There are a lot of reasons why a food scale should always be found in a kitchen. Many activities in the kitchen entail measurement. Baking, for one, requires exact measurement of ingredients. Aside from being able to correctly measure your ingredients whenever you cook, food scales can make kitchen work a lot more convenient and even encourage healthy habits.
With the availability of a wide variety of models of food scales in the market, it is understandable that selecting the right scale for your needs can be a bit tricky. The following are some tips in choosing the scales that are most appropriate for your kitchen that are, at the same time, easy on the pocket.
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Table could not be displayed.Types of Coffee Scales
There are three basic types of food weighing scales. Each of these types has its own virtues. However, one type of food scale particularly stands out as regards versatility and ease of use.
Balance scales
Similar scales can be found in places such as the doctors’ clinics. The balance scales that are used in the kitchen are less massive and are obviously utilized for taking food measurements instead of patients’ weights. To use the scale, you put the item to be weighed on one side of the scale and a corresponding counterweight on the other. Get the two items balanced and from there you can determine your measurement.
Balance scales usually last long. They are very durable. At the same time, they take measurements accurately, thus accounting for their widespread use in the clinics and other medical-related areas. Their disadvantages are their weight and massiveness. Balance scales can at times prove to be too big for the kitchen.
Spring scales
Spring scales are popular among food establishments that provide more affordable food products. A spring scale has a dial that is initially set to zero. Materials to be weighed are then applied and measurements are determined through the amount of compression of the spring.
Spring scales are cheap. They are oftentimes found in establishments that deal with food handling, and they are also popular means of taking one’s weight in homes. The problem with this type of scale is that, with time, the internal spring weakens with repetitive compression, eventually decreasing the precision of the measurement.
Electronic Coffee Scales
Compared to the balance and spring types, electronic scales have a different mechanism. These scales operate by passing electrical signals through the weighing platform, which then detects subtle changes in the pressure brought about by the placement of the item that is being weighed.
This particularly unique mechanism of action makes these scales very precise. Some other advantages of using electronic scales are the ease of use and the rapid determination of measurements. A number of electronic food scales even have extra functions, giving the buyer greater value for money. Given these characteristics, electronic food scales appear to be the best measuring items around.
Features to Look For in Coffee Scales
There are some things that you have to keep in mind whenever you are searching for food scales, whether they are intended for personal or professional use. Many of these scales come in models that have interesting features. Electronic food scales, for instance, commonly have memory recall features. Some features, though, are more worthy of your scrutiny.
Easy to Read Analog or Digital Display
It would be extremely pointless to be able to weigh something and not being able to read the measurement. The importance of a large and readable measurement display cannot be overstated. The results should be readable even by people with not-so-perfect eyesight.
Metric / Imperial Capability
This feature can usually be found in most electronic scales, and is useful for a number of reasons. It makes the scale usable in any part of the world, regardless of the weighing system that is prevalent in the area. Some recipes available in print or online may be using a measurement system which you are not too familiar with, and during these instances, this feature is very valuable. This is especially true with baking wherein ingredients have to be measured accurately, making measurement conversion crucial. The metric/imperial capability takes away the stress of computing whenever you cook or bake.
Also present in many models of electronic scales, the tare button functions by resetting the scale reading to zero, disregarding the previously applied weight on the scale. This feature is useful whenever you have to measure certain ingredients such as flour and sugar on a bowl. The tare button, in the process, is able to disregard the weight of the bowl.
Capacity
Since majority of the food scales available can only measure up to 11 pounds, you may want to look for a model that has a greater capacity, depending on your specific need.
Easy to clean
It is important that not much work is required to keep the scales clean. This is essential in maintaining the sanitation of the kitchen. Platforms are usually made of metal or glass, both of which are easy to keep clean.
There are so many models of weighing scales being sold. As such, choosing an appropriate model may prove to be difficult for you. Taking note of the above-mentioned guidelines will make your search a lot easier. Of the three types of scales discussed above, electronic food scales appear to be the most advantageous for kitchen use. Keep in mind the features that you have to inspect in every model, and most importantly, find a scale that will give you the best value for your money.