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Kitchen Scale Recommendations (2003 – 2010)


Risotta

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I'm awed by the wealth of knowledge and experience represented by all you posters here, and I'd like to draw on it.

I'm interested in buying a good kitchen scale for under $100. It shouldn't be too big or heavy, and I'd prefer one that gives metric as well as Imperial measurements.

A kitchenware store near me recommended one by Aquatronics (sp?) at $60 US, but I'm pretty sure it only gives measurements in ounces. It also does not operate by a pendulum, which I read somewhere is the best.

What are people's experiences with scales? Any recommendations?

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Cooks Illustrated did a piece on scales some time ago. It was their usual anal retentive analysis. (which is a good thing.) I don't remember the results. I will see if I can find it and post.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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Home kitchen or pro kitchen? Will you do pastry? If so, make sure it measures down to 2g increments with 1 g increments even better. The ability to switch between grams and ounces without having to turn the scale over in order to switch back and forth is a very nice feature if you plan to work with alot of different recipes.

I think we had a few previous threads on this--have you searched? I think I mentioned we've had good luck with several of the inexpensive battery-operated flat, sleek, light, low-profile plastic Soehnle (sp?) scales. It travels well, we've packed it and taken it everywhere. It holds up. I haven't ever used the Salter models, which Sur La Table sells, but have the Edlund in one restaurant and it is excellent. It's also more expensive than you need if you're working at home.

(I do like my Pelouze digital best, though, which is more expensive as well. Model FS2 weighs to 1 g, has a two pound capacity, electric and rechargeable internal battery, don't have to turn it over to switch g/oz.)

Steve Klc

Pastry chef-Restaurant Consultant

Oyamel : Zaytinya : Cafe Atlantico : Jaleo

chef@pastryarts.com

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I am in awe!!! I found the CI article. It was in the March 2000 issue. They favor electronic scales. First choice is Soehnle $125, Salter $60, and Cuisinart $70. The last two did not rate very high for accuracy but probably accurate enough for the typical cook so they were left in the top three. They focused a lot on design, ease of use, being able to see the display, etc.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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I have a small digital Salter that I really like - model Number 2001. Think I paid about $40 for it at a kitchen shop. Max weight 2kg/5lb in 1 gram or 1/8 oz increments. There are two buttons on the front, one to turn it on and zero-out, and one to switch from grams to ounces. The small size and low profile make it very easy to store and it doesn't take up much counter space.

kkapers2_1733_13404001.jpg

Available here: Kitchen Kapers for $39.99.

Edited by nightscotsman (log)
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I bought a Sunbeam digital electronic scale for about $30 at an office supply warehouse. It measures in grams and in tenths of an ounce, has the tare feature, and goes up to 5 pounds. I looked everywhere before I bought this one and really thought it was the best for the money. I usually put a plate on it for measuring, because it's really meant for postage.

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I think I mentioned on one of the other threads that consumer-level kitchen scales are often just marked-up versions of the postal scales you can get for half as much at Office Max, Staples, etc. Here's the Sunbeam $29.99 model at the 'Max that I recommended awhile back:

http://www.officemax.com/max/solutions/pro...ckOID=536966697

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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Could it be this?

Yes, that's the one, and I think it was Office Depot (I really can't remember, it's the one next to Costco??). I actually bought it for weighing fiber, but I usually put a plastic camping plate on it and then reset it, so cleaning hasn't really been an issue. I had gone to a restaurant supply store to look, but they were all incredibly expensive, over $200. For casual use, this has been a pretty good deal.

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i also recommend the salter digi scale that nightscotman uses. i bought one at williams-sonoma because they were on clearance after the holidays. it was gift wrapped and everything,

now, of course, i am irreversibly spoiled by it and am too lazy to use measuring cups and the like. a scale will simplify your life beyond belief.

"Things go better with cake." -Marcel Desaulniers

timoblog!

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  • 5 months later...

Cook's Illustrated rated EKS, Terrailon and Cuisinart as tops for electronic scales. I did not see any in this link that were rated by CI. They rated based on accuracy, precision (how is that different???), and design. In the design category they looked at things like being able to see the read-out with stuff on the weighing platform.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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I've used the Salter 1002 pictured on that page for several years, and I recommend it--easy to clean, very portable (important to me, because I cook in several different kitchens), and reliable. That's a pretty good price, too.

"Laughter is brightest where food is best."

www.chezcherie.com

Author of The I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook ,The I Love Trader Joe's Party Cookbook and The I Love Trader Joe's Around the World Cookbook

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Just go to OfficeMax and get a potal scale -- they're electronically the same but less expensive to buy. This one is 30 bucks, has 1-gram gradations, tare, and metric/English, plus the readout is nice and far from the platform. Also check on eBay.

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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It's really helpful to be able to remove the weighing platform for cleaning. This information is not always explicit in product descriptions, unfortunately.

Accuracy is how, well, accurate it is -- if you put a one-pound weight on it, does it show one pound on the read-out? If it doesn't, what's the margin of error? (What is never disclosed is the accuracy across the measuring range, which is too bad, because it matters. Scales -- even digital scales -- are inherently non-linear.)

Precision is how small an increment (e.g., 1/10 of an ounce, or 0.25 grams) it can weigh with a given accuracy.

I think. If that's not what they mean, that's what they should mean, because they're what's important. IMHO.

Dave Scantland
Executive director
dscantland@eGstaff.org
eG Ethics signatory

Eat more chicken skin.

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It's really helpful to be able to remove the weighing platform for cleaning. This information is not always explicit in product descriptions, unfortunately.

Accuracy is how, well, accurate it is -- if you put a one-pound weight on it, does it show one pound on the read-out? If it doesn't, what's the margin of error? (What is never disclosed is the accuracy across the measuring range, which is too bad, because it matters. Scales -- even digital scales -- are inherently non-linear.)

Precision is how small an increment (e.g., 1/10 of an ounce, or 0.25 grams) it can weigh with a given accuracy.

I think. If that's not what they mean, that's what they should mean, because they're what's important. IMHO.

So what do you use in your kitchen?

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Accuracy is how, well, accurate it is -- if you put a one-pound weight on it, does it show one pound on the read-out? If it doesn't, what's the margin of error? (What is never disclosed is the accuracy across the measuring range, which is too bad, because it matters. Scales -- even digital scales -- are inherently non-linear.)

Precision is how small an increment (e.g., 1/10 of an ounce, or 0.25 grams) it can weigh with a given accuracy.

I think. If that's not what they mean, that's what they should mean, because they're what's important. IMHO.

Of course... I knew that! :hmmm:

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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