Best Kitchen Scales: Seven Models Tested From Budget to Premium

Introduction

Are expensive kitchen scales worth it, or do cheaper ones do the job just as well? To find out, eight of the highest rated brands on the market were put through the same set of tests, with prices spanning roughly $10 to $100. The result is a clear picture of which scales earn their price tags and which ones fall short. Here are seven models worth knowing about, ordered from most affordable to most expensive.

How These Scales Were Tested

Accuracy was measured using calibration weights from 1 g to 100 g, tested at the center of the platform, at all four corners, and on an uneven surface. Beyond accuracy, each scale was timed on how long its display stays on before auto-shutoff, tested with wet fingers on the buttons, and compared for screen visibility in bright and low light.

Cleaning was assessed by working flour into the buttons and seams, then brushing it out. Durability testing involved 30 drops from 2 inches high to simulate years of drawer placement, plus 200 presses each of the tare and unit buttons, followed by a full retest of accuracy to see if anything broke or drifted.

Cheapest and Smallest: Ultrean

The Ultrean is the cheapest, lightest, and smallest scale in the group. The display is easy to read in low light, and it shuts off automatically after three minutes.

Its main quirk is that pressing the tare or unit button registers as weight, so the numbers on screen move every time you press. It is not a dealbreaker, but it makes the scale feel a bit jumpy. Accuracy struggled at low weights: it did not register 1 g, and sometimes 2 g showed as one, though it was accurate from 10 g up, including in the corners. It passed both the drop test and the 200-press button test without issue. Cleaning is a hassle, with small gaps around the buttons and where the metal top meets the plastic bottom trapping flour even after thorough wiping. The button labels and logo were already faded out of the box.

Simple Budget Pick: Amazon Basics Kitchen Scale

The Amazon Basics scale pairs a stainless steel platform with a simple design, physical buttons, and a round surface.

In testing, it was off by a gram at times, especially with weights under 20 g, and picking a weight up and putting it back down too quickly sometimes caused it to miss the measurement entirely. It handled drops and button durability without problems, but the screen shuts off after just two minutes, the fastest of the group, which feels a little too quick. The display is not backlit, so it is hard to read in low light, and seams around the buttons plus a gap between the platform and base catch flour and crumbs.

Dual Platform Design: KitchenAid

KitchenAid is the only brand tested with a dual platform setup: one large scale and a second smaller scale for precision measurements. It sounds useful in theory, but the large platform consistently read 1 g low, while the smaller scale was much more accurate. Placing weight on the large scale occasionally triggered readings on the small one.

A dedicated power button is a nice touch, since a simple tap turns it on or off without holding it down. The display layout is confusing, though: the top number corresponds to the larger scale even though it sits directly under the small one. Flour got trapped under both platforms and around the buttons during cleaning, requiring repeated pressing to clear it out. It passed the durability tests, and while the large scale was never very accurate, it did not get any worse under stress.

Best Cheaper Alternative: Escali Primo

The Escali Primo is one of the most recommended kitchen scales around, with top picks from The New York Times and a best-budget nod from Serious Eats. It also keeps its display on for 4 minutes and 30 seconds, longer than most rivals.

It was the only scale in testing that nailed every weight perfectly, including the 1 g weight, no matter where it was placed on the platform, and that accuracy held up on an uneven surface and after all the drop and durability tests. The buttons are physical and laminated, leaving no seams for flour or grime to sneak into, though some flour did collect between the platform and the base. Three minor gripes: the platform looks like metal but is actually plastic and feels cheaper than most, the display is not backlit, and the unit label on the screen is squeezed so far right that it is slightly cut off.

Easy to Rinse: Etekcity

The Etekcity stands out with a rechargeable battery and an IPX6 rating, meaning you can rinse it in the sink, while the others need a damp cloth. Its bright LED display is one of the easiest to see in the dark, and a hold feature locks the weight on screen when a bowl blocks the display.

Accuracy was hit or miss. It did not register 1 or 2 g and was often off by 1 g in the center, oddly with the edges sometimes being more accurate. Performance did not change after the drop test and rapid button pressing. The seamless steel surface and touch buttons wipe clean easily, though physical buttons still offer better feel and feedback.

Best Overall: OXO Good Grips

The OXO Good Grips scale was named best overall by America’s Test Kitchen, and the reason is obvious on first use: it is the only one tested with a pullout display that extends about 4 inches, so numbers stay visible even when a large bowl blocks the screen. The screen also stays on for 30 minutes, plenty of time to prep without it shutting off mid-recipe.

Accuracy was solid. It did not register the 1 g weight on its own but was accurate with everything else. The pullout display adds components to clean, but the removable platform simplifies the job, and the laminated buttons leave nothing to get stuck around them. An onscreen icon shows how close you are to the max weight limit, though a battery indicator would arguably be more useful.

Most Premium: Zwilling Enfinigy

The Zwilling Enfinigy is the most expensive scale tested, with a rechargeable battery and a secondary role as a wireless phone charger. That sounds cool, but putting a dirty phone on the surface where food is weighed is not appealing.

On accuracy, it did not register the 1 g weight but nailed everything else, and it was one of the easiest to clean: the flat glass surface has no seams or gaps, so flour wipes right off. The major complaint is button placement. The power and tare button is a flat touch sensor on the front edge, easy to miss since you cannot see or feel it unless you crouch down, and the unit button sits on the bottom, so changing units means lifting the whole scale.

Which One Should You Buy?

All of these scales are capable of giving accurate weights and making you a better cook or baker. Even a 1 g discrepancy will not make a major difference for most recipes. What matters more are features like platform size, weight capacity, and overall usability: how easy the buttons are to press, how readable the display is, how simple it is to clean, and whether it stays on long enough.

On that basis, the best overall is the OXO Good Grips. The pullout display is something no other scale here offers, and it makes a real difference with large bowls, while the removable platform keeps cleaning manageable. The runner-up and best cheaper alternative is the Escali Primo, which is simple but accurate with easy-to-clean laminated buttons. Just be aware that its platform is relatively small.

Conclusion

Price does not guarantee performance in kitchen scales. The premium Zwilling trades a flawless cleaning experience for awkward button placement, while the budget Amazon Basics struggles with low-light visibility and a short auto-shutoff. The OXO Good Grips earns the top spot for solving problems the others ignore, and the Escali Primo remains the value choice if you mainly want dependable accuracy at a lower price.