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Avoiding flops in the kitchen is dear to every chef's heart, and accurate measurements, which are integral to nearly every task associated with cooking and baking, are paramount in doing so. Whether it's measuring ingredients for a recipe, checking the internal temperature of meats for doneness, or timing how long a batch of cookies should remain in the oven, measurement is an important element that home chefs unfortunately all too often take for granted. Measurement and more specifically, "precise measurement" provides those home chefs with added assurance that their results will be successful every time.
Not so long ago, the kitchen timer was the only measuring tool consumers thought was necessary in the kitchen. Today, as they've expanded their knowledge of cooking and baking, home chefs are following the lead of many television cooking personalities who tout the importance of timers, thermometers, and scales.

Scaling New Heights
In the U.S., measuring spoons and cups have traditionally played the dominant role in kitchens, whereas in Europe, the scale occupies center stage. Our allegiance to cups and spoons probably stems from having been taught by our mothers and grandmothers to use these tools. Plus, nearly every cookbook in the U.S. uses volume as opposed to weight in their recipes. However, the tide may be turning.
Sales of kitchen scales have reached new heights in the U.S., and although they may simply be the result of increased consumer knowledge, Jeff Blanchard, housewares buyer at Sur La Table, hypothesizes that it's more likely due to the inclusion of measures by weight, as well as volume in some of the newer cookbooks, along with the growing number of television chefs purporting the benefits of using kitchen scales.
Regardless of the impetus, consumers are beginning to realize the importance of using a scale for a variety of culinary measuring tasks.
"But there is still room for a lot of growth in the category," added Blanchard, "and as interest grows in the category, I'm excited to see competition among manufacturers as far as quality."
Kitchen scales fall into two main categories -- mechanical and electronic, each of which offers consumers different levels of measuring ability. The mechanical or analog scale offers consumers basic measuring features at a low price point. The electronic or digital scale offers more advantages and is just as easy to use starting with their easy readability. Many feature large digital readouts as opposed to the small increments that appear on most mechanical scales. Electronic scales also measure in more precise increments, a feature that makes them a better choice for consumers who bake frequently.
The ability to add and weigh a variety of ingredients one after another in the same bowl is a feature that is afforded by both mechanical and electronic scales; however, with electronic scales, the more precise measurement of weight ensures proper ingredient amounts. While mechanical scales offer consumers good reliability when they're cooking or baking, those who demand pinpoint accuracy will gravitate towards the electronic scales. Therefore, to capture both consumers, retailers must provide a suitable collection of both scale types to meet those needs.
Kitchen scales are further defined by how they are used. Some scales are primarily used for measuring ingredients for cooking and baking and others are used for health and nutritional purposes. In particular, the subcategory of health and diet scales is gaining popularity as they weigh food portions, an important asset for a diversity of consumers from the diabetic to the diet conscious. Precise food measurement allows users to accurately track the actual portions of food they consume. Additionally, health and diet scales furnish a nutritional analysis of the food being consumed from the amount of sugar it contains to the number of calories present. Consumers may also store information to add up the total consumed in a day.
"With 'net carbs' being the latest buzzwords, consumers are paying more attention to diet scales," said Blanchard.
"In fact, diet scales are the fastest-growing part of our assortment, so I brought in a variety of scales at different price points and with different features. We have customers who simply want a $30 diet scale, then there are those who want something more sophisticated and will pay in the $45-$60 range, and finally, there are customers who seek the ultimate scale and are willing to pay $79.99," explained Blanchard.
As interest in the category grows and accordingly, the range of models increases, design and fashion become ever more important. From the classic balance scale (often purchased only to be displayed in the kitchen) to more practical models, consumers may choose from a multitude of designs. Such fashion elements as stainless steel and wooden accents, glass platforms, colors, and high-tech electronic looks influence the buying decision more often -- especially among those consumers who use their scales on a daily basis and want to keep them readily available on their kitchen counters.
Although design and fashion are important factors, it is ease of use that will eventually make the sale.
"The key to consumer acceptance of kitchen scales is ease of use," stated Shauna Halawith, co-owner of Phoenix, Ariz.-based Kitchen Classics. "Our best-selling scale is a Cuisinart digital scale that retails for $69, which is on the higher end of the price point range. It is very easy to use, consumer friendly, accurate, and small, so it is easy to hide when not in use," she added.
Suggestive selling is a great way to increase sales in this category, and for those customers who are already browsing the scale department, Halawith says it is important to create a dialogue with them so that they are assured of choosing a scale with the appropriate features.
"We ask our customers how they will use the scale," said Halawith. "Will it be used for baking or cooking, or will they use it every day for a particular diet?"
For those customers who are into fine baking, Halawith discusses the need for accuracy when measuring ingredients and therefore, the advantages of an electronic digital scale.
"I make sure the customer realizes that electronic scales measure accuracy down to the gram, emphasizing how important that is with many recipes," said Halawith.
But for the customer who might occasionally bake brownies, Halawith notes the advantages of using a scale, but also informs him or her that measuring cups and spoons are probably adequate for their needs.
Consequently, measuring cups are one of Kitchen Classics' biggest sellers. The department is allotted ample space and the assortment is quite extensive.
According to Halawith, "People are finicky about measuring cups. More and more, our customers want their measuring cups to match their kitchen. And, of course, they want them to be easy to use."
As the measuring cup and spoon category has expanded with new fashionable designs, their functionality has also improved. Odd-sized measuring cups have become more popular and customers prefer measuring cups that stack easily together so that they may be tucked away in a drawer when not in use. The biggest complaint Halawith hears from customers is that some measuring cups have weak handles that bend or break easily. Other popular measuring cup tools at Kitchen Classics include the OXO liquid measuring cup with the measuring hatch marks on the inside, and the Wonder Cup, which aids in measuring sticky and messy items like honey, syrup, and peanut butter.

