As you may know, there are many special applications that require the use of a precision digital scale – such as paint mixing and counting small parts.

Unfortunately – the biggest mistake that most precision scale buyers make is they simply do NOT know which digital scale features they need for their application.

In order to make your precision scale selection FAST & Successful, we have provided you with the following “Precision Scale Checklist”. Simply use this check list to determine which scale features you need for your special application.

1. Design
2. Weighing Units (g, ozt, ct, grains, dwt, oz)
3. Capacity vs. Accuracy
4. Size & Portability
5. TARE Feature
6. Calibration
7. AC/DC – Battery and/or 110V
8. Manufacturers’ Warranty
9. Price

DESIGN
Precision scales are available in a variety of designs (i.e. styles and colors). However, for most applications, you should consider style and color a LOWER priority.

WEIGHING UNITS (g, ozt, ct, grains, dwt, oz)
Most precision scales offer the following weighing units: Grams, Ounces, Troy Ounces, and Pennyweight. In addition, some precision scales also offer the weighing units of Carats (used for stones & gems) and Grains (used for gunpowder). In addition, if you are looking to weigh in MILLIGRAMS, you will find most scale only display in grams and 0.001g = 1mg or 0.01g = 10mg.

Before you select your precision scale, make sure that it has the weighing units you need for your special application. In addition, make sure it meets your capacity and accuracy needs.

SPECIAL NOTE: You can also CLICK HERE to use an On-line Conversion Calculator to convert various weighting units, such as grams to grains or grams to carats, etc.

CAPACITY vs. ACCURACY
Before you purchase any scale, you will need to answer the following two (2) questions:

1. What is the maximum amount that you will ever need to weigh (i.e. 10g, 200dwt, 250ct, etc.)?
2. What is the minimum increment (i.e. smallest amount) you will measure (i.e. 1g or 0.01g, 0.05ct, etc.)?

Once you have determined this information, you will simply need to select a precision scale that meets your capacity and accuracy requirements.

SIZE & PORTABILITY
One of the higher priorities you should note is the scale’s dimensions. In fact, a question you will need to ask yourself…

Will you be carrying your precision scale to different locations or will it stay at one location?

Of course, if you need to bring your scale with you to various locations, then you should select a scale that is compact & portable (i.e. pocket scale or mini scale). However, if you are placing your scale on a bench/table, then you may want to select a different sized precision scale.

In addition – your precision scale’s platform size will be directly related to its portability and should also be based on the size of the items to be weighed. However, as you will read in the next section – you may be able to increase the size your precision scale’s platform by using the Tare Feature.

TARE FEATURE
Most digital precision scales have a valuable feature called TARE. This feature simply removes the weight of any item placed on the platform. You can use this feature to increase the size of the platform and/or place items in a container, and then obtain the exact weight of the items in the container.

Platform Example: If you need to weigh an item that will not stay on your precision scale’s platform, you may be able to increase the platform size by placing a flat item – such as a plastic plate – that is larger than the platform and pushing the TARE button. This will remove the weight of the plate and you will now have a larger weighing platform.

Container Example: Place your container (i.e. bowl, cup, etc.) on the scale’s platform that will hold the item(s), and then push the TARE button. Your scale’s display will reset to 0 by subtracting the weight of the container. Then simply place the item(s) in the container and your scale will display the actual weight of the item(s) in the container.

In addition – if you need to weight more items in the same container, you can simply keep pressing the Tare button to reset the scale’s display to zero and then add the next item.

CALIBRATION
In addition, most precision scales offer a calibration feature that will enable you to keep your scale running at peak performance and accuracy.

If the precision scale you select offers an optional calibration weight, we highly recommend that you purchase this accessory to keep your precision scale accurate.

BATTERY and/or 110V POWER
The majority of precision scales are powered by battery(s) – only a few are 110V Power – some units offer both options. Of course, the battery powered scales will be more portable.

In addition, since precision digital scales only use a small amount of power and most units have auto shut off, the batteries will keep going and going and going.

MANUFACTURERS’ WARRANTY
You will discover most manufacturers offer at least a one (1) year warranty. In addition, you will find some who offers 2-5 year warranties.

SPECIAL NOTICE: We highly recommend you AVOID any scale manufacturer that offers a so-called “lifetime warranty”. We have discovered that most of these companies require a substantial fee for processing your warranty claims.

As you know, common sense says… “If it sounds too good to be true – it probably is”.

In addition, you should always use extreme care while operating or transporting your scale. Dropping your precision scale will most likely render it useless or cause enough damage to affect its accuracy. This type of damage will also void most manufacturers’ warranties.

Have you ever stood in line at the post office?

Did you know that if driving to the post office, standing in line, and returning home each day (Monday-Saturday) took a total of 15 minutes… That in one (1) year – you would have wasted over 78 hours!

