March 28, 2017 - 10:47pm
TorRey food scale
Well the OXO scale I'm currently using is starting to act up. I'm getting weird and inconsistent read outs. I've gone through a Salter, 2 OXOs, and a Taylor scale in the past ten years. When I add up the costs (nearly $200, not including battery replacements), I realize I could have purchased a good quality portable commercial scale with an AC/DC adaptor option. So I'm looking at portable scales now.
Anyone have any experience with the TorRey L-EQ series scale?
I'm open to any recommendations for a small size commercial quality scale. Every home kitchen I've purchased lasts about two years. They either stop working or they start giving crazy readings like -34g. I want a scale that's accurate and still operating in five years.
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Home? Commercial ingredient scaling? Legal for for sale?
For the first two uses, the MyWeigh KD7000 or KD8000 are fairly robust scales in the $35-40 range. They have large digital readouts that are easy to see. You can also purchase the optional power supplies to save battery use.
Paul
I have 2 of these scales, having burned-out other scales throughout my learning process and have found the Valor 1000 accurate and reliable. I would buy another in a heartbeat.
It has a big rechargeable battery that lasts about 8 days of constant use. The platform has a removable stainless steel plate for easy cleaning, and I appreciate the membrane-covered buttons that keeps flour dust from fowling the contacts.
Lots of people swear by the KD8000 too. I haven't used one.
Jim
I am not familiar with the OXO scales but I have learned over the years that when a scale becomes wonky often it is the result of debris under the platform. If it is removable might be worth checking.
Gerhard
@pmccool, I've been purchasing the home kitchen quality scales in the $50 range. But they all seems to bomb after two years or so. Since my scales get daily use, I thought it best to upgrade to a entry level commercial scale.
@gerhard, yes, I discovered some years ago the need to regularly clean under the platform, especially if used to weigh a lots of flours and starches. I think the OXO has a short lifespan--or I work my scales to death. I purchased the first OXO based on Cook's Illustrated review and number one pick recommendation. When it blew out, I thought it was just luck of the draw. But my current one is showing the same weird read outs, in about the same time frame, so I think it's an inherent quality and design flaw.
@jimbtv, wow, I like the specs on the Ohaus Valor. It says it has an accumulated feature. Have you used that function? If so, is it just total accumulation or will it display the total number of items you weighed? When I bake gluten-free I weigh some four or five different flours, starches, and binders; while I try to stay organized, I have gotten distracted and lost count of what I already measured out. Being able to see the number of items weighed would be a very useful feature for me.
I don't use that function much and maybe I should, having forgotten a few measurements time and again. In my experience it is strictly cumulative.
To add a bit of discipline to my procedures I generally pre-measure my ingredients and place them in separate containers. My final mix is then just a final combination of the individual containers. At 5AM that's about all my brain wants to tolerate. I don't make coffee until 6AM :-)
I am on my second A&D SK-5000 in 30 yrs and the first one lasted 25 with daily use and 3 sets of batteries. The current version comes in multiple dash numbers so check out whether you want grams only or some other units too. They used to have certifiable scales and non-certifiable scales (at a lower price) but I don't know what the current product line or sales strategy is so you will have to check it out. There is also a A&D HL-3000LWPN with multiple modes. Prices run $250-300
Pmccool has already pointed to what I think is one of the best values around. I have recommended and given as gifts many KD7000 scales - without a power converter. Used every day, the batteries last a few years so the annoyance of dealing with the cord seems like more than it is worth. I don't think they are Legal for Trade and they are not as rugged as the A&D scales.
I'm going to check the specs on this scale. Durability is what I'm looking for in a scale.