Key Points for Selling Scales
When demonstrating scales, make sure to emphasize how easy they are to use. For consumers who are a bit savvier about kitchen scales, demonstrating such features as zeroing out or add-and-weigh capabilities is important, as is pointing out design features that make measuring ingredients much easier.
Remember to highlight the following points when selling scales:
- Measuring by weight is more accurate than measuring by volume. The scale always displays the real weight, regardless of how the ingredient is chopped. Think of how humidity can affect volume. On a humid day, a cup of flour can weigh much more than it does on a dry day. Use relevant examples; for instance, one cup of flour ideally weighs four ounces or 115 grams. If a recipe calls for four or five cups of flour, volume measuring may vary by as much as a whole cup.
- Digital scales offer computerized diet/heath features that analyze a food's nutritional value, including cholesterol, protein, calories, etc.
- When choosing a scale, consider one that has greater accuracy in small quantities.
- A weighing platform that is elevated above the base can add to the ease with which the consumer can read the amount of ingredients being weighed.
- For most kitchens, a scale with a capacity between six and nine pounds is sufficient for most tasks.

Heating Things Up
Another measuring segment that is becoming more popular among consumers is thermometers. Perhaps fueled by food safety concerns especially with the continued popularity of barbecuing, thermometers of all types are finding their way into the kitchen.
Thermometers are segmented into two categories -- dial or digital. The dial thermometer has oven-safe plastic or glass covering the dial and a stainless steel stem. Inside the stem is a metal coil that expands and contracts when it's heated and cooled. Many models can be recalibrated to ensure a consistently accurate reading.
Digital thermometers offer features ranging from a simple grilling thermometer to one that has programmed temperatures, timers, and clocks. Digital thermometers give a more precise reading than bimetal thermometers, some to the nearest tenth of a degree. The choice is simply a matter of preference, as some consumers feel more comfortable with one type over the other.
Retailers should offer an assortment of the various types of kitchen thermometers, including candy/fry, oven, refrigerator/freezer, and meat thermometers, since there are multiple opportunities to sell customers several thermometers.

Key Points for Selling
Thermometers
- Thermometers with preprogrammed meat settings are quick and easy to use. The thermometer should have a variety of different settings, such as those for beef, lamb, veal, pork, chicken, and turkey.
- An added feature that many consumers find useful is the ability to personalize preprogrammed settings to select well-done, medium, medium-rare, or rare.
- To easily measure the internal temperature of meats that are cooking on the barbecue or in the oven, suggest a thermometer that includes a heat-resistant cable with a stainless steel probe. The cable extends into the oven and measures the temperature, eliminating the need to open the oven door.
- Feature-filled thermometers include timers that can count up or down.
- Consider a thermometer with a large easy-to-read display that is ideal for clear viewing even from across the room.
- An extended warranty is helpful, especially with the high-tech digital models.

Time's Up
The basic timer with a twist dial remains a popular kitchen basic, especially with the myriad of designs available from the whimsical to the classical. But for the most part, it has become almost an impulse buy for many consumers who may not pay much attention to how well the timer functions.
While fashion may be the primary reason for dial timer purchases, within the electronic digital timer segment, function is all important. Typically, basic electronic timers have buttons that allow the user to set start and/or stop time in increments of hours and minutes. The next level of electronic timers allows the user to quickly set time in hours, minutes, and seconds, and may have other features, such as the ability to set the clock for a.m. or p.m. or international time.
More sophisticated timers can offer multiple independent timers that allow the user to set the timer for multiple tasks. Add in a clock/stopwatch feature and the user can either display the time elapsed or switch it to count up. A useful feature when baking multiple batches of cookies is the automatic recall, which remembers the last set time so there isn't a need to reenter the baking time with each batch.

Key Points for Selling Timers
- A large display that may be read from across the room.
- A loud alarm that can be heard in other rooms in the house -- extra-long alarms are handy as well.
- Digital timers should have large enough buttons for easy programming.
- A time's-up feature lets the user know how long it has been since the preset time was reached.
- Magnetic holders that enable the user to place the timer on the stove, refrigerator, or anywhere they need to measure time.

Measuring Up
Retailers can dramatically improve sales of scales, thermometers, and timers by demonstrating to consumers how useful and versatile these measuring tools are for a multitude of kitchen tasks. So, how do your sales of these important measuring implements measure up?