Let’s just say that your time is worth $15 per hour… this “wasted time” would cost you over $1,170.00!

What would you do with an extra $1,170.00 and 78 hours a year?

For the best return on your business investment – you should invest this time and money in a digital postal scale and an online postage printing service.

Whether you are a small retailer or one of the world’s largest distributors, today’s competitive marketplace requires that you control and/or reduce your expenses – while improving your efficiencies.

That’s why it is extremely critical that you know how to manage your shipping expenses.

Here are two of the most important factors in managing your shipping expenses:

1. Determining the weight of each package
2. Calculating accurate shipping costs

Let’s discover how these two factors will save you time and money…

1) Determining the weight of each package – Invest in a Digital Scale to save time & money

Knowing the exact weight of your package will prevent you from loosing $100′s by enabling you to correctly PRICE your postage.

In order to manage your basic shipping expenses, you MUST cover the costs of your postage and packaging materials (i.e. boxes, peanuts, foam, tape, labor, etc.).

In fact, many companies also formulate a small profit into their shipping prices or offer FREE SHIPPING and incorporate their shipping expenses into their product costs.

In order to calculate your EXACT shipping cost of each package – it is critical that you invest in the correct digital shipping-postal scale. To ensure you select the correct digital shipping – postal scale, you need to know…

“What size packages and/or letters will you be shipping in the next 5 years?”

If you are planning to only ship small letters/packages (i.e. less than one (1) pound), then USPS will be your best service for the lowest shipping costs.

Since USPS rounds up to the next “whole ounce”, you should invest in a digital scale that reads in ounces and is accurate to a minimum of 0.5oz. (1/2 ounce) to ensure you can accurately calculate your on-line postage stamps.

Currently, USPS FIRST CLASS mail has different rates “per ounce” for packages / letters from 1 – 13oz. If your package/letter weight exceeds 13oz, you will be charged the one (1) pound rate (i.e. Priority Mail) and your rate will also change after every “whole pound” (i.e. 2lb, 3lb, 4lb, etc.)

In fact, every other major shipping service, such as UPS and FedEx, charge by the “whole pound”. This means that they will always round-up to the next whole pound when the package weight exceeds that given pound.

Example: If your package weighs 3lb. 2oz., you will be charged the 4lb. rate.

Thus – if you plan on shipping heavier packages (more than one (1) pound), then you should invest in a digital scale that reads in pounds and is accurate to a minimum of 6oz (i.e. 1/2 or 0.5lb). This will ensure you can accurately calculate your shipping costs for heavier packages.

In addition, many heavy duty shipping scales also have a digital scale remote display, which is convenient for weighing larger packages.

As we noted earlier, if you plan to mail mostly small letters/packages (less than one (1) pound), then you should consider investing in an online postage scale that reads in ounces and is accurate to a minimum of 0.5oz. (1/2 ounce).

However – If you plan on shipping BOTH small letters/packages AND large items, then you may want to consider investing in two (2) separate postal or shipping scales that meet your shipping needs.

What about purchasing a digital scale that calculates postage?

Since the Internet provides FAST, EASY and ACCURATE postage calculations, there are very few advantages to purchasing a digital scale that calculates postage.

In addition to the weight of the package, most shippers may add additional costs base the size of the package. Most shippers are also calculating shipping cost via postal codes (i.e shipping location to destination). This information is impossible to input into a stand-alone digital scale.

In fact, if you buy a postage calculating scale and there is a rate change (which happens frequently), you will probably be required to replace a special e-prom chip, download the updates, or send the scale in to be updated. This can be complicated and frustrating.

This is why we highly recommend that you use an on-line shipping service, which we will discuss in the next section below.

s you know, wild animals that are sick and/or injured are more vulnerable to predators. This is why many wild animals INSTINCTIVELY attempt to hide their sickness and/or injury as a means of survival.

Did you know that this is also TRUE for many domestic pets?

Unfortunately, these instinctive behaviors can make it EXTREMELY difficult for pet owners to detect health problems with their pets until it is too late…

However – there is a FAST & EASY way to “help save your pet’s life”

Simply monitor your pet’s weight.

ANY weight change – especially in smaller pets and babies – can be a WARNING SIGN that the animal’s health is in DANGER.

A “Fast & Easy” way you can help to maintain your pet’s good health is to record their weight on a regular basis. Keeping track of your pet’s weight will enable you to discover any minor changes that would indicate a possible health concern.

Since there are many different species and sizes of pets, we highly recommend that you contact your veterinarian to help establish a weight program for your pet. This way you can determine the weight change variance (% change) that may indicate a health issue for your pet.

If you do not have a veterinarian, than you should consider contacting a veterinarian who is a specialist for your pet’s species (i.e. exotic, household, etc.).

