Tested & written by Nicole, professional baker and founder of KitchZoom
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions are my own and based solely on hands‑on testing.
Why you can trust this review — and why digital kitchen scales matter
I’ve baked professionally for 10+ years, develop recipes for home bakers, and test every piece of gear in a working kitchen. My number‑one rule is precision—because great pastry starts with accurate weights. If you’re searching for the best rated digital kitchen scale to upgrade your bakes, you’re in the right place.
Quick Specs
- Capacity: 2 g – 5 kg (0.05 oz – 11 lb)
- Units: g, oz, lb:oz, ml, fl oz — switchable with a single button
- Display: 1.2 × 2.0‑inch back‑lit LCD
- Power: 2 × AAA batteries (included), auto‑off after ~2 min
- Dimensions: 8.3 × 7.0 × 1.3 in (21 × 17.8 × 3.2 cm)
- Materials: BPA‑free plastic body, brushed stainless‑steel platform
- Warranty: 1 year (Amazon Basics limited)
- Buy: Check price on Amazon
- Digital kitchen scale with food-safe, BPA-free plastic components
- Stainless steel platform with wide LCD screen
- Weighs up to 11 pounds (2 grams minimum, up to about 5000 grams); displays results in pounds, ounces, grams, fluid ounce…
- Tare button for measuring just the food, minus the container weight
What makes it the best digital kitchen scale in its price class?
- Consistent accuracy (±1 g). Test weights from 5 g baking powder to 1.2 kg dough were bang‑on across 30 repetitions—on par with premium models like the Ozeri Pronto Digital Kitchen Scale and Taylor Digital Kitchen Scale.
- True tare & negative weighing. Zero out the mixing bowl, then pull starter straight from the jar without mental math.
- Wide, wipe‑clean platform. An 8‑inch mixing bowl sits flat without tipping; fingerprints disappear with a damp cloth.
- Budget price, premium feel. At around $10, it costs less than a bag of bread flour yet out‑performs several $40 rivals.
Drawbacks to weigh (pun intended)
- Back‑light timeout. The screen goes dark after 30 seconds; if you’re portioning cookies slowly you’ll need to tap the power button.
- No gram‑only mode below 2 g. Weighing tiny amounts of yeast still calls for a jeweller’s scale.
- Not waterproof. A quick splash won’t kill it, but don’t set a dripping bowl on the display.
Amazon Basics vs. other kitchen digital scales
Scale | Max Capacity | Accuracy | Notable Feature | Typical Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amazon Basics | 5 kg / 11 lb | ±1 g | Negative tare | < $20 |
Ozeri Pronto Digital Kitchen & Food Scale | 5.1 kg | ±1 g | Quick‑unit button | $15‑$19 |
Taylor Digital Kitchen Scale | 5 kg | ±1 g | Glass platform | $25‑$30 |
Etekcity Digital Kitchen Scale | 5 kg | ±1 g | Waterproof top | $20‑$25 |
Century Digital Kitchen Scale | 10 kg | ±1 g | High capacity | $18‑$22 |
Mainstays Digital Kitchen Scale (Walmart) | 5 kg | ±1 g | Budget pick | $9‑$12 |
All six models deliver solid accuracy, but the Amazon Basics and Ozeri Pronto routinely top best digital kitchen scale lists thanks to reliability and value.
Hands‑on performance
During a full production day—scaling 4 kg brioche dough, tempering chocolate, portioning 60 macaron shells, and meal‑prepping veg—the platform never drifted more than 1 g after two hours powered on. Switching units mid‑recipe (imperial recipe, metric baker’s percentages) was seamless. The auto‑off saved battery life without losing the last measurement when re‑activated.
Care & maintenance tips for digital kitchen scales
Pop the stainless platform off with a twist, rinse, and dry. Replace the two AAA batteries annually; the low‑battery icon appears weeks before power loss, so no mid‑bake surprises.
Verdict: the best kitchen digital scale under $20
If you’re starting a precision baking habit or replacing an aging scale, the Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scale is the top value pick. It’s accurate, easy to clean, and inexpensive enough to stash a second unit for coffee‑brewing duty.
Where to buy
- Digital kitchen scale with food-safe, BPA-free plastic components
- Stainless steel platform with wide LCD screen
- Weighs up to 11 pounds (2 grams minimum, up to about 5000 grams); displays results in pounds, ounces, grams, fluid ounce…
- Tare button for measuring just the food, minus the container weight