Best Kitchen Scales

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JustJoel

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As I delve deeper into baking after acquiring my awesome bread machine, it’s becoming increasingly clear that I need (knead?) a kitchen scale. And accuracy and sensitivity (the ability of the scale to weigh small amounts accurately) seem to be the most important attributes to look for.

Unfortunately, my most trusted sources (i.e Consumer Reports) don’t have much to say about kitchen scales, and I trust you all more than reviewers on Amazon. So please help me! Any recommendations are welcome and appreciated.

I also need remedial math lessons to bake by weight instead of volume ?
 
We use the scale from our arboreal boid breeding days. It was around $100.00 back in the early 2000's.
 
We use the scale from our arboreal boid breeding days. It was around $100.00 back in the early 2000's.
Heh heh, accuracy and sensitivity aren’t the only factors, price is a concern too! I’m hoping that all three contingencies can be fulfilled. I also believe in unicorns.
 
And accuracy and sensitivity (the ability of the scale to weigh small amounts accurately) seem to be the most important attributes to look for.
Not sure what you mean by small amounts, but if you're talking about teaspoons, etc., you are further ahead with volumetric measurements.
 
As I delve deeper into baking after acquiring my awesome bread machine, it’s becoming increasingly clear that I need (knead?) a kitchen scale. And accuracy and sensitivity (the ability of the scale to weigh small amounts accurately) seem to be the most important attributes to look for.

Unfortunately, my most trusted sources (i.e Consumer Reports) don’t have much to say about kitchen scales, and I trust you all more than reviewers on Amazon. So please help me! Any recommendations are welcome and appreciated.

I also need remedial math lessons to bake by weight instead of volume ?

I have a Sharper Image. It's been a good product with two problems.

If I buy another I will consider a higher capacity. 11 pounds is adequate for baking, but mine gets used for more than baking.

Large items on scale hide the display. Again not really a problem for baking only. But weighing packages is a problem.

About $35 and a BBB coupon staple.
 
I have a Sharper Image. It's been a good product with two problems.

If I buy another I will consider a higher capacity. 11 pounds is adequate for baking, but mine gets used for more than baking.

Large items on scale hide the display. Again not really a problem for baking only. But weighing packages is a problem.

About $35 and a BBB coupon staple.

The Oxo scale has a pull-out display. I'm not sure if it comes there's a version that exceeds 11 pounds, though.
 
Whatever you get, make sure it has a removable weighing platform for ease of cleanup.

I have a Salter 11 pound scale with removable stainless steel tray/platform. I've been using it for at least 10 years and it works like a charm. I use it mostly for bread baking, but it does get used other times too. It weighs in 1/8 ounce or 1 gram increments, has a zero button for zeroing the weight of the bowl or container, and it has been plenty accurate for my baking. It does not have a movable readout, but that really hasn't been a need for me - just makes it easier to break something.

Advise reading some of the 3 star reviews on Amazon before buying the Oxo. I usually like their products (I have and use several), but readout failures seem to be more common on this scale than I would expect. No telling if they fail because of user error (like getting them wet), but it does seem to be an issue. The problem with small weights that many mention would be an easy workaround just be putting a small bowl or prep dish on the scale, then measure the small quantity into that.
 
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My Oxo has a removable platform for cleaning but I never use it. I just put a mixing bowl or plate on the platform and zero it out before weighing. It's a container I'm using in the recipe anyway and it's more convenient.
 
Just ordered the Oxo 11 pound scale from Amazon.
I'm sure glad this was brought up. I have been thinking about it for some time now.

What really got me thinking about a scale had nothing to with baking.
I am sick and tired of trying to guess on dividing the big pack of ground beef from Costco.
I always ended up with some bigger or smaller.

Pasta as well. We could never eat a whole pound so I try to guess on half a box. I'm not a good guesser!......lol

Thanks OP.
 
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My Oxo has a removable platform for cleaning but I never use it. I just put a mixing bowl or plate on the platform and zero it out before weighing. It's a container I'm using in the recipe anyway and it's more convenient.

So do I with the Salter, but that doesn't account for stuff occasionally missing the bowl. ;)
 
I have a super duper cheap model that has grams and partitions of ounces up to 5 lbs, from Walmart (most likely), with a removable rectangular tray. I've had it for about 5 years and it works great. I change the batteries every few years.
 
My Oxo has a removable platform for cleaning but I never use it. I just put a mixing bowl or plate on the platform and zero it out before weighing. It's a container I'm using in the recipe anyway and it's more convenient.

+1. No need to actually dirty the scale.
 
So glad to see you are interested in getting a kitchen scale. I couldn't live without mine. I had a Salter one for eons and, when it died, I went into crisis mode. That's how much it was used. Not just for cooking but for other tasks.

I currently have a Salter that replaced the one that bit the dust. I stayed with Salter because I had no problem with the previous one. I just used it to death. I bought it from Amazon and paid about $25 for it. Take a look here to see it.

It's accurate an soooo easy to keep clean.

Just my two cents.

I love the fact that using a scale significantly reduces clean-up and errors.
 
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