Best Weighing Scales for Fruit Picking

You may know that weighing scales are used in your local market to help estimate the price of your fruit and veg before purchasing, but did you know that they’re utilised during the fruit-picking process as well? This blog will discuss reasons why it’s important to weigh fruit during the picking process, and which scales are perfect for getting the job done.

Why Weigh Fruit While Picking?

There are many different areas where a weighing scale can come in handy in the fruit-picking process, depending on what your orchard, vineyard or fruit farm plans to do with the produce.

If your company sells to grocery stores, having a scale (or multiple scales) around while picking allows staff to efficiently organise boxes or crates of fruit by weight. If every box of fruit weighs approximately the same, it’s easier to charge the grocery store the correct price without extensive calculations. If shipping is a consideration, knowing the weight of your fruit also allows you to estimate your own cost of transportation.

Many large orchards with a wide variety of fruits allow the public to pick certain ones as they come into season. Apples and pumpkins are picked in the autumn, while strawberries are ripe in the summer. In this case, customers are given baskets to fill up with as much fruit as they desire. When they’re done, a member of the staff weighs the baskets to determine how much the customer will be charged.

If you don’t feel like having the public traipsing through your fruit trees but still want the extra income, participating in a farmer’s market may be a good idea. In this case, you can use a scale to sell fruit individually, or in small, pre-packed boxes. It’s important to note that when the weight of your fruit is used to determine the price a customer will pay a trade approved scale is required by law in the UK.

If you own a vineyard, your grapes will primarily be intended for wine, while your olives (if you’ve chosen to grow any) may be made into olive oil. Knowing the weight of your grapes and olives from the get-go helps guarantee consistency in the quality of the final, delicious, product.

Which Weighing Scales are Ideal for Fruit Picking?

Adam DCT ‘Dune’ Portable Compact Balances

Capacities: 200g – 5kg

Readabilities: 0.1g – 2g

Adam Equipment’s DCT ‘Dune’ Portable Compact Balance is affordable and practical, perfect for basic weighing applications in the field. Designed to be robust, the Dune is constructed from sturdy plastic and features an overload indicator for extra protection. Compact and stackable, the Dune will take up minimal space both in storage and while working. In addition, its rechargeable battery allows it to be used in a variety of environments. The Dune is affordable enough to purchase in bulk for all your picking employees without breaking the bank or requiring complicated training.

Kern EMB Compact Precision Balance

Capacity: 100g – 5.2kg

Readability: 0.001g – 5g

The Kern EMB Compact Precision Balance comes in a wide variety of models so you can select the best one for your needs. The EMB is compact and features a rechargeable battery so it can be freely transported around the orchard or vineyard without worrying about access to electricity.

Adam SWZ ‘Swift’ Price Computing Retail Scale

Capacity: 1.5/3kg – 15/30kg

Readability: 0.5/1g – 5/10g

Adam Equipment’s SWZ ‘Swift’ Price Computing Retail Scale is a portable, trade approved weighing scale that is perfect for weighing fruit picked by customers or selected at a farmer’s market. With three displays on the front and rear for weight, unit price and price to pay, your transactions are quick and smooth from start to finish. 100 PLUs (price lookups) allow you to set codes for specific products, granting faster recall.

Adam GBK Mplus Approved Checkweighing Bench Scale

Capacities: 6kg – 150kg

Readability: 2g – 50g

Adam’s GBK Mplus Approved Checkweighing Bench Scale is perfect for bulk weighing, or even weighing heavier fruits such as pumpkins or watermelons. With its checkweighing feature, you’ll be able to tell whether a box of produce weighs within your pre-set parameters with a colour-changing backlit display. When you’re looking for durability, the GBK is the right fruit scale for you.

Adam ABW-S Aqua Stainless Steel Waterproof Scale

Capacities: 4kg – 32kg

Readabilities: 0.1g – 2g

If you frequently work in wet, dusty, or messy environments, the Adam ABW-S Aqua Stainless Steel Waterproof Scale may be for you. The ABW-S is IP68-rated for 100% protection against dust and water ingress. This makes the ABW-S extremely easy to clean and keep hygienic, which is important if you’re dealing with food. The ABW-S is battery powered so it can be taken from place to place, wherever you need it to be.

Do you have questions about which weighing scale is right for you? Contact us.