When we first thought about ‘weed scale’ we thought: oh, like this weed is a 10 and this weed is a six .. but, no, that’s not what the topic turns out to be about. Instead, we are talking about measuring devices, specifically, electronic, digital, scales for weighing cannabis.
Why Use a Weed Scale?
There are a variety of reasons why someone might choose to use a weed scale; here are the most common:
- Weigh weed that you’re buying to ensure that you’re getting what you paid for.
- People who pool their money with friends or relatives to buy their cannabis in bulk and want to divide the stash evenly without having to “eyeball it.”
- Cannabis cultivators who want to keep track of their total yield.
- Medical patients who need to keep track of their daily/weekly/monthly doses
- Retailers and growers who need to weigh out packages to prepare for sale and distribution.
- “Cannabis chefs” who need to get the right amount of cannabis in the new recipe they’re trying out.
- Those who want to weigh their stash before leaving the house to make sure they are not breaking any local laws.
Here, for reference, is a table with Dry Weight Measurements:
| GRAMS | OUNCES | POUNDS |
|---|---|---|
| 28.3495 Grams | 1 Ounce | 1/16 Pound |
| 56.699 Grams | 2 Ounces | 1/8 Pound |
| 85.049 Grams | 3 Ounces | 1/5.3 Pound |
| 113.398 Grams | 4 Ounces | 1/4 Pound |
| 226.796 Grams | 8 Ounces | 1/2 Pound |
| 340.194 Grams | 12 Ounces | 3/4 Pound |
| 453.592 Grams | 16 Ounces | 1 Pound |
| 907.185 Grams | 32 Ounces | 2 Pounds |
| 1000 Grams | 1 Kilogram | 2.2 Pounds |
Things to Note When Choosing a Weed Scale
Anyone who came into this guide not knowing the difference between stealth scales and dispensary scales may be feeling a little overwhelmed right now, and that’s ok. In simple terms, there are only a few factors to pay attention to when choosing the right weed scale for you. Let’s go over the most important ones.
Size and Portability
The size and portability of the cannabis scale in question is a significant factor for anyone who plans to carry their device with them, wants to keep things discreet, or just has limited storage space at home.
Small-Medium
Small-medium weed scales are the most popular group by far, and also the one we recommend to the rest majority of our readers. The reason they’re so great is that they’re the perfect blend of small size and big features – these scales have all the essential features and quality parts, but they’re small enough not to take up too much space. Most of these scales could even fit into a pocket in a pinch.
Pocket Size
If that’s still a little too large, a pocket scale should be perfect. These small scales fit in purses or pockets with no problem, and most of them still contain all the critical features on this list. Most people won’t need to go any smaller than a pocket scale, which is good because the devices that are smaller than that tend to be lacking a bit in quality and functionality. The tiniest weighing devices are challenging to use, can only handle minimal qualities, and may be missing some key features.
Big Capacity
On the other end of the spectrum, high capacity and heavy-duty scales may be a worthwhile purchase for small business owners and or home-growers. These scales will never fit in a pocket, but they tuck away easily in cabinets or on countertops. Their larger size, and particularly their larger weighing area, makes it a lot easier to weigh a bunch of weed at once. And if you need to transport one of these scales from one place to another, they could easily tuck into a bag and be carried along.
There are a couple of things you absolutely need to consider before choosing the best digital scale for weed (these are in no particular order for importance):
1) Usage: You’ll want to be cognizant of the different types of items and measurement metrics you’ll want to understand before purchasing. For example, most digital scales have the following measurements:
a: gram (g)
b: ounce (oz)
c: troy ounces (ozt)
d: diamond weight total (dwt)
For anything cannabis related, you’ll probably be using the gram metric for measurement.
2) Price: Although we’re only talking about a difference of about $1-$15 for the different digital scales, this could make a difference if you end up purchasing more than 1 or if you have to re-purchase because the quality of your scale isn’t great.
3) Functionality: Some customers of digital weed scales will use the scales exclusively for weighing marijuana. Others will actually use it for measuring other things such as diamonds and or food. This would mean that you’ll want to make sure that your scale accommodates the types of food you’ll want to measure (fruit, veggie, etc).
