I Took Over a Thousand Measurements to Find Our Top 3 Kitchen Scales

There’s rarely a day when my kitchen scale goes unused. I’m an avid baker who refuses to pull out a measuring cup to scoop out flour when I can just weigh out what I need. Even when I’m not baking, my kitchen scale is by my side when I need to feed my sourdough starter, weigh out a few servings of pasta, or make sure my mirepoix is actually 50% onion by weight. What can I say? I like to be exact.

My scale is an integral part of my kitchen, and I believe everyone should have one they can rely on. It’s the only tool you can use to bake a cake, mix a brine for sauerkraut, then weigh that package you need to mail. It makes baking and cooking easier, faster, and more precise, which can help you create even better food.

In search of the best scales, I tested 18 of them to find the most accurate, convenient, and adaptable ones for everyday use. Some of the models were previously tested by Sohla El-Waylly, and I reevaluated her top performers alongside a group of new competitors. Two of my top picks (from OXO and Escali) have already been longtime favorites of the Serious Eats team, and I added one that was especially impressive for bakers.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Kitchen Scale

OXO 11-lb. Stainless Steel Food Scale With Pull-Out Display

View On Amazon $56 View On Williams-Sonoma $56 View On Walmart $63

There was a lot to love about this OXO scale. It was accurate for everyday cooking and had a pull-out display that made it easy to read, even with extra-large mixing bowls or sheet pans placed on top. It was the only scale to feature a max capacity indicator, and its power-saving standby mode held onto the most recent weight measurement for a full 15 minutes (versus two or three minutes for most other models).

The Best Budget Kitchen Scale

Escali Primo Digital Food Scale

View On Amazon $25 View On Walmart $32 View On Sur La Table $33

This scale was about half the cost of our other two winners. It was intuitive to use and super accurate. Its buttons were sealed around the edge and easy to wipe clean. The scale was compact and lightweight (yet sturdy), so it was handy to store between uses.

The Best Kitchen Scale for Bread Bakers

My Weigh KD-8000 Digital Food Scale

View On Amazon $49 View On Walmart $82 View On EBay

This scale is for bakers who want a full set of features while maintaining a high level of precision. It had an elevated weighing platform (which was detachable for cleaning), a clear display, and an adjustable auto-off feature. Notably, it also had a baker’s percentage mode for serious bread formulas and easier batch scaling.

The Tests

• General Range Accuracy Test: I placed a calibrated five-gram weight in the center of each model and recorded the scale’s measurement. Then, I moved the weight to each of the scale’s corners to ensure the accuracy wasn’t dependent on where the weight was placed. I repeated this three more times to monitor consistency. To determine the scale’s precision across a range of weights, I tested again using 10-gram, 100-gram, and 500-gram weights.
• Small Measurement Accuracy Test: I weighed a penny (2.5 grams) on each scale to determine how well it registered small amounts. Scales that could resolve out to the half-gram without rounding up or down got bonus points. I added a second penny and marked whether the scale effectively added the weight up to five grams. I also used each scale to weigh 40 grams of salt, a pinch at a time, to evaluate how it dealt with incremental changes. 
• Added Weight Accuracy Test: I added 1,000-gram, 500-gram, 100-gram, 10-gram, and 5-gram weights to each scale to see if it could successfully add all the portions to an accurate total of 1615 grams. 
• Usability Test: I assessed how practical each scale was to use. I noted how intuitive the interface was, whether the weighing platform stayed steady when I pushed the buttons, and if the display was visible with a large mixing bowl on top. I also timed how long the scales took to turn on and automatically shut off.
• Cleanup Test: I put each scale into a dish of flour and rubbed it around to evaluate how easy it was to clean afterward. While most scales won’t be subject to that amount of mess, it was a good way to identify the crevices and gaps where grime would otherwise build up over time.

