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Types of Food Scales

Last updated on May 10, 2024

Wondering where to buy a food scale that's right for your business? From the kitchen to the market, or even at your loading dock, a food weight scale helps save time and money. Commercial scales can be grouped into four main categories, each suited for specific needs. Read this guide to help you decide which is the best scale to suit your needs.

Digital Portion Control Scales

Whether working with a large recipe or individual order, portion control scales ensure that your kitchen staff produces a consistent, quality product without wasting valuable ingredients or toppings.

A small initial investment in an electronic portion control scale can save you thousands of dollars in wasted product by controlling portion sizes. Digital portion control scales are the best scales for consistent, high volume usage in your restaurant kitchen, pizza shop, sandwich shop, bakery, or ice cream parlor.

Designed for accuracy and speed
Easy-to-read digital displays
Immediate response
Some scales are connectable to printers
Ability to purchase a scale measuring in the units desired: dual reading, imperial portion, or metric portion
Some scales include the ability to set tare (tare is when the weight of the container is taken out of the measurement, getting net weight)

Portion Scale Features to Consider:

Tower Display
Waterproof
Rechargeable Battery Pack
Tare Function
NSF Certified
Counting Scale

Mechanical Portion Control Scales

In most commercial kitchens, mechanical portion control scales have been replaced with more accurate, faster, easier-to-read electronic portion control scales. However, if low initial cost and portability are important considerations, a mechanical portion control scale is a great addition to your snack bar, concession stand, or short-order kitchen.

Designed for versatility and portability
Reliable - no electricity or battery power needed
Ability to purchase a scale measuring in the units desired: dual reading, imperial portion, or metric portion
Some scales include the ability to set tare (tare is when the weight of the container is taken out of the measurement, getting net weight)

Mechanical Scale Features to Consider:

Rotating Dial
Dishwasher Safe
Platform Shock Absorber
Tare Function
NSF Certified

Legal For Trade Scales

To be considered legal for trade, a scale must fulfill certain standards established by the National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP). The NTEP evaluates the performance, features and options, and operating characteristics of the scale based on its set of applicable standards. Some tests include weighing half of the scale's proposed capacity over 100,000 times to check accuracy. Having passed the necessary regulations, the scale is awarded a Certificate of Conformance, and only then can be advertised as Legal for Trade.

For commercial locations that calculate sale price based on weight, such as delis, markets, bakeries, or butcher shops, the best food scale is definitely a legal for trade scale. Keep in mind that any scale used with food must be NSF certified.

What Is a PLU?

PLUs, or Price Look-Ups, allow customers to take items like produce or meats and associate a specific dollar amount per pound to the item. For example, if you create a PLU for apples, the word "apple" and its price per pound will populate on the screen when you press the corresponding pre-programmed number on the scale.

Legal for trade scales have varying PLU capacities. Some scales offer 10 programmable PLUs, while others can hold up to 4999 different programmable number combinations. Whatever the range capacity of your scale, PLUs will save you valuable time since you no longer have to manually type the price and name of the product every time you make a sale. Instead, you simply press the number associated with the product.

Designed to be the most accurate scales available
Easy-to-read digital displays
Many models have programmable quick lookup keys
Many models are connectable to printers
Ability to purchase a scale measuring in the units desired: dual reading, imperial portion, or metric portion

Legal For Trade Scale Features to Consider:

Tower Display
Label Printing
Rechargeable Battery
NTEP Approved
NSF Certified

Receiving Scales

Not using a receiving scale? You may be losing money every time a delivery arrives. If you purchase any products by the pound, like seafood, poultry, beef, or produce, it is important to verify the shipped weight you're charged for matches the actual weight you received. Otherwise, how would you know that you just paid for 100 lbs. of shrimp but only received 85? Receiving scales are specifically designed to help you check the accuracy of inbound inventory quickly, without disrupting your business.

Designed for durability and accuracy
Weighing platform close to the ground - limited lifting required
Many models can save and transfer inventory information to a computer
Some models are connectable to printers
Ability to purchase a scale measuring in the units desired: dual reading, imperial portion, or metric portion
Some scales include the ability to set tare (tare is when the weight of the container is taken out of the measurement, getting net weight)

Receiving Scale Features to Consider:

Specialized Scales

Baker's Dough Scales:

Counterbalance scales often used for weighing ingredients and dough, making them a popular choice for bakeries and candy shops.

Hanging Scales:

Conveniently hang from fixtures for weighing fruits and vegetables, making them a popular choice for markets, produce stands, and grocery stores.

Pizza Scales:

Oversized platforms accommodate small to extra-large pizza crusts, and the auto tare function lets you reset the scale as you add new toppings.

The Importance of Choosing a Scale With the Right Increments

As larger scales are asked to weigh lighter products, increments can play a crucial role in the scale's accuracy. For this reason, it's important to consider the increments in which you want to measure when purchasing a scale. For example, if you want to weigh ramekins filled with ketchup, you'll want to purchase a two-pound scale rather than a 40-pound scale.

The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details.

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