Traveling can be exciting, but the stress of baggage fees and overweight luggage can quickly dampen your spirits. Imagine the hassle at the check-in counter, repacking in a rush, or worse, paying unexpected charges. Fortunately, a simple and effective solution exists: the Travel Weighing Machine, also known as a luggage scale. These portable, accurate, and often multi-functional devices are a savvy travel hack, saving you both time and money by ensuring your bags are within airline weight limits before you even leave home.
With a wide variety of luggage scales available in different sizes, prices, and designs, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. To simplify your decision, we rigorously tested 15 different luggage scales. Our tests, which involved weighing 10-pound and 25-pound kettlebells, revealed significant differences in accuracy and durability. Some scales were spot-on, while others were wildly inaccurate or even broke during testing. This underscores that finding a reliable luggage scale isn’t as straightforward as it may seem. To help you travel with confidence, we’ve identified the top six luggage scales that will provide peace of mind when packing.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Travel Inspira Digital Luggage Scale
Most Durable: Etekcity Digital Luggage Scale
Best Budget: Dr. Meter 110 lb Luggage Scale
Best Built-in Measuring Tape: Kingon Digital Hanging Luggage Scale
Best Battery-free: Ozeri Twist-and-Go Kinetic Kitchen and Luggage Scale
Best Manual: Samsonite Manual Scale
Best Overall
Travel Inspira Digital Luggage Scale
PHOTO: Amazon
Check Price on Amazon | View on Travelinspira.com
Why We Love It: The non-slip grip handle makes lifting heavy luggage for weighing much easier.
What to Consider: The screen backlight could be brighter in direct sunlight.
Lifting heavy suitcases can be challenging, which is why we appreciate the Travel Inspira Digital Luggage Scale’s thoughtful design. The handle features a non-slip grip on the inside, providing secure hold while measuring. With a simple button press, the scale powers on and allows you to toggle between pounds and kilograms. It also includes a temperature gauge, displaying readings in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. Attaching the scale to luggage handles was effortless; the loop and clip system is user-friendly and secure. In terms of accuracy, this scale impressed us, showing only minor variations of a few ounces when compared to our calibrated kettlebell weights. The screen’s weight-hold feature is another excellent detail, giving you ample time to read the measurement. Its compact size is a bonus, easily fitting into your bag for weighing on your return journey.
The Details: Digital | 110-pound capacity | Measures in pounds, kilograms, Fahrenheit, and Celsius | Backlit display
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Alt text: Detail shot of a traveler using the Travel Inspira digital luggage scale to weigh a suitcase, highlighting the scale’s compact design and ease of use.
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Alt text: Close-up of a hand holding the Travel Inspira luggage scale while weighing luggage, showcasing the non-slip grip handle and clear digital display.
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Alt text: Traveler using the Travel Inspira digital luggage scale to weigh a large suitcase before a trip, emphasizing the scale’s practicality for travel preparation.
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Alt text: Accuracy test of the Travel Inspira luggage scale with a kettlebell weight, demonstrating the scale’s precision and reliability in weight measurement.
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Alt text: Close-up view of the digital display of the Travel Inspira luggage scale, showing options for unit switching and temperature readings, enhancing travel convenience.
Most Durable
Etekcity Digital Luggage Scale
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PHOTO: Amazon
Why We Love It: Our team uses this robust scale in our lab for extensive luggage testing, and it remains in excellent condition, proving its exceptional durability.
What to Consider: While compact, the grip could be improved for heavier bags.
The Etekcity Digital Luggage Scale stands out for its remarkable durability. At Travel + Leisure, we’ve used this scale to weigh hundreds of suitcases in our testing lab, and it has consistently held up. Its resilience to frequent use and potential rough handling, even when tossed into checked baggage, is a testament to its build quality. Operation is straightforward, with two buttons for power and unit switching. The fabric loop with a metal clip easily attaches to luggage handles. Accuracy is commendable, with minor discrepancies of only a few ounces during kettlebell tests. While we always advise allowing a bit of extra weight leeway, its precision is generally reliable. The scale’s pocket-size design is excellent for portability, though the compact form factor slightly compromises grip comfort when lifting heavier luggage.
