Whether you're baking cookies or simply adhering to a specific diet, the ability to precisely measure foods and ingredients is critical. While there's always room in the kitchen for a good measuring cup and a few well-loved spoons, food scales provide you with ultimate accuracy.
With so many food scales to choose from, how do you know which one is the best buy? Here at ACTIVE, we've tested several of the top products and have come up with a list of the best food scales currently available. Here are some top recommendations from the ACTIVE Reviews Team.
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The Best Food Scales - Our Top Picks
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- Best Overall Food Scale: OXO Good Grips 11-pound Stainless Steel Scale
- Best Digital Food Scale: Escali Primo Digital Scale
- Best Budget Food Scale: Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Digital Scale
- Best Analog Food Scale: Taylor Precision Mechanical Scale
- Best Pocket Food Scale: Greater Goods Digital Pocket Scale
- Best Waterproof Food Scale: Ozeri Touch Waterproof Digital Kitchen Scale
- Best Advanced Food Scale: Ooni Dual Platform Digital Scale
- Best Design Food Scale: Zwilling Enfinigy Food Scale
Best Overall - OXO Good Grips 11-pound Stainless Steel Scale
SPECS
- Dimensions: 9.5" x 7.13" x 1.25"
- Units of measurement: Pounds, ounces, kilograms, grams
- Material: Stainless steel
- Features: Pull-out display
- Maximum capacity: 11 lbs.
Our pick for the overall best food scale is the OXO Good Grips 11-pound Stainless Steel Scale, a product that's won rave reviews and become a major seller. It's not hard to understand why: Simply put, it hits all the right notes, excelling in the categories of accuracy, design, readability, ease of cleaning, and ease of use.
With a couple of large, easy-to-access buttons, you can switch back and forth between a variety of measurements. The pull-out, backlit display is incredibly simple to read and the entire scale can be disassembled for cleaning and storage. The compact footprint is also great, especially for kitchens with limited space.
What We Like
- Easy-to-read pull-out display
- Fingerprint-resistant stainless steel surface
- Small footprint
What We Don't Like
- Not quite as precise as other scales
- Takes 4 AA batteries
BUY: OXO Good Grips 11-pound Stainless Steel Scale
Best Digital Food Scale - Escali Primo Digital Scale
SPECS
- Dimensions: 8" x 6" x 1.25"
- Units of measurement: Pounds, ounces, and grams
- Material: Plastic
- Features: Auto shut-off, tare feature
- Maximum capacity: 11 lbs.
The Escali Primo Digital Scale does just about everything you'd want a digital scale to do: It provides precise and sensitive measurements almost instantly on a display that's completely easy to read. Measuring up to 11 pounds in 1-gram increments, the scale is a perfect example of simplicity of use and a quick way to toggle between ounces, pounds, and grams.
The sealed digital display creates a measure of protection against moisture and spills. An automatic shut-off will help you preserve battery life, shutting down your scale if you don't use it for four minutes.
What We Like
- Water-resistant display
- Precise measurements
- Several colors to choose from
- Small footprint
- Modest price point
What We Don't Like
- Small capacity means it's not as good for big recipes
- No liquid measurement units
BUY: Escali Primo Digital Scale
Best Budget Food Scale - Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Digital Scale
SPECS
- Dimensions: 8.7" x 7" x 1.2"
- Units of measurement: Pounds, ounces, grams
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Features: Tare features
- Maximum capacity: 11 lbs.
Looking to stock up on some essential kitchen supplies without blowing your budget? Consider the Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Digital Scale—proof that you can get a decent piece of technology for a modest price point.
At less than $10, this isn't the most feature-heavy digital scale in the world, but it's made with quality and reliability. The stainless steel design is sturdy, the widescreen LCD monitor is highly readable, and the sensors produce fast and accurate readings. The scale runs on just a couple of AAA batteries, which are included.
What We Like
- Modest price point
- Widescreen LCD
- Takes just 2 AAA batteries
- Small footprint
What We Don't Like
- Not as precise as other scales
- Small capacity means it's not as good for big recipes
BUY: Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Digital Scale
Best Analog Food Scale - Taylor Precision Mechanical Scale
SPECS
- Dimensions: 7.8" x 9" x 8.9"
- Units of measurement: Pounds, ounces, kilograms, grams
- Material: Stainless steel
- Features: Removable bowl
- Maximum capacity: 11 lbs.
While digital scales are typically easiest, there's something to be said for a mechanical model. For one thing, mechanical scales can work without batteries and don't need to be plugged in. Our favorite product in this category is the Taylor Precision Mechanical Scale, a simple yet effective addition to any kitchen.
Beyond its elegant stainless steel appearance, this scale features a removable bowl and a wide range of measurement options. It provides accuracy in 50-gram increments, and you can easily recalibrate it to make certain you're getting correct readings. All of this, plus it's incredibly easy to clean!
What We Like
- Easy to clean
- Lovely stainless steel appearance
- Easy to recalibrate
- No power source required
What We Don't Like
- Not as easy to read as a digital scale
- Not as precise as other scales
BUY: Taylor Precision Mechanical Scale
Best Pocket Food Scale - Greater Goods Digital Pocket Scale
SPECS
- Dimensions: 5.67" x 2.99" x 0.67"
- Units of measurement: Grams, ounces, carats, grains, troy ounces, penny weight
- Material: Chrome
- Features: Lid that doubles as tray
- Maximum capacity: 750g
Need a food scale that you can carry with you at all times? Greater Goods Digital Pocket Scale is our pick for best small-scale product. As long as your measurements don't need to exceed 750 grams, this is the food scale for you!
