I’ve been an avid home baker for well over a decade (my first stint in “food media” was a baking blog I started in middle school!), and I can confirm that there is no single tool quite as important to the outcome of your baked goods as a simple kitchen scale. Bon Appétit’s Test Kitchen team agrees, which is why you’ll see gram measurements in the baking recipes on our site.
Our top picks
- Best kitchen scale overall: Escali Primo Digital Food Scale
- Best budget kitchen scale: Amazon Basics Kitchen Scale
- For bakers who are also coffee nerds: Fellow Tally Scale
For the skeptics, try this actual experiment, which I did with senior editor Noah Kaufman: Make one batch of cookies with flour scooped directly from the bag and weighed, and another with flour spooned and leveled into a measuring cup. The two batches will turn out completely different. Scooped flour packs more densely into the cup, so you end up with more flour than the recipe calls for, and that will have a major impact on your finished product. A scale is the secret to staying true to the recipe every single time.
Another bonus of a kitchen scale? In most cases, you can kiss measuring cups and spoons goodbye, which means far fewer dishes to clean once your bakes are in the oven.
Scales aren’t just for bakers, either. They make portioning burger patties and meatballs easier, streamline meal prep, and keep your Sunday morning pancake routine cleaner.
I’ve tested 16 models over several years and consulted Shilpa Uskokovic, BA senior Test Kitchen editor and co-owner of Hani’s Bakery, to find the best kitchen scale for home cooks. The winner is just $27.
New in this update: I tested the new ThermoWorks Gravitas Precision Kitchen Scale, but ultimately, while it can serve a real purpose for larger projects, I didn’t think its performance matched its price tag. You can read my full review below.
The best kitchen scale overall: Escali Primo Digital Food Scale
Escali
Escali Primo Digital Kitchen Scale
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Comes in an array of colors
- Lightweight and compact
- Very accurate
Cons:
- Only measures in 1-gram increments
- Display isn’t backlit
Size: 8.5 x 6 x 1.5″
Capacity: 11 lb.
Gradation: 1 g
Auto shut-off: 4 minutes 30 seconds
Power: AA batteries (included)
This Escali Primo has held the top spot in our testing for over six years and has been a favorite in the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen for far longer than that. “This scale has been with me for more than a decade of my career, staying faithfully by my side through 12-hour shifts in pastry kitchens, bouts of religious recipe testing, and weekly sessions of casual baking,” says senior Test Kitchen editor and resident baking whiz Shilpa Uskokovic.
It’s durable, accurate, intuitive to use, and affordable—pretty much everything we could ask of a kitchen scale.
What we love: The Escali Primo is lightweight, comes in a variety of fun colors, and has a simple two-button interface to turn it on, tare it, and toggle between ounces, pounds, and grams. In testing, it was responsive and precise, quick to tare, and delivered accurate readings every time. Its 4.5-minute auto shut-off is among the longest of any model we tested, so you won’t lose your measurements mid-bake. Plus, its 11-pound capacity is large enough to accommodate any task a home cook might ask of it.
Performance aside, the Escali Primo has several design features that helped it stand out. For one, the fact that the weighing platform is elevated and offset from the base means you can easily read the display or use the buttons even when measuring into a large, wide mixing bowl. The plastic body and sealed control panel make it a breeze to wipe down after a floury baking session and also keep stray crumbs from getting stuck in any crevices. Another detail we like? The four rubberized feet keep it stable on your kitchen counter.
The Escali Primo has proven quite durable as we’ve continued to test it long-term, another reason why it’s a perennial favorite among our Test Kitchen editors. Shilpa again: “It’s compact and easy to store, it’s easy to wipe clean, it toggles between grams and ounces seamlessly, and it’s reliably accurate.”
What we’d leave: The Escali can only measure in 1-gram increments. While this was typical of most scales we tested, those looking to use their kitchen scale for dialing in their coffee routine will want something more precise (though coffee scales are kind of their own thing). Unlike some pricier models, the Escali’s display is not backlit, but we didn’t find this to be an issue. It’s also worth noting that the Escali is not a touchscreen device, so you’ll need to use a bit of pressure on the buttons.