The Details: Digital | 110-pound capacity | Measures in pounds, kilograms, Fahrenheit, and Celsius
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Alt text: A traveler efficiently uses the Etekcity luggage scale to weigh their suitcase, ensuring it meets airline weight restrictions before heading to the airport.
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Alt text: Demonstrating the ease of use of the Etekcity luggage scale, showing its attachment to a suitcase handle, ready for quick and reliable weight measurement.
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Alt text: Kettlebell weight test with the Etekcity luggage scale, verifying its accuracy and consistent performance in measuring different weights.
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Alt text: Close-up of the Etekcity digital luggage scale display during a weight test, showing a clear and easily readable measurement for travel packing convenience.
Best Budget
Dr. Meter 110 lb Luggage Scale
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PHOTO: Amazon
Why We Love It: It’s the most accurate luggage scale we tested in the under $10 price range.
What to Consider: Unlike some competitors, it lacks a non-slip grip.
For travelers seeking a last-minute, budget-friendly solution, the Dr. Meter 110 lb Luggage Scale is an excellent choice, especially with Amazon Prime’s quick delivery. Our senior editor, Jasmine Grant, found its operation remarkably intuitive, appreciating its straightforward design. The scale features only two buttons: one for power and another for toggling between pounds and kilograms, or accessing the temperature gauge. Similar to our top overall pick, the Dr. Meter scale demonstrated impressive accuracy in our kettlebell tests, with minimal discrepancies. It’s incredibly lightweight and compact for storage, whether at home or packed within your luggage. While its smaller size means the grip isn’t as comfortable as larger scales, this is a minor drawback considering its affordability and performance. After six months of use, including trips to Croatia and Copenhagen, the battery still hasn’t needed replacement, and the scale shows no signs of wear.
The Details: Digital | 110-pound capacity | Measures in pounds, kilograms, Fahrenheit, and Celsius | Backlit display
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Alt text: Reading the clear digital display of the Dr. Meter luggage scale during a kettlebell weight test, highlighting its accuracy and ease of reading for travelers.
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Alt text: Testing the Dr. Meter budget luggage scale with a kettlebell to confirm its accuracy and reliability, ensuring it’s a dependable travel accessory for weight management.
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Alt text: Traveler using the Dr. Meter luggage scale to weigh a travel bag, ensuring it’s within the allowed limit, thus avoiding unexpected airline baggage fees.
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Alt text: Measuring a large suitcase with the Dr. Meter luggage scale, showing its capability to handle different sizes of luggage for accurate weight assessment.
Best Built-in Measuring Tape
Kingon Digital Hanging Luggage Scale
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PHOTO: Amazon
Why We Love It: This scale includes a built-in measuring tape, ideal for quickly checking luggage dimensions on the go.
What to Consider: The metal hook could be larger to accommodate very thick luggage handles.
With airlines increasingly strict about luggage dimensions and baggage fees, the Kingon Digital Hanging Luggage Scale is particularly valuable due to its integrated tape measure. This feature is especially helpful for expandable luggage, allowing you to verify if your carry-on meets airline size restrictions for overhead compartments. Beyond its measuring tape, this scale impressed us with its robust, durable design, capable of withstanding rough airport handling. The handle, constructed from rubber-coated steel, offers a superior grip, and the screen is larger than most, providing easy weight readings in both kilograms and pounds. Accuracy was within five ounces of our kettlebell weights. The hook design facilitates easy lifting, though it might be tight for exceptionally thick handles. T+L testing editor Jackie Cucco appreciated the scale’s friendly “hi” and “bye” greetings on the display. While durable and useful over six months of testing, its heavier and bulkier nature isn’t ideal for constant travel. Cucco suggests using it primarily at home and opting for a smaller, more compact scale for travel itself.
The Details: Digital | 110-pound capacity | Measures in pounds, kilograms | Backlit display | Built-in tape measure
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Alt text: Weighing luggage with the Kingon digital hanging luggage scale, demonstrating its ease of use and practical design for travel preparation.