Here are some additional monitoring tips regarding your pet’s weight:

1. Write down your pet’s weight – do NOT rely on your memory
2. If possible, use a computer spreadsheet program to track weight
3. Set a schedule for weighing (i.e. twice a week)
4. Weigh your pet at the same time each day, such as in the AM after a BM
5. Establish a “baseline weight” for mature pets (i.e. their average weight)
6. If your pet is stressed, injured, or sick – make a note and weigh them daily
7. Monitor your pet’s food intake (i.e. more food = more weight)
8. If applicable, consider weighing their food portions to maintain a stable diet
9. Look for patterns (i.e. time of year = weight change?)
10. When monitoring your pet’s health, weight LOSS is usually considered a more significant warning sign for health problems rather than weight GAIN

In order to make your digital pet scale selection FAST & Successful – we have provided you with the following “Digital Pet Scale Checklist”. Simply use this checklist to determine which scale features you need to successfully monitor your pet’s weight.

1. Design
2. Size
3. TARE Feature
4. Capacity vs. Accuracy
5. AC/DC – Battery and/or 110V
6. Weighing Units (lb, oz, kg, g)
7. Removable Platform
8. Manufacturers’ Warranty
9. Price

DESIGN
Digital pet scales are available in a wide variety of designs (i.e. styles and colors). However, for most applications, you should consider style and color a lower priority.

SIZE
One of the higher priorities you should note is the scale’s dimensions. You simply need to select a scale size that will accommodate the size of your pet.

Your scale’s platform size is also an important feature and should be determined by the size of the pet to be weighed. However – as you will read in the next section, you may be able to increase the size of your digital scale’s platform by using the Tare Feature.

TARE Feature
Most digital scales have a valuable feature called TARE. This feature simply removes the weight of any item placed on the platform that you do not wish to be included with the final weight (i.e. by pressing the TARE button, it will reset the display to 0.0 by removing the weight of the item on the scale).

You can use the TARE feature to either increase the size of the platform and/or place pets in a container – then obtain the exact weight of the pet in the container.

Platform Example: If your pet will not fit or stay on your scale’s platform, you can increase the platform size by placing a flat item – such as a piece of plywood with carpeting – that is larger than the platform – and pushing the TARE button. This will remove the weight of the new platform and you will now have a larger platform.

Container Example: Place your container (i.e. box, bowl, etc.) on the scale’s platform that will hold your pet – then push the TARE button. Your scale’s display will reset to 0 by subtracting the weight of the container. Now – simply place your pet in the container and your scale will display the actual weight of your pet in the container.

SUGGESTION: In order to make your pet more comfortable, place a towel or related item in the container when weighing – this will hopefully help them to relax. If appropriate, try weighing them when they are sleeping.

CAPACITY vs. ACCURACY
Before you purchase a digital scale, you will need to answer the following two (2) questions:

1. What is the maximum weight your pet will reach (i.e. 250g, 2lb, 5lb, etc.)?
2. What is the minimum accuracy you need to monitor your pet’s weight (i.e. 1g or 0.5oz, etc.)?

Once you have determined this information, you will simply need to select a scale that meets your capacity and accuracy requirements.

BATTERY and/or 110V POWER
Digital scales are powered by either battery or 110V Power – some units offer both options. The battery operated scales will be more portable. However, the 110V scale will eliminate the use of batteries.

Since pet scales are usually small, you will find that most pet scales will operate via battery power. Since digital scales only use a small amount of power and most units have auto shut off, the batteries will keep going and going and going.

WEIGHING Units (lb, oz, kg, g)
Many scales offer both weighing units – pounds/ounces and kilogram/grams. However, you need to make sure that the scale has the weighing units you need to weigh your pet accurately.

BIRD PERCH PLATFORMS
Some scales offer bird perches built onto their scale, which allows for FAST & EASY weighing of your bird. Simply select the appropriate diameter of the perch for your bird size.
MANUFACTURERS’ WARRANTY
You will discover most manufacturers offer at least a one (1) year warranty. In addition – you will find some who even offer 2-5 year warranties.

As you may know, there are many unique hobbies, crafts, and other special applications that require the utilization of a digital scale.

Unfortunately, the biggest mistake that most digital scale buyers make is they simply do NOT know which digital scale features they need for their application.

In order to make your digital scale selection FAST & Successful, we have provided you with the following “Digital Scale Checklist”. Simply use this check list to determine which scale features you need for your special application.

1. Design
2. Size
3. TARE Feature
4. Capacity vs. Accuracy
5. AC/DC – Battery and/or 110V
6. Spill Protection
7. Weighing Units (lb, oz, kg, g)
8. Removable Platform
9. Manufacturers’ Warranty
10. Price

DESIGN
Precision scales are available in a variety of designs (i.e. styles and colors). However, for most applications, you should consider style and color a LOWER priority.

