Unfortunately I am proof of the wisdom of scales – yesterday I made hot cross buns which required 4 cups of flour which the recipe said was 600g and then I made bread which required 4 cups of flour which the recipe said was 450g! I did a double take and knew something somewhere was wrong. I think one of my problems is using Australian cup measurements which are slightly different to American ones. Both buns and bread taste good so I am now confused about which one should have been different!

I’ve been making all the bread for my family for a year now, and love using the scale. I’m always using a new recipe (so many to try!); consistent weight is not so important to me. I do enjoy the Mad Scientist Feeling I get as I’m upending bags of flour and bottles into a single pot.

Speaking of science, since this article is about accuracy, I feel compelled to mention a significant technical inaccuracy. While ‘the moon’ makes for great alliteration, a gram is not a gram on the moon*. Gravity on the moon is about 1/6 that of earth gravity, so your “gram” of flour on the moon would weigh 6 grams on earth, transforming your bagel into a bowl of dry flour with a lump in the middle.

If you’re still somewhere on earth, weights do change a bit as gravity varies by latitude, geology, altitude, and topography (among other things). No practical difference though, so I’ll stop boring you. Here’s an interesting article on Feeling Lighter on a Mountain: http://www.npl.co.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.2092

*
The gram is a measure of mass, which *is* the same from Minneapolis to the moon to Mimas. It is commonly used as an expression of weight, and you’re safe as long as you stay home on Earth.

Baking Soda, your scale sounds perfect and the brushed steel wouldn’t bother me, I think I’d rather like it.

Gretchen Noelle, my voice is getting hoarse, thank goodness it’s not all for naught!

Tanna, I mark up my books the same way, in pencil as I’m working then in pen once I know it’s right.

Lien, agreed, metric units are so much easier to work with than pounds and ounces. But if the scale can switch to either one it’s not so bad.

Vicci, glad you found me, welcome!

Laura, I do same as you, try to use the same measuring method as the author. Otherwise I estimate at 140 g per cup.

Abbey, thanks. Can you give a link to that info? Let me clarify that I am not necessarily endorsing the above scales (except the i5000, which I have and love). I hope that anyone considering a purchase would research it to his/her satisfaction. My list was simply by way of saying that there are a number of scales out there that meet the criteria that I would minimally look for if I were going to purchase one.