Top mechanical food scales reviewed – Buying guide & Comparison for 2024
Regardless if you’re a cooking aficionado or someone who enjoys preparing a delicious and healthy meal from time to time, getting the best mechanical food scale is an important thing to do. However, you might have doubts regarding your ability to find a proper scale without investing countless hours in research. That’s where we come in: we’ve done extensive research on a wide range of models so that you don’t have to in order to enjoy the right purchase. After comparing scales and looking at their capacity, precision, and other features, we’ve decided to recommend the Taylor Stainless Steel as our first choice. This scale comes with a solid body, a precise measuring mechanism that can show weight in 1-ounce increments, as well as a large analog dial that’s easy to read. In the event that this model is unavailable, you might want to check out the Internet’s Best Mechanical as well.
If you’re trying to find the best mechanical scale for food but aren’t willing to navigate the labyrinth of options available today, then you’re in luck. We’ve prepared a short buying guide that explains some essential features you should be looking at when purchasing a scale, as well as some tips that might help you get the right model for your needs.
Get a high-precision model for perfect dishes
Whether you’re cooking industrial amounts of food or just one or two dishes per week, you should consider getting a good mechanical food scale that’s accurate. Some models with higher capacities can measure the weight of ingredients down to a quarter of a pound, while others can display readings in increments of half an ounce or even a quarter of an ounce.
Getting an accurate reading is essential for cooking high-quality food because you need to be in complete control of the quantity of each ingredient that goes into a dish. Precise readings can provide you with consistent results for every food you prepare so that you get to enjoy the same taste and texture you expect.
An accurate weight measuring unit will also help you experiment with new combinations where you can measure and then write down the quantities used so that you could always recreate your successful culinary inventions.
Design and construction considerations
One of the great things about buying a mechanical scale is that you get to choose from one of the many classic models that can match just about any decor. Whether you go for a scale with an enamel finish or a vintage option with a large dial, you can be sure that it can add to the atmosphere of a kitchen you’ll just love to cook in.
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a durable product, and that’s because you can easily find a cheap mechanical scale for food that’s made of stainless steel that can last for many years. In fact, many models come with a robust build that can offer a long service life.
Since many scales come with stainless steel bodies, platforms, and plates, you also get to weigh fruits and other ingredients without the fear of getting it damaged by corrosive juices.
Capacity, dials, and other features
Depending on your particular needs, you might want to go for a high-capacity model or a smaller scale for sale. You can easily find 1 or 2-pound designs, as well as 50-pound scales that can help you weigh even heavier items such as bags of potatoes, cereals, fruits, etc., which can be helpful for restaurants or shops.
If you want to enjoy fast and accurate readings, you might as well get a scale that comes with a large dial. That way you’d be able to read any measurement with ease even if your vision is less than perfect. For scientific measurements or international recipes, buying a scale that can display the weight in both imperial and metric units is a good idea.
An adjustment knob is also something you might want to consider when choosing a scale. With it, you could calibrate the scale and make sure you get accurate readings every time.
5 Best Mechanical Food Scales (Reviews) in 2024
Are you searching for the perfect kitchen addition but don’t have the time to analyze dozens of reviews of mechanical food scales? Then you’ve landed in the right place. You’ll find below a list with some of the most appreciated models on the market today, products that offer a wide variety of features and a high value for their price.
Contents
1. Taylor Stainless Steel Analog Kitchen Scale
The Taylor steel scale is an analog model that is perfect for your kitchen. This scale has a capacity of 11 pounds and is accurate down to 1 ounce, making it versatile as well as precise. You can use this to measure anything from large amounts of vegetables, fruits, and meat to smaller ingredients and make sure you use the right quantities every time
With this retro-style model, you get an affordable and attractive scale that has a gleaming stainless steel finish which will surely match the rest of your kitchen decor. You also enjoy a scale with a sturdy frame that can offer quality measurements for many years to come.
Thanks to the 5-inch dial, you get to effortlessly read the measurements without straining your eyes. The adjustment knob allows you to calibrate the scale while the stainless steel bowl is easy to use and clean.
Buy from Amazon.com
2. Internet’s Best Mechanical Kitchen Food Weight Scale with Bowl
If you’re searching for a reliable scale for making salads or cooking tasty dishes, then the Internet’s kitchen model is just what you need. This unit comes with a vintage design that will definitely add charm to your kitchen as well as help you weigh a variety of foods weighing up to 11 pounds.
You get accurate measurements in 0.7-ounce increments so you know precisely how much you need to use to balance flavor in every dish you prepare. This classy scale also features a durable build that’s made of heavy-duty stainless steel which won’t just last for years, but also be resistant to corrosive agents.
The stainless steel bowl is easy to use and you can always remove it to have it cleaned of food residue. The entire unit weighs only 2.1 pounds so you can effortlessly handle it around the kitchen. The small size also makes it easy to store.
Buy from Amazon.com
3. Update International UP-72 Analog Portion Control Scale
The Update International UP-72 is an analog portion scale that can help you follow a healthy diet and ensure you’re getting just the right amount of nutrients. This unit has a 2-pound capacity and it can display measurements in ¼-ounce increments, allowing you to precisely weigh even smaller quantities of ingredients.
With this model, you get a wide 7-inch dial with large graduations that makes it easy to read values. You also get a large platform to place all sorts of ingredients on. This platform is easy to clean, and so is the body of the scale, which comes with an enamel finish.
The dial features graduations for values in pounds and ounces as well as grams so you won’t have to waste time doing any conversions for international recipes. You can prepare juicy salads or spicy oriental dishes without a problem, whether you’re cooking at home or in a restaurant.
Buy from Amazon.com
4. Winco SCLH-50 Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale
In case you’re looking for a commercial food scale, then the solid Winco SCLH-50 Multifunction should definitely be a top choice. This scale comes with an impressive 50-pound capacity so you can weigh even large amounts of produce with great accuracy. This makes it ideal for restaurants or grocery shops as well as home use, especially if you love cooking.
This model has a strong construction that makes use of heavy-duty stainless steel. This doesn’t just result in a resilient device that can perform well over the years, but also a scale that’s resistant to corrosive substances such as acidic fruit juices.
The dial graphics are large so reading the values accurately should be a breeze. You also get dual graduations so you can check the weight of items in both pounds and kilograms, as well as subunits down to a quarter of a pound or 100 grams.
Buy from Amazon.com
5. Rubbermaid Commercial Products FGK16SS Compact Scale
The Rubbermaid FGK16SS Compact is a small but capable kitchen scale that comes with a 16-ounce capability. This is a highly accurate portion scale that can help you use precise amounts of ingredients every time, whether you’re making a small salad or trying to follow complex recipes to the letter.
This scale has a classic design that will easily blend in with the rest of your kitchen decor. You also get a 5-inch display that shows values in ¼-ounce increments. The markings are rather large so you shouldn’t have a problem reading the values even if your eyesight isn’t 20/20.
The stainless steel weighing platform is strong and stable, and you can easily clean it with a damp cloth. Thanks to its compact design, this unit takes little storage space and it can be used in confined areas, making it a great choice for small restaurants or tiny kitchen spaces.