SIZE
One of the higher priorities you should note is the scale’s dimensions. As you know, a pocket scale and a high capacity scale will be very different in size. You simply need to select a scale size that meets your unique application.

Your scale’s platform size is also an important feature and should be based on the size of the items to be weighed. However, as you will read in the next section you may be able to increase the size your digital scale’s platforms by using the Tare Feature.

TARE FEATURE
Most digital scales have a valuable feature called TARE. This feature simply removes the weight of any item placed on the platform. You can use this feature to increase the size of the platform and/or place items in a container, and then obtain the exact weight of the items.

Platform Example: If you need to weigh an item that will not stay on your scale’s platform, you can increase the platform size by placing a flat item – such as a piece of plywood – that is larger than the platform and pushing the TARE button. This will remove the weight of the plywood and you will now have a larger weighing platform.

Container Example: Place your container (i.e. box, bowl, cup, etc.) on the scale’s platform that will hold the item(s), then push the TARE button. Your scale’s display will reset to 0 by subtracting the weight of the container. Then simply place the item(s) in the container and your scale will display the actual weight of the item(s) in the container.

If you need to weigh additional items in the same container, you can simply keep pressing the Tare button to reset the scale’s display to zero and then add the next item.

CAPACITY vs. ACCURACY
Before you purchase any scale, you will need to answer the following two (2) questions:

1. What is the maximum amount that you will ever need to weigh (i.e. 100g, 5lb, or 200lb)?
2. What is the minimum increment (i.e. smallest amount) you will measure (i.e. 1g or 0.5oz, 2oz, etc.)?

Once you have determined this information, you will simply need to select a scale that meets your capacity and accuracy requirements.

BATTERY and/or 110V POWER
Digital scales are powered by either battery or 110V Power, some units offer both options. The battery operated scales will be more portable. However, the 110V scale will eliminate the use of batteries.

You will find that most digital scales will operate via battery power. Since digital scales only use a small amount of power and most units have auto shut off, the batteries will keep going and going and going.

SPILL PROTECTION
Will your scale be weighing liquid, powder, or wet substances? If so, we recommend that you purchase a unit with a sealed LCD display and user buttons. This simple spill protection will prevent the substances from leaking into the electronics and voiding the manufacturer’s warranties.

SUGGESTION: If you are looking to save a few dollars, you can also use a clear plastic bag or a sheet of clear plastic to cover the entire scale and prevent damage – however – doing this will probably make reading the display and pushing the buttons more difficult.

WEIGHING Units (lb, oz, kg, g)
Many scales offer both weighing units – pounds/ounces and kilogram/grams. However, you need to make sure that the scale has the weighing units you need.

REMOVABLE PLATFORM
Some scales offer a removable Stainless Steel or glass platform, which allows for FAST & EASY clean-up. If you plan to weigh items that will cause a mess if spilled, then you may wish to consider a scale with a removable platform.

MANUFACTURERS’ WARRANTY
You will discover most manufacturers offer at least a one (1) year warranty. In addition, you will find some who offer 2-5 year warranties.

SPECIAL NOTICE: We highly recommend you AVOID any scale manufacturer that offers a so-called “lifetime warranty”. We have discovered that most of these companies require a substantial fee for processing your warranty claims.

As you know, common sense says… “If it sounds too good to be true – it probably is”.

As you may know, many recipes are being written to utilize a scale. Using a digital scale to measure each ingredient will allow for more precise measurements and will produce more consistent and flavorful results – guaranteed!

Here a couple of examples:

EXAMPLE #1: Shave four medium sized carrots vs. 200 grams of carrot shavings

How “long and wide” are medium carrots?

EXAMPLE #2: 3 rounded T. vs. 75 grams

Did you know that the abbreviation for tablespoon is T. in some cookbooks and tbsp. in other books? Would you have added 3 rounded teaspoons for the abbreviation T.? How much is in a “rounded” teaspoon anyways?

As you can see, not only will you achieve substantially more accurate recipes using the weight of each ingredient, you will also eliminate any confusion during measurement.

In order to make your kitchen scale selection FAST & Successful – we have provided you with the following “Kitchen Scale Checklist”:

1. Design
2. Digital or Manual
3. Capacity vs. Accuracy
4. AC/DC – Battery and/or 110V
5. Spill Protection
6. Weighing Units (lb, oz, kg, g)
7. TARE Feature
8. Removable Platform
9. Manufacturers’ Warranty
10. Price

DESIGN & SIZE
Kitchen scales are available in a wide variety of styles, colors, and sizes to match your décor. Most kitchen scales are fairly small; however, they will vary a little in size. In addition, some more unique designs may have limited features/functions. Since scales are not a major kitchen appliance, you will discover that most designs are fairly simple and functional.

