Food Scale Types

Weighing food can provide accuracy when measuring for recipes, maintain consistent serving sizes to control costs, or inform you how much to charge a customer when selling items by weight. There are several types of commercial food scales, each suited to specific purposes. Read more to learn about the different types of kitchen scales and which work best for your foodservice operation.

Portion Control Food Scale

Portion control food scales, also called kitchen scales, can help you serve consistent portions. Confirming properly sized portions can save money and help manage your inventory more effectively. These are also used by home chefs to ensure they prepare healthy serving sizes.

There are two main types of kitchen scales: digital and mechanical dial. Digital scales are easy to read, accurate, and have a helpful tare feature so users can reset the scale to zero to account for the weight of vessels or ingredients as they're added. Digital scales may plug in, use batteries, or be convertible between the two. One drawback to digital scales is that they often have a lower weight capacity than mechanical scales. Mechanical scales usually are light and portable because they don't require a power source. These are less of an initial investment, but their springs can wear out over time, diminishing their accuracy.

When purchasing kitchen scales, it's important to think about what you're weighing. Note the platform size and maximum weight capacity. A waterproof scale can benefit a busy kitchen greatly and a dishwasher-safe platform can simplify cleaning. If you weigh lots of dry goods, a scale with a built-in bowl may be best, or you may prefer one that comes with a specialized platform if you weigh french fries, tacos, or ice cream cones.

Receiving Scale

A receiving scale maintains accountability for your employees and suppliers. These scales are made to weigh items in bulk as they arrive, so you can ensure you receive the correct amount of supplies without being overcharged.

Like most scales, receiving scales are digital or mechanical. For receiving scales, digital scales are much more common, as they can be designed with a remote display; this allows the platform to be near the floor while the display is on a rod or mounted on a nearby wall for easy reading. Most mechanical receiving scales are countertop models and, while cheaper initially, they usually wear out sooner than digital scales.

Know the weight and size of product you usually weigh when you purchase a receiving scale. Countertop models are available for weighing small items, while floor models are better for larger items that are harder to lift. Some floor models are made with ramps so items can be rolled onto the platform. Verify what increments and units the scale measures to ensure you get one that meets your needs.

Hanging Scale

Hanging scales offer a flexible way to weigh produce, meat, dry goods, or irregularly shaped items. This type of scale is hung from the ceiling or overhang; some smaller models can be handheld. The scale consists of the hook it hangs from, the dial or digital screen, and whatever that model offers to hold the items being weighed, which can be a hook, scoop, pan, or bowl.

Hanging scales also are digital or mechanical and most have a built-in tare function to remove the weight of any containers you use to hold the weighed product. Confirm the maximum weight the scale can hold and know what units and increments it displays. For operations where speed is essential, if you choose a mechanical scale, consider one with dampers. Dampers reduce the "bouncing" motion of the needle that can slow down users and lead to inaccurate measurements.

Digital Price Computing Scale

Digital price computing scales, also called a legal-for-trade scale, does more than weigh products. These scales must calculate a price based on the weight of the product or connect to a POS system that performs that calculation. Many of these scales also have built-in label printers.

Because this type of scale directly determines how much a customer pays for a product, these scales are built to meet stringent regulations. These regulations are determined, governed, and tested by the National Conference on Weights and Measures. This organization issues National Type Evaluation Program Certificates of Conformance to devices that meet their strict specifications. Most local regulations require an NTEP-certified scale if the unit is used to sell, purchase, or determine the cost of a product or service.¹

Commercial price scales have many options available due to the complicated operations they must complete. Platform size and maximum weight are important to consider, as is the location where the scale will be used. If it is separate from the point-of-sale system, you may need a model that can print a label with a purchase price and weight on it. Check to see how many item prices the scale can hold in memory and how many items it can handle in one transaction. The display is another factor to keep in mind, as some models have an elevated display that is visible to both you and the customer, while others have display screens on the front and back of the device.

Baking Scale

Technically, any baking scale that weighs ingredients for baking often is named a balance scale. Balance scales, also called beam scales or dough scales, operate using a set of weights that ensure precise measurements, with the user adding weight in small increments until the scale is balanced. Many bakers prefer to use scales for measuring, rather than cups and spoons, because the volume of dry ingredients can vary significantly based on numerous factors; preparing recipes by weight offers great reliability. Weight measurements also are considered easier to scale up or down than volume measurements.

Balance scales come in various sizes and may use a scoop or platform to hold the product being weighed. Check if the scale comes with weights or if you must purchase them separately, noting the maximum weight capacity.

Balance scales can be more time consuming to use than digital scales, with the benefit of not requiring power, so you need not worry about plugging it in or providing batteries. If you prefer weighing with a digital scale, most food portion scales or general kitchen digital scales can be used as baking scales.

1. Frequently Asked Questions – NTEP. National Conference on Weights and Measures. Accessed November 2015.