The best kitchen scales are accurate and easy to use: a must-have for any gourmand or keen baker.
Scales tend to get a bit less consistent at heavier weights (1kg), but the best vary by just a few grams. The worst vary by 20g!
Most kitchen scales are less accurate at measuring wet ingredients at low weights (<20ml) compared with dry ingredients.
But the best kitchen scales stay accurate, no matter the weight, are easy to use and have a quick tare function (resets the scale to zero).
Are Salter kitchen scales any good? We’ve tested three kitchen scales that impressed us enough to earn our Best Buy recommendation – read on to find out if Salter is one of them.
The best kitchen scales
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Dates tested: September 2023 and July 2021. n/a: kitchen scales don’t measure in units for wet ingredients (eg ml, fluid ounces). We’re not able to show every retailer, and cheaper prices may be available.
The kitchen scales we tested
All the kitchen scales we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
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Accuweight Digital Kitchen Scales
Date tested September 2023
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces, litres/millilitres, fluid ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know 2xAAA batteries (included); one-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W) 20 x 16.5 cm; product weight 530g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function; one-year warranty
Argos Home Digital Kitchen Scale
Date tested July 2021
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know 1xCR2032 battery (included); two-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W) 17 x 14 cm; product weight 150g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function; one-year guarantee
Beurer Nutritional Analysis Kitchen Scale
Date tested July 2021
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know 3xAAA batteries (included); one-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W) 23 x 16.5cm; product weight 550g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function; can provide nutritional information on weighed foodstuffs; five-year guarantee
Heston Blumenthal Dual Platform Digital Scale
Date tested July 2021
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces, litres/millilitres, fluid ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 200g (precision scale), 10kg (large scale)
Need to know: 3xAAA batteries (included); one-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W) 26 x 17.5cm; product weight 850g; measures in increments of 1g (large scale), 0.1g (precision scale); no bowl included, tare function, precision scale; 15-year guarantee
John Lewis Anyday Glass Platform Digital Kitchen Scale
Date tested September 2023
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know: 1xCR2032 battery (included); two-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W) 22 x 15cm; product weight 450g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function precision scale
Joseph Joseph Triscale Folding Digital Scale
Date tested July 2021
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces, litres/millilitres, fluid ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know 1xCR2032 battery (included); two-step battery removal; dimensions unfolded (L x W) 22 x 22cm; dimensions folded (L x W) 15 x 4.5cm; product weight 150g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function; three-year guarantee if bought at Lakeland
Lakeland Digital Kitchen Weighing Scale
Date tested July 2021
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know 2xAAA batteries (not included); one-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W x H) 20 x 20 x 14cm; product weight 550g; measures in increments of 1g; bowl included, tare function, ambient temperature feature, timer; three-year guarantee
Lakeland Wind-Up Digital Kitchen Scale
Date tested September 2023
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces, litres/millilitres
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know No batteries needed, uses a wind-up mechanism; dimensions (L x W) 24 x 18.5cm; product weight 370g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function; three-year guarantee
Ooni Dual Platform LCD Digital Kitchen Weighing Scales
Date tested September 2023
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces, litres/millilitres, fluid ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 200g (precision scale), 10kg (large scale)
Need to know 3xAAA batteries (included); one-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W) 18 x 31cm; product weight 780g; measures in increments of 1g (large scale), 0.1g (precision scale); no bowl included, tare function, precision scale; two-year guarantee
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Oxo Good Grips Kitchen Scale
Date tested July 2021
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know 4xAAA batteries (included); one-step battery removal; dimensions (Lx W) 23.5 x 18cm; product weight 750g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function, pull-out display; lifetime guarantee
Salter Aquaweigh Mechanical Baking Scale
Date tested September 2023
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces, litres/millilitres, fluid ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 4kg
Need to know No batteries needed; dimensions (L x W x H) 29 x 25 x 16.5cm; product weight 370g; measures in increments of 25g; bowl included, tare function; 15-year guarantee
Salter Arc Digital Kitchen Scale
Date tested September 2023
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 3kg
Need to know 1xCR2032 battery (included); two-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W) 18 x 18cm; product weight 320g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function; 15-year guarantee
Salter Cook Electronic Digital Kitchen Scale with Bluetooth
Date tested September 2023
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces, litres/millilitres, fluid ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 10kg
Need to know 3xAAA batteries (included); one-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W) 17.5 x 17.5cm; product weight 500g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function, connect to Salter Cook App by Bluetooth; 15-year guarantee
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Salter Disc Digital Kitchen Scales
Date tested July 2021
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces, litres/millilitres, fluid ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know 1xCR2032 battery (included); two-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W) 18 x 16cm; product weight 500g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function; 15-year guarantee
Salter High Capacity Scale
Date tested September 2023
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces, litres/millilitres, fluid ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 10kg
Need to know 2xAAA batteries (included); one-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W) 20 x 16.5cm; product weight 530g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function; 15-year guarantee
Taylor Pro Digital Dual Kitchen Scale
Date tested September 2023
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces, litres/millilitres, fluid ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know 2xAAA batteries (not included); one-step battery removal; dimensions (L x W x H) 21 x 21 x 13cm; product weight 670g; measures in increments of 1g; stainless steel bowl included, tare function; 20-year guarantee
Terraillon Smart USB Kitchen Scales
Date tested September 2023
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces, litres/millilitres, fluid ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know no batteries needed; dimensions (L x W) 21 x 16cm; product weight 450g; measures in increments of 1g; no bowl included, tare function, milk-conversion unit, USB charging cable included; 15-year guarantee
Terraillon Traditional Scale
Date tested September 2023
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Measures kilograms/grams, pounds/ounces
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Maximum weight on scales 5kg
Need to know no batteries needed; dimensions (L x W x H) 21 x 16.5 x 25cm; product weight 1.46kg; measures in increments of 20g; stainless steel bowl included, tare function; five-year guarantee
How we test kitchen scales
We tested the most popular kitchen scales available at major UK retailers. We buy all products we test.