Weed Scales Prices
|
TYPE |
LOW PRICE |
HIGH PRICE |
| Non-Commercial Scales | $12 | $20 |
| High Capacity Scales | $30 | $200 |
| Professional Scales | $200 | $2,000 |
Weighing Precision
When weighing weed, it’s important to use a scale that is more accurate than, say, measuring flour to bake with. A gram of flour may only cost a couple of pennies, but a gram of weed is significantly more expensive.
0.1g
We recommend using a scale that measures with a precision of at least 0.1 gram. This way, the maximum loss in measurement from the scale’s margin of error is only 1/20 of a gram; instead of the half a gram it could be on a device with a precision of 1 gram.
Tare Function
The tare function is the single most important function of any weed scale, especially for those scales that are so tiny they can’t fit more than a few buds on without them spilling off.
What the tare function does is allows the user to place a container on the weighing surface, then zero out the scale so that it automatically subtracts the weight of the container from the weight of the weed. This negates a lot of mental math and frustration, as well as minimizing the margin of error of the scale. It also allows users to use a tray, plate, or bowl to hold more weed in to measure all at once, so it’s pretty much an essential feature.
Maximum Capacity
It’s important to choose a weed scale that will allow enough capacity to weigh the amount of weed you typically handle. When making this calculation, be sure to include the weight of any container used to hold marijuana during weighing, since this will also be deducted from the total maximum capacity.
Capacities of 100 to 200 grams should be more than enough for personal use. Capacities of 300, 400, or even 500 grams are too much for most of the readers – but many small-medium sized scales have them anyway, especially the 0.1g versions.
Overload Protection
Overload protection is what prevents the scale from displaying inaccurate results if you exceed its maximum capacity. Instead of just displaying random numbers that the user could mistake for an accurate reading, scales with overload protection will display an error message to let them know what went wrong.
It’s a pretty important feature for people who are testing the limits of their weed scales. But most models have them, so it shouldn’t be too much of a concern.
Are Batteries Included?
It may not be a deal-breaker if a certain scale comes without batteries, but it’s always better to know ahead of time instead of being disappointed when the scale finally arrives. Most small-medium and even large devices come with batteries or other power supplies, but a few do not – especially the heavy-duty ones.
What About a Warranty?
The availability and length of a warranty say a lot about how much a company stands behind their products.
All American Weigh scales come with a 10-year warranty, and several other brands offer 1, 3, or 5-year warranties.
Are Weed Scales Different from Kitchen Scales?
They’re not that different. Someone who already owns a kitchen scale with the right capacity, units, and degree of precision might be able to get away without a dedicated scale just for cannabis. However, weed scales have a few useful features that kitchen scales are often missing.
For one thing, weed scales are typically more accurate than kitchen scales, since 1 gram of cannabis is significantly more costly than 1 gram of flour or sugar. Weed scales are also designed to be used with containers, or they may even include a container, and they are generally more portable for use outside of the kitchen.
Calibration Weights
High precision scales (0.1g and up) are sensitive devices. It’s not very uncommon for a scale to lose its calibration over the years. Even if your weighing device is brand new, it’s best to check it for accuracy as soon as you get it, and periodically after that.
To do so, you’ll need one or more calibration weights, which are pretty cheap to come by and will probably last forever.
The Latest Trend: Weighing Apps
These applications allow you to weigh your weed simply by putting it on top of your smartphone or tablet. There are Android, iOS, and Windows Phone versions. The obvious advantage of the scale simulator is that you can see right then and there how much cannabis is being given to you, so that you don’t get shorted.
Remember, your smartphone doesn’t have a scale in it. It is capable only to estimate how hard a finger is pressing against it, not whether or not your dealer is shorting you. Therefore, the accuracy is quite low and only works for very small quantities.
Conclusion
Weed scales are a mandatory tool in any cannabis lover’s arsenal, whether they’re a casual user, a small business owner, or a large dispensary. For casual users, weed scale prices are not too bad.
Finding the best weed scale is mostly dependent on how exactly you intend to use it. The key characteristics you will have to keep in mind are size, precision, tare function, maximum capacity, units, materials, and design. Warranty is great to have, but not mandatory, as most of the weed scales are quite cheap.
More Information
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