The best budget kitchen scale: Amazon Basics Kitchen Scale
Amazon Basics
Digital Kitchen Scale
Pros:
- Very inexpensive
- Lightweight and compact
- Pretty accurate
Cons:
- Not quite as accurate as our top pick
- Buttons can be prone to collecting crumbs and grime
Size: 8.3 x 7 x 1.3″
Capacity: 11 lb.
Gradation: 1 g
Auto shut-off: NA
Power: AAA batteries (included)
Amazon Basics products are not consistent across the board, but this scale is a certifiable hit. At about half the price of the Escali, it’s a good option if you’re not positive about this scale thing and want to spend as little as humanly possible to do so.
What we love: There are a lot of similarities between the Amazon Basics scale and the overall winner. The Amazon Basics scale has the same two-button setup, a similar elevated weighing platform that makes it easy to see the display, and the same 11-pound maximum capacity. It’s made of plastic with a stainless-steel platform that’s easy to wipe down and is just a touch larger than the Escali at 7 inches across.
In testing, I was impressed by the Amazon scale’s accuracy, considering its price point. It responded to weight addition or removal almost as quickly as the Escali and provided an accurate readout about 99% of the time. That 1% weight change inaccuracy happened when someone repeatedly added weight or switched back and forth between units of measurement, and when it did happen, the reading was off by a minor amount. The problem could be fixed by removing what was on the scale, taring it, and starting over. For $10 (at the time of writing), you’d be hard-pressed to find a better model.
What we’d leave: Unlike the Escali, the Amazon scale’s buttons lack any kind of laminated sealing to prevent crumbs or liquid from entering the crevices around them. As mentioned, this scale isn’t quite as accurate as the winner and it tended to overshoot an item’s actual weight at first (before correcting itself relatively quickly). And last, the stainless-steel platform is more prone to scratching or smudging than Escali’s plastic one.
For bakers who are also coffee nerds: Fellow Tally Scale
You’ll notice there aren’t any other scales marketed as coffee scales on this list, and that’s because the Fellow Tally was the only coffee scale we thought could plausibly work as an all-purpose model too.
What we love: The Fellow Tally is one of our favorite coffee scales (especially for pour-over) thanks to features like a built-in timer and a “brew assist” that directs you on the proper ratio of coffee to water—but its 5.5-pound maximum capacity means it works for most home baking projects too. If you’re the kind of person who likes to nerd out over your brewing and baking techniques, this is your best bet unless you want to invest in two separate scales.
In testing, we quite liked the Tally’s design for its tactile controls and easy-to-read OLED display, and appreciated its ability to measure grams, ounces, pounds, and milliliters (that milliliter measurement is calibrated for water, so one milliliter equals one gram; if you’re measuring a heavier liquid like milk it will be slightly off). The elevated 6-inch platform is large enough to comfortably hold a mixing bowl while allowing easy visibility of the display.
What we’d leave: This is undeniably a pricey scale, so unless you’re interested in its special coffee-making features, it’s overkill. And while the 5.5-pound capacity should be enough for most things the average person would bake at home, if you see giant batches of sourdough or holiday cookies in your future, opt for the Escali.
Calibration weight accuracy test
To find out how accurate each scale was, I used a set of calibration weights. I tested each scale’s ability to give an accurate reading for the minimum amount of weight it claimed to be able to accommodate (usually 1 or 2 grams), and its ability to detect small changes when there was already weight on the platform. I also placed weights in various places on each scale’s platform to determine whether they could give an accurate reading regardless of whether the weight was in the center or at the edge.
I coated each scale in a mixture of flour, water, and oil and let them sit overnight. I cleaned the residue off and noted which scales were easy to clean and resistant to any scratching or staining.
I distributed winning scales to staffers to see how they fared after long-term use in our homes and in the Test Kitchen and added any long-term testing notes to reviews as they came in.
