Kitchen Scale VS Measuring Cups

saqqa · Nov 14, 2019

Hey people,
Have been using kitchen scale to measure my oils and lye.
Unfortunately, -
1) The scale keeps on giving me different figures (especially if I put on carpet and on floor, figures are different)
2) Also, it give 1gram = 1ml. (which is correct for water, but for lye or oil is it same conversion ?)
3) Can I use MEASURING CUPS or SPOONS which are in ML, to measure my oils and lye ?
Will it make a difference ?

Looking forward for your inputs

lsg · Nov 14, 2019

Liquid and bulk measurements are different than weight. My suggestion is to buy a good digital scale that weighs in ounces and grams. Most good soap recipes use weight measurements, so you will need a good scale.

bookreader451 · Nov 14, 2019

scales need to be on a hard surface never on a carpet. All oils and lye should be measured in grams or ounces and not converted to ml.

This is a good scale for a reasonable price:

https://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-ZK14-S...?keywords=kitchen+scale&qid=1573738664&sr=8-6

Snowbell · Nov 14, 2019

Honestly either change the batteries in your scale and re calibrate, or get another scale. Not to be rude but you should measure by weight to give yourself accuracy. Save the measuring cups for baking.

Mobjack Bay · Nov 14, 2019

Snowbell said:
Honestly either change the batteries in your scale and re calibrate, or get another scale. Not to be rude but you should measure by weight to give yourself accuracy. Save the measuring cups for baking.

And even bakers use weight for better results

DeeAnna · Nov 14, 2019

You really do need to use a scale, not measuring cups. The scale must be on a firm, hard, stable surface. Never carpet.

For a very sensitive scale, the readings will fluctuate if the surface is bouncy or if there is a lot of air movement around the scale. There is nothing wrong with this happening. Close the window. Stand quietly. Find a more stable surface for the scale. You should get more consistent readings.

The scale also needs to have enough sensitivity to do the job. If you want to measure just 1 gram, you need a scale that can measure to at least 0.1 gram. I think your scale is probably not sensitive enough, so it will never be able to accurately weigh that small amount.

For soap making, a scale that measures whole grams is fine, because you will almost never need to measure just 1 gram. You will be measuring tens to thousands of grams. Test your scale in the weight range it is designed to measure. In other words, test it using several hundred grams, not just 1 gram.