Kitchen Scale Recommendations (2003 – 2010)

[Suzanne F]

Will you bring it to meetings of the club that we can't talk about?

[elyse]

Ya want me to?

[Suzanne F]

Only if you want to. Otherwise I can bring my Salton. I'll probably bring some instant-read thermometers, too, so that we can check temperatures.

[elyse]

Any thoughts onthis?

[Suzanne F]

What's the smallest increment you want? That one on eBay only does .5 oz/5 gram increments over 2 pounds/1 kg. Is that small enough?

OTOH, it does go up to 30#/14 kg. Which is more important?

[elyse]

I must have misread it. I thought it did grams at any weight.

[Suzanne F]

It says

0 - 2 lb X 0.1 oz, 2 - 30 lb X 0.5 oz

0 - 1 kg X 2 g,    1 - 14 kg X 5 g

I assume the switch to flip between pounds and kilograms is on the side (from the mailing tube picture).

[elyse]

Ahhhh, I'll just buy the Sunbeam.

[MatthewB]

And I think given all the arguments they make for it this is going to be my next scale:

http://www.digitalscale.com/6001t.htm

It's made by this company:

http://myweigh.com/

Thanks for the tip, FG.

I bartered for a new 6001 & received it yesterday.

So far, so good.

[Chad]

Matthew, would you be willing to do a full report once you've had a chance to play with it for a while? I suspect a lot of us are following this thread -- and secretly lusting after the 6001. Can we live vicariously through you? Passions, angsts, frustrations, revelations, we'll take 'em all.

Chad

[MatthewB]

Matthew, would you be willing to do a full report once you've had a chance to play with it for a while? I suspect a lot of us are following this thread -- and secretly lusting after the 6001. Can we live vicariously through you? Passions, angsts, frustrations, revelations, we'll take 'em all.

Chad

Will do, Chad.

Please note that this is my first kitchen scale, so I'm not the ideal person to report on the 6001. I'll do my best though.

[Human Bean]

I received a 6001 (black; wanted the transparent blue, but they were out) a couple days ago - so far, it seems very nice. Fast, accurate, looks good too.

I have a very old set of lab weights from 20 gm - 1 kg, and tried them on the new scale. In every case, the scale indicated the correct weight +/- 1 gm, which matches it's spec. My only (very minor) reservations about this thing has to do with warnings in the manual about how this is a precision instrument, and you should never overload or drop it, lest it be permanently damaged. While they may be overstating things a bit, I'm nonetheless treating it rather carefully thus far.

[badthings]

I have had a Salter aquatronic for several years and never had to change the battery. I only bought it because I thought it was considerably cheaper than it really was, and I wasn't paying attention at checkout. It works fine, but I don't think half-ounce increments are precise enough. Also, it is really slow. The wet/dry conversion is useful, but I'm not sure how precise it is. The 6001 looks better on all counts, but when I need a new one I'm going to look at non-digital options.

[scratchline]

It's past time I got a kitchen scale. I've read the Kitchen Scale Manifesto and am inclining toward a digital Salter on Alton Brown's say-so. Wonder if anyone has any advice or recommendations? Kitchen space is at a premium so I'd like something fairly compact. Thanks.

-Mike

[Transparent]

I'm also looking for a nice scale. I found Alton's Salter at a local linens 'n' things, and started playing with it. I was thoroughly disappointed. Any pressure onto the unit, regardless of location will alter the weight. That means pressing a button will throw off the measurement by a lot. Maybe it was just the display unit, but I decided not to take a chance.

[Richard Kilgore]

I ordered a KD-600 from saveonscales.com. I think the scale is excellent. They sell it for 46.50 (with a 110 adapter for a few bucks more) and say the regular retail is about 100.00. I have seen it other places for about 75.00. Out of curiosity I tried to rock the reading by pushing buttons and on the housing in various places to no effect.