What We Learned

Inaccuracies Can Happen When Measuring Small Amounts

It might be tempting to believe that a kitchen scale will be just as accurate for measuring a few grams of baking powder as for weighing a five-pound bag of flour. While most of the scales I tested could precisely measure the five-gram calibration weight or a few pennies during the accuracy tests, Serious Eats doesn’t recommend relying on general-use kitchen scales for weighing quantities below 10 grams or so. As Stella Parks has explained, this is because we typically weigh small increments of salt, baking soda, gelatin, or other potent ingredients by adding tiny, tentative pinches onto the weighing platform until we reach the measurement we need. If the scale isn’t sensitive enough to pick up on these micro-changes, it could lead to a series of rounded zero-plus-zero calculations. By the time the scale shows the “right” measurement, the actual quantity that has been added onto the scale may exceed what is displayed—if it’s been picked up at all.

Coffee scales or precision gram scales (also called pocket scales) are good options for precisely weighing down to a tenth (or even a hundredth) of a gram. The American Weigh Scales LB-3000 that I tested was one such precision scale, and it was the only model with 100% accuracy within half a gram across the full range of the general accuracy test. It wasn’t great for more general tasks, though, since it could only weigh around six pounds, and its display was hard to see underneath a mixing bowl.

Two models I tested—the Ooni Dual-Platform Digital Scale and the KitchenAid KQ909 Dual Platform Digital Kitchen and Food Scale—actually featured two separate scales: one for precision measurements and one for larger quantities. They both struggled with accuracy on the larger platform and had other usability issues, like making sure dishes were only touching the platform I wanted to weigh on. Ultimately, a set of measuring spoons is reliable enough for smaller quantities for most home cooking and baking; plus, you probably already have them.

Perfect Full-Range Accuracy Didn’t Exist

None of the scales I tested were spot-on every time. Truthfully, a few grams of variance for primary ingredients like flour, sugar, or cocoa powder won’t affect the outcome of a recipe in most cases, and it would still be much more accurate to measure by weight instead of volume. To put this into context, a cup of flour can vary drastically between four and six ounces depending on how you scoop it. In either case, a gram more or less of flour would equate to less than half a teaspoon of difference.

Still, I didn’t settle for models that had discrepancies of more than a gram or scales that were off-target more often than they were on. The OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Scale had a few readings where it displayed four or six during the five-gram portion of the general range accuracy test, but it got more precise as more weight was added. On the other hand, the Escali Primo and My Weigh KD-8000 scales were more consistent throughout the whole test but had a few single-gram slip-ups toward the upper range. Models that got disqualified were the Etekcity EK6015 Digital Kitchen Scale (which had multiple readings that were off by three grams) and the KitchenAid Dual Platform Food Scale (which fluctuated by up to seven grams).

Some Units Weren’t Helpful

Almost half of the kitchen scales I tested (including the Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scale, both Greater Goods scales, and the Ooni Dual-Platform model) included fluid ounces and milliliters among their units. As volumetric measurements, these might be generally accurate for measuring water (a US fluid ounce of water weighs 1.04 ounces) but could yield recipe disaster if someone tried to use them for measuring eight fluid ounces of a heavier ingredient like honey or condensed milk. That also goes for milliliters and grams, which the scales displayed as the same number with a different label and an extra button push. There’s already plenty of confusion around volume and weight measurements out there, and I took points off for scales that perpetuated it.

Other scales included units that simply weren’t useful for everyday cooking. Namely, the American Weigh Scales LB-3000 had troy ounce (ozt), pennyweight (dwt), and count-by-weight modes that could have been convenient for weighing precious metals…but not cooking. Having them wasn’t a huge drawback, but it did give me extra modes to scroll through every time I wanted to switch from ounces back to grams.

