The best cheap kitchen gadgets in 2026

Source: Engadget

Why a Food Scale Is Essential

After an instant‑read thermometer, one of the few items I think everyone should have in their kitchen is a food scale. I know what you’re thinking: aren’t food scales only useful for baking? The answer is no. They will streamline every aspect of your cooking, especially meal‑prep, by allowing you to do away with measuring cups, while also giving you more accurate measurements overall. A scale is also essential if you’re calorie counting or tracking your macros.

Recommended Scale

After trying a few different scales, I like this OXO Good Grips stainless steel model. At under $60, the OXO model is a bit pricier than other food scales but it comes with a few features that set it apart:

• A handy pull‑out display that makes it easy to read the scale even when you have a large bowl on top.
• An imperial/metric toggle.
• A sleek, easy‑to‑clean design.