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There's nothing more frustrating than getting to the airport and getting slapped with extra baggage fees due to oversized luggage. But good news: If you have one of the best digital luggage scales you can weigh your bag ahead of time so you know won't have to fork over the extra cash. But there a few things you should think about before buying a scale.
First, there are two types of luggage scales. The most popular, is the handheld scale that allows you to weigh your bag by simply lifting up your luggage with the scale. As your bag dangles from the scale's strap or hook it will give you the precise weight in pounds or kilograms (which comes in handy if you're traveling on a foreign airline). Another perk to a handheld scale is that is small enough to stow in your bag so you can weigh things for your return trip.
The downside to a handheld scale is that it requires a good deal of arm strength. Consider this: If you're bag weighs 50 pounds, you'll need to be able to lift and hold 50 pounds for several seconds without letting the bag lean against your body in order to get an accurate reading. If that sounds like it may be difficult for you, there is another option.
Similar to your standard bathroom or kitchen scale, there are luggage scales that allow you to place your bag on top of the scale. However, unlike your bathroom and kitchen scales, these luggage scales have detached displays that make it easier to read. Although they may be larger and heavier than the handheld scales, I found a great thin option that would be easy to slide into a bag.
No matter which type of scale you choose, you'll want to know the one you're buying is high quality and user-friendly. That's why I've scoured the product specs and user-reviews of dozens of Amazon's luggage scales to find the four best digital luggage scales for frequent fliers.
1
The Most Popular: A Compact Scale With Thousands Of Five-Star Reviews
Weight capacity: 110 pounds
What's great about it: With an impressive 4.5-star rating, the quality of this popular digital luggage scale is backed by thousands of Amazon users. It's built with strong stainless steel, yet it features a slender profile and weighs just 3.3 ounces. The handle is easy to grip, while the clear, LCD display gives readings with a precision of up 0.2 pound. As a bonus, the scale also features auto shutoff and auto-lock functions.
What fans say: "This is something everyone who enjoys traveling should have. The sleek, ergonomic design fits so comfortably in your hand. I'm very impressed with the quality of such an affordable piece of equipment. This thing is built to last. It's so easy to use. You just wrap the strap around your suitcase handle, push the on button and see the zeros, then lift the luggage off the ground. As soon as it stabilizes, literally a couple seconds, it locks the weight in the easy to read LCD screen. Done!"
2
Also Great: A Hook-Style Scale With Extreme Precision
Weight capacity: 110 pounds
What's great about it: Not only is this hook-style digital scale super lightweight and easy-to-use, but it also operates with extreme precision, measuring your luggage with accuracy down to 0.01 pound. The simple, one-touch button offers numerous functions, including auto-zero, auto shutoff, and unit exchange. The green, backlit screen is easy to read, and reviewers say the steel hook is exceptionally strong. As a bonus, this scale comes with a durable, waterproof bag.
What fans say: "This is the best luggage scale ever. Easy to use, affordable, easy to read. It saves great stress when you can weigh your bags at home and rearrange items there if needed instead of at the airport. This is the 8th one I've purchased. I keep giving them away!"
3
The Most Ergonomic Grip
Weight capacity: 110 pounds
What's great about it: This double-handed luggage scale is especially great for weighing heavier items, thanks to its convenient handle-style grip. The device gives precise measurements down to 0.1 pound, features an auto-calibration button, and shuts down automatically after 20 seconds. The LCD screen is brightly backlit with big, easy-to-read numbers. Lightweight and super compact (it weighs just 5.4 ounces), this handy gadget has almost 2,000 perfect ratings on Amazon.
What fans say: "This is the best, most accurate and durable of the many travel scales I've been through. Handy and way better for weighing lighter objects than a manual needle type gauge. The strap is much more durable than others with the thin metal triangle hangers as [they] always bend."
4
The Best Hands-Free Option
Weight capacity: 440 pounds
What's great about it: If you prefer a standard scale that doesn't require as much muscle, this Smart Weigh digital scale is a great choice. The design allows you to set your suitcase on top of its 10.6-by-10.6-inch platform for a quick, accurate reading, and the clear LCD screen is attached to a long cord, so it's easy to use. Also, the scale offers readings in kilograms, grams, pounds, and ounces.
While this scale is larger and heavier than the previous picks (it weighs in at 4.63 pounds), it's a great alternative if you have trouble holding up heavy bags. Plus, when you're not traveling, it doubles as a shipping scale.
What fans say: "This product is fantastic. We use it to weigh luggage before flights as well as large shipping boxes. The detached display eliminates the awkward peeking under heavy items like a normal scale requires. An alternative to those hand luggage scale that require power lifter strength."
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