Best Shipping Scales for Small Business

A shipping scale, also called a postal scale, is a must-have instrument for any small business.

Whether you’re operating a mailroom, an office, a warehouse, or a retail parcel store, it makes the entire process more manageable.

Plus, it can save you thousands of dollars in excess postage costs, labor, and trips to the local Post Office.

Here’s an in-depth look into the best shipping scales for small businesses to help you streamline your processes.

Best Shipping Scales for Small Business: Brief Reviews

1. Smart Weigh ACE200

Designed to hold large packages, the Smart Weigh ACE200 features a sleek and wide platform.

Plus, the LCD screen comes in a separate unit and is attached to the scale via a long extendable cord for the convenience of reading.

Review

The Smart Weigh ACE200 is ideal for small businesses that ship small and large items.

This top-of-the-line weighing scale has a maximum capacity of 440 pounds or 200 kilograms.

• Smart Design

Unlike traditional postal scales, the Smart Weigh ACE200 has an LCD screen separate from the platform.

The platform itself is stainless steel, which offers protection against the elements.

It measures 10.6 by 10.6 inches, so you can easily place both small and large boxes or containers on it.

Meanwhile, the LCD screen connects to the scale via a coiled USB cable that stretches to roughly four feet or about 48 inches.

That said, if you have a big parcel or box, you won’t have any issue reading the scale.

You can also use the USB cord to charge the unit in case the battery dies during a busy day.

• Wide Capacity Range

As mentioned, the Smart Weigh ACE200 has a maximum capacity of 440 pounds.

It has a minimum reading of six ounces or 170 grams, making it also suitable for weighing lightweight items, such as mail and documents.

Thus, if your business involves regularly shipping large parcels and mail, this scale perfectly fits the bill.

That said, note that below 170 grams, the scale could not accurately weigh items anymore.

In addition, the Smart Weigh ACE200 only measures weights in 50-gram increments.

So, if you only deal with very small or lightweight parcels and documents, you need a lower-capacity scale with more sensitivity levels.

• Useful Features

This reliable shipping scale has a tare function that lets you easily weigh multiple items consecutively.

It also features an auto-off feature to help preserve battery life.

Furthermore, the Smart Weigh ACE200 can read measurements in various units.

In particular, it can display readings in kilograms, grams, pounds, and pounds: ounces (lb: oz).

Lastly, it comes with a Piece Counting Mode (PCS). When selected, the scale will display the quantity in pieces of identical items.

Pros:

• Designed for convenient reading
• Durable construction
• Lightweight
• Can weigh large and bulky items
• Comes with a two-year warranty

Con:

• Not for tiny or extremely lightweight items

2. Fuzion Digital Postal Scale

Ideal for small parcels and mail, the Fuzion Digital Postal Scale has an accuracy resolution of 0.1 ounces, five grams, or 0.01 pounds.

It also features a flip-up platform for weighing items that can’t stand easily on their own, such as envelopes.

Review

The Fuzion Digital Postal Scale is ideal for offices and retail shops that ship small to medium-sized parcels.

Since it has a low capacity, it has a higher sensitivity level, so you’re likely to get accurate calculations for your postage payments.

• Paper-Friendly Design

This shipping scale from Fuzion measures 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches.

It’s lightweight and portable and wouldn’t take too much space on your office desk.

The flip-up platform is a fantastic feature, especially if you deal with various types of mail.

Before placing the documents, simply lift the lid on top of the scale platform to secure them.

You will also like that it features an HD display that gives you clear and fast reading at night or in the dark.

The device comes with a USB cable, batteries, and DC adapter, giving you more than one option to power it up.

• Weight Capacity

The scale can weigh items that weigh anywhere from five grams to 39 kilograms or 86 pounds.

Given this capacity, the Fuzion shipping scale is only ideal for smaller parcels.

You can even use it for weighing lightweight items like jewelry and herbs and spices.

• Useful Features

Aside from the tare function, this scale also comes with a hold button so that you can lock in the measurement on the screen.

It’s specifically helpful when weighing large or bulky items that inhibit you from seeing the display.

For example, after placing the package on the scale, all you need to do is press the hold button and then remove the parcel.

The reading will remain on the screen.

On top of that, the scale can weigh items in different units of measurement, such as pounds, ounces, lb: oz, and kilograms.

Finally, the scale will automatically turn off within 180 seconds to help you save power.

However, you can also choose from the 60- and 120-second time range.