DIGITAL or MANUAL
Since digital scales are extremely accurate and low cost, you will discover that most kitchen scales are digital. If accuracy is not important and STYLE is, you may find some manual scales will have unique design characteristics (i.e. balance, hanging, and spring scales). Of course, we highly recommend you purchase a digital kitchen scale for higher accuracy and better results!

CAPACITY vs. ACCURACY
Before you purchase any scale, you will need to answer the following two (2) questions:

1. What is the maximum amount that you will ever need to weigh (i.e. 2lb, 5lb, or 10lb)?
2. What is the minimum increment (i.e. smallest amount) you will measure (i.e. 1g or 0.5oz.)?

Once you have determined this information, you will simply need to select a scale that meets your capacity and accuracy requirements.

BATTERY and/or 110V POWER
Digital scales are powered by either battery or 110V Power and some units offer both options. The battery operated scales will be more portable. However, the 110V scales will eliminate the use of batteries.

Since digital kitchen scales are usually small, you will find that most kitchen scales will operate via battery power. Since digital scales only use a small amount of power and most units have auto shut off, the batteries will keep going and going…

SPILL PROTECTION
Unfortunately, in the kitchen your scale will probably become the victim of a liquid or powder spill. If you decide to purchase a digital scale, we recommend that you purchase a unit with a sealed LCD display and user buttons. This spill protection will prevent the scale from short circuiting and voiding most manufactures warranties. Please note your kitchen scale does not need to be waterproof.

WEIGHING UNITS (lb, oz, kg, g)
Many kitchen scales offer both weighing units – pounds/ounces and kilogram/grams. However, you need to make sure that the scale has the weighing units you need.

TARE FEATURE
The tare feature allows you to measure the exact weight of a product in a container. This is a valuable feature if you need to weigh a liquid or powder ingredient. This feature is ONLY available on electronic digital kitchen scales.

Here is an example of how to use the TARE feature:

Example: Place the “container” that will hold the ingredient on the scale’s platform, then push the Tare button. Your scale’s display will reset to 0 by subtracting the weight of the container. Now, simply place the ingredient in the container and your scale will display its actual weight.

If you need to add more ingredients, just keep pressing the Tare button to clear the scale’s display and then add the next ingredient.

REMOVEABLE PLATFORM
If you have ever spilled something when cooking, you may wish to purchase a scale with a removable platform. Some scales offer a removable Stainless Steel or glass platform, which also allows the user to place food items directly on the platform. Not only is it sanitary, but it allows for FAST & EASY clean-up.

MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY
You will discover most manufacturers offer at least a one (1) year warranty. In addition – you will find some who offer 2-5 year warranties.

SPECIAL NOTICE: We highly recommend you AVOID any scale manufacturer that offers a so-called “lifetime warranty”. We have discovered that most of these companies require a substantial fee for processing your warranty claims.

As you know, common sense says… “If it sounds too good to be true – it probably is”.

PRICE
Use your checklist to determine what kitchen scale features are most important to YOU. The price of your kitchen scale will be directly related to the features you select. The GOOD NEWS is that you will find that most consumer kitchen scales will be priced under $99 (USD).

A kitchen scale also makes the perfect gift for any great cook – including YOU!

Now that you have completed your “Kitchen Scale Checklist”, you will be able to avoid making any mistakes when selecting the BEST scale for your special application!

As you may know, determine the size and value of various gems stones and precious metals requires the use of a precision digital scale.

Unfortunately – the biggest mistake that most precision scale buyers make is they simply do NOT know which digital scale features they need for their application.

In order to make your precision scale selection FAST & Successful, we have provided you with the following “Precision Scale Checklist”. Simply use this check list to determine which scale features you need for your special application.

1) Design
2) Weighing Units (g, ozt, ct, grains, dwt, oz)
3) Capacity vs. Accuracy
4) Size & Portability
5) TARE Feature
6) Calibration
7) Battery and/or 110V power
Manufacturers’ Warranty
9) Price
DESIGN
Precision scales are available in a variety of designs (i.e. styles and colors). However, for most applications, you should consider style and color a LOWER priority.

WEIGHING UNITS (g, ozt, ct, grains, dwt, oz)
Most precision scales offer the following weighing units: Grams and Ounces. Some precision scales also offer the weighing units of Carats – ct (used for stones & gems) Troy Ounces – dwt (used for some precious metals) and Grains – gn (used for gunpowder).

In addition, if you are looking to weigh in MILLIGRAMS – mg, you will find most scale only display in grams and 0.001g = 1mg or 0.01g = 10mg.

