This Multi-Purpose Measuring Tool Will Make You a Better Baker — and It’s on Sale

You may have heard the adage that “cooking is an art but baking is a science.” I don’t fully buy into those labels, because both cooking and baking are a mix of art, science, patience, and project management, but I agree with the sentiment. You can improvise with a frittata and have it turn out great, but if you freestyle a cake recipe you’ll probably end up with an inedible mess.

Even simple baked goods such as these three-ingredient cookies require that you measure ingredients in precise-ish amounts and bake them at a certain temperature for a specific amount of time. As an impatient person who doesn’t like to use and clean multiple measuring spoons and cups, I’ve long struggled with the measuring step, and my baked creations have suffered as a result. But, I came across a tool that makes this part of baking so much neater and easier, and you can grab it at 20 percent off right now.

This combination digital scale and mixing bowl gives you an easier way to measure both wet and dry ingredients in the same container, and it doesn’t require you to dirty any measuring cups. Just pick any of five available measurement units — grams, solid ounces, liquid ounces, cups, and milliliters — and add an ingredient until you reach the desired amount. Then you can zero out the scale and use the same measurement unit for your next ingredient or switch to a different one as needed. This lets you measure milk, flour, and oil with just one tool and eliminates all the guesswork.

I especially like that you can measure things by either weight or volume. I’ve tried other digital kitchen scales that are just little platforms that you set your mixing bowls on top of, and those tend to only measure ingredients by weight. By having so many units to choose from, if I forget to add, say, the honey when I’m putting in all my other liquids, I can zero everything out and switch back to the right unit to get that ingredient in. This device also has a display screen that sticks out far enough to read, so you’re not stuck peering under your mixing bowl just to see what the readout says.

Amazon shoppers rated this an average of 4.4 stars and said it became essential equipment in their home and commercial kitchens. Many noted how accurate its measuring ability is and some found it to be the perfect gift for friends and family members. As one reviewer wrote, “I didn’t believe it could measure from liquid to dry, so I measured everything out in cups and spoons. To my amazement it was perfectly accurate. It was one of the best gifts my husband ever bought me.”

If you’re going to add any new gadgets to your kitchen, this is certainly a smart pick. It replaces other digital scales and combines different measuring and mixing tools into one. Plus, it’s currently 20 percent off, so now is the right time to buy!

Buy: Fradel Digital Kitchen Food Scale with Bowl, $39.99 (normally $50)