What makes a good kitchen scale
I looked for consistently accurate measurements and a short response time when adding and removing items of varying sizes and materials from each scale. I took into account how weight distribution affected the readings, looking for scales that delivered spot-on results regardless of where on the platform we placed the weights. I also took note of how precise each scale could be in its measurements, but found our favorite all-around options tended to measure in 1-gram increments.
I looked for scales that were intuitive to use without picking up a manual.
I tested scales with weight capacities ranging from 1.65 to 16 pounds, but found that a maximum capacity of 11 pounds was more than enough for the tasks one might try to accomplish in a home kitchen.
I wanted a scale that felt durable, well-made, and stable on the counter and was also designed to be easy to clean.
Unlike a stand mixer, a scale isn’t the kind of kitchen gadget most home cooks are looking to keep permanently on their counter. Lightweight, compact models that could be easily stashed in a cabinet were better.
I took into account the relative price of each scale. After years of testing, we’ve found that you really don’t need to spend much to get a high-quality, highly accurate kitchen scale, so any models that were pricey needed to wow us with their design or extra features.
Other kitchen scales we like
These scales didn’t quite make our list of top picks, but they still impressed us in testing and might fit your needs depending on what you’re looking for.
Escali Arti Glass Kitchen Scale
Escali
Escali Arti Glass Kitchen Scale
This is another scale from the makers of our top overall pick. It’s sleeker and slightly more advanced, with a four-button control panel that includes the typical on-off, unit change, and tare functions, plus a “hold” feature that keeps your measurement on the screen rather than automatically shutting off after a given amount of time.
We ultimately didn’t think the added feature and upgraded design merited spending an extra $10, but this is undoubtedly a good scale (and the rainbow of colorways available makes it easy to find a match for your kitchen decor).
Oxo Good Grips Stainless-Steel Food Scale
Oxo
Oxo Good Grips Food Scale
This Oxo scale is a favorite among professional chefs for its easy-to-clean stainless-steel weighing platform, handy pull-out display design (great for measuring into extra-large bowls), and accuracy. We liked it a lot, but didn’t feel it merited its price tag, which is about double that of the winning Escali at the time of writing. Editor’s note: This is a newer version of the model we tested.
Kitchen scales we don’t recommend
True to its name, this precision scale from Etekcity provides measurements in 0.1-gram increments as well as the option to measure in milliliters and fluid ounces (along with the typical grams and pounds/ounces). That said, we didn’t love that the instructions recommended using this scale with only the included plastic bowl and found that the stainless steel weighing platform scratched easily.
This rechargeable digital kitchen scale seemed promising, with its 22-pound maximum weight, easy-to-clean weighing platform, Bluetooth-enabled app connectivity, customizable auto-off function, and host of premium features. However, it was one of the least accurate scales we tested: Our 5-gram nickel weighed in at a low of 2 grams and high of 6. For that reason, we don’t recommend it unless you’re buying a scale primarily for meal tracking reasons.
The Zwilling Enfinigy Digital Food Scale was another promising option. It’s rechargeable via USB cord and has a sleek, buttonless design and 22-pound capacity. However, it wasn’t as accurate as we’d have liked, and despite how cool it looks, the lack of buttons turned out to be frustrating. We also disliked how the tab that switches the units of measurement is located underneath the scale.
This scale is heavy-duty. It’s got a 16-pound max capacity, it can be charged with a plug-in A/C adapter, and it’s the size of a small kitchen appliance. It works well (and even allows you to measure using baker’s percentages), but unless you’re in a professional bakery setting, it’s overkill.
At less than 3-by-3 inches, this scale is truly tiny. It’s an impressive little kitchen tool, able to provide measurements in 0.1 gram increments, but its maximum capacity of 1.65 pounds is just too small for most cooking or baking projects besides making coffee.
This scale from Cuisinart has a glass weighing platform and removable stainless-steel bowl, but we ultimately didn’t love the idea of the bowl adding yet another piece of clutter to our kitchens. Besides that, this scale was less accurate than our top picks, had a short, 1-minute auto-off time, and was nearly double the price of the winning Escali.
