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The Best Food Scale To Buy In 2023

A good kitchen scale just might be your secret weapon for consistent cookies, perfectly risen bread, or a lofty souffle. It gets your baking down to a science, offering precision that rivals the best measuring cups and spoons. After years of research and testing, we’re confident that the DONSHER Digital Scale is the best. It’s among the fastest and most accurate scales we tested, and it remains powered on for longer than most others before automatically shutting off.

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We’ve tested many scales since 2013, and in that time we’ve settled on a list of essential features to look for, extras that are nice to have, and qualities to avoid. Here’s what we expect from a good scale:

Contents

Essential features

  • Accurate measurements: The best scales weigh things accurately and consistently—whether 10 grams or 10 pounds.
  • Reads in ounces and grams: The scale should be able to measure in both metric and imperial units. We prefer those that read ounces in decimals rather than fractions, as it’s more precise and intuitive. (Some scales come with both functions, but pro chefs recommend just decimals.) We also like scales that offer a choice between straight ounces and, for heavier measurements, pounds plus ounces, to save you from doing the conversion math.
  • Tare button: Taring allows you to subtract the weight of a mixing bowl and report only the net weight of the ingredients. You should be able to tare repeatedly so that you can zero out the weight of whatever’s in the bowl and measure additional ingredients. Ideally, you can hit the tare button twice without accidentally turning the power off.
  • Long auto-off duration: Most kitchen scales automatically shut off after a period of inactivity to preserve battery. Usually the wait is about two minutes, but some last as long as five minutes. The auto-off feature can be irritating, as baking requires a lot of multi-tasking and the last thing you need is to have a sugar measurement vanish on you while you’re busy kneading dough. So the longer the duration before the scale shuts off, the better. It’s nice if the scale has the option to turn off the auto-off function entirely, but that’s pretty rare.
  • Speedy measurements: Most scales display measurements within a second, but some take a bit longer. “It should read quickly,” David said. “If the reading fluctuates a lot, then that’s very annoying.” The best scales quickly show the gradual increase in weight when you’re measuring, which allows you to anticipate when to stop adding an ingredient to the bowl.
  • Laminated buttons: The controls should have a plastic membrane covering them to prevent gunk, crumbs, or grains of sugar from collecting in the cracks. It makes everything much easier to clean.

Source: Nytimes Wirecutter

FAQ:

Q: What is the best food scale?

A: Food scales are best for meat, which should weigh in at 3 ounces per serving, and cheese, 1.5 ounces per serving. Cups are best for cooked pasta or rice — a serving is 1/2 cup — and fruits and vegetables. Generally you’ll measure your food after it is cooked.

Q: What is the Best Digital Kitchen Food Scale?

A: The best digital kitchen scales. Among digital food scales, one standout is the Oxo Good Grips Food Scale With Pull-Out Display (Est. $50), which comes out on top in a roundup of 10 digital kitchen scales conducted by a leading cooking magazine.

Q: What is a food scale?

A: Food Scale: How it Works. A food scale will show you that the portion you thought was four ounces may actually weigh eight ounces. That’s the kind of mistake that could derail your diet. Weinandy stresses that a food scale is only one of the measuring tools you will need; measuring cups and spoons are also essential diet implements.

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