Information about kitchen scales

A kitchen scale belongs to the basic equipment for kitchen accessories. It is indispensable in weighing ingredients for a variety of recipes and well-dosed and controlled mixing of ingredients. By using a kitchen scale when cooking and baking recipes always succeed equally well. But also to control the weight of food and to calculate the calories contained in a diet is one kitchen scale an indispensable helper. But in order for the device to work, it must be carefully selected and the technical characteristics must match the purpose for which it is to be used. The Verwenungszweck arise certain requirements that the kitchen scale must be fair. This includes above all the measuring range as well as the measuring accuracy. But also the choice between different units can be very useful in some cases.

Analog or digital?

Although this question hardly arises today, as the vast majority of kitchen scales on the market are digital. Nevertheless, an analogous kitchen scale in some cases have advantages or at least equal a digital model. If very large quantities of ingredients have to be weighed regularly, a similar scale is the better choice. The measurement accuracy of digital models is usually in a certain proportion to the permitted measuring weight. As a result, a digital kitchen scale with a maximum permitted weight of 10 kg has a measurement inaccuracy of 1 g or more. In the end, this hardly makes them any more accurate than an analog model. In addition, an analogue kitchen scale requires no batteriesIt does not contain any sensitive electronics, which in time are attacked by moisture in the kitchen and eventually destroyed. Thus, analog kitchen scales for large weights of about 10 kg are superior to digital models.

Display accuracy and measurement error

Especially with digital kitchen scales is advertised regularly with the accuracy of display. This can even be up to 0.01 g on more precise models. However, in most cases, this value conceals a vulnerability that may be misleading when looking at the technical data superficially. With digital scales, it is almost commonplace for them to show the weight we have weighed to within 0.1 g. However, if you look into the data sheet, you will find that the measurement accuracy or measurement error is 1 g or a similarly formulated statement. This says in the end that the displayed decimal place is ultimately worthless. If you weigh, for example, An ingredient of 10.4 g, this means that the amount is not exactly 10.4 g, as indicated by the scale. In fact, the weight of the weighed ingredient is somewhere between 9.4 g and 11.4 g. However, this inaccuracy rarely interferes with in practice. Since the error depends on the production of the electronics, it depends on each individual scale. As a result, all ingredients are weighed the wrong way and the error compensates.

Important functions of digital kitchen scales

If you want to weigh several ingredients for a recipe, you have three options. Either you weigh each ingredient individually, you calculate the weight difference in the head, or you have a kitchen scale with a tare button. This key resets the already measured weight to 0. This is important for the weight of a bowl, as well as for existing ingredients. The subsequently displayed weight refers exclusively to the next added ingredient and saves annoying arithmetic or decanting. A tare key should therefore be present on every digital kitchen scale. Another important feature is the selection of units. The Internet makes it possible to try recipes from all over the world. Here you are also faced with the choice to first convert the information into known units or to change the scale to the original unit. Regardless of the technical details, it is important to ensure that the selected model is of high quality.