The 8 Best Food Scales Of 2023

Purchasing your own food scale can help you cook and bake like a professional. When you use measuring cups, quantities of ingredients like flour and sugar will vary based on several factors including how packed down the ingredient is, the humidity of the room, and how the cup is leveled. Food scales, on the other hand, measure by weight, giving much more accurate results.

Sarah Gold, MS, RDN, LDN says, “Food scales can be a useful tool when a recipe requires precise measurements, such as in bread baking. Being able to measure things like flour by weight (to the gram) can be the difference between the perfect crust and a bread that doesn’t rise properly.” Food scales can also be helpful to measure fruits, vegetables, meat, liquids, and grains when following recipes that call for ingredient quantities by weight.

Reviewed & Approved

The OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale is our top pick because of it’s accuracy, design, user-friendly interface, and ease of cleaning. For a more budget-friendly, quality option, try Ozeri ZK14-R Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen Scale.

When selecting our top list of food scales, we considered overall design, weight capacity, functionality, ease of cleaning, readability and cost. Assessing what you plan to use your food scale for will help to determine the right one for you.

Here are the best food scales on the market.

A Note from Our Nutrition Editor

While some food scales are specifically designed for nutritional tracking, we recommend only using them in this way to better understand food portioning, such as what a three ounce serving of fish looks like. Once you have that understanding, you can eyeball portions and use your hunger and fullness cues to determine how much to eat. While it may be tempting to regularly use a food scale to track your food and nutrient intake, monitoring food intake so closely on a regular basis and having rules around food may lead to hyper vigilant food behaviors and disordered eating patterns.

Shifting the focus from regularly measuring portions using a food scale and restricting your intake to listening to your body’s cues and welcoming the addition of more lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can be an important part of nurturing a healthier relationship with food. Therefore, you might want to take advantage of food scales for culinary precision but step away from the scales that are purely for monitoring nutrient intake.

The OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale checks all the boxes: accuracy, design, compact, a user-friendly interface, ease of cleaning, readability, and a large platform. The innovative design features a pull-out backlit digital display for easy, clear reading. The display pulls away from the base and tucks back in for easy storage. This feature also eliminates shadows caused by larger bowls, which can obstruct one’s view of the display.

Best Overall

OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale

Easy-to-read, adjustable display
Fingerprint-resistant
User-friendly interface
Not ideal for extremely precise measurements

This OXO scale is user-friendly with two simple buttons: a power button that doubles as a zero function, which clears the scale between readings—and a unit conversion button which toggles between ounces, pounds, grams, and kilograms. This makes it easy to use for both sweet and savory recipes. The display also includes a maximum weight capacity indicator icon in case you’re measuring large quantities of food that may go over 11 pounds.

This scale’s stainless steel platform is fingerprint-resistant and removable for easy cleaning. The OXO Good Grips food scale weighs foods up to 11 pounds in 0.1-ounce increments and runs on four AAA batteries.

Price at time of publication: $56

Ozeri’s highly accurate and efficient food scale weighs foods up 11.24 pounds in 0.05-ounce increments. This model features a simple two-button operation including a power/tare button, which calculates the net weight of ingredients without the weight of the container, along with a unit conversion button, which transitions between grams, pounds, ounces, and milliliters.

Best Budget

Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen Scale

Super affordable
Compact
Comes in various colors
Automatically turns off quickly
Not ideal for extremely precise measurements
May not hold up long-term

This affordable food scale delivers quick measurements on its sleek, chrome platform. The Ozeri Pronto runs on two AAA batteries and automatically turns off after two minutes, so, if you’re making recipes that require the use of the scale continuously throughout the whole process, this might not be the best choice.

This compact, round scale comes in Black, Lime Green, Teal Blue, Red, Silver, Silver on Black, and White.

Price at time of publication: $15

The Etekcity Food Scale is a multifunctional food scale that also harnesses the capabilities of a food thermometer, timer, and a mixing bowl. Simply prep and mix ingredients in the detachable 2.06-quart bowl, which allows you to calculate the weight without any messy transferring.

Best with Removable Bowl

Etekcity Food Scale with Bowl, Timer, and Temperature Sensor

Includes food thermometer, timer, & mixing bowl
Has an auto-tare and auto-zero function
Affordable
Not ideal for extremely precise measurements
May not hold up long-term

This stainless steel food scale measures foods up to 11 pounds in 0.1-ounce increments. Measurements can be converted between grams, ounces, pounds, and kilograms. The device’s auto-tare and auto-zero function conveniently calculates the weight of an ingredient without the weight of its container.

