Accurate baking starts with an accurate scale, and it is the cheapest upgrade in the kitchen that makes the biggest difference to results. Baking is chemistry as much as cooking: get the ratio of flour to liquid to fat right and a recipe works, guess it with cups and eyeballed spoonfuls and it does not. A good digital scale removes that variable entirely, letting you weigh straight into the bowl, add ingredients one after another with the tare function, and reproduce a recipe exactly every time. If you are building out a baking setup more broadly, a reliable scale pairs naturally with a good machine; our guide to the [best stand mixers UK 2026] covers the other half of a serious baker’s worktop.
The good news is that excellent digital scales are inexpensive, so the decisions are mostly about precision, capacity and everyday usability rather than budget. The main split is between standard kitchen scales, accurate to one gram and ideal for general baking, and precision or pocket scales, accurate to a tenth of a gram, which matter when you are weighing tiny quantities like yeast, salt or coffee where a single gram is a meaningful proportion. Many serious bakers end up owning one of each, and both together still cost less than a single cake tin.
We tested a range across those categories, checking each against calibration weights so the accuracy claims are verified rather than assumed, and ranked our picks by the kind of baking and weighing they suit best.
Who tested this and how
I am Ben, the editor of Kitchen Kit, and I tested these scales in a normal UK kitchen the way a home baker actually uses them, weighing real bread and cake ingredients into real bowls rather than tidy lab samples. To check accuracy I used a set of known calibration weights across the range each scale claims to handle, from a couple of grams up to a few kilograms, so I could see whether a scale that reads correctly at 500g also reads correctly at 5g and at 4kg, which is where cheaper units often drift.
Beyond raw accuracy I judged the things that decide whether a scale is a pleasure or a nuisance in daily use: how responsive and stable the reading was as I poured, how well the tare function zeroed between ingredients, how easy the display was to read with a bowl sitting on top, how large and wipe-clean the platform was, and how the scale stored. I also lived with each for a stretch of ordinary baking, because a scale that is accurate but slow to settle or awkward to read will quietly annoy you every single time you bake.
How the best kitchen scales compare
Kitchen scales sort into three practical groups. Standard flat scales, accurate to one gram with a capacity of five kilograms or so, are the everyday workhorses that suit almost all general baking and cooking. Precision or pocket scales, accurate to 0.1g but with a small capacity, cover the specialist job of weighing tiny quantities exactly. And premium scales offer better build, larger platforms and thoughtful touches like pull-out displays, justified if you weigh often and want something durable and pleasant to use. The right choice, and often it is a pair, depends on what you bake.
[INSERT COMPARISON TABLE HERE – 4 rows, 4 columns: Model | Type | Accuracy / capacity | Approx. price. Rows: Salter Disc Electronic (standard, 1g / 5kg, ~£18); GreaterGoods precision (precision, 0.1g / 500g, ~£15); OXO Good Grips Stainless (premium standard, 1g / 5kg, ~£45); Etekcity sub-£12 (budget standard, 1g / 5kg, ~£11)]
Best overall: Salter Disc Electronic Scale
The Salter Disc Electronic Scale is the scale most home bakers should buy, because it gets the fundamentals right at a price that makes it an easy purchase. It is accurate to the gram across its range, which testing against calibration weights confirmed, weighs up to five kilograms so it handles a full batch of bread dough or a large mixing bowl, and reads out on a clear display that is easy to see even with a bowl perched on the platform. The add-and-weigh tare function zeroes cleanly between ingredients, which is the feature you use most when weighing a recipe straight into one bowl.
In daily use it is fuss-free in exactly the ways that matter. The flat glass platform wipes clean in a second, the slim profile slides into a drawer or stands on end against the wall, and the reading settles quickly rather than drifting as you pour. Salter has made kitchen scales for a very long time, and this model reflects that in a design with no obvious weak points for general baking.