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Alt text: Accuracy testing of the Kingon luggage scale using a kettlebell, confirming its reliability and precision in weight measurement for travel purposes.
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Alt text: Detailed view of the Kingon digital luggage scale in use, highlighting its robust handle and clear display, essential for hassle-free travel packing.
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Alt text: Using the built-in measuring tape of the Kingon luggage scale to check suitcase dimensions, ensuring compliance with airline carry-on size restrictions for stress-free travel.
Best Battery-free
Ozeri Twist-and-Go Kinetic Kitchen and Luggage Scale
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PHOTO: Amazon
Why We Love It: Simply twist the device to power up the screen – no batteries needed!
What to Consider: The loop lacks a clip, making luggage attachment slightly less convenient.
The Ozeri Twist-and-Go Kinetic Kitchen and Luggage Scale’s standout feature is its battery-free operation, eliminating concerns about dead batteries while traveling. About four twists activate the digital screen, which includes a battery icon indicating power level and kinetic charging needs. Accuracy is comparable to other tested scales, with minor deviations from kettlebell weights. Its small, circular design is exceptionally compact for storage in drawers or carry-on pockets. The lack of an ergonomic handle means the grip isn’t as comfortable as T-shaped scales, but its smaller size is a packing advantage. The loop design, without a detachable clip, requires threading the loop through itself to secure it to luggage, which is a minor inconvenience.
The Details: Kinetically charged | 77-pound capacity | Measures in pounds and kilograms
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Alt text: Viewing the kinetically charged display of the Ozeri luggage scale while weighing a kettlebell, highlighting its battery-free operation and digital accuracy for travel.
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Alt text: Traveler using the Ozeri kinetic luggage scale to weigh a suitcase, showcasing its portability and ease of use for on-the-go weight checks during travel.
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Alt text: Kettlebell accuracy test of the Ozeri Twist-and-Go luggage scale, verifying its consistent weight measurement without the need for batteries, ideal for eco-conscious travelers.
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Alt text: Detailed view of the Ozeri Twist-and-Go kinetic luggage scale in use, highlighting its compact size and twist-powered operation, perfect for travelers seeking convenience and sustainability.
Best Manual
Samsonite Manual Scale
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PHOTO: Amazon
Why We Love It: This manual scale was the only one in our test to achieve perfect weight accuracy.
What to Consider: It’s larger and heavier compared to digital alternatives.
The Samsonite Manual Scale stood out as the most accurate luggage scale in our tests, delivering precise readings for both 10-pound and 25-pound weights. While digital scales typically had slight variations of a few ounces, this manual scale perfectly matched our calibrated weights. Though larger than digital scales, its accuracy is a significant advantage. Reading the scale with a 50-pound suitcase was slightly challenging due to hand shakiness, but the handle is comfortable, and the hook securely attaches to luggage handles. Its larger size is offset by its durability and perfect accuracy, plus it requires no batteries or power-on steps. After six months, durability seems slightly less robust than others, especially with heavier luggage, though no breakage has occurred. Solo travelers might find the scale face, which points away during weighing, a bit inconvenient to read.
The Details: Manual | 80-pound capacity | Measures in pounds and kilograms
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Alt text: Adjusting the dial on the Samsonite manual luggage scale before weighing, highlighting its simple mechanical operation for accurate travel weight management.
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Alt text: Back view of the Samsonite manual luggage scale, showing its robust build and clear weight indicator, ensuring reliable measurements for travel.
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Alt text: Kettlebell weight test with the Samsonite manual luggage scale, demonstrating its perfect accuracy and dependable performance for travel weight checks.
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Alt text: Traveler weighing luggage using the Samsonite manual scale, ensuring accurate measurement to avoid overweight fees, making it an essential travel tool.
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Alt text: Using the Samsonite manual luggage scale for precise luggage weighing, emphasizing its reliability and battery-free operation for convenient travel packing.
Other Luggage Scales We Liked
Among the 15 luggage scales tested, some fell just short of our top recommendations due to minor drawbacks:
Travelon Stop & Lock Luggage Scale: While matching the accuracy of our best manual scale, the Travelon felt less comfortable to hold and had a cheaper build quality.