The Etekcity is great for baking—try using it to make homemade bread or whip up some zucchini walnut breakfast cookies. It features a built-in timer, keeping time up to 99 minutes, along with a built-in temperature sensor for precise baking and perfectly room temperature doughs. Metrics are displayed on the backlit LCD display for easy viewing.

This scale is powered by two AAA batteries and features an energy-saving auto shut-off function. The detachable bowl stows conveniently over the scale’s base, maximizing storage space.

Price at time of publication: $20

Key Specs:Dimensions: 7.52 x 7.52 x 1.81 inches | Weight Limit: 11 pounds | Measurement: grams, ounces, pounds, or kilograms | Material: Stainless Steel | Batteries Included: Yes | Special Features: Low battery and overload indication, room temperature sensor, alarm timer

The LEM 330 lb. Stainless Steel Digital Scale blurs the lines between a bodyweight scale and a food scale. The spacious, food-grade stainless steel surface delivers the flexibility to weigh all your kitchen needs, from hearty pots of chili to hefty slabs of meat. This compact scale masters big and little jobs, weighing anything from 0.5 pounds all the way up to 330 pounds, in 0.1-pound increments.

Best Weight Capacity

LEM 330 lb. Stainless Steel Digital Scale

Compact considering capacity
Accommodates up to 330 pounds
Easy-to-read display
Expensive
Not ideal for small recipes

The LEM scale features a separate digital readout with easy-to-read results. This comes in handy when working off of a recipe on the other side of the counter. This UL-approved food scale features a tare function to calculate net weight, along with a PCS function, which counts individual pieces according to weight, which is helpful when making recipes like chicken nuggets. Additionally, the scale’s mode button allows users to switch between pounds, ounces, and kilograms.

Delivering a minimalist design, the LEM 330 lb. Stainless Steel Digital Scale is powered by either the included 9-volt battery or the 110-volt power cord. After five minutes of use, the unit automatically powers down. For easy cleaning, this scale can be wiped down using a damp cloth and mild detergent.

Price at time of publication: $80

If not cleaned properly, kitchen surfaces—including food scales—can become breeding grounds for bacteria. Unfortunately, many digital screens can develop water spots between the sheets of glass when they come into contact with chemical cleaners, water, and humidity, eventually rendering the device unusable.

Best Waterproof

Ozeri Touch Waterproof Digital Kitchen Scale

Waterproof
Sleek, compact design
Affordable
Automatically turns off quickly
Display can be easily blocked

Luckily, Ozeri’s scale is a fully waterproof, low-maintenance device that can be fully submerged under running water for a clean and bacteria-free surface. This digital food scale weighs foods up to 11.46 pounds in 0.1-ounce increments. The sleek, black scale features rounded edges with a chic, mixed glossy and matte finish. Results are displayed on the touch-sensitive, infinity contrast LED screen. The challenge with the design is that, when measuring ingredients in a large bowl, the bowl can block the display.

The scale’s tare button calculates the net weight of ingredients by subtracting the weight of the container. The unit button allows users to seamlessly convert between grams, pounds, ounces, fluid ounces, and milliliters. This food scale runs on three AAA batteries.

The Escali Primo Digital Scale is a straightforward, user-friendly food scale that delivers precise measurements almost instantly. This unit measures foods up to 11 pounds in 0.05-ounce increments. This two-button operation features an on/off button that doubles as a tare button, and a unit conversion button that toggles between grams, ounces, and pounds.

Best for Accuracy

Escali Primo Digital Food Scale

Water-resistant display
Small footprint
Comes in various colors
Not ideal for larger recipes

The high-quality, precise Escali Primo scale features a sealed digital display and control panel, protecting against spills and water damage. This unit runs on two AA batteries and features automatic shut-off to conserve battery. It remains on for 4 minutes before automatically powering down

Its rounded design fits well in any kitchen and comes in a variety of colors, including Black, Chrome, Metallic, Pumpkin Orange, Royal Blue, Soft Pink, Soft White, Tarragon Green, and Warm Red.