One unit I looked for and missed in most of the lineup was the ability to weigh directly into pounds rather than a combination of pounds and ounces. For example, if I measured out two and three-quarter pounds of flour, most scales would read “2:12.0” to mean two pounds and twelve ounces rather than a pound mode that could display “2.75.” It was a minor gripe, but it would eliminate potential human error when converting ounces into decimals of pounds. Only three models included a pound-only mode: the Greater Goods High Capacity Scale, the Ozeri Pronto Scale, and the winning My Weigh KD-8000 Scale.

Usability Was Crucial

Having a functional and intuitive scale was just as important to me as an accurate one. A significant component of that was a readable display, no matter what I set on top of the weighing platform. Some scales (including the Zwilling Enfinigy Digital Scale and the Greater Goods Digital Scale) had their displays integrated into their flat surfaces and were easily overshadowed by a big mixing bowl. The winning OXO scale was also low-profile, but it solved this issue by having a corded display that extended away from the scale itself. That meant I could weigh vegetables directly onto my half-sheet pan when preparing them for roasting without having to try and peek underneath every few seconds. The My Weigh KD-8000 had an elevated weighing platform and an angled display, which also worked well for visibility.

Another key factor for functionality was the buttons. Touch sensor buttons, like on the Greater Goods models, were easy to brush on accident, which could cause the unit to change or even tare out the measurement when I didn’t mean to. I preferred push buttons for better control, especially those that were laminated over to prevent any gunk from getting stuck in the crevices. The KitchenAid buttons, for example, were unsealed, and it was hard to get all the flour out from around their edges.

I also paid close attention to how quickly a scale reacted to additions or subtractions in weight and how long their auto shut-off window was. The Etekcity scale was sluggish to show changes at times, as was the Ozeri Pronto. There was (and is) nothing more annoying than a scale that turned off if you turned your back for a moment. I gave bonus points to models that had auto-off windows that were longer than three minutes, like the OXO Scale with Pull-Out Display (which kept my last measurement for up to 15 minutes) and the My Weigh KD-8000 (which could be adjusted to automatically turn off after two minutes, five minutes, or not at all).

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Kitchen Scale

The best kitchen scales should be consistently accurate within one gram. They should also be easy to read, even under wide mixing bowls or pans; an elevated weighing platform or pull-out display makes that easier. Their user interfaces should be straightforward, with physical push buttons that are sealed against messes. A removable weighing tray is also a plus for cleaning. The scale shouldn’t include volumetric units, as they can be misleading and cause confusion. Scales that have long auto shut-off windows are preferable, so you don’t lose your measurement if you need to step away briefly. For the most adaptability, the scale should have a max weight of at least 10 pounds so it doesn’t get overloaded with large recipe batches.

Our Favorite Kitchen Scales

The Best Kitchen Scale

OXO 11-lb. Stainless Steel Food Scale With Pull-Out Display

View On Amazon $56 View On Williams-Sonoma $56 View On Walmart $63

What we liked: This scale's impressively functional design has kept it in the winning spot after several years and multiple rounds of reevaluation. Its extendable display was its most prominent feature since it allowed for a flat scale that was easy to store and a cinch to use with almost any size bowl or pan. Less immediately apparent, though, was its handy automatic standby mode. If my attention got pulled away from the scale, it stayed on for five minutes before its screen dimmed. Most other scales turned off after only two or three minutes. Plus, it kept track of whatever I measured for an extra 10 minutes after it went into standby.

The OXO model had the small details covered, too. The scale had physical push buttons that were sealed around the edges to minimize places where gunk could build up. Its tray came off for washing, so you could measure ingredients like raw meat directly on the scale and then sanitize it afterward. It had a low battery indicator and a max capacity meter to help the user avoid overloading (which can damage and wear out the sensor over time). It didn’t include any misleading volume measurements and always turned on to whatever preferred unit I had used previously.

