Customer Reviews

Salter 6055SSDR Stainless-Steel Digital Kitchen Scale

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I originally purchased a Soehlne Hippo scale and gave it four stars. It went "bonkers" in less than 30 days, so I updated my review and would have downgraded it to "1" star, if I had been able to do so. I replaced the defective scale with the Salter 6055, which was the other scale that I considered purchasing. So far, I'm extremely pleased with the Salter. If it lasts longer than 30 days (the Soehlne didn't), then it's definitely a 5 star piece of equipment. The scale is more compact than the Soehlne, much more "hefty" in feel, and very much easier to use. The on/off, tare, and kg/lb buttons require only a light touch to operate. The readout is clear and actually shows weights in both odd and even amounts. The ounce/lb. readout shows amounts in 1/8 oz. increments; very nice touch. The removeable weighing platform is extremely handy; if you're a "messy" baker, which I am, you don't have to fret about water or soap damage to the electronic components. Based on the short time I've had to try out this item, I'd definitely purchase a Salter product instead of a Soehlne.

A good, quality scale is essential for consistent baking results. This scale does the job: simple to use, easy to clean, easily switches between U.S. and metric measurements, and nice long auto shut-off. I also like the fact that it takes up little countertop real estate AND that it is easily stored by standing on its side (if you so choose).

No more hunting for measuring cups, just put the bowl on the scale and tare between each item and you're done. This scale has been the one of choice in the test kitchens of the KING ARTHUR FLOUR (learned this via phone conversation with them) and is also highly rated by the good folks at COOK'S ILLUSTRATED.

This was a replacement for an old Polder scale. I like this one better because you can switch between kg and lb on the fly, it has a washable stainless cover, and the buttons are sealed so if your fingers are damp when you push the buttons you won't damage your scale. It's very sleek and looks nice even if out on your kitchen counter. Highly recommend!

The 11-lb Salter scale is very nice as long as it works. On our scale, four sectors of the LCD display quit working after 2 years making it impossible to use. Salter scales are made in the UK and they no longer have a factory distributor in the USA. Salter is now represented by Taylor which has its own line of scales and they will not honor the Salter warranty. So the Salter 10-year warranty is a bad joke. I was told if I ship my scale to England and pay the return postage ($30 each way), Salter will fix it "free." If you're looking for a scale, get one from Oxo; at least they're based in the USA.

I bought and used this scale for a few months to measure food quantities at each meal for a new fitness diet. The measurements and features worked great. The two main drawbacks (that led me to replace it with the Escali Primo) are:
(1) the very small display size -- I have "young" eyes, so if I'm having trouble reading it, I'm sure many others would.
(2) very slow calibration time (around 5-10 seconds average, but sometimes up to 20 seconds if it "feels" unstable), every time you turn on or tare. (This gets really old when you're measuring 5-6 different food items.)

I have been using this scale for over a year. I use it for cooking and for portion control to help me maintain my weight (I lost 40 pounds and have kept it off for two years). It turns on and calibrates quickly. I just checked actual timing to be sure. It powers on in just less than 2 seconds, tare is 1 second, and switching display from oz. to grams is about 1/2 second.

The display can show grams or ounces with the quick push of a button. I have found it to be stable and reliable and it has stood up well. It is also easy to clean and the design minimizes nooks and crannies to avoid trapping food. The metal platform is easily removable and can be quickly wiped clean and replaced (in 30 seconds or less). The membrane style display also wipes clean quickly with no cracks or keys for the food to get into. I find the display very clear and easy to read with large black LED digital display. I just replaced the batteries today so I know it gets decent battery life. Overall a great instrument and I highly recommend it.

NOTE: it sits next to the microwave on my counter. If the microwave is running, the display reading will flutter and will not present a steady value. This is because the microwave has a fan which produces a small stream of air. This will also happen if the scale is next to a vibrating appliance like a mixer, or very close to a boiling pot or extreme heat source, in the path of moving air (e.g. exhaust fan updraft) or if you are weighing stuff during an earthquake. This may be the problem for those complaining that it calibrates slowly or doesn't `settle' on a weight.

