How to Read Ounces on a Digital Scale

Most digital scale manufacturers measure ounces in 0.2-pound increments.
Image Credit: Tetra Images/Tetra images/GettyImages

Today's digital scales are invaluable weight loss management tools. Bathroom digital scales allow you to accurately measure your weight loss and maintenance, and digital kitchen scales allow you to be precise with cooking ingredients and portion control. Digital scales measure weight in pounds and ounces, and many include metric measurements of grams and kilograms. With some basic rudimentary math, reading ounces on a digital scale is simple.

Advertisement

Step 1

Turn your digital scale on and wait until the reading is set to 0.0.

Video of the Day

Step 2

Place whatever needs to be weighed on the scale, and keep yourself or your contents immobile until the weight reading is complete.

Step 3

Understand that most manufacturers measure ounces in 0.2-lb. increments.

Advertisement

Step 4

Perform your math calculations based on your scale's readings, taking the knowledge that there are 16 oz. in every pound. This means that every 0.2 lbs. equals slightly more than 3 oz. As an example, 120.4 lbs. roughly translates to 120 lbs. and 6 oz.

Tip

Many kitchen digital scales have a "tare" button, an invaluable feature when your contents can not easily lie on a scale's platform. Simply place the contents in a container, cup, or bowl, and press the "tare" button to remove the weight of the container from the equation.

Warning

Ounces are incredibly light units of weight, and the slightest movement can alter their reading on a digital scale. Be sure to stay perfectly still when weighing yourself on a digital bath scale, therefore, that measures ounces.

Advertisement

Advertisement

references

Report an Issue

screenshot of the current page

Screenshot loading...