The 8 Best Kitchen Scales of 2023
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We recommend the Etekcity EK6015 Digital Kitchen Scale for its clear display, variety of measurement units, and affordable price point.
Real Simple / Reese Herrington
Some recipes are flexible enough to permit a dash of this, a pinch of that. But if you’re a baker who needs more precise measurements or a health-conscious home chef tracking macros and other nutritional data, a kitchen scale is your go-to gadget for meal and dessert prep.
“Kitchen scales are essential for any cook or baker,” says Stephen Chavez, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education. He says that when recipes don’t come out as expected, much of the blame can be put on inaccurate ingredient measurement by volume. It’s far too easy to incorrectly measure a cup of flour, for example, depending on whether you scoop the flour, sift it, or pack the cup with it.
“However, if you had measured by weight using a scale, the amount will always be the same, and your final products will come out better and more consistent,” he says, noting the pros always weigh their ingredients.
We researched the best kitchen scales, evaluating them on their ease of use, weight capacity, units of measurement, and size. Our top pick is the Etekcity EK6015 Digital Kitchen Scale, which has a clear display and easily converts to a number of different measurements, including ounces, fluid ounces, pounds, grams, and milliliters.
It’s rather impressive for the price, but that’s what we’ve come to expect from Etekcity. In fact, a total of four Etekcity scales made our list because of their impressive weighing/measuring capabilities and other helpful features that make meal prep easier and more accurate.
Etekcity EK6015 Digital Kitchen Scale
Best Overall Kitchen Scale
Who it’s for: People who want an accurate, easy-to-use scale for everyday recipes.
Who it isn’t for: People who need a scale with a larger surface or higher weight capacity.
This scale is made from 304 food-grade stainless steel, so you can safely measure liquids, solid foods, and other small items. Convert to your preferred measuring unit—including ounces, fluid ounces, pounds, milliliters, or grams—so you can follow along with any recipe you choose. Using a bowl or plate to weigh food? Engage the tare function—which resets the scale to zero—so you can subtract the weight of the container for an accurate reading.
This sleek digital scale allows you to weigh up to 5 kilograms/11 pounds in 1-gram increments for accuracy. The backlit LCD digital display makes it easy to see the total of whatever food or ingredients you’re weighing. The displayed weight remains on for 30 seconds, so you won’t miss it if you’re checking on something in the oven while you’re weighing ingredients. Don’t worry–you’ll conserve the battery (powered by two AAA batteries, included) with the auto-off function that turns off the scale after two minutes of being idle. It comes in a stainless steel finish or choose from black, green, white, and pink.
Price at time of publish: $14
Product Details:
Dimensions (L x W x H): 7.3 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
Weight Limit: 11 pounds
Units: Ounces, pounds, fluid ounces, grams, milliliters
Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Digital Kitchen Scale
Best Budget Kitchen Scale
Who it’s for: People who want a budget-friendly scale that’s accurate for most purposes.
Who it isn’t for: People who need a wider selection of measurement units.
If you’re new to kitchen scales or don’t require the use of one very often, you can’t go wrong with this budget-friendly Amazon Basics model. The stainless steel design likely matches at least some of your kitchen appliances, which is a nice plus. The screen is wide and clear, so there’s no squinting to see the total of the ingredients you’re weighing. It features advanced sensors to weigh ingredients quickly and accurately—perfect for precise recipes or meal planning.
It’s not complicated at all to get this up and running out of the box, especially since there’s two AAA batteries included, too. Just tap the power button, which also doubles as the tare function, so you can easily subtract the weight of any container you might be using. The other button converts the units of measurement to ounces, pounds, milliliters, or grams. The plastic parts are BPA-free and food safe, so you can feel confident cooking and baking with this simple Amazon Basics scale.
Price a time of publish: $11
Product Details:
Dimensions (L x W x H): 8.7 x 7 x 1.2 inches
Weight Limit: 11 pounds
Units: Ounces, pounds, grams, fluid ounces, milliliters
Etekcity EK5250 Digital Kitchen Scale with Bowl
Best Kitchen Scale With Bowl
Who it’s for: People who often measure wet ingredients in addition to dry.
Who it isn’t for: People with limited storage space who’d prefer to use an existing bowl in their cupboard.
Not all ingredients can easily be measured on the flat surface of a scale. For small batches of wet or dry ingredients, a bowl comes in handy. And while you can always grab one from your own cupboard, it’s nice when a kitchen scale comes with a coordinating bowl, like this one from Etekcity. The BPA-free plastic bowl is removable, making it easy not only for cleanup and storage but to make it more flexible for weighing food directly on the scale.
Two buttons make it easy to operate this scale—the power button also is the tare function, and the other button allows you to select your desired measurement units. This scale has dual increments that measure either within 0.1 grams for ingredients under 1,000 grams or within a gram for ingredients up to 5,000 grams in weight. The accuracy of the scale allows you to use it for any kitchen measurements, as well as hair color, postage, jewelry, and any other small weighing tasks that demand precision. A large backlit display makes it easy to see the total weight. It comes in five different colors—arctic silver, blue, chili red, dark black, and sky blue—so you can complement your existing kitchen decor.