Product: Salter 11-Pount Electronic Scale with Stainless Steel Top

I bought this scale when it first came out a few years back, after seeing some glowing recommendations for it in the King Arthur Flour catalog, and later in Cook's Illustrated. Overall, I'm very pleased with it.

Strengths:
* Good Capacity: It can handle up to 11 lbs.
* Good Precision: It's accurate to the nearest gram. Actually, if you count instances where it toggles back and forth between two readings, you can interpret that as half-gram precision ... but that's being a bit generous.
* Speed: The unit is able to tare quickly, and weight readings stabilize with equal speed.
* Durable: It's stainless, easy to clean, and moisture resistant.
* Battery: This uses the ubiquitous lithium pancake type batteries, whose chief advantage is very long life. The unit also conserves battery power by turning itself off automatically, after a minute or so of inactivity.
* ENGLISH/METRIC: The unit defaults to english, but switches to metric with the push of a button.

Weaknesses:
* MEMORY: It would be nice if this unit could remember, or enable you to hard-set, which measurement system it defaults to. As is, every tiume I turn it on, I have to press the button to change to metric.
* DISPLAY: I wish the automatic shutoff was a little slower than it is. The shutoff time is better than most, but would benefit from being even longer. I'd happily trade a small fraction of battery life for less instances of losing my measurement. However, there are ways around this {see HELPFUL TIPS below}.
* BATTERIES: The lithium batteries have a delightfully long life, but part of me still rebels at disposeable batteries, and wishes that they'd convert this unit to the newert state of the art NMHi "low-self-discharge" rechargeables, in more common sizes.
* CAPACITY: Call me greedy, but I wish they'd come out with a model that has could handle more than 11 lbs, and could also handle precision greater than 1 gram ... but that's a very minor nit. This unit is already far better than most on both counts, so I have no reason to compain.

Bottom line: Highly recommended. I've already converted most of my baking recipes to gram scale, in order to take full advantage of this unit.

HELPFUL TIPS:
* SELF-TARE: I've found it helpful to use the etching heat of a dremel stylus to measure and mark the capacity and tare weight (in grams) on the underside of all of my metal pots and stainless steel work bowls ... so that I can measure ingredients directly into the pan/bowl, and not have to worry about the auto-shutoff feature.
* MEDICATIONS: Here's a handy trick ... tired of counting your 90-day mail order prescriptions ? Simply record the weight of 90 pills on your next refill, and then compare weights for each subsequent refill - that way you only need to count pills if the weight differs by more than 1-2 grams.
* POSTAGE: This unit can also be used to weigh small packages for approximating postage.

I have been using this scale on a regular basis for over two years and have not yet had to change the batteries. It works great and is very accurate. The tare feature, which allows you to keep adding ingredients to the bowl because you can set the scale to zero between each additional item, is an enormous timesaver. The ability to switch to metric weights will save cooks who use European cookbooks lots of time. And I applaud the sleek look and the easy clean-up. Overall, an excellent product.

I had asked for a good electronic scale for Christmas a couple of years ago, and my brother-in-law--who is a brilliant techy--gifted me with this scale. I loved the design, and found it to be reliable enough. But it has a serious drawback. The two batteries are round--about the size of a penny--and hard to find. I used the scale 2--maybe 3 times--and then it was dead. When I tried to open the casing for the batteries, the small plastic latch broke, so there would be no point in tracking down the batteries because they would not remain in place. I contemplated tape and a small metal plate, but...it's not worth the trouble. Very disappointed in the actual sturdiness of this item. Anyone know of a brand that gets predominantly rave reviews? I'm doing my research before I buy another.

Pros: small and thing so it is easy to store. The top plate comes off for easy cleaning and the scale seems to be accurate enough. Has a tare function for easy weighing of multiple items in serial.

Cons: Shuts itself off after being at 0 (or negative) for a period of time. This may be a no-brainer battery saving move, but it makes it frustrating if you are using the same bowl, taring continuously as you add new ingredients, and then take that bowl off to do some mixing or stirring for a few minutes. A minor gripe and one that can easily be worked around once you know about it.

Overall : I looked at a lot of scales for multiple price ranges and this one satisfied the most of my criteria for the most reasonable price and I am not upset with my choice.