Amazon Basics Scale Review: Why Simplicity is the Ultimate Feature

These days, with Wi-Fi in your fridge and touchscreens on your toaster, the Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scale really stands out. It brings something special: Focus.

It’s completely disconnected. There isn’t a complex app scene for it. It won’t keep bothering you with alerts. This cool, stainless steel tool does just one thing, but it does that one thing perfectly. That’s why it’s the top pick for kitchens, plain and simple.

Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scale with LCD Display, Batteries I…

• Digital kitchen scale with food-safe, BPA-free plastic components
• Stainless steel platform with wide LCD screen
• Weighs up to 11 pounds (2 grams minimum, up to about 5000 grams); displays results in pounds, ounces, grams, fluid ounce…

$9.99

Buy on Amazon

We looked at why this simple gadget is now a critical tool for anyone who does meal prep or bakes sourdough. We also found one technical thing you should definitely be aware of before you buy it.

The “Essentialist” Approach

This scale is like that perfect white t-shirt for your kitchen. It’s not about being super fancy; the idea is to make it something you really can’t do without.

1. The “Diet” Reliability For people like Yadira, this scale goes beyond just being a device; it acts as a reliable accountability partner.

“I actually weigh out my food every day with it. That LCD screen is really clear, and the stainless steel? Super easy to clean.”

When you’re getting meals ready for the week, anything that slows you down is a real headache. You don’t want to deal with menus. You want to put a bowl on it, press “Tare,” and then just add your stuff. This scale takes the headache out of eating well. As Karoleigh pointed out, it’s small enough to just stay on the counter, so it’s always there when you need it.

2. The Chemistry of Baking Baking is really all about getting the chemistry right; you can’t just wing it. A cup of flour? Oh, that can seriously mess with the weight, and if the weight’s off, your bread’s texture is just going to be ruined.

Jacob T. Collins said that for him, changing to this scale was what really turned his sourdough efforts around:

“Once I added this scale, it was a game-changer. My bread turned out so much better! The tare button sure comes in handy.”

That 11lb (5kg) capacity is a big advantage. It holds up even big ceramic mixing bowls and dough with no trouble, which smaller, flimsier scales often struggle with.

The Limitation: The “Espresso” Threshold

It’s great for most cooking, but to be honest, it does have some technical limits. User bypaolazuaje brought something to my attention:

“You should really check the lighter items because I’ve found it doesn’t always handle their weight accurately.”

The Technical Reality: This isn’t for micro-chemistry, it’s just a cooking scale. For example, if you’re trying to measure out a small amount, like 3 grams of yeast or 18 grams of coffee for a pour-over, the scale’s sensor might not pick up those initial few grams right away. This thing is made for grams and ounces, not milligrams.

• For Chicken or Flour: This thing is really spot-on and dependable.
• For High-End Coffee: This just isn’t as precise as those fancy scales baristas use.

Durability and Design

• The Aesthetic: It looks really clean and simple. The stainless steel just makes it hygienic, and if you spill something, it wipes right off without a fuss.
• The Power Source: It runs on AAA batteries. Yes, they come included in the package. AAAs are a good choice because you can just pop new ones in when they die, and they last a while. That’s a real contrast to the little coin batteries you see in thinner gadgets.

Verdict: Is It Right For You?

Rating: 4.7/5

Buy It If:

• You like things to be efficient: You want a tool that starts right up and shows you what you need to see. No fuss, no waiting.
• You are a Baker: That 11lb capacity is big enough for just about any home baking project you can think of.
• You want value: This really hits the mark. It works just as well as those fancy “smart” scales, but it costs way less.

Skip It If:

• You are a Coffee Enthusiast: To get your morning espresso just right, with 0.1g precision, you’ll need to grab a specialized coffee scale.
• You prefer heavy materials: The body itself is made from light materials. If you’re set on something heavy and all-metal, you’ll have to shell out a bit more cash.

The Bottom Line The main takeaway is that you don’t always need fancy stuff to have a bestseller. Amazon Basics has really hit on something by taking out all the extra stuff; what you’re left with is just a tool that simply works.