OXO Good Grips 11-Pound is one of the most popular kitchen scales on Amazon, with over 5000 positive reviews. I ordered one for myself to test and see if they are worth the money they are asking for.
I also recommend reading the article best kitchen scales, for which I bought 5 popular models of scales and compared them to choose the best.
Contents
📦 Unboxing and First Impressions
First impressions are important, and OXO does not disappoint.
The box is made of sturdy and pleasant-to-touch cardboard, stylishly and beautifully designed. Inside, the scales are packed in a cardboard holder and a bag, along with batteries and instructions. In addition to the bag, the scale’s surface is also protected by a self-adhesive blue film to prevent even micro-scratches that may occur during transport.
The instruction manual is printed on thick paper, looking modern and stylish, easy to read, and not overloaded with text.
I must admit — I am impressed, the product presentation is top-notch. 5 out of 5
👨🎨 Design & Build quality
Display
The display is bright and easy to read. I have encountered reviews that in older versions of the scales, people complained that at certain viewing angles, the values on the display were not visible. Apparently, this problem has been fixed.
Due to the high brightness, inactive segments of the analog display are visible at a direct angle, which may also slightly hinder reading, but I can’t call it a big problem.
Also, you will have to accept the fact that the large and bright display, as well as the long shutdown time, will consume batteries, so be prepared to change them every 3-4 months.
Unfortunately, there is no way to turn off the display backlight.
Buttons
One of the first things I noticed when I took the scale out of the box was the buttons and their design. In my eyes, it contrasts heavily with the stylish upper part and the impressions of the box design.
The font and icons on the buttons, as well as their materials, give off a sense of cheapness. It’s as if you’re holding not a $50+ scale but a simple model for +/- $15.
Moreover, the functionality of these buttons raises questions. The thing is that under the rubberized upper part, there is a small, match-head-sized button.
To activate it, you need to press directly in the centre of the button, while presses above/below do not work.
The bottom
Turning the scales over, is also a little disappointing.
The back plastic has a shiny finish, which also feels cheap. In my opinion, using more matte or higher-quality plastic would not significantly affect the final cost, but it would make the appearance much more presentable.
However, it seems they decided that since it’s the bottom part, they didn’t need to bother. It’s immediately apparent that OXO is not about attention to detail.
Stability
But to end this part of the review on a positive note, I’ll say that the legs responsible for the stability of the scales, and thus the accuracy of the measurements, look much better than the back panel. Scales are equipped with silicone feet that prevent slipping.
They are large in size and hold firmly.
Thanks to them, the scales are stable and have a good balance.
They do not tilt from side to side even under strong pressure on one of the corners.
💨 Accuracy & Speed
Before buying these scales, I watched several reviews and noticed that they had been named the best kitchen scales by America’s Test Kitchen and other authoritative (for me as well) sources for several years in a row.
Because of this, I expected that accuracy would definitely be something that couldn’t be faulted with these scales. But unfortunately these scales have difficulty with small weights.
The scales have a small margin of error for measurements up to 5g and do not differentiate weight less than 1.5-2g.
This problem is also sometimes found on medium scales – for example, when weighing coffee here the scales show 11 g, you add a few grains, and the scales immediately jumped to 13 g.
For weights from 50g, my unit performed excellently, showing accurate results.
So if you are going to weigh small weights, it is better to pay attention to other models. For most tasks, this inaccuracy is not critical at all, but given the cost of scales I think it is a significant disadvantage.
Speed
The scales take about 3-5 seconds to turn on. Not much, but not very fast either.
As for the response speed, it is on average <1/2 second, which is a very good indicator.
Max weight test
The weight at which an error occurs is 5,096 g, which is 96g more than the stated maximum weight of 5 kg.
Tare function test
Sometimes cheap scales give an error when taring more than 1.5 kg. In the case of OXO, everything is excellent. I tared a mixer bowl with water weighing 4.2 kg.
I turned the scales on and calibrated, they gave no error and worked fine.
Then I taped poured in about 2 liters of water, and the scales worked perfectly, not giving a single error.
🤩 Features and Usability
The scales are equipped with a large, bright display and 2 mechanical buttons.
One is responsible for turning the scales on/off and the tare function. The other is for switching units of measurement. The scales offer a choice of 4 units of measurement: g, kg, oz, and lb.
As I said earlier, I don’t really like the quality and design of the buttons; they only work if you press the central part, and if you miss and press lower/higher, nothing will happen.
The problem is that due to the convexity of the buttons and the material they are made of, you feel the press tactically, even when not pressing the central part, and this can be misleading.
Power-on / Power-off Time
The display operates for 5 minutes, as stated by the manufacturer. Then it goes into power-saving mode and dims. The weight values are saved for 15 minutes.
You can turn it back on either by changing the weight or by clicking on the unit switching button. Pressing the power/tare button (which would be logical) will work as taring, zeroing the value on the display.
Additional Features
One of the main “gimmicks” of these scales is the pull-out display, which allows you to use the scales even with very large containers without experiencing problems with the display being blocked by the container.
Let’s see how it works
I agree, it’s very convenient. As for how practical it is, only time will tell. I have encountered single reviews that the display eventually stopped working, but I know nothing about how these people used these scales, so I cannot trust them 100%.
A removable platform is another useful feature, allowing you to detach the weighing platform to easily wash it. If necessary, you can also do this in a dishwasher.
Summary
Regarding usability and additional features, I could only find fault with the quality of the buttons; otherwise, the scales are very convenient to use, stay on for a long time without resetting the weight, are stable, and have a couple of cool features like a pull-out display and a removable platform.
4.5 out of 5
🧾 Overall
OXO Good Grips 11-Pound
Oxo scales are good for everyday use, fast, practical, and easy to work with. They have problems with sensitivity to small weights, so do not count on high accuracy, and should set an error of + / – 1 g. Fast measurement/response speed of just under 1/2 second.
Most reviews praise the retractable screen, and I agree it’s a nice feature. However, I haven’t found any location in my home where the screen would be obstructed so much in its normal, non-retracted position that it would be impossible to read the information on it.
Thus, I believe this feature is somewhat overrated. Additionally, it is uncertain how the frequent use of this option will impact the device’s longevity.What truly captivated me was the detachable platform.
It proves to be particularly beneficial when the scale gets smeared with a sticky substance that’s difficult to clean using only a wet cloth. In such situations, you can simply remove the platform and rinse it under running water, place it in the dishwasher, or let it soak for some time.
Summary
In summary, the OXO Good Grips 11-Pound is an excellent scale, but the pricing appears to be an issue. It is evidently overpriced.
The majority of my concerns stemmed from the discrepancy between the amount I spent and the quality of the product. If it had been sold at a lower price, my overall assessment would have been more favorable.
💡Alternative
OXO also has a 5-pound version, the OXO Good Grips 5-lb Food Scale with Pull-Out Display, which is almost half the price. In my opinion, this is an ideal option if you don’t plan to weigh heavy items. They also have a retractable screen and a removable platform.
