When it comes to baking and cooking, one of the most useful things to have is a reliable kitchen scale that could help you accurately measure the right amount of ingredients needed for your recipe. However, do you have any idea how to use a food scale properly? You may not know it, but kitchen scales come in different styles and mechanics that differ from one type to another. Considering this, here are some tips on using a food scale for a more efficient and convenient cooking experience.
Types of Kitchen Scales
Before we even head on to how to use a food scale, it is only proper first to discuss the different types of food scales commonly used in the kitchen. As mentioned earlier, a kitchen scale or weighing scale is a simple tool used to measure the nearly or exactly the weight or measurement of a certain ingredient. Even dubbed as a necessity for any modern kitchen, here are the different weighing scales typically used in the kitchen.
Balance Scales
Considerably one of the earliest types of weighing scales ever developed, balance scales feature two platforms and measure weight by simply comparing an object’s weight to an already identified mass.
Hanging Scales
A hanging scale is another traditional and old-school measuring tool that features a hook used to attach to the scale and drags the dial to its corresponding weight. Today, hanging scales can be either analog or digital in build.
Mechanical Scales
Mechanical scales also referred to as spring scales, are equipment that gauges weight using springs that react accordingly to the object’s weight placed on the measuring platform. This type of scale features a dial, and the hand on the dial will move depending on the movement and the compression of the springs while the object is mounted. Sadly, mechanical scales are not the best at providing exact measurements but are useful enough to provide estimates.
Digital Scales
Digital scales are developed to achieve precise measurements down to the tiniest detail.
It is a compact and simple that can measure weight on the weighing platform and display it directly on an LCD or digital screen. This is particularly helpful in measuring exact proportions and liquids, which would be difficult to do when using an analog or mechanical scale.
How to Use a Food Scale
As mentioned earlier, food scales are used to find the exact or accurate measurement of an ingredient. However, how do you properly do that? Considering that weighing scales are typically either mechanical or digital, we differentiated how to use a food scale depending on the weighing scale used.
Analog or Mechanical Scale
Analog or mechanical weighing scale typically features a dial indicating the measurement and a platform that serves as the plate or surface where you are supposed to place the object you are supposed to measure.
- To start measuring your ingredients, first, make sure that your dial is set perfectly at zero. Then, place your tray or plate onto the designated sport on top or below the dial depending on the type of analog weighing scale you are using.
- Once you have placed the tray, you will notice that the hand on the dial would move depending on your tray’s weight. Considering this, you can either manually reset the dial to zero by turning the knob on the scale or take note of the weight of the tray and subtract this amount to the total weight of your ingredient.
- Place your ingredients onto the tray and read the measurement where the hand on the dial has moved. Remember to subtract the tray’s weight if you decided not to reset the scale and read the measurement as is if you chose to set the dial back to zero.
Digital Scale
- Measuring items using a digital are generally easier and efficient as compared to analog or mechanical weighing scales. Not only does it require minimal effort, but it also provides a more accurate measurement depending on your setting.
- To use a digital scale, place your ingredient on the platform and let the scale read out the measurement for you.
- If you measure something that needs to be placed on a separate or particular container such as flour and liquids, place the container on the platform and reset the scale to zero with a press of a button before adding your ingredients on the container.
Advantages of Using a Food Scale
While food scales are quite simple and straightforward when it comes to their use, there are several more pros of using a food scale in the kitchen. Here are some of the advantages of using a food scale and its positive impact on your health and home:
- Food scales, digital scales, in particular, provide an accurate and consistent measurement of ingredients needed for your recipe. This is especially helpful for baking where measurements a couple of lines off can easily break and ruin the recipe.
- Accurately measuring and taking note of food portions encourages you to determine suitable serving sizes and consider counting calories for each meal. Food scales are particularly helping in determining suitable portion sizes for packed snacks such as chips and nuts. Thus, having a food scale at home is considered an easy and cheap way of building a healthier eating habit. Know more about food scales.
Conclusion
Besides having a reliable food scale at home, what is even more important is to know how to use a food scale properly to measure your ingredients’ exact weight accurately. Food scales help reduce the hassle of manually measuring ingredients using cups and spoons, making your cooking and baking experience a lot easier and faster.