Buying A Scale....q's For You!

Decorating By melysa Updated 3 Apr 2007 , 4:54pm by Crimsicle

melysa Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
melysa Posted 29 Mar 2007 , 8:07pm
post #1 of 19

I am a hobby baker, but do it quite frequently these days. I really want to start baking from scratch more frequently and have a feeling that a scale is key in recipes turning out GOOD. can anyone steer me in the right direction? i dont have a clue what to look for , and i dont want to spend alot of money, but want one that can measure at least in ounces... and a flat top maybe? i dont bake in huge portions so i dont need anything on a comercial baking scale...

i appreciate info and advice on this..thanks!

18 replies
melysa Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
melysa Posted 29 Mar 2007 , 8:07pm
post #2 of 19

is it unrealistic to expect to spend around $30 on one?

redred Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
redred Posted 29 Mar 2007 , 9:14pm
post #3 of 19

I can't understand people who persist in measuring by volume, scales are the way to go! Makes scaling a recipe so much easier and is much more accurate.
My dream scales are:
http://saveonscales.com/product_kd7000_professional_digital_kitchen_scale.html
RLB recommends them too.

JoAnnB Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JoAnnB Posted 29 Mar 2007 , 9:32pm
post #4 of 19

There are several very inexpensive scales available in department and discount stores for under $30. You will want one with a tare key. that means you can put a bowl on the scale, tare it to zero, add ingredients, tare it back to zero and continue to add weight by measure.

Most allow ounces or grams. My favorite one now was only $18.

melysa Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
melysa Posted 29 Mar 2007 , 10:19pm
post #5 of 19

great, thank you! i'll let you know what i end up getting!

Sugarbunz Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Sugarbunz Posted 29 Mar 2007 , 10:31pm
post #6 of 19

I got one from Target about a year ago that was $20 and works out wonderfully for me (it does have the little adjustment knobby thingee). I don't think you need a big fancy one for hobby baking at all!

justsweet Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
justsweet Posted 29 Mar 2007 , 10:33pm
post #7 of 19

I have this one

http://saveonscales.com/product_7001dx_kitchen_food_scales.html

It was mention along with some other scales from Rose Levy Beranbaum (cake bible book). Below is the link to the topic of scales.

http://www.thecakebible.com/index2.html

melysa Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
melysa Posted 29 Mar 2007 , 11:25pm
post #8 of 19
chaptlps Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
chaptlps Posted 29 Mar 2007 , 11:35pm
post #9 of 19

I got a really decent one at wallymart for like 30 bucks. It's digital and does the tare thing and is in ounces pounds and grams.

JoAnnB Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JoAnnB Posted 29 Mar 2007 , 11:37pm
post #10 of 19

I had one similar, but mine didn't work. If you added anything more than a ounce at a time it "error"ed and reset to zero. I couldn't pour from a bag of powdered sugar, unless I went very very slowly.

Hopefully, you will have better results.

melysa Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
melysa Posted 30 Mar 2007 , 1:04am
post #11 of 19

hmmm.well at least i didnt spend a fortune on it, i'll post again when i 've had a chance to use it. did you get yours from ebay or this seller?

JoAnnB Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JoAnnB Posted 30 Mar 2007 , 6:47am
post #12 of 19

I bought it from a kitchen discount store. Not locally, unfortunately, or I would have taken it right back to the store.

Confectionary2 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Confectionary2 Posted 30 Mar 2007 , 2:15pm
post #13 of 19

Mine were $30 at Wal-Mart. They weigh per pound/gram, and yes they are the key to successful baking!

chelleb1974 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
chelleb1974 Posted 30 Mar 2007 , 5:26pm
post #14 of 19

I use a Weight Watcher food scale (the older white one with the bowl).

~Chelle

DesignerCakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
DesignerCakes Posted 30 Mar 2007 , 5:35pm
post #15 of 19

Weighing is a must for me when scratch baking. Most cookbooks, especially those used by culinary schools, use grams instead of ounces, so make sure your scale has that measure - most do.

I have a digital scale that I purchased for $60 at a kitchen store. While i don't use the fancy features (it tracks nutritional info per ingredient, etc.), I find it essential for baking. I especially like it when I pour batter into pans. I note the weight and keep that info for the next time. I start pouring the batter into a pan, check the weight, then make sure the next pan gets the same amount. I get even heights each time. By tracking info like that, I don't have to do any guess work the next time I use that same recipe.

Mine only goes up to 6 lbs. I think next time I'll get one that can handle more weight.

diana Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
diana Posted 30 Mar 2007 , 5:50pm
post #16 of 19

I got mine from Office Max, it's the Pelouze Digital Scale $34.99, very easy to use and it holds up to 5#.

chaptlps Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
chaptlps Posted 3 Apr 2007 , 1:38pm
post #17 of 19

the one from walmart goes to 11#s

peacockplace Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
peacockplace Posted 3 Apr 2007 , 3:31pm
post #18 of 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gingerela

Weighing is a must for me when scratch baking. Most cookbooks, especially those used by culinary schools, use grams instead of ounces, so make sure your scale has that measure - most do.

I have a digital scale that I purchased for $60 at a kitchen store. While i don't use the fancy features (it tracks nutritional info per ingredient, etc.), I find it essential for baking. I especially like it when I pour batter into pans. I note the weight and keep that info for the next time. I start pouring the batter into a pan, check the weight, then make sure the next pan gets the same amount. I get even heights each time. By tracking info like that, I don't have to do any guess work the next time I use that same recipe.

Mine only goes up to 6 lbs. I think next time I'll get one that can handle more weight.




That's a great idea. Thanks!

Crimsicle Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Crimsicle Posted 3 Apr 2007 , 4:54pm
post #19 of 19

I always weigh everything. Last year, I went through all my favorite recipes...measured out the ingredients, weighing each one as I went. Then, I did a grid, multiplying the measurements as appropriate for three different volumes. Makes it so easy to halve or double a recipe now! And so much more accurate! Not to mention neater. I can just reset to zero between each ingredient and dump the stuff in the "wet" or "dry" bowl until it reaches the right amount. No measuring cups to wash. I measure the shortening or butter onto a piece of waxed paper. I got my scale at Office Max and I use the gram measurement because it's more accurate than ounces. I just converted everything to grams when I was working all this out. It took a little work, but now things are a breeze!

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%