The only real limitation is the one shared by all standard scales: it reads to the gram, not to a tenth, so it is not the tool for weighing two grams of yeast precisely. For that you want a precision scale alongside it. But as the one scale to cover the overwhelming majority of baking and cooking, it is accurate, durable, cheap and easy to live with, which makes it our overall pick.
Best for precision baking: a 0.1g precision scale
Standard scales reading to the gram are fine for flour and sugar, but they are hopeless for the small, critical quantities that separate good bread and pastry from unreliable results. Two grams of instant yeast, five grams of salt, a precise dose of coffee for a pour-over, these are quantities where a whole gram either way is a large proportion, and a 0.1g precision scale like those from GreaterGoods, Hario or similar is the answer. They cost little more than a standard scale and weigh to a tenth of a gram, which transforms consistency in recipes where small amounts drive the outcome.
In use they are quick and simple: a small platform, a bright display, and a tare function for building up a small measure ingredient by ingredient. For sourdough bakers weighing starter and salt, for anyone doing precise enriched doughs, or for coffee enthusiasts dosing beans, a precision scale removes a real source of inconsistency. Testing against small calibration weights confirmed the good ones are genuinely accurate at the low end where it counts.
Their limit is capacity: a precision scale typically maxes out around 500 grams to a couple of kilograms, so it cannot weigh a full mixing bowl of ingredients. This is why they complement rather than replace a standard scale. The sensible setup for a serious baker is both, a five-kilogram standard scale for the bulk ingredients and a 0.1g precision scale for the small critical ones, which together still cost very little.
Best premium: OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Scale
If you weigh often and want a scale that is a genuine pleasure to use and built to last, the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Scale earns its higher price. The stainless platform lifts off for cleaning and looks smart enough to leave out on the worktop, the capacity and gram accuracy match the everyday workhorses, and the standout feature is a display that pulls out on a small arm so you can still read it clearly when a large bowl overhangs the platform, which is a genuinely clever solution to the most common annoyance with flat scales.
It is the details that justify the premium. The buttons are responsive, the reading is stable and quick to settle, the tare works flawlessly, and the whole thing has the solid, considered feel OXO is known for. For a keen baker who uses a scale several times a week and would rather buy one good one than replace a cheap one periodically, it is a sound long-term choice.
The caveat is simply that it costs several times what the excellent Salter does while offering the same core gram accuracy, so it is a purchase driven by build, longevity and the pull-out display rather than by better weighing. If those things matter to you, it is worth it; if you just want accurate results cheaply, the Salter does that for far less.
Best budget: a sub-£12 flat scale
At the budget end, flat scales from brands like Etekcity and Amazon Basics can be found for under £12 and cover the essentials surprisingly well. They read to the gram, weigh up to five kilograms, and offer a tare function, which is genuinely all a lot of home bakers need. For a first kitchen, a spare scale, or anyone who bakes occasionally, they do the core job without asking anything of your budget, and testing confirmed the better ones are accurate enough for everyday baking.
The compromises are modest. The platform is often smaller, so a large bowl overhangs and can obscure the display, the buttons and screen feel more basic, and long-term durability is less assured than a Salter or OXO. But none of that affects the accuracy of a straightforward weigh, so as a cheap, capable everyday scale, a good budget unit is hard to fault for the money.
Buy a budget scale if you bake occasionally or want a no-fuss second scale. If you bake regularly, the small step up to the Salter buys a larger platform, a clearer display and better build for very little more, which is why it remains our overall recommendation.
How to choose a kitchen scale: what matters
Kitchen scales are simple, but a few features genuinely affect how well one suits your baking. Weigh the points below against the kind of cooking you do.
Accuracy and increments: gram versus 0.1 gram
For general baking, a scale accurate to one gram is fine, and almost all standard scales offer this. If you weigh small critical quantities, yeast, salt, spices, coffee, you want a precision scale reading to 0.1g, because a whole gram either way is a large error at those amounts. Many serious bakers own both. Whatever you buy, it is worth checking accuracy against a known weight occasionally, as scales can drift over time.