Pros:

• Highly sensitive
• Perfect for mail and small parcels
• The flip-up lid makes the placement of documents convenient
• Can be plugged in if there’s no battery

Con:

• Not ideal for large parcels

3. Weighmax W-2809

Compared to its predecessor, the new and improved Weighmax postal scale boasts a more solid structure, featuring a durable stainless steel platform.

It weighs only two pounds, so this scale is one of the most portable picks in the market today.

Review

The Weighmax W-2809 is suitable for weighing letters, parcels, and food.

Let’s take a closer look at what this product has to offer.

• Weight Capacity

The Weighmax W-2809 is similar to the Fuzion scale in terms of capacity.

It has a maximum capacity of 90 pounds or 40 kilograms, which is good enough for weighing mail, documents, and small products like books and clothing.

Meanwhile, it has a minimum capacity of 10 grams and graduation of 0.1 ounces.

• Standard Design

This postal scale from Weighmax has a durable platform that is easy to clean and maintain.

All other parts are heavy-duty plastic, which is what accounts for its lightness.

Speaking of which, the W-2809 only weighs two pounds and measures 6.6 x 1.5 x 9.6 inches, so it’s pretty portable too.

On another note, this shipping scale uses batteries at its main power supply.

However, there’s a backup USB cable and AC adapter just in case you run out of battery.

Do note that the device won’t turn off automatically when plugged in.

We like the extra-large backlit LCD screen that lets you read weight measurements even in dark environments.

• Useful Features

Like the other weighing scales featured here, the Weighmax 2809 has four reading modes.

You can read measurements in pounds, pounds/ounces, ounces, and kilograms.

It also has a hold and tare function for the convenience of adding items and reading the measurements.

Last but not least, the scale has an auto-off function to help preserve battery life.

Pros:

• Easy to use and maintain
• Lightweight and portable
• Durable construction
• Large CLD makes reading measurements convenient

Con:

• Not very accurate for very lightweight parcels

4. Accuteck ACB440

The Accuteck ACB440 is perfect for weighing large and heavy packages.

It can weigh up to 440 pounds or 200 kilograms of load, with a precision of 50 grams.

What’s more, it’s made with heavy-duty die-cast metal to stand daily use and abuse.

Review

The Accuteck ACB440 is a reliable and durable shipping scale ideal for small businesses.

It also comes with a one-year warranty to give you peace of mind.

• Industrial Scale

This large-capacity scale is ideal for industrial applications.

If you operate a warehouse or ship heavy products like furniture, appliances, or small machines and equipment, it makes a great choice.

Like the Smart Weigh, it has an LCD screen that comes as a separate piece and is attached to the device through a cord.

The cord features a coiled design; you can stretch it out if you have to or keep it that way if you don’t need extra length.

Uncoiled, the cable is 31 feet long, which is long enough for you to hang the LCD screen on a wall and use the device as a portable floor scale.

All the function buttons are on the handheld LCD screen for ease of use.

For your convenience, the scale runs on a set of batteries or via an AC adapter.

• Weight Capacity

Suitable for weighing boxes, packages, and large objects, this scale has a capacity range of one pound to 400 pounds, in 0.05 pounds graduation.

Due to its rugged construction, you can place the scale on the floor.

If you plan on doing this, you will want to make sure the surface is smooth and level to get precise measurements.

While the other scales have smooth platforms, this one has an industrial texture that is more scratch-resistant.

• Useful Features

The Accuteck ACB440 has three reading modes: pounds, ounces, and kilograms.

You can also press the tare button if you need to weigh multiple items consecutively or the hold button to lock the reading.

Again, the LCD screen is separate from the scale.

This means you will rarely use the hold function because there will likely be no obstruction even if you place a big box or object on the platform.

Even so, it still is a nice feature to have.

Pros:

• Can weigh heavy and bulky packages
• Heavy-duty
• Durable platform is scratch-resistant
• Can run on batteries or AC adapter

Cons:

• Low sensitivity levels
• No added or special features

5. MUNBYN IPS01 Digital Shipping Scale

Is an industrial shipping scale too much for you?

If you want some allowance for when you need to weigh heavier parcels, check out the MUNBYN IPS01.

It comes with a compact stand or mailer holder to accommodate irregular packages or rolling tubes of items.

Review

The MUNBYN IPS01 is ideal for weighing mail and small packages.

Let’s examine why it’s one of the best shipping scales for small businesses.

• Fold-up Design

The MUNBYN IPS01 looks like a typical postal scale at first glance. However, it comes with a little surprise.