What we didn’t like: This scale was off by one gram in more instances than the other two winners in the general accuracy test (mostly when measuring the five-gram weight). But we recommend using measuring spoons for measurements that small, anyway. It could only measure to the tenth of an ounce, so if you tried to measure a quarter of an ounce, for example, it would round down to 0.2 or up to 0.3. Even though its tray came off for cleaning, there were still some places for flour to hide underneath the scale bed and around the display bed. I would have also liked an additional pound-only unit that would display decimals of a pound instead of converting them to ounces.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 9.75 x 7 x 1.25 inches
• Units: Ounces, pounds:ounces, grams, and kilograms:grams
• Resolution precision: 0.1 ounce, 1 pound:0.1 ounce, 1 gram, or 1 kilogram:1 gram
• Maximum weight: 11 pounds (5 kilograms)
• Auto shut-off: Scale enters power-saving standby mode, then fully turns off and clears its memory after 15 minutes.
• Other features: Removable weighing platform, maximum capacity meter, low battery indicator
• Power source: Four AAA batteries
• Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty that covers defects in material and workmanship; if you are not satisfied with the scale, OXO will replace or refund it
  

The Best Budget Kitchen Scale

Escali Primo Digital Food Scale

View On Amazon $25 View On Walmart $32 View On Sur La Table $33

What we liked: This affordable and simple-to-use scale is a great option for people who bake occasionally or want a small, lightweight option that’s easy to store. Although not as feature-packed as the other two winners, the Escali was spot-on across the full range of our accuracy tests. It rounded out to five-hundredths of an ounce, so it could accurately display quarter-ounce increments. It had sealed, physical push buttons, and a moderately long four-minute auto shut-off.

What we didn’t like: Although the platform was slightly elevated, it could still be hard to see the display with large bowls or pans on top. Its flat display was still visible with a nine-inch cake pan and a quarter-sheet pan set on top, but a half-sheet pan covered it up. The weighing tray wasn’t removable, and the scale didn’t have a pounds-only mode.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 8.5 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Units: Grams, ounces, and pounds:ounces
• Resolution precision: 1 gram, 0.05 ounce, or 1 pound:0.1 ounce
• Maximum weight: 11 pounds (5 kilograms)
• Auto shut-off: Four minutes
• Other features: Low battery indicator
• Power source: Two AA batteries
• Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty that covers defects in materials and workmanship under normal use; the warranty does not cover misuse, abuse, or normal wear and tear

The Best Kitchen Scale for Bread Bakers

My Weigh KD-8000 Digital Food Scale

View On Amazon $49 View On Walmart $82 View On EBay

What we liked: Where the OXO scale was a standout general-purpose scale, the My Weigh KD-8000 is a baker’s dream with plenty of specialized features. It was the only model I tested where the user could disable the auto-off. Its angled display, paired with a highly elevated platform, stayed readable even under large bowls or wide dough-proofing boxes. This scale had a higher max weight than our other winners and could even be recalibrated at home—which I didn’t need to do, considering its near-perfect accuracy. The hold button froze the last measurement in place so I could still reference an item’s weight after I had removed it from the platform. It also had the unique capability to measure with baker’s percentages, automatically calculating the ratio of ingredients based on the initial flour weight. The platform tray was removable for cleaning, and the scale bed underneath was easy to wipe out. Batteries were also optional, as the scale came with a plug-in AC adapter.

What we didn’t like: This scale was the bulkiest in the lineup, which made it more challenging to store. It came with a removable hard plastic cover to protect the display, but I had to flip it up every time I needed to press a button (and the buttons were sealed against spills to begin with). It was more of a hindrance than a help, so I took it off for most of the testing. The adjustable auto-off was convenient, but changing the settings wasn’t intuitive and required the user manual nearby to decipher the labels. I could also change the weight response speed of the scale, but I didn’t notice much difference between the slowest and fastest settings. This scale also has a relatively slow start-up time (about four seconds).