You will also see the term TCW, which means “Total Carat Weight”. The term TCW refers to the TOTAL weight of ALL stones in one (1) piece of jewelry or pair of earrings.

Before you select your precision scale, make sure that it has the weighing units you need for your special application. In addition, make sure it meets your capacity and accuracy needs.

SPECIAL NOTE: You can also CLICK HERE to use an On-line Conversion Calculator to convert various weighting units, such as grams to grains or grams to carats, etc.

CAPACITY vs. ACCURACY
Before you purchase any scale, you will need to answer the following two (2) questions:

a) What is the maximum amount that you will ever need to weigh (i.e. 10g, 200dwt, 250ct, etc.)?

b) What is the minimum increment (i.e. smallest amount) you will measure (i.e. 1g or 0.01g, 0.05ct, etc.)?

As you may have discovered, there is generally a direct relation between capacity and accuracy. The higher the accuracy of a scale, the scale will generally have a lower capacity. If you are looking for a digital scale with a high capacity and a high accuracy, this will most likely be very expensive.

Due to the lower prices, most gem stone collectors use a CARAT scale with an accuracy of 0.05ct (0.01g) and a capacity of 250ct or 500ct (50g or 100g). However, most professional dealers or collectors will use a CARAT scale with an accuracy of 0.01ct (0.001g) and capacities from 250ct to 1500ct (50g to 300g).

Once you have determined this information, you will simply need to select a precision scale that meets your capacity and accuracy requirements.

SIZE & PORTABILITY
One of the higher priorities you should note is the scale’s dimensions. In fact, a question you will need to ask yourself…

Will you be carrying your precision scale to different locations or will it stay at one location?

Of course, if you need to bring your scale with you to various locations, then you should select a scale that is compact & portable (i.e. pocket scale or mini scale). However, if you are placing your scale on a bench/table, then you may want to select a different sized precision scale.

In addition – your precision scale’s platform size will be directly related to its portability and should also be based on the size of the items to be weighed. However, as you will read in the next section – you may be able to increase the size your precision scale’s platform by using the Tare Feature.

TARE FEATURE
Most digital precision scales have a valuable feature called TARE. This feature simply removes the weight of any item placed on the platform. You can use this feature to increase the size of the platform and/or place items in a container, and then obtain the exact weight of the items in the container.

Platform Example: If you need to weigh an item that will not stay on your precision scale’s platform, you may be able to increase the platform size by placing a flat item – such as a plastic plate – that is larger than the platform and pushing the TARE button. This will remove the weight of the plate and you will now have a larger weighing platform.

Container Example: Place your container (i.e. bowl, cup, etc.) on the scale’s platform that will hold the item(s), and then push the TARE button. Your scale’s display will reset to 0 by subtracting the weight of the container. Then simply place the item(s) in the container and your scale will display the actual weight of the item(s) in the container.

In addition – if you need to weight more items in the same container, you can simply keep pressing the Tare button to reset the scale’s display to zero and then add the next item.

CALIBRATION
In addition, most precision scales offer a calibration feature that will enable you to keep your scale running at peak performance and accuracy.

If the precision scale you select offers an optional calibration weight, we highly recommend that you purchase this accessory to keep your precision scale accurate.

BATTERY and/or 110V POWER
The majority of precision scales are powered by battery(s) – only a few are 110V Power – some units offer both options. Of course, the battery powered scales will be more portable.

In addition, since precision digital scales only use a small amount of power and most units have auto shut off, the batteries will keep going and going and going.

MANUFACTURERS’ WARRANTY
You will discover most manufacturers offer at least a one (1) year warranty. In addition, you will find some who offers 2-5 year warranties.

SPECIAL NOTICE: We highly recommend you AVOID any scale manufacturer that offers a so-called “lifetime warranty”. We have discovered that most of these companies require a substantial fee for processing your warranty claims.

As you know, common sense says… “If it sounds too good to be true – it probably is”.

In addition, you should always use extreme care while operating or transporting your scale. Dropping your precision scale will most likely render it useless or cause enough damage to affect its accuracy. This type of damage will also void most manufacturers’ warranties.

PRICE
Use your checklist to determine what scale features are most important to YOU. The price of your precision scale will be directly related to the features you select. The GOOD NEWS is that you will find that most consumer scales will be priced under $99 (USD) and precision bench scales can cost $1000′s.

Now that you have completed your “Precision Scale Checklist”, you will be able to avoid making any mistakes when selecting the BEST digital precision scale for your special application!

you are watching what you eat, then it makes perfect sense to use a digital scale to monitor the amount of food you consume. Keeping track of the portion size of your food items will enable you to design a diet program that will be successful.

In addition, many diet cookbooks are utilizing a scale to measure each ingredient to ensure precise measurements and to produce accurate results – guaranteed!

