The best food scales will make cooking and baking easy. Whether you're baking a cake or trying to blend a nutritionally balanced smoothie, a good set of food scales will ensure that you follow all of your favorite recipes to a T. When it comes to the top-rated food scales, you'll often come across digital food scales, as well as analog food scales. Digital food scales are often more accurate, measuring your food to the exact decimal point, whereas analog scales have that classic, nostalgic aesthetic.
Digital scales are easy to use and even easier to store—they can be tucked neatly into a drawer or cupboard, taking up very little space. Analog scales, on the other hand, are much bigger but can be a great finishing touch to a vintage-style kitchen. If you aren't aiming for a certain aesthetic, the best food processors may be worth looking at, too.
In terms of price, you can get a great set of kitchen scales for as little as $20, so if you are on a budget, you will be pleased to know that there are several options for all price ranges.
Our guide to the best food scales features models capable of calculating the nutritional content of your favorite food (calories and fat) if you want them to do so. We will assess the specs and the accuracy and durability of different models to ensure you are getting the perfect kitchen scales for your needs. Look at our guides to the best pasta makers for other' making and baking' appliances.
The best food scales we recommend
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While we haven't been able to test any of the units in this guide in person, we've instead honed in on top-rated brands and used our knowledge of the best features to help you make the right decision for your home, all for the best price.
The best food scales overall
The OXO Good Grips Food Scale performed well in our tests, earning a perfect score for accuracy. This food scale was also very consistent - it displayed the same weight no matter where you placed food on the weighing platform.
The standout feature is its pullout display. If you’re measuring in a large bowl and it’s obstructing your view, you can pull the display out on its cord to see. The display has large numbers that are easy to read. The scale is made of tarnish-resistant stainless steel that is easy to clean and looks great. It requires four AAA batteries to operate but will retain power for a long time. This unit comes with an OXO Better Guarantee, so if you have any problems with your scales or if they break, then you can reach out to OXO customer support for a replacement or repair. The thin profile of this unit allows for easy storage, making it a great choice if you are short on space in drawers or cupboards.
The OXO Good Grips Food Scale has an average rating of 4.8/5 stars on Amazon with users praising its accuracy and ease of use. The very small number of negative reviews seem to have received faulty units that can be easily replaced.
The scale also has a large, roughly 64-square-inch weighing platform, so it fits just about any ingredient. One of this kitchen scale’s drawbacks is it displays weight in fractions rather than decimals. Also, its maximum weight is only 11 pounds – that's enough for most recipes, but some competing units can weigh items up to 18 lbs. Overall, in terms of price and build quality, this is a great unit for most households and cooks of varying skill levels.
The best value food scales
The EatSmart Precision Pro food scale earned a perfect score in our accuracy tests, and it can display weight in several units of measurement. This scale also displayed the correct weight no matter where we placed food on its platform.
Its large, backlit display is easy to read, at least at first. During testing, the display gradually faded, and putting in fresh batteries didn’t fix the problem.
The EatSmart Precision Pro has an average rating of 4.2/5 stars on Amazon with users praising how easy it is to accurately measure nutrients with this unit. The negative reviews are generally critical of fluctuations when weighing, with the majority of these users having a faulty unit.
Since the scale is small, there are limits to what you can weigh – it only goes up to 11 lbs. At less than 20 square inches, its total weighing area is also small compared to most. More substantial food scales have platforms of more than 65 square inches. This kitchen scale weighs only 408 grams, making it easy to move around and store with little to no problems. Its compact design makes it perfect for storage in cupboards and drawers when it is not being used.
The EatSmart Precision Pro food scale can be a great way to measure the number of nutrients that you are getting on a daily basis due to its incredibly accurate measurements. When compared to an analog scale, you get a much more accurate reading of the decimal place - this can be great when you are weighing proteins or nutritional yeast so that you can get your desired amount without any issues. This model will work perfectly for cooks of varying skill levels, whether you are a complete amateur or an experienced home cook these scales will have you covered.
The best food scales for travel
The American Weigh Blade BL-1KG-BLK food scale is a handy little device, so small that you can tuck it into a purse or the pocket of a backpack. It measures roughly 9x9x1 inches in size, so it’s easily portable.
If you need to closely monitor food portions for health reasons, this mini-scale is an excellent choice. The weighing platform is small, measuring only 2.7 x 2.7 inches, and the device can measure up to just 2.2 lbs. However, for most consumers concerned about individual servings, that is plenty.