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 9.75 x 6.9 x 4 inches
• Units: Grams, ounces, kilograms, pounds, pounds:ounces, and baker’s percentage
• Resolution precision: 1 gram, 0.05 ounce, .001 kilogram, 0.002 pound, or 1 pound:0.1 ounce
• Maximum weight: 17.6 pounds (8 kilograms)
• Auto shut-off: Can be disabled or adjusted to turn off after two or five minutes.
• Other features: Removable weighing platform, calibration mode, hold feature to freeze current reading, sound and backlight that can be turned on or off, adjustable response speed, low battery indicator, includes a hard protective display cover as well as three soft disposable covers
• Power source: AC adapter (recommended) or three AA batteries
• Warranty: Limited 90-day warranty that covers defects in materials or workmanship but does not cover damage due to misuse, normal wear and tear, or accidents

The Competition

• OXO BREW 6 lb Precision Scale With Timer: We’d previously named this scale our favorite for precision measurements, but I found it too touchy and erratic for general use. We still love it for making coffee, though.
• Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale: At first glance, the Ozeri Pronto seemed quite similar to the winning Escali. However, it was less precise at larger weights, it included a misleading milliliter mode, and the auto shut-off window was only two minutes.
• American Weigh Scales LB-3000 Digital Bowl Scale: This model was supremely accurate (it was never off by more than 0.3 grams in any test), but it seemed more designed for jewelry than cooking. It included troy ounces (ozt) and pennyweight (dwt) units (as well as a count-by-weight feature) that became an annoyance to skip through every time I wanted to change the unit. It had a max weight of 6.6 pounds, which was too low for an all-purpose kitchen scale. It was also hard to read when a large vessel was placed on top. I’d only recommend it if you’re looking for a larger-ranged alternative to a typical gram precision scale.
• Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scale: The Amazon scale was affordable and straightforward to use. Unfortunately, it included deceptive volume units and had too many readings that were off by a gram or two.
• Greater Goods High Capacity Kitchen Scale: This scale had an elevated platform and a clear display, but it was slow to respond to weight changes and turned off while I was using it at one point.
• Greater Goods Digital Kitchen Scale: Because of its flat surface, a large bowl easily overshadows the un-backlit display. It also took extra time to settle on the correct weight.
• Zwilling Enfinigy Digital Scale: The Zwilling model had to be recharged using its specific charging cable (other USB-C cables would fit but wouldn’t charge the model I tested). Its unit button was hidden on the bottom side of the scale, and the illuminated display could be hard to read under bright lights. It was also off by several grams in a few of the tests.
• Etekcity EK6015 Digital Kitchen Scale: The Etekcity was one of the least consistent models in the general accuracy test. Its display could be difficult to read under a mixing bowl, and it would go into dimmed standby mode after only 30 seconds. 
• OXO Good Grips 5 lb Food Scale with Pull-Out Display: The max weight was low at five pounds, and the measurement was off by a gram more often than not toward the upper range of the accuracy test.
• Ooni Dual-Platform Digital Scale: The Ooni model I tested repeatedly turned itself off whenever it was on for more than five minutes, even when I was actively using it.
• KitchenAid KQ909 Dual Platform Digital Kitchen and Food Scale: Although its small platform could read to the hundredth of a gram and was quite accurate, its larger scale was all over the place. It was off by up to seven grams in the general accuracy test.
• SIMPLETASTE Digital Kitchen Scale: This scale is no longer available. It was accurate but timed out too quickly. The display wasn’t backlit, making it hard to read in certain lighting conditions.
• Ozeri Touch Professional Digital Kitchen Scale: This was one of the least accurate machines, off in almost all of its measurements. Because the scale's controls are built into the weighing platform, it was hard to measure any ingredients or tare a vessel because a slight touch to the scale would impact the weight. This unit is also currently unavailable.
• Escali Alimento Ultra Accurate Scale: This was the most expensive scale we tested and not as accurate as some of the other, more affordable options (plus, it seems to be no longer available).
• Cuisinart Balance Pro Digital Kitchen Scale and Cuisinart ProVantage Digital Kitchen Scale: These scales were among the most expensive and least accurate of the models we tested. They also began measuring at five grams, making them unsuitable for smaller measurements. They seem to be discontinued.