With a lid that doubles as a measuring tray, this scale is wonderfully compact and brilliantly designed. Its measurements are available in 0.1-gram increments and it offers a number of units that other scales overlook, like carats and grains. The chrome design makes this a handsome addition to your everyday ensemble.
What We Like
- Pocket-sized for portion-control on the go
- Handsome chrome appearance
- Modest price point
- Ethically made, portion of of sales donated to charity
What We Don't Like
- Not well-suited for big recipes
- Smaller weight capacity
BUY: Greater Goods Digital Pocket Scale
Best Waterproof Food Scale - Ozeri Touch Waterproof Digital Kitchen Scale
SPECS
- Dimensions: 7.88" x 7.88" x 1"
- Units of measurement: Pounds, ounces, fluid ounces, grams, milliliters
- Material: Polycarbonate
- Features: Taring features
- Maximum capacity: 11 lbs. 7.4 oz.
In the kitchen, spills can happen at any time. If you're especially spill-prone, you may benefit from the Ozeri Touch Waterproof Digital Kitchen Scale.
Fully waterproof and low-maintenance, this scale weighs foods up to 11.46 pounds in 0.1-ounce increments. It offers a range of measuring units and the simple black display is easy to read. Three AAA batteries are needed—a reasonable power requirement for a robust and reliable scale like this one.
What We Like
- Fully waterproof
- Small footprint
- Easy to clean
- Modest price point
What We Don't Like
- Automatically turns off more quickly than we'd like
- Display can be easily blocked or obscured
BUY: Ozeri Touch Waterproof Digital Kitchen Scale
Best Advanced Food Scale - Ooni Dual Platform Digital Scale
SPECS
- Dimensions: 12” x 7” x 1.1”
- Units of measurement: Ounces, fluid ounces, grams, milliliters
- Material: Stainless steel
- Features: Dual LCD screen, dual platforms
- Maximum capacity: large scale 22 lbs., small scale 0.4 lbs.
The Ooni Dual-Platform Digital Scale is pretty fancy. Its most notable feature is a dual display, allowing you to measure two things on two separate platforms simultaneously. This can be great for comparing or balancing items. And, with precise measurements down to a tenth of a gram, this scale works well even for smaller ingredients like salt and other seasonings.
Especially targeted for home pizza ovens, this is a very flexible food scale that any home baker will love. Easy to use and made with a lovely stainless steel finish, it also makes for an excellent gift.
What We Like
- Easy to use
- Dual displays
- Handsome stainless steel appearance
- Small footprint
What We Don't Like
- Many people will prefer something more basic
- 200g limit on small scale
BUY: Ooni Dual Platform Digital Scale
Best Design Food Scale - Zwilling Enfinigy Food Scale
SPECS
- Dimensions: 9.7" x 7.3" x 1"
- Units of measurement: Pounds, ounces, grams
- Material: Glass surface
- Features: Auto shut-off, taring features
- Maximum capacity: 22 lbs.
For sheer robustness, the Zwilling Enfinigy Food Scale is worthy of your consideration. Not only can it accommodate 22 pounds, substantially more than other scales, but it has a lovely glass surface and a handy tare function, making it easy to account for the weight of your cup, bowl, or measuring plate.
We love the four colors you can choose from, which let you pick a scale that matches your kitchen decor. We also love the convenient, battery-conserving auto shut-off feature. All of that, and you also get a generous five-year warranty, a crucial protection for your kitchen investment.
What We Like
- Accommodates up to 22 lbs.
- Easy-to-read display
- Rechargeable battery with micro-USB cord
- 5-year warranty
What We Don't Like
- You have to lift the scale to change the unit of measurement
- Slightly higher price point
BUY: Zwilling Enfinigy Food Scale
What to Look for in a Food Scale
As you shop for the best food scale, there are a few considerations to keep top-of-mind.
- Digital vs. Manual. Digital scales are usually more diverse, providing you with the option to display several different units of measure. The big advantage of a mechanical food scale is that they don't need to be plugged in or have batteries.
- Weight Capacity. The average food scale will read a minimum of one ounce. If you need something sensitive enough to give even smaller measures, you'll need to do your due diligence to find the right product. As for maximum weight, scales usually weigh at least 11 pounds, sometimes more.
- Units of Measure. A good scale will be able to easily switch between different units of measure. If you measure a lot of liquids, be sure your scale measures milliliters and fluid ounces.
- Ease of Use. Scales that have a simple, flat surface, without a lot of nooks or crevices, will usually be easier to clean. Having just a few easy-to-press buttons can also be a nice feature for when you're busy in the kitchen and just need a quick measurement.
FAQs About Food Scales
Is it worth it buying a food scale?
Food scales can be great investments if you're looking for precision as you cook and bake, or if you're hoping to be more mindful about how much you eat.
How do I know if my food scale is accurate?
One simple test is to weigh an item, remove it from the scale, ensure the scale blanks out, and then weigh it again. If you get the same measurement both times, it’s a good indication that your scale is well-calibrated.
Can you lose weight by weighing your food?
There are countless studies revealing that people who weigh their food lose weight, as it helps monitor intake and make wise decisions about how much to eat.
Which food scale is the most accurate?
In terms of sheer accuracy, we recommend the Ooni Dual-Platform Digital Scale or the OXO Good Grips 11-pound Stainless Steel Scale, though there are really a lot of great options to choose from.