Here a couple of examples:

EXAMPLE #1: Shave four medium sized carrots vs. 200 grams of carrot shavings

How “long and wide” are medium carrots?

EXAMPLE #2: 3 rounded T. vs. 75 grams

Did you know that the abbreviation for tablespoon is T. in some cookbooks and tbsp. in other books? Would you have added 3 rounded teaspoons for the abbreviation T.? How much is in a “rounded” teaspoon anyways?

As you can see, not only will you achieve substantially more accurate recipes using the weight of each ingredient, you will also eliminate any confusion during measurement.

If you are searching for a diet scale that provides additional information on the exact nutritional levels of the food you eat, such as carbohydrates, calories, fat, sodium, etc., than you should click here to read the information regarding Nutritional Scales.

In order to make your diet scale selection FAST & Successful – we have provided you with the following “Diet Scale Checklist”:

1) Design
2) Digital or Manual
3) Capacity vs. Accuracy
4) AC/DC – Battery and/or 110V
5) Spill Protection
6) Weighing Units (lb, oz, kg, g)
7) TARE Feature
Removable Platform
9) Manufacturers’ Warranty
10) Price

DESIGN & SIZE
Diet scales are available in a wide variety of styles, colors, and sizes to match your décor. Most diet scales are fairly small; however, they will vary a little in size. In addition, some more unique designs may have limited features/functions. Since scales are not a major kitchen appliance, you will discover that most designs are fairly simple and functional.

DIGITAL or MANUAL
Since digital scales are extremely accurate and low cost, you will discover that most diet scales are digital. If accuracy is not important and STYLE is, you may find some manual scales will have unique design characteristics (i.e. balance, hanging, and spring scales). Of course, we highly recommend you purchase a digital diet scale for higher accuracy and better results!

CAPACITY vs. ACCURACY
Before you purchase any scale, you will need to answer the following two (2) questions:

a) What is the maximum amount that you will ever need to weigh (i.e. 2lb, 5lb, or 10lb)?
b) What is the minimum increment (i.e. smallest amount) you will measure (i.e. 1g or 0.5oz.)?

Once you have determined this information, you will simply need to select a scale that meets your capacity and accuracy requirements.

BATTERY and/or 110V POWER
Digital scales are powered by either battery or 110V Power and some units offer both options. The battery operated scales will be more portable. However, the 110V scales will eliminate the use of batteries.

Since digital diet scales are usually small, you will find that most diet scales will operate via battery power. Since digital scales only use a small amount of power and most units have auto shut off, the batteries will keep going and going…

SPILL PROTECTION
Unfortunately, in the diet your scale will probably become the victim of a liquid or powder spill. If you decide to purchase a digital scale, we recommend that you purchase a unit with a sealed LCD display and user buttons. This spill protection will prevent the scale from short circuiting and voiding most manufactures warranties. Please note your diet scale does not need to be waterproof.

WEIGHING UNITS (lb, oz, kg, g)
Many diet scales offer both weighing units – pounds/ounces and kilogram/grams. However, you need to make sure that the scale has the weighing units you need.

TARE FEATURE
The tare feature allows you to measure the exact weight of a product in a container. This is a valuable feature if you need to weigh a liquid or powder ingredient. This feature is ONLY available on electronic digital diet scales.

Here is an example of how to use the TARE feature:

Example: Place the “container” that will hold the ingredient on the scale’s platform, then push the Tare button. Your scale’s display will reset to 0 by subtracting the weight of the container. Now, simply place the ingredient in the container and your scale will display its actual weight.

If you need to add more ingredients, just keep pressing the Tare button to clear the scale’s display and then add the next ingredient.

REMOVEABLE PLATFORM
If you have ever spilled something when cooking, you may wish to purchase a scale with a removable platform. Some scales offer a removable Stainless Steel or glass platform, which also allows the user to place food items directly on the platform. Not only is it sanitary, but it allows for FAST & EASY clean-up.

MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY
You will discover most manufacturers offer at least a one (1) year warranty. In addition – you will find some who offer 2-5 year warranties.

SPECIAL NOTICE: We highly recommend you AVOID any scale manufacturer that offers a so-called “lifetime warranty”. We have discovered that most of these companies require a substantial fee for processing your warranty claims.

As you know, common sense says… “If it sounds too good to be true – it probably is”.

PRICE
Use your checklist to determine what diet scale features are most important to YOU. The price of your kitchen scale will be directly related to the features you select. The GOOD NEWS is that you will find that most consumer diet scales will be priced under $99 (USD).

Now that you have completed your “Diet Scale Checklist”, you will be able to avoid making any mistakes when selecting the BEST scale for your special application!

The BIGGEST mistake digital counting scale buyers make is selecting a scale solely based on a scale’s capacity.

