Talking kitchen scales

Talking kitchen scales are a great aid to daily living if you have sight loss. They can weigh ingredients and food accurately and are helpful for other tasks at home, such as checking the weight of items you want to post.

All talking kitchen scales have a voice feature that speaks the weight of your ingredients. Other features vary between products, such as capacity, power source, and unit of measurement. We explain the main features of talking kitchen scales and highlight leading products below.

Specialist talking kitchen scales are typically more expensive than standard digital kitchen scales, though they qualify for VAT relief. They're available from specialist retailers such as RNIB and Living Made Easy. Other retailers stock them, too, so use a search engine to compare prices and delivery charges before you buy.

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    In the past, feeding my dog the correct amount of food to maintain a healthy weight has been down to guesswork. Since Guide Dogs gave me a talking kitchen scale all the guesswork has gone. 
    Andy, a guide dog owner

    Talking kitchen scales for the blind

    Talking kitchen scales are invaluable for people with vision impairment who enjoy cooking, baking, or who want to accurately track their food (for example, to aid weight loss). If you have a guide dog, they're also useful for correctly measuring your dog's food to help them maintain a healthy weight.

    Features to consider when choosing talking scales:

    • Capacity - check the maximum weight or volume the scales can measure. The biggest we've found is the VIBAS iVoice Chef Kitchen which weighs up to ten kilos.
    • Units of measurement - scales usually weigh ingredients in both imperial and metric. Some can also measure liquids, like the Talking Kitchen Scale with Easy to See Jug.
    • Tare function - most modern kitchen scales have a tare feature allowing you to measure one ingredient, reset the measure to zero, and then add another ingredient.
    • Power - check whether the scales use batteries, mains power, or can operate on either. Batteries need to be replaced when running low to maintain the accuracy of the scales' measurements.
    • Display - some scales, including the My Weight Vox 3000, come with a display which shows the measurement, as well as speaking it. If you have some useful vision, this feature could be helpful.
    • Voice - The scales we've included below have English-speaking voices. Check before buying if you prefer a particular type of voice, for example, male, female, or a US or UK accent. Some scales allow you to adjust the volume, for instance, the Cobolt Speechmaster.
    • Accessibility - specially designed talking scales typically include additional safety features. These range from a non-slip weighing surface to non-slip feet and, in some cases, measuring jugs with an easy grip handle.
    • Additional features - some digital kitchen scales have other features like automatic power off to save battery power, and the ability to track the nutritional value of food. Think about whether these features are important to you when you look at different scales.

    It's worth researching different features before you buy talking kitchen scales. Retailers are not legally obliged to accept returns unless the product is faulty. Check if the retailer's returns policy will accept a return if the product has not been opened.

    Find out how talking scales can help you in the kitchen
    A man with sight loss using a talking kitchen scale

    Recommended talking kitchen scales

    Now I'm able to weigh out my dog's food accurately, his weight has stabilised and I feel more confident that I can provide him with better care independently. An added bonus is I’ve started using the scale to bake, which isn’t something I thought I’d ever be able to do. Such a simple tool with so many benefits.
    Andy, a guide dog owner
    Explore more topics in our technology hub

    Thanks to Royal Canin, 200 guide dog owners are now using talking scales to help them weigh out kibble!

    Learn more about our partnership with Royal Canin

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    Technically reviewed by: Subject Matter Experts on 02/11/2023

    Guide Dogs is committed to integrating technology into our service delivery and promoting excellence in accessibility and usability. Our staff undergo comprehensive training in technology and accessibility in collaboration with industry leaders like Apple. We foster knowledge of technology and create content through our Technology Champions, comprising Vision Rehabilitation Specialists and Habilitation Specialists. We review this content periodically to ensure that it is up to date and includes new features and changes with operating systems. We work with our partners to ensure accessibility is at the centre of the design. To find out more, there is more information in our accessibility policy.

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    Whilst Guide Dogs may be able to suggest various third-party websites and third-party applications which may be able to assist you, those are not endorsed by Guide Dogs. Guide Dogs have no control over those third parties and cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information and support they can provide or the suitability and quality of any products or services they provide.