FAQs

Is a kitchen scale worth it?

We say unequivocally: YES! A kitchen scale is absolutely worth the investment. Measuring ingredients by weight is not only far more accurate than measuring by volume, but it can be easier and faster, too. A scale can be used to weigh out ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, and even liquids for baking. You can also use it to check serving sizes, check fruit and veggie sizes for recipes, or evenly portion things like cookie dough or meatballs. It can also be used to weight small mail packages.

What does the tare function on a kitchen scale do?

Pressing the tare button on a kitchen scale will return the display to zero, so the scale only shows the weight of ingredients added after taring. You can tare a scale after adding an empty bowl on top and between ingredients going into the same bowl.

How do you calibrate a kitchen scale?

To check if your scale is accurate, you could use calibration weights like these to see how close your scale is to the correct measurement. For a (practically) free solution, you could also use a few coins. If your scale can weigh to the tenth of a gram, you can use a 2.5-gram penny. Otherwise, get some nickels (the newer, the better), ensure your scale is tared to zero, and then add a nickel or two to the platform. If your scale goes up by five grams for each nickel you add, it’s accurate. If not, you’ll need to read the owner’s manual to see if your scale can be calibrated in the first place—or contact the manufacturer about a replacement.

What could cause my scale to become inaccurate?

There are a lot of factors that can affect a scale’s calibration over time. Low power is one of the most common causes of inaccuracies. Luckily, the solution to that is as easy as changing the batteries. Electromagnetic interference from nearby electronic devices can sometimes affect a scale’s readings. Avoid storing your kitchen scale with heavy objects on top, overloading the scale during use, or dropping items on the weighing platform, as that can damage the load cell. Other things that can harm the sensors include liquid or debris inside the scale and extreme temperatures. For the best results, make sure your scale is set up on a flat, steady surface in a clean environment every time you use it.

Can you shut off the auto-off feature on a kitchen scale?

The auto-off feature might save batteries in the long run, but when you turn back to your kitchen scale to find that it’s turned off and forgotten your last measurement, it certainly doesn’t feel very helpful. Some scales, like our favorite My Weigh KD-8000, have an adjustable auto-off function that can be extended or disabled altogether. The OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Scale, on the other hand, goes into standby mode after five minutes of inactivity but saves the most recently displayed weight for 10 more minutes before powering off completely. Check your scale’s user manual to see if it has options for extending or disabling the auto-off window.

How do I clean a kitchen scale?

Kitchen scales aren’t typically waterproof and should not be immersed in liquid or exposed to abrasive detergents. Instead, you can clean your kitchen scale with a slightly damp cloth. For floury messes, wiping down the scale with a dry towel first can be helpful to avoid creating a paste that can dry and stick around buttons and under the platform. Some models, like the OXO Good Grips, also have a removable weighing tray that can be washed and sanitized separately from the scale. 

Why We’re the Experts

• Ashlee Redger is a freelance food writer who has been reviewing equipment for Serious Eats since 2022. She has interned at America’s Test Kitchen, created consumer products and restaurant menus for national brands, and developed hundreds of recipes for home cooks.
• Ashlee has written many reviews for Serious Eats, including infrared thermometers and portable induction cooktops.
• She conducted five in-depth tests to determine each kitchen scale’s accuracy, functionality, and cleanability, then compared the data to find the best options for everyday use.
• This was an update to a previous review in which Sohla El-Waylly tested 14 kitchen scales using the same rigorous standards. For this round, we reevaluated the previous high-performers (including the OXO Good Grips, Escali Primo, and OXO BREW scales) against a new lineup of competitors.
• We now have a separate review for uber-precise coffee scales.