Capacity and platform size
Match the maximum capacity to your baking: a five-kilogram limit comfortably handles a full batch of dough or a large bowl, while precision scales top out much lower. Platform size matters just as much day to day, because a small platform means a large bowl overhangs and can hide the display. A larger flat platform, or a scale with a pull-out display like the OXO, solves that everyday frustration.
Tare, display and everyday usability
The tare (zero) function is the feature you use most, letting you weigh several ingredients into one bowl by re-zeroing after each, so make sure it is quick and reliable. A clear, well-placed display that you can read with a bowl on the scale saves constant repositioning, and a responsive reading that settles fast rather than creeping makes pouring accurately much easier. These small things determine whether a scale is a pleasure or a low-level annoyance.
Cleaning, power and storage
A wipe-clean platform, glass or stainless, is far more practical than a textured plastic one that traps flour and spills. Consider power, too: most scales run on coin or AAA batteries, and an auto-off function preserves them, though it can be mildly annoying if it switches off mid-weigh. And because a scale is used constantly, a slim profile that stores flat in a drawer or stands against the wall is worth having, so it stays to hand rather than buried in a cupboard.
Also worth considering
A couple of niche options are worth a mention. Bluetooth or app-connected scales, including some coffee-focused models, sync weights and timings to a phone app, which appeals to coffee enthusiasts and data-minded bakers but adds cost and complexity most people do not need. And nutritional scales, which estimate calories and macros for weighed foods, suit anyone tracking their diet closely, though for pure baking accuracy a simple precise scale is all you require.
It is also worth remembering that a scale is only as useful as your habit of using it. The single biggest accuracy upgrade in baking is simply switching from cups and spoons to weighing everything, and even a cheap gram-accurate scale achieves that. The choice between the picks here is about refinement and convenience; the real win is owning and using any decent digital scale at all.
Which kitchen scale should you buy?
For most home bakers, the Salter Disc Electronic Scale is the right answer: accurate to the gram, large enough for any batch, easy to read and clean, and cheap enough to be a simple decision. It covers the overwhelming majority of baking and cooking without asking you to think about it, which is exactly what a good scale should do.
If your baking involves small critical quantities, add a 0.1g precision scale alongside it, since the two together still cost very little and cover every eventuality. Choose the OXO Good Grips if you weigh often and want a premium, long-lasting scale with a pull-out display, and reach for a sub-£12 budget scale only if your baking is occasional or you want an inexpensive second scale.
FAQ
What is the best digital kitchen scale in the UK for 2026?
For most home bakers the best all-round choice is the Salter Disc Electronic Scale, which is accurate to the gram, easy to read and clean, and excellent value. If you weigh small critical quantities, pair it with a 0.1g precision scale, and choose the OXO Good Grips if you want a premium, longer-lasting scale.
Do I need scales accurate to 0.1g for baking?
For general baking, weighing to the gram is fine. You only need 0.1g precision for small critical quantities like yeast, salt, spices or coffee, where a whole gram is a large proportion of the total. Many serious bakers keep a standard scale for bulk ingredients and a precision scale for the small ones.
Are cheap kitchen scales accurate?
Good budget scales are accurate enough for everyday baking; testing the better sub-£12 models against calibration weights confirmed they read correctly to the gram. They compromise on platform size, display quality and durability rather than on basic accuracy, so they are a sound choice for occasional bakers or as a second scale.
What is the tare function on a kitchen scale?
The tare (or zero) function resets the display to zero with a container or previous ingredient already on the platform, so you can weigh several ingredients into one bowl by re-zeroing after each. It is the feature you use most in baking, so a quick, reliable tare is one of the most important things to look for.
How do I check my kitchen scale is accurate?
Place an object of known weight on the scale, a set of calibration weights is ideal, but a sealed bag of sugar or a coin of known mass works too, and check the reading matches. Do this occasionally, as scales can drift over time. If a scale reads consistently wrong and cannot be recalibrated, it is worth replacing, given how cheap accurate ones are.
