Measuring Equipments

Many home  chefs rely on kitchen scales for accurately measuring the weight of ingredients such as butter, shortening, chocolate, and even dry ingredients such as flour and sugar. Weighing is quicker and more accurate than other methods. Scales can also be used to measure food portions as specified by diet requirements.

They are several styles available . The classic scale has a tray to hold items being weighed and a dial that registers weight in ounces and kilograms.

An electronic scale, by contrast, uses a weighing platform and displays weight on a digital display.

Many models have the ability to subtract the weight of any container by re-setting the counter to zero before weighing. This is call taring the scale. These units can also be used to weigh multiple ingredients in a single container by re-setting counter prior to each addition.

They are three basic types of kitchen scales on the market: Spring scales, balance scales, and digital scales.

Spring scales are the least expensive but  also the least accurate. Balance scales were, for centuries, the most accurate available. Although they are extremely accurate, they can be difficult to use. Digital scales are the best of both worlds. they are are extremely accurate, and simple to use. In recent years, they have even become affordable.

Most kitchen scales have a maximum capacity of between two and twenty pounds. The smaller the maximum capacity of the scales, the more accurate it is likely to be in the range it covers.

Spring Scales

Spring scales, as the name implies, use springs to measure weights. The more weight that is placed on the scale, the more the spring stretches. A needle attached to the spring moves as the spring deforms, causing it to point to a number indicating how much the item on the scale weighs. Dial on front of scale may be graduated from 1/4 oz. to 32 oz. or from 1/4 lb. to 25 lbs.

Some spring scale do allow taring. There are two type of spring scales. The first is a stand-up type with a either a needle that moves up and down or a large round dial on the on the front to indicate the weight. The second is a low profile model where the dial is built into the base of the scale. Low profile type is normally much easier to tare, just rotate the base. The stand-up type generally has a small knob on the side or back of the scale for taring.
 

Balance Scales

Balance scales determine the weight of an ingredient by comparing it to known standard weights. Free weights and graduated indicator bar (1/4 oz. to 16 oz.) total 16 pounds. There are two basic varieties of this type of scale, and a third variety that combines the first two.

The first type is straight balance. Place scale pan on left platform and counter weight on right platform.  Place free weights on right platform and set indicator bar as needed. Add ingredients to scale pan quickly until scale begins to swing then small amounts until it is balanced.

The second type of balance scale is the sliding scale balance. There are a single known weight, but you can slide it from left to right along a scale until it balance.

The third type of balance is the hybrid, as shown above. It allows you to use individual weights like a straight balance, but they also provides a sliding scale.

Balance scale can still be found, but unless you really like how they look, you are probably better off with one of the other types. Spring scales are less expansive and digital scales are as accurate, if not more, and much easier to use.
 

Digital Scales

Digital scales are the newest form of kitchen scale. Digital scales work by passing a small electrical current through a material that is pressure sensitive. A sensor determines the weight on the scale by amount of current that flows. This is converted to digital form and displayed on a small screen.

Digital scales are extremely accurate. They are also very easy to use. Taring is generally just a matter of touching a button. Most digital scales are quite small, like low-profile spring scales and the versatility which you can weigh foods (and other items, such as letters or jewelry) in grams, ounces, pennyweight, and troy ounces by simply depressing a button. Some of the newer models also have additional features, like timers, built in. Other, aimed at dieters, contain databases of common food items and can tell you not only the weight, but also the fat and calorie content of food.