Have you tried GLP1 medications and found it didn't work for you? We'd like to hear about your experiences, what you tried, why it didn't work and how you're doing now. Click here to tell us your story

The evil food scale battery

StormBlade01
StormBlade01 Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello.

I've got two food scales, a digital and a non-digital. The digital one's battery died and I've bought a few new ones that are all already wasted and it's the only place that sells them around here. Stupid town. (Sorry)

Would it be okay if I used the non-digital scale to meassure? I suppose it wouldn't be as accurate, would it? It's one of those old scales that still has a pin. No battery required whatsoever.

Replies

  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    you couldn't replace the battery?
  • sbarella
    sbarella Posts: 713 Member
    My food scale's battery died yesterday and I replaced it today. I don't have another scale so I eyeballed for one day, no big deal.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    I've tried measuring on a non-digital scale in the past... it is much less accurate, but it's better than guesstimating if that's all you have until you can get a new battery.

    My first kitchen scale died so when I got a second one I got one that ran off regular AA batteries, simply to avoid the hassle of having to get a special kind of battery each time.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Why would an analogue scale be inaccurate as long as it's calibrated and tared? Use the analogue scale and don't worry about it!
  • phil4v7
    phil4v7 Posts: 68 Member
    I don't know if you're in the US, but amazon sells the batteries online for cheaper than my local stores. They have bulk packs too if your scale goes through them that fast.
  • StormBlade01
    StormBlade01 Posts: 6
    Why would an analogue scale be inaccurate as long as it's calibrated and tared? Use the analogue scale and don't worry about it!
  • StormBlade01
    StormBlade01 Posts: 6
    Why would an analogue scale be inaccurate as long as it's calibrated and tared? Use the analogue scale and don't worry about it!

    Thanks.
  • motivatedmartha
    motivatedmartha Posts: 1,108 Member
    I've just returned a new scale cos it didn't have a mains adapter :happy: Found one on Amazon that does.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    My first kitchen scale died so when I got a second one I got one that ran off regular AA batteries, simply to avoid the hassle of having to get a special kind of battery each time.

    I did this too - the cells needed for my previous scale were so expensive it was easier to get a new one that used 'normal' sized batteries.

    Until you have a functional digital scale then using a mechanical one and/or measuring cups will be better than nothing but usually wont give accuracy to the nearest 1g. I have a set of old cast iron scales and the smallest weight is 0.5 oz (approx 14 g).
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Why would an analogue scale be inaccurate as long as it's calibrated and tared? Use the analogue scale and don't worry about it!

    From personal experience, because the digital scale gives you the exact number of grams... the analogue scale unless it's an industrial size one like at a butchers or grocers, each mark on the scale is like 10 or 25g - measuring exactly 5g of something is difficult. When it comes to things like salad dressings, mayonnaise and so on, which are high in fat and eaten in small serving, then a few grams here and there can make quite a big difference in terms of the number of calories... a digital scale will accurately measure these small amounts of foods much better than the kinds of analogue scales used in the home for baking etc.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Why would an analogue scale be inaccurate as long as it's calibrated and tared? Use the analogue scale and don't worry about it!

    From personal experience, because the digital scale gives you the exact number of grams... the analogue scale unless it's an industrial size one like at a butchers or grocers, each mark on the scale is like 10 or 25g - measuring exactly 5g of something is difficult. When it comes to things like salad dressings, mayonnaise and so on, which are high in fat and eaten in small serving, then a few grams here and there can make quite a big difference in terms of the number of calories... a digital scale will accurately measure these small amounts of foods much better than the kinds of analogue scales used in the home for baking etc.

    Well, it depends on your eyes!

    Digital scales are only accurate to a degree. All measuring equipment has an error range built in.

    Analogue scales can be accurate if you practice with them. I've been using a tape measure at work for years and although the smallest subdivision is a millimeter, I can tell if something is half a mil, or a quarter.

    This is all aside the intrinsic error of calorific values per gramme of foodstuff (whatever you may be measuring).

    TL;DR: there's only a certain level of accuracy you'll ever achieve with measuring. It's built into all equipment and the calorie estimates of foodstuffs (Get down small enough and it's built into the nature of matter itself). Gotta learn to be ok with it!

Categories