This scale lost for a couple reasons: It was less accurate than our winners and one of the most difficult scales to clean in our most recent round of testing. The display panel was prone to trapping crumbs and bits of flour, and the scale itself required intensive scrubbing to remove leftover residue.
Like many of Joseph Joseph’s products, this scale has an interesting design. It’s made up of three prongs that fold into a small rectangle, making it easy to stash away when not in use. That said, this scale struggled in testing; it couldn’t detect small amounts of weight and was prone to reading the weight of your finger when you tapped its buttons.
I had high hopes for this dual platform scale from the makers of some of our favorite pizza ovens. It’s got a sleek, low-profile design, wide capacity range (0.1–22 grams if you take into account both platforms), and handy light-up display. Unfortunately, we found both the small and big platforms inaccurate: The small platform struggled with picking up small changes and was often off by multiple tenths of a gram, and the big platform was inconsistent, often fluctuating between two readings or off by a couple grams.
We noticed inaccuracies and inconsistencies with both of the KitchenAid’s platforms. The small scale is meant to be precise down to the hundredth of a gram, but it struggled to detect our .02-gram calibration weight and fluctuated between .19 and .20 when we weighed a 0.2-gram weight. The big scale was decidedly more inaccurate, off by 3–4 grams when we tested it with a 100-gram weight.
Like all of Smeg’s products, the brand’s take on a kitchen scale is very cute. Unfortunately, while the design is aesthetically pleasing, it didn’t prove to be very functional. The scale is very bulky because of the built-in bowl, which can’t be removed from the base (though the stainless-steel bowl insert can be removed for cleaning). The scale’s base itself is sensitive to weight, which means pressing on the buttons with force can cause a temporary spike in the reading—and, more important, if you drop any ingredients on the base, the weight of said ingredient will be added to the total. We also found that this scale struggled to accurately report small (1- or 2-gram) changes in weight.
I was very excited to test this scale from the brand behind our favorite cooking thermometers, but unfortunately it failed to impress me enough to merit a recommendation. The scale boasts the capability to measure down to the tenth of a gram, but according to ThermoWorks’ product description, it does so with ±0.7 g accuracy. In testing, I found this to be true—readings were rarely accurate to the exact tenth. After testing the scale in his home kitchen for several weeks, senior commerce editor Noah Kaufman also noted that readings came in on the slow side, which made measuring ingredients that pour out quickly (like flour or liquids) tricky. I did appreciate the detachable display (helpful when using a large, wide bowl that might otherwise obscure the screen), but it wasn’t enough to outweigh the negatives—and besides, I’m of the opinion that there’s no reason for an average home cook to pay $120 for a scale when a $25 one performs incredibly well.
We also tested the Ozeri Pronto, Etekcity Multifunction Food Kitchen Scale, and GDealer Tempered Glass Kitchen Scale, all of which have been discontinued.
FAQ
How do you use a kitchen scale?
To use a kitchen scale, you’ll have to familiarize yourself with the concept of “tare.” Taring a scale allows you to reset the weight back to zero when you already have something on the weighing platform. This is particularly useful if you want to measure ingredients into a bowl (just place the bowl on the platform, click the tare button, and go on adding your ingredients), or if you want to measure multiple ingredients into that bowl without needing to add or subtract the existing weight in your head.
Alaina Chou
What should you use a kitchen scale for?
Baking is the obvious answer here, but the use cases for kitchen scales go far beyond the world of flour and butter. Use a scale to perfectly portion out meat for meatballs or burgers, aid in your meal prep for the week, or for any recipe where precise quantities are of the utmost importance.
Get to know the expert
Alaina Chou: Alaina has been testing products at Bon Appétit for over three years, which means she’s used dozens of air fryers, toasters, rice cookers, and—you guessed it—kitchen scales. She’s an avid baker who’s been a proponent of measuring by weight for the better part of a decade.