Price at time of publish: $19
Product Details:
Dimensions (L x W x H): 8.4 x 6.7 x 1.3 inches
Weight Limit: 11 pounds
Units: Ounces, pounds, fluid ounces, grams, milliliters
Maxus Digital Pocket Scale
Best Small Kitchen Scale
Who it’s for: People who want a scale that can accurately measure small ingredients, such as herbs and spices.
Who it isn’t for: People looking to measure portions larger than a half pound.
Some recipes call for a pinch of this or a dash of that. But when precision is the main ingredient, you need a scale that can measure small amounts with great accuracy. This Maxus scale is not only ideal for the precise measuring of minuscule ingredients like herbs and spices, but it’s also good for measuring coins and jewelry, too.
It’s highly precise and measures within a 1/100th of a gram or 1/1000th of an ounce. Despite its small size, it has a clear display, so you can easily see the total weight. And while it’s not difficult to use, there are instructions for weighing, taring, and calibration right inside the flip top lid which closes down when you’re finished for easy storage. The Maxus is powered by two AAA batteries and has an automatic turnoff function when it’s not in use.
Price at time of publish: $15
Product Details:
Dimensions (L x W x H): 5 x 2.9 x 0.67 inches
Weight Limit: 200 grams (0.44 pounds)
Units: Grams, ounces, troy ounces, pennyweights, carats, grains
:The 9 Best Measuring Spoons of 2023
Etekcity EKS-L221-SUS Luminary Kitchen Scale
Best High-Capacity Kitchen Scale
Who it’s for: People who want the ability to weigh a wide variety of food items.
Who it isn’t for: People who only need a kitchen scale on occasion.
Need a scale that can weigh salt as well as the whole chicken you’ll be seasoning it with? You can do it all with the Etekcity Luminary kitchen scale, which weighs portions and ingredients up to 22 pounds. It has a rechargeable battery (USB-C) cable so it’s easy to keep your scale powered up for whenever you need it. The water-resistant surface can stand up to spills, plus you can run it under the faucet for easy cleanup— just ensure that the charging port is covered first.
The Etekcity is good for prepping larger batches of ingredients for baking, cooking, and other meal-prep tasks. The larger capacity also allows you to weigh parcels to calculate postage so you can skip the line at the post office. The wide surface makes it easy to weigh larger items, too. But no matter what you put on the surface to be weighed, you’ll be able to see the numbers on the display clearly from any angle.
Price at time of publish: $30
Product Details:
Dimensions (L x W x H): 9.1 x 6.7 x 1.1 inches
Weight Limit: 22 pounds
Units: Grams, ounces, fluid ounces, pounds, and milliliters
Williams-Sonoma Touchless Tare Waterproof Scale
Best Waterproof Kitchen Scale
Who it’s for: People who don’t mind splurging for high-tech features, such as a touch-free tare button and a waterproof body.
Who it isn’t for: People who mostly want to use a scale for non-kitchen tasks, such as weighing parcels.
We love a kitchen gadget that is as useful as it is attractive. The sleek black surface of this kitchen scale from Williams Sonoma features a sharp, high-resolution LED display at the touch of a button. You won’t need to touch anything, though, to activate the tare function—you can zero out the scale with just a wave of your hand.
The glass surface makes it hygienic and the structure is waterproof, so cleanup is easy no matter what type of protein or ingredients you just weighed on it. It has a wide enough surface for you to weigh food directly on it, or you could place it in a bowl or other container. The 11-pound capacity should be plenty for most at-home chefs’ food prep needs, but if you need something heftier, opt for the 30-pound model that offers the same waterproof construction and touchless features.
Price at time of publish: From $55
Product Details:
Dimensions (L x W x H): 7.25 x 8.75 x 0.75 inches and 8.75 x 10.75 x 0.75 inches
Weight Limit: 11 and 30 pounds
Units: Ounces, fluid ounces, grams, or milliliters
Etekcity ESN90 Smart Nutrition Scale
Best Smart Kitchen Scale
Who it’s for: People who want a smart kitchen scale to help them reach their nutrition goals.
Who it isn’t for: People who aren’t interested in tracking calories or macros.
Smart technology has transformed the way we use many home appliances and devices, including kitchen scales. This one from Etekcity syncs to your phone or tablet via the VeSync app. It’s free, and you’ll want to download it right away to take advantage of all the app’s features, including nutrition facts, a food tracker, and a Nutrionix database that contains nearly one million food items. You can even sync calories with your fitness tracker.
Need it just for measuring? It can do that, too. The digital display features large numbers on a pleasant blue background, and it has a tare feature and measures in ounces and grams. If you’re serious about monitoring your food intake for health reasons, this is the tool to have. You’d think that this impressive scale would come with an impressive price tag, but it costs under $20, so it’s a no-brainer for your kitchen.
Price at time of publish: $19
Product Details:
Dimensions (L x W x H): 8.1 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
Weight Limit: 11 pounds
Units: Grams, ounces, fluid ounces, pounds, and milliliters
KitchenTour EK6002 Coffee Scale With Timer
Best Kitchen Scale for Coffee
Who it’s for: People who like to brew coffee by the cup.
