchases.
PROS:
- Includes a tare feature
- Simple to use
- Each time a Greater Goods product is sold, they fund meals for children at the Global Orphan Project.
- Offers both metric and imperial measurements
- Will suit any style kitchen with its large range of available colors
- 1g increment
- Includes 2 years warranty
- Customer reviews praise this scales accuracy and ease of use!
- Available in plastic or stainless steel
- Available through Amazon Prime
CONS:
- Max 5kg/11lb capacity
- 5g minimum weight
- Uses button cell batteries instead of AAA. Some escales are USB rechargeable
- Customer reviews show a very short battery life. You will need to have spares on hand!
Click here to read this product’s relevant reviews.
OXO Good Grips
These are the scales we mentioned above that have a handy function allowing you to see the display despite using a big bowl.
PROS:
- Pull out display – This means that when your bowl covers your screen, you can simply pull your display further from the scale so that you can still easily read your measurements.
- Includes a tare feature
- Made from stainless steel
- Looks great due to its smudge and fingerprint resistant design
- Digital screen with easy to read numbers
- Measures in both metric and imperial units
- Removable scale platform for very easy cleaning
- 1g increments
- Uses AAA batteries for convenient battery replacement
- Customer reviews like that this scale uses actual buttons rather than touchscreen
- Customer reviews indicate good customer service and an easy process for warranty claims
CONS:
- Most expensive scale on this list
- Max weight of 5kg/11lb
- Requires 4 batteries to operate
- Not available on Amazon Prime
Click here to find out more of this product’s details
MegaWise Precision Food Scale
These scales are great if you cook large quantities of food and need a high weight capacity.
PROS:
- Includes a tare feature
- Very high weight limit of 15kg/33lb. This is very useful for large families, bakers and meal preppers
- Offers 24/7 Live Chat Support if you have any issues with your scale
- Free replacement guarantee
- Money back guarantee if you don’t like the product
- Offers 1g increments
- Offers metric and imperial measurements
- Can be run on both USB or 2 x AAA batteries
- Saves power with 120 second auto turn off
- Water resistant
- Very easy storage with the ability to be hung on a hook
- Customer reviews indicate people are happy with the look, feel and accuracy of this scale
- Customer reviews indicate people love the high weight capacity of this scale
CONS:
- This scale is heavier than others weighing 800g/1.8lb
- The scales are small in size. This can be an issue if you are frequently using large bowls.
Click here to find price and shipping options for this product
My Weigh KD-8000 Kitchen and Craft Digital Scale & AC Adapter
PROS:
These scales are perfect for advanced home baking!
- Includes the tare feature
- Includes the bakers percentage. This means it will automatically scale recipes up or down by adjusting your baking ratios on your behalf. This feature is perfect for meal prepping, cooking for large families, or even those who simply want to cook multiple batches as once
- Allows easy cleaning with removable LCD screen covers.
- Can use batteries or AC power
- Max weight capacity of 8kg/17.6lb – A great in-between range if you need more than 5kg/11lb but less than 15kg/33lb.
- Customer reviews indicate people love that it is accurate, easy to clean, and reliable.
- Customer reviews indicate people love the bakers percentage feature
CONS:
- Large size 11.7 x 10.2 x 7.4 inches – Not ideal if you will need to move this scale around while you bake.
- Plastic construction
- Not included in Amazon Prime
Click here to read this product’s relevant reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to spend a lot of money to get a precise kitchen scale?
No, you can get fairly accurate kitchen scales for a relatively low price if you know where to look. However, if you are looking for a highly accurate and reliable scale, they will be much easier to find in a higher price range.
Why is a precise kitchen scale important?
The accuracy of your scale is important as it will allow you to bake to perfection. It will also assist you with weight loss by allowing you to know exactly what you are eating. If your scale is not accurate, recipes won’t taste as good and you may have less success on your weight loss journey.
Conclusion
An accurate set of kitchen scales is an essential item for your kitchen. Scales are used in many different scenarios and almost everyone will be able to find a use for them. Scales come with many features and thanks to their large price range, you are likely to find a scale that fits both your needs and your budget.