Accuracy and consistency
We use a set of calibration weights, from 1g/ml up to 1kg/L, on every set of scales. We repeat this multiple times to see how accurate the scales are, and if readings are consistent each time.
The best scales give you top-notch precision for both wet and dry ingredients, but the worst get less accurate and deviate a lot at heavier weights and volumes.
Auto shut-off time
We time how long each set of kitchen scales stayed on before turning themselves off.
The best kitchen scales have a long auto shut-off time, so you don’t have to frequently turn them back on during use.
Ease of use
We assess how easy each set of scales is to use, noting useful features such as a clear display, easy navigation, sensitive buttons and rubber feet.
We penalise scales that are overly heavy, bulky, or have one-step battery removal, as easy access to button batteries can be dangerous to young children if swallowed. Read more: baby dies after swallowing button battery
Which kitchen scales are the most accurate?
Our tests find digital kitchen scales to be the most accurate type. They measure in smaller increments and don’t rely on you judging where the needle is pointing (like a mechanical scale).
However, there are still some key things to consider when looking for the best kitchen scales:
- The best kitchen scales are accurate and only deviate by a few grams or less — these discrepancies aren’t going to make much difference to a recipe unless you’re cooking up a minuscule amount or using an ingredient where precise quantities are a must, such as yeast.
- Most kitchen scales we tested were less accurate with liquids — even scales that claim to measure liquids could be off by around 30ml at higher volumes, and struggle to accurately measure small volumes (<20ml). The best scales did a good job even at these extremes.
- Bright, clear displays and sensitive buttons really help with accurate measuring — having to press down hard on buttons can make the scales unstable, and not seeing the display clearly makes it easy to overshoot the mark when adding ingredients.
A lot of the scales we’ve tested have one-step battery removal. Two-step battery removal is law for children’s toys to avoid children getting harmed by swallowing batteries.
All scales we’ve seen that use button batteries require two steps to remove the battery (usually needing a screwdriver). Ones we’ve seen with one-step battery removal use AA or AAA batteries.
This reduces the risk, by being larger than button batteries, but if you’ve got little ones about, we’d advise storing scales that have one-step battery removal out of reach.
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How does a measuring jug scale compare?
Weighing scales aren’t the only option if you need to weigh out wet and dry ingredients.
Jug scales are, as the name describes, a jug with a digital display that can show you the weight and volume of whatever you put inside them.
We tested the accuracy of one and, while they were accurate, there were still discrepancies of up to 25g at larger weights. However, they are sensitive and manage to register from 2g and 2ml.
The size of your jug also limits what you can put in there. We’d recommend buying a very large one if you decide to go for this type of scale.
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What you need to know about mechanical scales
Mechanical scales look more traditional, so if you like that old-school aesthetic, you may be more drawn to getting them over a set of digital kitchen scales.
In our tests, we found that mechanical scales are a more hands-on experience than using a set of digital kitchen scales; you need to tare them manually rather than just pressing a button like you do with digital scales. They are still straightforward to use, though.
The ones we’ve tested have very good consistency – placing the same weight on the scales will send the needle to the same place on the dial each time – but the accuracy of the reading is dependent on your judgement of where the needle is pointing.
Plus, the mechanical scales we tested only measure in steps of 20-25g, while digital scales can measure in 1g increments.
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