I have to offer a cautionary note, though. I ordered a white KD-600 scale and they shipped a silver one. I ordered white because I expected that silver plastic would look junky to me, and it does. I lodged a complaint and they offered to let me keep the silver one and use it until they got the white ones in. And they agreed to pay for the shipping involved in making this right. The person I talked to indicated they had some problems in that the person who managed the website operation left and whoever is doing the shipping is making errors. I have had the impression they are reputable and trying to take care of their customers. Nonetheless, if you want to order from them I suggest you get email confirmation that what you want is in stock. (The site link above shows the white KD-600 as available, but it is not as far as I know. At least they have not notified me that they have it in and are shipping mine.)

[msphoebe]

Almost certain mine is a Polder...could go downstairs and look but will do that later. Whatever brand you get, I like electronic best. And one that will "zero" out with a container on it so you can weigh just the ingredients as you add them. Oh, mine has one other function that I love, it will switch from grams to ounces with the push of a button.

I use it all the time!

Editing to add: I was wrong -- it is a Salton, Model 3001. Very compact, and I've had no problems with it whatsoever. Have had it for over a year.

Edited August 6, 2004 by msphoebe (log)

[phaelon56]

I bought an Escali from a coffee equipment vendor a few years ago when I was experimenting with different bean wieights for my espresso shots. The dose per double shot ranges from 15 to 21 grams and minimal difference can have noticeable impact. The escali is accurate to 1/10 of a gram, measures in grams or ounces and handles up to just under 11 oz total weight. It's been great but I'm starting to do more baking and will need something perhaps a bit less sensitive but with larger capacity.

Here's a great thread on Coffeegeek.com that has some very pertinent information

Scale Discussion

[Stone]

There's a long thread from a while back about kitchen scales. A bunch of folk suggested buying a postal scale. Supposedly they're just as accurate, have and have a larger range.

[Jensen]

I have a digital Salter and it's good enough for how I use it. It only weighs in 2 gram increments but, hey, what's a gram or two between friends...

[Richard Kilgore]

There's a long thread from a while back about kitchen scales.  A bunch of folk suggested buying a postal scale.  Supposedly they're just as accurate, have and have a larger range.

There is at least one good thread and an eGCI class on the topic, but no one has said a postal scale is "just as accurate" as the best new digital scales. It may be good enough for your purposes. But the KD-600 measures 0.1 oz / 1gram graduation, reads in Grams, Ounces, Kilograms & Pounds, and has HOLD, TARE, Beep & adding functions. If you want the 6 kg (13.2lb) capacity and these functions, it's a very, very good deal.

[Moopheus]

I also have the KD-600 and like it. I think I paid about fifty bucks for it with shipping (if you go to the My Weigh website there's links for various resellers). It's easy to use and seems to be pretty accurate. The design is totally utilitarian, but in a kitchen scale I think that's a plus. With 1-gram increments and a 6 kilo range, it seemed a better value than scales like the ones from Salton and Polder. I believe they also sell gram scales like the Escali, but of course the tradeoff is lower capacity for higher accuracy.

[bleachboy]

I have a Salter Model 3001. While I won't say it's mind blowing or anything, it works one-hundred-percent just fine for my amateur baking needs. I find a digital scale so handy that my cookbooks are full of pencil notations of the weight in grams of dry ingredients.

My scale is very thin (it's placed vertically on the cookbook shelf -- I don't use it every time I cook), lightweight, accurate, and extremely easy to use, with only three buttons, one of which is "off". I would recommend this scale.

[scott123]

If you want the 6 kg (13.2lb) capacity and these functions, it's a very, very good deal.

13.2 lb. capacity

Stainless steel

1g/.1oz. increments

This is a phenomenal deal. You won't find these specs at Bed Bath & Beyond.

Does anyone know if the KD-600 measures in decimal pounds?

[Rachel Perlow]

I have a Salter Model 3001.  While I won't say it's mind blowing or anything, it works one-hundred-percent just fine for my amateur baking needs.  I find a digital scale so handy that my cookbooks are full of pencil notations of the weight in grams of dry ingredients.

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