Who it isn’t for: People who need a kitchen scale with a large weight capacity.
There are coffee lovers, and then there are true coffee connoisseurs who grind premium coffee beans, measure out the grounds, and use pour-over coffee makers for a perfect cup. If you’re in the latter category, then you’ll need to add this KitchenTour scale to your daily coffee routine. It measures small capacities from 0.3 grams up to 3,000 grams so you can get the precise amount of coffee grounds for your morning cup of Joe or your afternoon pick-me-up. It also comes with a built-in timer for precise brewing and a tare function so you can subtract the container for your coffee or other ingredients.
The digital display is easy to read and the surface and frame are easy to keep clean between uses. The KitchenTour scale sits on a silicone non-slip pad, so it will stay put as you measure coffee and other small-batch ingredients like spices. The sleek black design of this scale is rather attractive, so you won’t mind keeping it out along with the rest of your coffee setup.
Price at time of publish: $50
Product Details:
Dimensions (L x W x H) : 8.5 x 6.42 x 1.54 inches
Weight Limit: 3,000 grams (6.61 pounds)
Units: Grams, ounces, milliliters
:The 11 Best Coffee Makers for Every Household's Needs
Final Verdict
The Etekcity EK6015 Digital Kitchen Scale nabbed our pick for best overall kitchen scale because it’s easy to use for both beginner and advanced home chefs. Plus, it won’t break the bank, so it’s more than worth it to have on hand even if you don’t plan to use it for every single recipe.
How to Shop for Kitchen Scales Like a Pro
Ease of Use
A kitchen scale is meant to help, not hinder, while cooking or baking, so you don’t want a scale that’s too complicated to use. Luckily, all of the kitchen scales that made our list are easy to use right out of the box—and most even come with batteries, too. In fact, with the exception of the Etekcity ESN90 Smart Nutrition Scale, which has an app chock full of information and features to dive into, you should be up and running with a new kitchen scale with just the touch of a button.
Weight Limit
Some of the products on our best kitchen scales list can measure hefty portions of meat, fish, and other proteins, while others are better suited for measuring small amounts of ingredients, like spices. To figure out which one is the right kitchen scale for your needs, decide whether you’ll be weighing dry ingredients like flour or large cuts of meat like a bone-in ribeye, for example, and then choose a scale with the appropriate weight capacity.
Units
The best kitchen scales will allow you to select from the most common measurement units, such as ounces, grams, and pounds. Take a look at the ingredient list of a favorite recipe or two before purchasing a kitchen scale so you can see which units you’ll need to measure for precision in cooking and baking at home.
You’ll also want to make sure that you choose a scale with increments for further accuracy. “Most bakers measure in grams, so a scale accurate to a single gram is important,” says Chavez. “Some round up to the nearest five grams, and that’s not good for accurate baking, especially for bread.”
Size
“When shopping for a scale, look for one that has a large surface area in order to hold larger bowls or trays for the product as you are measuring,” says Chavez. Size also matters when it comes to your kitchen scale’s display. “Look for a scale that has easily readable numbers and will be clearly seen while measuring things in a large bowl or tray,” he recommends.
Questions You Might Ask
How accurate are kitchen scales?
Kitchen scales are manufactured to be fairly accurate, but Chavez suggests using butter to test it out. “In order to make sure your scale is accurate, you should weigh something that is a consistent and true size, such as a pound of butter,” he says. “By law, pounds of butter need to be accurate to that weight, so they are a great way to make sure that your scale is accurate.” Don’t have a full pound on hand? Grab a stick instead. A single stick of butter weighs four ounces, or 113 grams.
Is a kitchen scale necessary?
“In professional cooking, we always use weight rather than volume when we are measuring items for a recipe,” says Chavez. Using incorrectly measured ingredients can affect the outcome of a recipe, he says. This is especially true in baking. But inaccurate food measurements can also make a difference if you’re looking to portion your food for dietary purposes, so consider adding a scale to your cache of kitchen gadgets if you’re counting macros.
What’s the difference between weighing ingredients with a scale and using measuring cups/spoons?
Chavez affirms that weighing ingredients is a more accurate method than measuring by volume. “The only real advantage to measuring by volume is with small portions that would use a measuring spoon,” he says, noting that it’s more convenient to use measuring spoons for ingredients like cinnamon, baking soda, and vanilla extract, even if it means being slightly less accurate.
As for liquid ingredients, a liquid (not a dry) measuring cup will be just fine since most liquids can be measured either by weight or by volume. Note: Liquid measuring cups feature measurement lines, while dry measuring cups are meant to be filled to the brim and leveled off with a butter knife or other flat edge.
Take Our Word for It
This article was written by Barbara Bellesi Zito, a freelance lifestyle writer based in Staten Island, New York. To compile this list of best kitchen scales, she researched products from top brands while considering their surface size, weight capacity, units of measurement, and overall ease of use. For expert advice on what consumers should know when purchasing kitchen scales, Barbara consulted Stephen Chavez, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.
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