Example: Jim & Jane distribute electronic components. They want to count twelve (12) separate inventory bin locations. Each bin location contains 500-1200 units.

Jim and Jane determined that each component’s unit weight ranges from 0.5 – 7.0 grams (0.001 – 0.015 pounds). In addition, the “total weight” of each inventory bin for these items ranges from 23-27 kilograms (50-60 pounds).

In order to save time counting their entire inventory, Jim & Jane select a 66lb-30K capacity digital counting scale. Since the heaviest “total weight” of any of their inventory bins was 27K (60lb.), they would only need to weigh/count each inventory item once.

After receiving their scale, they counted their inventory. However, they soon discovered that the inventory count for the lighter items was not 100% accurate. They assumed that their parts counting scale was defective.

Unfortunately, the scale was NOT defective, but rather Jim & Jane selected the wrong counting scale based on their need for an accurate count.

Selecting a digital counting scale solely based on its capacity will generally result in a lower count accuracy. This is because with most digital scales, there is a DIRECT relationship between CAPACITY and ACCURACY.

“The higher the capacity – the lower the accuracy”

OR

“The higher the accuracy – the lower the capacity”

Example: A 60 pound capacity scale might be accurate to 1/100 ounce, but a 6 pound scale will be accurate to 1/1000 ounce. As you can see, the 60 pound scale has 10 TIMES the capacity of the 6 pounds scale. However, the 6 pound scale is 10 TIMES more accurate.

Of course there are a few exceptions to this rule. However, you will usually pay a substantially higher price to obtain a scale that offers both “high capacity and high accuracy”.

Please note that if you are going to weigh a variety of items with different unit weights and you decide to select a counting scale based more on capacity than accuracy, then you must understand that your accuracy will be lower on the lighter items.

This is why – if possible – we highly recommend you select a counting scale based on its accuracy. The scale’s accuracy should be based on the “average unit weight” of your item(s).

If you are unsure of the uniformity of each item’s unit weight – then you should perform a sample test. Checking an item’s unit weight for uniformity is very important to ensure the highest accuracy count possible.

To perform a sample test, simply select a random number (at least 5+) of units, weigh each unit, and record the exact weight of each sample unit. Be sure to check the unit weight of each sample by using a highly accurate digital scale – such as a 0.1 gram scale.

If you discover that the weight of each unit varies slightly, then you must determine the AVERAGE unit weight (i.e. the total weight of all items divided by the number of units weighed).

Based on your sample test results per unit, you should purchase a scale with a “minimum accuracy” that is equal to or greater than the AVERAGE unit weight of one (1) item. This will ensure you will achieve the highest counting accuracy.

Example: If your test sample was 10 widgets – which weighed between 0.9g to 1.1g and the average overall weight was 1.0g – then you would purchase a scale with a minimum accuracy of one (1) gram.

Please note that you will never achieve a 100% perfect count if your item’s unit weight varies slightly from unit to unit. However, since using a counting scale will save you a substantial amount of time versus hand counting, a negligible counting error is generally acceptable.

In addition, depending on a counting scale’s features such as the number of preset counting keys, AC/DC power options, accuracy, capacity, etc., you may also discover a wider range of prices.

Although certain features may offer some unique benefits, selecting the correct scale that will provide you with an accurate count should be your top priority!

Postal Scale – A shipping scale, postage scale, and postal scale all fall in this category. They are great for use in your home or small business so that you can save time by not even having to travel to the post office but can just cozy up to one of the best digital scales on the market.
Kitchen Scale – as a leader in commercial and consumer digital scales, Digital Scale Depot.com carries digital scales starting out as low at $14.95 for a basic dial scale, ranging to the highest quality precision scale.
Bathroom Scale – not only the standard weight scale, but also body fat scales and the standard bath scale to keep you aware, not only of your weight, but also your health. Who could have thought that your new digital scale could be a personal trainer as well. These digital scales will do it all for you.
Digital Pocket Scale – high quality digital scales that can be carried with you no matter where you go. These digital scales can be invaluable for the investor or rare coin or jem collector.
Precision Scale – these digital scales can be used in your home or for a business or lab whenever precision is necessary. These include laboratory balance scales, gram scales, and even a variety of classy dial scale.
Counting Scale – highly versatile digital scales series. It can be used in a variety of instances especially good for counting inventory for your small or medium business. Choose from three different capacities. These digital scales can double as an all purpose scale as well.

Digital Scales for every purpose and for every need. You have always wanted a digital scale.

Ever wonder why digital scales have become so popular? The truth is that technology has increased so rapidly that digital scales have now become much more accurate and reliable than the normal dial scale. For this reason, we feel extremely confident that you will be choosing your favorite scale for this site.