The American Weigh Blade BL-1KG-BLK food scale has an average rating of 4.5/5 stars on Amazon, with users praising its accuracy and portability. The small number of critical reviews are concerned with the plastic casing, as the lack of metal could make it easily breakable.
This food scale has a backlit pop-out display that shows the weight. You get a plastic lid that can be flipped over to serve as a tray. The scale comes with a carrying case and runs on two AAA batteries.
This unit can give you measurements in grams, ounces, grains, and carats to allow for multi-use purposes. With the lid on, it will fit comfortably in your pocket for portability. It can provide an accurate reading to the 10th of a gram for precisely measuring various ingredients or even precious metals. It can measure up to 1 kg of matter, which isn't as much as some of the other scales on our list but should be more than enough for the average home cook. It is made primarily of plastic, which could be a concern if you want a metal scale, but it is reasonably durable and shouldn't break with regular use. Overall, for the price, you are getting a reliable, accurate scale that can cater to various needs rather than just cooking.
The best food scale for tracking nutrition
The GreaterGoods food scale accurately weighs out food but also provides detailed nutritional information for each type of food you place on it. Ideal if you need to track your food, this scale has a catalog of 2,000 foods for which it can provide nutritional data. You can also input up to 99 additional food items yourself.
The GreaterGoods food scale has an average rating of 4.6/5 stars on Amazon. Happy users praise its accuracy and portability, as well as its ability to give you nutritional information about the food that you're weighing. The small number of negative reviews are often from faulty units that don't work or are missing parts.
Some user reviews do state that data for 2,000 foods isn’t enough, and some of the food types that do exist are very limited. Users have suggested this food scale would be better if you could scan foods to calculate their nutritional value. This food scale comes with a two-year warranty and is also easy to wipe down and keep clean. It features four precision weighing sensors to ensure accuracy within .1 oz/1g and is incredibly easy to clean thanks to its smooth surface and hygienic touch-sensitive buttons. The tempered glass top gives it the feel of quality while also being incredibly durable. The silver color may not look the best, but it helps to keep the unit clean, as you can easily see any smudges or food residue.
This particular scale weighs 812g, which isn't the lightest scale on our list, but it is still light enough to be easily moved around or stored if needed. Its flat design makes it easy to tuck neatly into a drawer or cupboard, taking up little space. For the price, you are getting a high-quality build and incredibly accurate measurements.
The best food scales for bakers
The My Weigh KD-8000 Kitchen Scale is sturdy and well-designed but is one of the most expensive in our round-up. Its standout feature is that it can calculate a baker’s percentage. This scale also provides accurate readings for up to 8,000 grams in five different measurement modes. The size of this scale and the fact that it only measures to the gram makes it clear that this is for larger batch cooking rather than for accurately measuring individual ingredients like the other digital scales on our list. For an average home cook, this scale probably won't be of much use, but if you are planning on baking large quantities of goods, then this could be a great option for you.
The weighing tray easily comes off to allow you to clean this kitchen scale thoroughly. Another handy feature is that this scale can be plugged into a power socket so that you don’t have to rely on batteries to power it. This power charger does need to be bought separately, though. This scale weighs 1.8 kg and is quite hard to store due to its size, so expect it to become a permanent addition to your kitchen. For the price, you are getting an impressive heavy-duty kitchen scale that is well-suited for bakers and batch cookers alike.
User reviews for these kitchen scales are overwhelmingly positive, with many giving the scales five-star ratings. Overall, features such as the adjustable LCD display, the auto-off setting that can be programmed, and multiple modes make this scale a great choice.
How to choose the best food scales for you
When buying the best food scales, there are a few factors to consider. Firstly, as with most things in life, you will want to consider the price. You can pick up a decent digital kitchen scale for around $40. If you are on a budget, you will find some smaller, more basic options in the $20-$30 price point.
If you are using your kitchen scale to measure your nutritional intake, then you will want to get one that can measure to the decimal point. Some digital scales can even give you the nutritional information of whatever you are measuring immediately at the press of a button - this may be something to consider if you want a higher-end model for measuring calories, carbs, etc.
As this will be in your kitchen, you will also want to think about how easy your desired kitchen scale will be to clean. If it is going to be a pain, then there is a risk of it becoming unhygienic. Opting for an easy-to-clean option keeps your kitchen and food germ-free and healthy for you and your family.
Finally, we need to think about portability and storage. A lightweight, thin digital scale will be the easiest to move and store away when not in use. If you want your scale to become a permanent addition to your kitchen, then there are many larger analog options that can look great in a vintage-style kitchen.
