Weighs anything from a card mailer to a boxed pair of boots.
Typical price
£15 to £25
Why we pick it
- Typical price
- £15 to £25
- Works with
A wrong weight costs you surcharges or overpaid postage. A flat platform scale with a separate display stays readable when a box covers the top.
Good for
- Most home sellers
- Boxed trainers and bundles
Not for
- Weighing a single card to the gram
Our approved alternative for the same job: 30 kg digital postal scale
The guide
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Mixed parcels, from mailers to boxed boots
You ship a mix: small mailers most days and the odd large box of homeware, a boxed pair of boots or a pile of vinyl. A 40 kg platform with a separate display stays readable when a wide box covers the whole top.
At £15 to £25 it costs more than a 30 kg scale, and the difference buys extra headroom and the cable-mounted screen.
A cabled display and a 30 cm platform
Choose a separate display on a cable or a fold-out arm, a platform at least 30 cm wide, and 1 g steps for lighter parcels. Many 40 kg scales use coarser steps such as 2 or 5 g near the top of their range.
Make sure the display can hold the reading after you lift the box, and that the scale runs on batteries or mains. A wall hook for the display keeps it out of the way while you tape up.
Floor or desk: placing the platform
Put the platform on the floor or a low shelf for heavy boxes, and hang the display where you can see it from your feet. For lighter parcels, a desk spot beside your label printer keeps everything in one place.
Tare off any tray you use, then weigh each sealed parcel with the label on. Compare the reading against your courier's current price bands and round up when it sits close to a step.
Kit for this step
Smaller scales for smaller parcels
The 30 kg digital postal scale costs less and covers most home sellers. Pick it if your parcels stay small and leave the screen in view.
Add the 500 g precision pocket scale if you send trading cards or jewellery in Large Letters, where a gram or two decides the service.
The cost of a wrong weight
Declare too little and couriers can charge you the difference plus a fee, or return the parcel; they check weights. Overpaying postage on every parcel adds up over a year.
A scale at £15 to £25 pays for itself the first time it stops one surcharge. Test it with a known weight every few months to keep it accurate.
Common mistakes
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
- A soft rug makes heavy boxes read low. Move the platform to a hard floor.
- Route the display cable away from the load; trapped under the box, it can press on the platform.
- Weigh the finished parcel. A weight taken before you tape the box shut leaves out the packing materials.
- Round up when a reading sits on a weight step. Rounding down risks a surcharge.
Ranked in
Where it places in our rankings, and the reason.
Setups that use it
Complete kits this product is part of.
Guides that use it
Step-by-step help where this product does a job.
Questions
Do I need a 40 kg scale?
Only if you ship heavy or bulky boxes. For mostly small parcels, the 30 kg scale does the same job.
Why does the display come off the scale?
A wide box covers a built-in screen. The separate display stays visible whatever the size of the parcel.
How do I check it is accurate?
Weigh something of known weight, such as an unopened 1 kg bag of flour or sugar, and compare.
Can it weigh small card mailers?
It can. Near a Royal Mail weight limit, a 0.1 g pocket scale reads light mailers more precisely.
Alternatives
Other picks for the same job, cheaper and pricier.
500 g precision pocket scale
Card orders often sit within a few grams of a Royal Mail weight limit. A precise small scale tells you whether a mailer goes as a Large Letter or a parcel.
Typical price£8 to £14
See on Amazon30 kg digital postal scale
Covers the parcels most home sellers ship, up to 30 kg. Choose it when the 40 kg scale is out of stock.
Typical price£12 to £20
See on Amazon