Price at time of publication: $27

For a compact, sleek, and accurate kitchen scale that won’t clutter your kitchen countertops, look no further than the Greater Goods Digital Food Kitchen Scale. This simplistic pick doesn’t skimp on quality or style. Its classic, clean design comes in various colors, including Ash Grey, Black Glass, Cherry Red, Cobalt Blue, and Stainless Steel.

Best Design

Greater Goods Digital Food Kitchen Scale

Small footprint
Comes in various colors
Affordable
Uses a more expensive battery
Not ideal for extremely precise measurements
Display easily blocked

This small but mighty scale measures foods up to 11 pounds in 0.1-ounce increments. The high-contrast LCD screen displays large text for easy-to-read measurements.

The low-profile, rounded design features a rectangular weighing platform that fits nicely in a drawer. Designed in both plastic and stainless steel, the scale’s surface is easy to clean and features two touch-sensitive buttons. The tare or zero function allows users to calculate the weight of ingredients without the container included, which is helpful for messier ingredients like peanut butter or honey. The unit button converts measurements between grams, pounds, ounces, fluid ounces, and milliliters.

The Greater Goods Digital Food Kitchen Scale runs on a CR2032 battery and automatically shuts down after two minutes of use. It features scratch-resistant feet that keep the scale from scratching the counter and keeps the unit in place.

An analog scale is a fun design piece for your kitchen, and some people prefer the vintage style due to its high level of accuracy. The Taylor Stainless Steel Analog Kitchen Scale features an easy-to-read 5-inch dial that measures foods up to 11 pounds in 1-ounce increments, displaying weight in pounds, ounces, kilogram, and grams.

Best Analog

Taylor Precision Products Stainless Steel Analog Kitchen Scale

Includes a removable mixing bowl
Easy to clean

This stainless steel countertop kitchen scale features a rectangular base with an extra-large dial. The removable 5-cup mixing bowl can be easily cleaned using warm soapy water.

This Taylor scale can be recalibrated by simply turning the adjustment knob at the base of the unit. This scale runs electricity-free so it does not require batteries or need to be plugged in.

Price at time of publication: $40

What to Look for in a Food Scale

Weight Capacity and Platform Size

Deciding what size food scale you need should be one of the first steps you take before making your purchase. Elise Thompson, a Registered Dietitian at TriStar Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, says that you need to ask yourself if you’re measuring single portions, family-size portions, or industrial-size portions.

While smaller units are more portable, they lack versatility for larger portion sizes. Even if you typically measure food for a single person, it might be advisable to get a larger food scale to avoid the need to upgrade to one with a larger surface area later on.

Functionality

When selecting a food scale, “make sure the scale has a readout in measurements that you use for daily cooking,” says Toby Smithson, MS, RDN, LD, CDCES, FAND, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. A unit conversion button is helpful for those times when you need to change a unit of measurement from one to another.

Unsure of how to use a food scale when most recipes call for cup measurements? Registered Dietitian and cookbook author Liz Weiss recommends curious cooks check out this handy Ingredient Weight Chart, which she says is a “quick reference for volume, ounces, and grams equivalencies for everyday ingredients.”

Additionally, most scales include a tare function that lets users weigh messier ingredients. Simply place the container on the scale, press “tare” to negate the weight of the container, and then add the ingredient to the container. The weight displayed will be the weight of the food itself, not including the container.

Ease of Cleaning

“Many people will put a bowl onto their scale, tare out the bowl, and then measure rather than putting the food directly onto the scale itself,” says Thompson. She says that if this is the case, the scale itself might not get dirtied in the process.

However, it’s important to note that any surface that comes in contact with food needs to be sanitized. So, opt for a model that is waterproof or one that can be disassembled for easy cleaning—especially if someone in the household has food allergies.

Readability

The digital display—or analog for the old school fans—must feature large, crisp, and clear text. For the best visibility, opt for a pull-out display. In terms of measurements, Thompson says that some scales provide more precise readings, which can be helpful for those needing to weigh their food for health reasons.

Since you will likely use the scale for making a whole recipe—which could take anywhere from minutes to hours—you may also want to check how long the weight of the food stays in view on the screen, “because it can be cumbersome if you need to keep turning the scale back on,” says Smithson. Lastly, always keep food safety in mind, especially if you’re planning to weigh raw meats and fish or other ingredients that could potentially contain food-borne illness. “Buy a scale that is easy to clean,” says Smithson.

