Good sausage is a matter of percentages: fat to lean, salt to meat, cure to meat. You need two scales. A kitchen scale weighs meat, fat and most seasoning. A pocket scale that reads to 0.01 gram weighs curing salt and small amounts of spice, which a kitchen scale can't do accurately.
- Best kitchen scaleOXO Good Grips 11 lb Stainless Steel Food Scale (11214800)About $55
- Best budget kitchen scaleEscali Primo Digital Scale (P115)About $27
- Best for big batchesMy Weigh KD-8000 Food ScaleAbout $50
- Best for curing saltAmerican Weigh Scales AWS-100 Pocket Scale$29.99 MSRP
Side by side
| Model | Price | Capacity | Readability | Power | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OXO Good Grips 11 lb Stainless Steel Food Scale (11214800) | About $55 | 11 lb (5 kg) | 1 g, 1/8 oz | Batteries | See OXO |
| Escali Primo Digital Scale (P115) | About $27 | 11 lb (5 kg) | 1 g, 0.05 oz | Batteries | See Escali |
| My Weigh KD-8000 Food Scale | About $50 | 8 kg (17.6 lb) | 1 g | 3 AA or AC adapter | See My Weigh |
| American Weigh Scales AWS-100 Pocket Scale | $29.99 MSRP | 100 g | 0.01 g | 2 AAA (included) | 10 years (limited) |
OXO Good Grips 11 lb Stainless Steel Food Scale (11214800)
- Price
- About $55
- Capacity
- 11 lb (5 kg)
- Readability
- 1 g, 1/8 oz
- Power
- Batteries
- Warranty
- See OXO
Reviewed's best overall: consistently accurate, with a pull-out display you can read under a big bowl.
Pros
- Accurate in testing
- Pull-out display
Cons
- 1 g steps
- 11 lb max
Escali Primo Digital Scale (P115)
- Price
- About $27
- Capacity
- 11 lb (5 kg)
- Readability
- 1 g, 0.05 oz
- Power
- Batteries
- Warranty
- See Escali
Reviewed's best value at about $27. Simple and consistent for years.
Pros
- Cheap
- Consistent
Cons
- No 0.1 g readings
My Weigh KD-8000 Food Scale
- Price
- About $50
- Capacity
- 8 kg (17.6 lb)
- Readability
- 1 g
- Power
- 3 AA or AC adapter
- Warranty
- See My Weigh
8 kg capacity, a removable tray and an AC adapter.
Pros
- 8 kg
- AC or batteries
Cons
- 1 g steps
American Weigh Scales AWS-100 Pocket Scale
- Price
- $29.99 MSRP
- Capacity
- 100 g
- Readability
- 0.01 g
- Power
- 2 AAA (included)
- Warranty
- 10 years (limited)
100 g by 0.01 g for about $30, with a 10-year warranty.
Pros
- 0.01 g readings
- 10-year warranty
Cons
- 100 g max
Why curing salt needs its own scale
The Sausage Maker gives the maximum rate for Cure #1 in ground meat as 1 ounce per 25 pounds, about 1.1 grams per pound. A 3 lb batch needs about 3.4 grams. On a scale that reads in whole grams, that's 3 or 4: a difference of 30 percent. See how to use curing salt.
