What Is a Digital Pocket Scale?

A digital pocket scale is a very small digital scale. These scales are often small enough to fit into a person's pocket. The item to be weighed is placed on a tray, and the device responds with a digital readout of the weight. Digital pocket scales can be used for a variety of items, including calculating postage.

Many digital pocket scales are about the size of a cellular telephone. These will often fit right into a shirt or pants pocket. A digital pocket scale that is slightly too large for a pocket will usually be compact enough to slip into a purse or a briefcase.

Since it is so easy to read, a person using a digital pocket scale will rarely make mistakes when weighing small items. Unlike a traditional scale, a digital pocket scale does not display the weight of an item on a rotating dial. Instead, the weight is displayed on a digital or LCD screen. Some of these screens have a light, making them even easier to read.

A user is usually able to set up a digital pocket scale to display the weight in a certain unit. Pounds, ounces, or grains are some imperial units used to weigh objects. Metric units may also be used on a digital pocket scale. These can include grams, kilograms, and milligrams.

Some digital pocket scales may also be hooked into a computer. This is usually done with a USB cord. Hooking a scale into a computer can make it easier to print shipping labels or other types of labels on which the weight of an item must be displayed.

Calculating postage can be easily done with a digital pocket scale. Instead of taking a package to the post office, a person with this type of scale can estimate the shipping right from his home or office. To do this, the package must first be weighed using the scale. This weight can then be entered into a postal website. Shipping fees can then be paid online, and a shipping label can be printed and affixed to the package.

A cook or dieter may also find a digital pocket scale quite handy. This small scale can be used to accurately measure small amounts of ingredients, such as spices or meat. Individuals following strict diets can also weigh their food before they eat it.

Digital pocket scales can often be found to fit just about anyone's budget. Less expensive scales, however, will usually not have as many features as more expensive ones. They may also break more easily and be less accurate.