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Homebrewing can be considered a fine art, and sometimes requires careful and precise measurements, much like a cook or a baker who has to follow specific measurements for their recipes.
With this in mind, a digital scale is a must-have piece of homebrewing equipment for a homebrewer’s toolbox. It solves the guessing game when measuring ingredients so you have less margin for error, as it can read out measurements down to a gram.
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10 Of The Best Digital Scales For Homebrewing
When it comes to buying a digital scale for measuring and weighing your brewing ingredients, there is practically an unlimited of choices available on the market.
Keep reading on because we reviewed 10 different digital scales with the hopes of making your buying decision a little more easy.
But, if you need something quick, here are the scales we recommend you take a look at.
- Etekcity food scale with bowl (Best for Weighing Hops)
- Nicewell food scale with tempered glass (Best Multi-Function)
- Anvil large scale (Best For Weighing Grains)
- Ozeri Pronto multi-function Scale
- My Weigh kitchen and craft scale
- Etekcity small food kitchen scale
- Precision digital weight scale
- OXO Good Grips stainless steel food scale
- Escali Primo precision scale
- Mackie The Chef food scale
Etekcity Food Scale with Bowl, Timer and Temperature Sensor
The food scale by Etekcity has that nice, all-stainless steel make for an industrial look, and its electronic measurements give you greater accuracy compared to the manual ones.
You get precise measurements on a scale that can accommodate up to 11 lbs. with divisions of 1 gram or 0.1 ounce. A strain gauge works behind the scenes while a generous LCD display shows readouts in F, oz and grams.
For some reason, there is a loud high-pitched sound when turning on the unit, which can be annoying, especially if you have pets.
Pros
- All stainless steel construction
- Alarm timer and temperature sensor
- Good for mixing and pouring
- Can be used with or without the bowl
Cons
- Display shuts off too quickly
- Has an annoying loud beep sounds
- Can leave marks on the counter or table
Nicewell Food Scale with Tempered Glass
Nicewell sports a nice, flat shape that’s reminiscent of a bathroom weighing scale. Its claim to fame is the four high precision load sensors that can measure up to gram or ounce. It can carry a maximum of 22 lbs and accuracy of .1 ounce.
Tempered glass is a welcome addition because it ensure you’ll be using it a long time. There’s even a tare button and an overload alarm.
If you are using a larger bowl to measure your ingredients, you might have a little trouble seeing the readout on the display. Also, the buttons are very touchy and will easily change if accidentally bumped.
Pros
- Has a tare fuction
- Can accomodate up to 22 lbs of weight
- Tempered glass
Cons
- Sensitive keypad
- Can’t see the display with larger bowls
Anvil Large Scale
If you want a tough, no-frills scale that can hang with the best of them, the one from Anvil should be on your list.
This true brewing scale can handle up to 65 lbs of grain and present it with up to .02 lbs in accuracy. The large hefty footprint is justifiable given that it can support just about any size container or bucket, so no need to make multiple smaller measurements for your grain bill.
Also, the LCD is both removable and mountable, giving you the option to place the display anywhere for the best viewing.
This scale is good for measuring bulky and heavier items, but is not as accurate when measuring smaller lightweight items.
Pros
- Heavy Duty
- Built to last a long time
- Remote LCD makes reading measurements easy
Cons
- Was not as accurate on lower weights
- Only settings are pounds and kilograms
Ozeri ZK14-S Pronto Multi-function Scale
The Pronto kitchen and food scale comes in a variety of color options ranging from traditional Black to contemporary, such as Lime Green, Teal Blue and Red, among others.
Ozeri’s scale has a tare function and an automatic unit button that instantly converts between units of measurement depending on what you need. You can convert to grams or pound and ounces without having to do the math.
It’s relatively easy to use and good value for the low price, but the auto shut-off can be annoying at times, and without the backlit display, it is more difficult to read.
Pros
- Comes in several color options
- Has the automatic unit button
- Battery saving feature
Cons
- Polycarbonate material is not as durable as stainless steel
- Display is not backlit
My Weigh KD-8000 Kitchen and Craft Scale
Old-school looks aside, the KD-8000 touts an 8,000g capacity with 4 different weighing modes- kg, oz, lbs/oz and lbs. It has soft protective covers on the LCD to prevent spills and messes from reaching the electronics.
The whole body and scale is made from stainless steel, and makes cleanup relatively easy. The weight display is bright and backlit so you won’t need additional illumination. Unlike other scales, this model can be used with batteries or the included A/C adapter.
On the down side, it would only read in 0.05 increments, and 0.01 ounces which may not be suitable for what you need to measure. Also, the plastic base construction doesn’t feel as sturdy as other scales.
