Do you use a scale for any kind of cooking/baking?

[subfuscpersona]

do you use a scale for any kind of cooking/baking?

Inquiring minds, accompanied by the idly curious, want to know.

If no, at least say "no". Tell us why you don't use one if you want to.

If yes at least say "yes" ...however, would be nice to know

> what kind of scale (digital or "mechanical") (Make/model would also be nice to know)

> the reason you got it

> how well it works for the purpose(s) you got it for

 

[choclatechef]

I own a scale, but I don't use it.

It is a wonderful antique cast iron and brass lever scale. It works perfectly, but I don't cook by weight. It is decorative, and it is nice to know that if I ever run across a recipe, where I have to measure by weight, it is there.

 

[marmalady]

I have a little Salton, I think, digital, that I paid maybe $15 for. Mostly I use it to weigh chocolate, and love it for that!

PS - Tried to weigh the kitten when we got him, but the kitty wouldn't cooperate!

 

[Psiguyy]

I use my digital scale for baking.

I've converted recipes that I make all the time to weight measures. When you bake with a scale, the measuring out of ingredients goes two times faster and it's more consistant. No need to sift the flour to properly measure. Just dump the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl using the scale and mix it up to "sift."

When making pie crusts, I place the bowl on the scale, and hit tare. I scoop in the flour until it comes up to the right weight. Then add in the salt. Then add the fat by scooping it in. No need to mess up a measuring cup.

 

[Audeo]

I have a rather new Salton Aquatronics glass doohickey that I am now using for baking, and with great results in improvements. Psiguyy very well described why and how. This is changing dramatically the manner in which I bake bread, especially, and certainly pasta. Recommend one highly.

 

[honeybee]

do you use a scale for any cooking/baking?

Yes, I use a scale from Weight Watchers. It uses two small batteries on its underside. The digital scale can read in either ounces or grams. It comes with a clear plastic bowl but a plate will do, too. Just remember to tare the scale before using. I use it most often for measuring ground beef or chicken I put into bags for the freezer that come from the store in a package of several pounds from the store. I recommend this scale.

 

[scott123]

I love my digital scale. I was using it once a day, but now I find it an essential tool for almost every meal.

 

[jasonr]

No one who is remotely serious about baking can do so without a scale. In terms of accuracy, efficiency, and ease of use, measuring by mass is superior in every way to measuring by volume.

 

[Raine]

Yes, we use a scale. Have a digital one when needing to measures grams/weight for bottling/packing purposes. Then have a food scale we use to weigh out BBQ.

 

[SierraCook]

Yes, I have a mechanical scale that my mom gave me. I mostly use it for weighing meats, etc. It is really old and I have to adjust it everytime I use it. But I would not trade it for anything.

 

[Andy M.]

I use a Salter digital scale.

In addition to weighing ingredients for recipes that give weight measure, I use it for portion control (weight management is a constant problem) and to portion a large batch of food into meal sizes.

 

[quidscribis]

Yep. I have a little dinky plastic mechanical scale - just about the only kind available here. Most of the recipes I've encountered out here are by the weight, not volume, so it's essential. I also find it's much more accurate than measuring by volume.

 

[choclatechef]

It looks like I am definitely in the minority on this one.

I guess I will content myself with the fact that people have been baking excellent goods for many years without weighing.

I guess it does save time, but I am retired, and time saving is not such a big deal to me that I must needs learn a new method at my age; and lord knows I will never learn the metric system!

 

[Michael in FtW]

I use a scale mostly when I make jam/preserves/marmalades.

The scale I got is mechanical, made by Soehnle, weighs up to 15-lbs and is 5-6 years old. When you're just trying to weigh out pounds of fruit and sugar for spreads, it's close enough.

For serious baking (where you need to get down to ounces or grams) I would pony up the extra $$$ and go with a good digital scale.

 

[mudbug]

Another Luddite here. Never had one, never used one. I get by OK.

 

[crewsk]

I don't have one so I don't use one. I would like to have one though, just in case I ever need it. I have never needed one before but I am one of those people who save things because I never know when I might need them. It's amazing how many times I have thrown something away & then in just a few days realize that I needed it for something. I guess it's the pack rat in me.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Pack-Rat Law #1 - you never need the thing you haven't needed for 20 years until 2 days after you finally threw it away.

 

[crewsk]

Amen to that Michael!

 

[Psiguyy]

I should mention that I also have an old Taylor spring scale that was my mother's. I use ti portion out foods to pack for the freezer. For instance, I'll buy 20 lbs of hamburger on sale. I portion it out into 1 and 2 lb bags. Hard to do that by eye, hence the scale.

If you have a really accurate scale, you can use it to count coins to put into rolls. Just weigh the proper amount of coins once. Then weigh the rest.

You can also use it as a postage scale. Again, assuming it's accurate enough.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Oh golly .... crewsk and I are bonding ......