I finally spent $120 on a quality kitchen scale and it already paid me back

I've been using a cheap $10 scale from Target for like 3 years and it was always off by a few grams. Last week I was trying to bake a sourdough loaf and my hydration was way off because the scale was lying to me. So I finally gave in and bought a proper OXO scale with a pull-out display. The first batch of croissants I made with it came out perfect, the layers were actually even for once. My buddy Jeff who runs a bakery in Portland told me to do this months ago and I should've listened. Now I'm thinking about replacing my old mixing bowls too. Has anyone else had a cheap tool mess up their bake without realizing it?

2 comments

2 Comments

bettys511mo ago

$120 on a scale seems like a lot when you could've just gotten a cheap calibration weight for like $15 to test the old one. I used a $10 special for years and my cookies came out fine. Is it really that big a deal if you're off by a few grams on flour?

victor_adams1mo ago

Oh man, I think people REALLY underestimate how much bad tools hold you back without you even knowing it. It's not just about the scale being off by a few grams. A cheap scale usually has a SLOW response time, so you end up overshooting your ingredient and then having to scoop stuff out, which messes up your whole workflow. That constant micro-adjustment is what actually throws off your consistency, not just the one bad measurement. I've seen it with thermometers too, people buy a $5 instant read and it's off by 10 degrees, then they wonder why their bread is raw in the middle. That OXO with the pull-out display is a game changer because you can actually see the numbers when you're pouring into a big bowl. Honestly, spending good money on the stuff that measures things is probably more important than the mixer or the pans.