There’s a compact stand that opens upright to 90 degrees, allowing you to place irregular-sized packages securely.

You can also use it for weighing rolled documents and envelopes.

Also, this scale is portable and lightweight, weighing only 2.14 pounds.

It measures 9.65 x 6.06 x 1.81 inches, so it can sit nicely on your desk without occupying too much space.

• Weight Capacity

This scale has a capacity range of five grams to 66 pounds.

A typical letter weighs around 11 grams, so this scale would be accurate for calculating postage payments while being suitable for bigger packages too.

It boasts an accuracy of 0.1 ounces, allowing you to get a more precise calculation for postage fees, especially for smaller parcels or envelopes.

• Useful Features

This postage scale features an auto-hold function; it will show the reading for three seconds even if you remove your package.

Alternatively, you can press the hold button to lock the measurement. This way, it would be easier for you to record the measurements before weighing another item.

For your convenience, you can switch from five reading modes. You can weigh parcels in kilograms, grams, ounces, and pound-ounces.

Meanwhile, the tare function resets the display to zero, allowing you to use containers for weighing other items like food.

Lastly, you can use the PCS function to help you count items with identical weights.

Pros:

• Can handle irregular-sized parcels and envelopes
• Portable and compact
• Comes with an auto-hold function for easy reading
• High sensitivity level

Con:

• The display screen is a bit small

Best Shipping Scales for Small Business Buying Guide

Accuracy

Go for a shipping or postal scale with a sensor that can weigh with a scale accuracy of 0.11 grams (0.05 pounds). For greater weight capacity scales, the range can be lower. However, accuracy is essential if you want to have a sense of real shipping costs. With a reduced accuracy, you are more likely to incur extra unprecedented shipping expenses. The tare function is also vital when resetting before you weigh the next package.

Weight Increments/Capacity

The weight capacity will depend on the particular kind of package you wish to weigh. If the package is small shoeboxes and ring boxes, a scale with a capacity of 10 pounds will get the job done. For a larger package, go for one with a 400-pound capacity.

Design

A shipping and postal scale are generally available in two variations – the tabletop and the portable scale. The portable variant can weigh only three pounds making it easy to carry with you wherever you go. This is highly advantageous if you are in a warehouse commercial area requiring repeated weighing. On the other hand, the floor scale or tabletop scale variants are ideally suited for a larger package that does not move a lot.

Postal or Shipping Scale Type

Currently, you will come across two types of postal scales in the market: digital and mechanical scales. However, the majority of scales are digital and provide greater reading accuracy. On the other hand, mechanical balances or scales are used to measure weights using springs attached to pulleys, reducing accuracy. On the flip side, a digital scale is electrically or battery powered and utilizes a strain gauge load cell. The latter provides output with a higher degree of accuracy.

FAQs

How are shipping cost calculations done?

Package dimensions.

You can calculate DIM weight by multiplying the length by the width by the height of the box or package, then divide the outcome by a standard DIM divisor. A shipping carrier like FedEx, UPS, or USPS will calculate the shipping charge based on whichever between the DIM weight and the actual package weight is greater.

How is the weighing of items for shipping carried out?

Weigh the item, then round up.

The USPS carrier will round up to either the next ounce (Oz) or pound (lb). For instance, for a 3 lbs 5 oz package, the charge will consider the package a 4 lb item. If your item is to be shipped using First-Class Package Service and weighs 7.3 oz, the charge is at a rate of 8 oz.

Is a scale necessary for shipping?

Yes, it is. A nice postage scale need not be costly. You may even have one already. For example, a kitchen scale is accurate enough to weigh a small package.

What type of scale is necessary for weighing packages?

It is possible to weigh packages using any available scale, kitchen scales included, provided they give accurate readings to the nearest ounce. Nonetheless, if you wish to weigh a package professionally, the recommendation is to use a shipping scale.

Which Shipping Scale Is Perfect for Small Businesses?

If you’re looking for a small-capacity shipping scale, we highly recommend the MUNBYN Digital Shipping Scale.

With a max weighing capacity of 66 pounds, you can use it for very small to medium-sized parcels or packages with very high accuracy.

Plus, the fold-up design is convenient, especially if you handle many documents of different sizes and shapes.

However, if you’re specifically looking for a high-capacity scale, the Smart Weigh ACE200 makes an excellent choice.

It is durable, reliable, and very easy to use, making it perfect for a busy warehouse or retail shop.