Why Trust Verywell Fit

Emily Stone researches and reviews products for Verywell Fit and Verywell Health. She currently uses the Etekcity Smart Food Nutrition Scale as it’s simple and doesn’t require extra time to gather a meal’s nutritional data.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate are food scales?
Food scale accuracy varies. While some weigh food in 1-gram or 0.05-ounce increments, others display readings in 0.1-pound increments. For the most accurate measurement, choose a scale that provides readings in the smallest increments, suggests Liz Weiss, MS, RDN. Something else to consider: If you tend to measure food that’s already on a plate or in a container, food scales with a ‘tare’ option will provide the most accurate reading,Concerned that your scale isn’t calibrated correctly? Check the accuracy by placing a coin on the scale and checking the reading, suggests Weiss. A penny is 2.5 grams, a nickel is 5 grams, and a quarter is 5.67 grams, per the United States Mint, and your scale’s readings should reflect this. If the measurement is off, check the manufacturer’s instructions to recalibrate the scale and then test it again.
What is the best way to store a food scale?
Handle your food scale with care. “When storing your scale, it’s best to avoid stacking things on top of it. If you overload it, the weight sensors can become damaged, which may cause inaccurate readings,” explains Weiss. It’s also important to store your scale at room temperature. Putting it on a shelf in your garage in the middle of winter? Not such a great idea. “Digital food scales are designed to operate at room temperature. After being in cold temperatures, the displays may not work properly,” Weiss cautions. Weiss uses her scale regularly for recipe testing, so she keeps it in an easy-to-access drawer in her kitchen. Weiss recommends finding a similar location for your own scale and wiping it down with a damp cloth before putting it away. “While your food scale may be spill-proof, it’s not waterproof. So don’t submerge in water. If it’s particularly dirty you can add some dish soap to the damp cloth to get a deeper clean.”
Why should you use a food scale?
“A food scale is an indispensable kitchen tool,” Weiss says. The three main reasons: it adds ease to baking, makes healthy eating simpler, and gives a more precise measurement than measuring cups or spoons.“Imagine that you’re baking a new chocolate chip cookie recipe, and it calls for a cup of all-purpose flour,” Weiss says. “Measuring by volume may yield less-than-perfect results. However, weighing the flour with a food scale all but guarantees you’ll use just the exact right amount.”Food scales are even more helpful when baking with alternatives such as gluten-free flour since the perfect baked good texture can be harder to achieve using gluten-free ingredients.We don’t recommend regularly using food scales to track how much you’re eating. This is a form of dieting, which doesn’t tend to work long-term.
How Much do Food Scales Cost?
Food scales cost anywhere from $8 for a no-frills budget option to close to $100 for heavier duty options that can weigh larger quantities of food and also serve as commercial scales. Budget options tend to have fewer features, weigh smaller quantities of food, and are often less durable when compared to more expensive choices.Our Best Overall pick, the OXO Good Grips stainless steel scale, lies squarely in the middle of the price range, weighing up to 11 pounds of food with pretty much any feature you could need as a home chef.

Food scale accuracy varies. While some weigh food in 1-gram or 0.05-ounce increments, others display readings in 0.1-pound increments. For the most accurate measurement, choose a scale that provides readings in the smallest increments, suggests Liz Weiss, MS, RDN.

Handle your food scale with care. “When storing your scale, it’s best to avoid stacking things on top of it. If you overload it, the weight sensors can become damaged, which may cause inaccurate readings,” explains Weiss.

“A food scale is an indispensable kitchen tool,” Weiss says. The three main reasons: it adds ease to baking, makes healthy eating simpler, and gives a more precise measurement than measuring cups or spoons.

Food scales cost anywhere from $8 for a no-frills budget option to close to $100 for heavier duty options that can weigh larger quantities of food and also serve as commercial scales. Budget options tend to have fewer features, weigh smaller quantities of food, and are often less durable when compared to more expensive choices.

Additional reporting to this story by Sarah Anzlovar, MS, RD

As a food-obsessed registered dietitian, Sarah Anzlovar, MS, RDN, LDN, is always looking for the best, most nutritious products on the market. She prioritizes whole food ingredients to get the most out of every meal and keep you satisfied and energized throughout your day.

What to Look for in a Food Scale#

Weight Capacity and Platform Size#

Functionality#

Ease of Cleaning#

Readability#

Why Trust Verywell Fit#