Things I Love: A Kitchen Scale

I can’t live without a kitchen scale. It’s an essential measuring tool in my kitchen - not used as much as my measuring spoons or measuring cups, but up there with my instant read thermometer for usefulness.

Now, when I say that I can’t live without a kitchen scale, I should say we cannot live without a kitchen scale. I use it a lot for measuring ingredients, especially when I’m developing recipes. But my wife depends on it. She uses the scale every day to weigh coffee beans for her daily pour-over coffee, and over the weekend when she’s baking. (She’s the baker in the family - and a high school chemistry teacher, so she’s used to precise measurements.)

Baking is where a scale is essential, while also making it easier. As my wife likes to remind me, baking is chemistry, and precise measuring is essential. That’s easy with a scale - put your mixing bowl on top and add ingredients until you get to the right weight. No worries about flour being compacted in the bin; if you measure by weight you’ll get the right amount every time.

What made me think about scales? Thermoworks, my favorite thermometer company, just released their ultra-precise Gravitas Kitchen Scale, which measures down to 1/10th of a gram.

(FTC Disclaimer: I am a Thermoworks affiliate. If you order from Thermoworks through any of the links in this newsletter, I’ll get a small commission, at no extra cost to you. And thank you for your support!)

Even better, the kitchen scale’s display is a wireless unit, held in place by magnets - if you are having problems seeing it, just pop it out and set it next to you on the counter. (For example, when I put my big metal mixing bowl on the scale, the removable display means I don’t have to bend over to see the weight.) The display will work up to 65 feet from the scale, way overkill for my suburban kitchen.

Now, do you need this precise a scale? It is overkill, in the way all Thermoworks products are overkill. They don’t cut corners and make everything to their exacting standards - and you’ll pay for the quality. The Oxo kitchen scale, which has been my kitchen scale for years, is half the price. And the Oxo also has a pull-out display, attached by a wire to the base unit. The Escali kitchen scale is well reviewed and half the price of the Oxo. Any of them will get the job done; don’t let the price of the Thermoworks scare you off from the idea of a kitchen scale.

But, if you’re a gear nut like me, or interested in precision measuring like my wife, or just like the fancy colors (red! yellow! blue!), then the Gravitas may be the scale for you.

Is a kitchen scale a new idea to you? Or do you think your kitchen scale is essential? Email me and let me know.

August Posts Roundup

My August posts were … eclectic. I was all over the world this month, from Japan to Morocco to Provence, with a side trip to Yellowstone and a trip to the past (of my blog).

Gyudon (Japanese Beef and Onion Rice Bowl)

I came back from Japan with a list of recipes I have to try. This is one of the easiest ones, a weeknight dinner of shaved beef and onion simmered in a soy broth.

​Gyudon (Japanese Beef and Onion rice bowl)​

Instant Pot Elk Chili

I’ve had the idea of this recipe bouncing around in my head for years, since a visit to Yellowstone National Park. I don’t know why the urge to make chili grabbed me in the middle of a hot summer, but I’m glad it did. This is a great chili. (And, you can use ground beef or ground turkey if elk is a bridge too far.)

​Instant Pot Elk Chili​

Instant Pot Chicken Tagine

This is a follow-up to my Instant Pot Lamb Tagine recipe from a few months ago. My kids asked “does it have to be lamb” when I made that one. No, we can do it with chicken too. And I get to use apricots!

​Instant Pot Chicken Tagine​

Instant Pot Aioli Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are my go-to appetizer for potlucks, picnics, and dinner parties. Everyone loves deviled eggs, and the Instant Pot 5-5-5 hard cooked egg method makes them easy. One dozen eggs yields two dozen deviled eggs, so I make one dozen traditional deviled eggs and use the second dozen as my chance to experiment. Aioli deviled eggs are a recent variation, one that I’ll definitely make again.

​Instant Pot Aioli Deviled Eggs​

Swiss Chard Gratin

This is a rewrite of a recipe I posted years ago. I’m embarrassed when I go back to my earliest posts - my recipe writing has improved since then - and this was one that needed an update before I shared it with my brother.

​Easy Swiss Chard Gratin with Crispy Panko Topping​

Q&A: What should I do with Hibiscus?

This month’s Q&A is different - I’m asking the question. I got a bag of dried hibiscus with my quarterly Rancho Gordo bean club box, and I don’t know how to use it. (Hibiscus tea, maybe?)

I could just do what I usually do, and start Googling. Instead, I’m crowd-sourcing my answer and asking my readers. How do you use hibiscus? Is there something other than hibiscus tea, some killer recipe I don’t know about? If it’s just used for tea, does it pair well with particular foods? I’d appreciate it if you let me know.

What do you think?

That’s it for this month. If you have any other ideas about this newsletter, please let me know! Questions, comments, and ideas are welcome. (I can’t promise I’ll do anything with them, but I am definitely open to new ideas.)

Thanks again, and see you next month!

Mike Vrobel - ​DadCooksDinner.com​​

September 4, 2026