Taylor Precision Products Stainless Steel Analog Portion Control Scale (5-Pound)

use this in a restaurant setting. accurate and easy to use

Accurate. Use the bounce technique to get the weight. I’ve always done it that way and it still works.

I have tried a few digital and analog scales now that all end of breaking within a matter of weeks, so I decided that this time I would do more research and finally invest in a more expensive one. I first ordered two in early/mid September for a food distribution program (though only with light, careful use) and was thrilled the first few weeks. It is the exact size we need, is easy to read, and easy to calibrate from both the back (turn a little gear thing) and the front (turn the actual dial). We needed a third, so I went ahead and ordered another at the end of October. At first I thought the new scale was fine, but after only a couple hours, I noticed that it would get stuck around the 3/4 lb mark. I assumed that it was probably because it was new and may have been sitting in a box for a long time and just needed some WD-40. I have used WD-40 before on similar products with no problem. About a week later I bought some (couldn’t find mine at home) and used it on the scale but it did nothing. I even had other people try for me (not by dousing it in WD-40, but by fiddling with it to see what the problem was) to no avail. I have been incredibly busy (university classes and two jobs) so put off calling in the hopes that I could find someone to figure it out. Again, no luck. A perfectly new worthless scale.

We only use the scales once a week (and like I said, we use it carefully). So at the end of November, on our ninth day of use, one of the original scales we bought also broke. It was the same problem- the scale would get stuck around the 3/4 lb mark. We again tried to fix it and at one point thought we succeeded by turning the calibration all the way in either direction and adjusting the dial on the front so the “0 lb” mark matched the needle. While inconvenient and confusing (since the “0” was now way off to the side), at least it worked- but only for a few hours.

We have done our best to try and fix whatever is making it get stuck by cleaning as far as we would reach, fiddling with the calibration, etc., but purposely have not actually tried taking it apart since that might do more damage than good. Nothing worked. it is a shame because the one that DOES work is great. But paying $150 for only one working scale and two defective ones is a total waste of money.

You can decide yourself if you think it is worth it to buy one of these scales.

This is a good scale, but it doesn’t always come back to zero exactly, and its readings can change a little with a minor bump, I have another similar scale at our other house and it’s better than this one. With scales of this type, it’s clear that one can be made cheaply or very well. I’d rate this one as pretty good – certainly not cheaply made – but it could be a little bit better.