Dorie Greenspan's Tips for Buying a Kitchen Scale

Dorie Greenspan, who writes the monthly "Tools of the Trade" column for Bon Appétit magazine, says the home cook has three options when it comes to kitchen scales balance, spring, and electronic and each does the job differently. Here's the basic features of each:

Balance Scale: Resembling a seesaw, the balance scale is the most basic and least sophisticated of the three. Ingredients are contained on one side and the weights, calibrated in pounds or kilos, are stacked on the other side. When the "seesaw" doesn't lean to one side or the other, you have the weight of the ingredient(s).

Spring Scale: Best known among portion-control dieters, the spring scale is next up on the ladder of sophistication. The degree to which ingredients depress the eponymous spring is translated into weight on a dial. Many bathroom scales are this type.

Electronic Scale: The one to get if you are a serious baker or use a lot of weights-only recipes, this scale is easy to use, accurate and more finely calibrated than the other two scales.

Expect to pay about $25 to $75 for a good scale. Look for one with both pound and kilo measures that can handle at least 4 1/2 pounds or 2 kilos (double that amount is better), and don't be swayed by the basket or tray that comes with many scales as it's rarely the right size and shape for whatever you want to weigh.