Pros
- No need for batteries
- Bright backlit display
- Hefty weight capacity at 8 kgs
- The platform is removable for easy cleaning
- Has a feature that will keep the scale from shutting off if needed
Cons
- The body is made from plastic
- Does not read in 0.01 increments
Etekcity Small Food Kitchen Scale
Etekcity has a smaller, more compact offering which is actually great for measuring grains and hops. Also, the all stainless steel design is attractive and looks good on any table or surface.
Aesthetics aside, you get a tare function, unit conversion and LCD display, and the accuracy is up to a gram, ml or .04 ounce increments.
Because of it’s physical size, it is very lightweight and easy to store, but is not really recommended for heavier measurements. Also be careful with spills and cleaning because liquids can ruin the display.
Pros
- Compact and stylish
- Has tare and unit conversion functions
- Easy to store
- Budget priced
Cons
- Takes a little longer to update measurements
- The display can be difficult to read
- Liquids can ruin the display
Precision Digital Kitchen Weight Scale
American Weigh Scales is the owner of the lightest weighing scale in the list, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The Precision Digital Scale can measure ingredients for baking, cooking and yes, crafting beer. The bowl comes separate, and there’s a built-in cover to protect the device when not in use.
The scale can measure up to an accuracy of .01 grams. Every purchase comes with a 10 year warranty.
Pros
- Small, lightweight and portable
- Accuracy up to .01 grams
- Built-in cover for protection
Cons
- Cannot handle large batches
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale
OXO has a singular feature that’s genius and helps when you’re trying to measure large items. Its lighted LCD display can be pulled out so you get a clearer picture without shadowing.
The scale offers zero function tare and can convert to kilogram, gram, pound and ounce easily and with just a few button presses. A stainless steel top ensures zero fingerprints, smudges and spills as you go about beer crafting.
Pros
- Unique pull-out LCD design
- Stainless steel material
- Platform can be removed for easy cleaning
- Comes with calibration weights for accurate measurements
- 10 year warranty
Cons
- LCD display needs to be handled with care
- Numbers can sometimes fluctuate
Escali Primo P115C Precision Scale
What looks like a robot vacuum is actually a precision weighing scale with several noteworthy features.
The small footprint belies the fact that it can measure up to 11 lb and in 1g or .05oz increments. The scale also has protection from spills via sealed display and buttons.
It has a tare function, two button operation and also comes with a lifetime warranty. All in all a good buy.
Pros
- Max 11 lb or 5,000g capacity
- Compact and easy to store
- Multiple color choices
Cons
- Digital display is difficult to read when using larger bowls
Mackie The Chef Food Scale
Nutra Track made use of every inch in their scale and put up a useful chart for liquids, oils, sugar, butter and the like, if you also plan on using this scale for recipes in the kitchen.
You can pick between turquoise and white or a grey and white color depending on your preference.
Measurement is done easy, thanks to the tare function, and you’ll be able to weigh anything from hops to grains and more. Capacity maxes out at 12 lbs and precision of 1g.
Pros
- Helpful chart for measurements
- Accuracy of 1g or .04 ounces
- Made by Nutra Traack
Cons
- Large footprint
Why Measure By Weight?
Grains are normally measured in pounds, while hops are usually meted in ounces. While brewing beer, you’ll switch between the two time and again. Therefore, a scale that can measure both will be the best option.
Or, you could go the two-piece route and get one for grains and one for hops if you have the space. Additionally, what you’ll want in the best digital scale homebrewing are tare function, the oz and lb measurement ability and capacity.
What Is The Tare Function On The Scale?
According to Merriam-webster.com, tare is a “deduction from the gross weight of a substance and its container made in allowance for the weight of the container”.
More than likely, you will probably be using a bowl or plate of some kind when weighing out your grains, hops, and other ingredients. The tare button will “zero-out” the scale so you are only weighing the ingredients, and not the container.
So to make your ingredient weight measurements much more simple, a digital scale that includes a tare function is a good idea.
Weight Capacity Of The Scale
When you are measuring and weighing for a beer recipe, the grains will typically be weighed in pounds and the hop additions will be measured in grams.
Depending on what you are looking for, some bench-top scales are made to handle a large 50 to 130 pound grain bill, where other scales can only accurately measure up to 10 pounds or less.
And for small and lighter weight measurements, some digital scales can give accurate readings of 0.1 grams, or 0.005 ounces. But unless your preference is to brew small one, two, or three gallon batches of beer, you really don’t need a scale that will weigh those extremely small amounts.
Final Say
The best digital scale homebrewing is the one you can rely on to make the most accurate and reliable measurements on brew day.
Because of it’s price and multi-function features, our top pick of the best digital scales for the home brewery is this digital scale from Nicewell.
It comes with the tare function for easier calculations, and will accurately handle weights from 1g/.01oz up to 22 pounds.
It is built to last with tempered glass and stainless steel, and has an simple-to-read digital display, and with it’s small footprint, it can be easily stored away when not being used.
Happy Brewing!