Tumi Electronic Luggage Scale: Sleek and compact, the Tumi scale lacked top-tier accuracy and came with a premium price tag of $75.
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Alt text: Close-up of a hand using the Tumi electronic luggage scale, showcasing its sleek design but noting its premium price and slightly lower accuracy compared to top picks.
Our Testing Process
While a luggage scale may seem like a simple purchase, our testing revealed significant variations in quality and performance. After acquiring and testing 15 different models in our New York City lab, some arrived damaged – broken, cracked, or even leaking oil. However, among the usable scales, six stood out for their superior performance. Accuracy was paramount, but we allowed for minor variations of a few ounces from our calibrated 10-pound, 25-pound kettlebells, and 50-pound suitcase.
Our evaluation also considered ease of use, functionality, and durability of buttons, loops, hooks, screens, and handles. Given the range of sizes, materials, and designs, we assessed comfort when lifting heavy weights and the perceived longevity of each scale’s construction.
Tips for Buying Luggage Scales
Decide Between Digital or Manual
Our testing highlighted pros and cons for both digital and manual scales. Digital scales are generally lighter and offer easier readability with backlit LCD screens compared to bulkier manual scales. However, manual scales excel in accuracy and eliminate battery dependence, ensuring they’re always ready for use during travel.
[:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tal-luggage-scales-test-travel-inspira-digital-jkim-0174-96726440e1cc42fd97fd791d2e8718ad.jpeg)](https://www.travelandleisure.com/thmb/rTDEYjSs55rMv_uYMnEc1Dmw9gU=/750×0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tal-luggage-scales-test-travel-inspira-digital-jkim-0174-96726440e1cc42fd97fd791d2e8718ad.jpeg)
Alt text: Comparing digital vs. manual luggage scales: a close-up on the digital display of the Travel Inspira scale, emphasizing the ease of reading and modern features of digital models.
Check for Preferred Measurement Units
While the U.S. uses the imperial system, most of the world uses metric. Choose a luggage scale with your preferred units. Scales offering both kilograms and pounds are advantageous, especially for international travel, eliminating the need for unit conversions when adhering to airline weight limits. Some digital scales also include temperature gauges in Fahrenheit or Celsius, a potentially useful feature for travelers.
Consider Additional Features
Luggage scales offer more than just weight measurement. Some include built-in tape measures, temperature gauges, or kinetic charging, removing the need for batteries. Always verify the scale’s weight limit to avoid damage from overloading.
[:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tal-detail-kingon-digital-hanging-luggage-scale-ahuang-135-cc6afe34343641c3ab15c0912a6d7534.jpeg)](https://www.travelandleisure.com/thmb/my1fEm6aMdr1TnY0fFp_B0-vins=/fit-in/750×0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tal-detail-kingon-digital-hanging-luggage-scale-ahuang-135-cc6afe34343641c3ab15c0912a6d7534.jpeg)
Alt text: Exploring features of luggage scales: using the built-in tape measure of the Kingon scale to check suitcase size, highlighting the added functionalities beyond just weight measurement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you use a luggage scale?
Instructions typically come with the scale, but generally, attach the scale to your suitcase using the hook or loop, power it on if digital, and lift the luggage. Wait for a stable reading. Most digital scales have a tare function for specific weighing needs.
Are bathroom scales accurate for weighing luggage?
Bathroom scales can work at home, but their lack of portability is a drawback for return trips from accommodations without scales. Luggage scales are designed for portability, ensuring you can always check your bag weight and avoid fees.
Are luggage scales accurate?
Reputable luggage scales are generally accurate. You can test accuracy against another scale. Regardless, it’s wise to keep your luggage one to two pounds under the limit as a buffer against slight inaccuracies.
Why Trust Travel + Leisure
Anna Popp, an associate editor at T+L, reviews travel products and experienced hefty overweight baggage fees firsthand, leading her to invest in a luggage scale and now recommends them highly. She participated in testing for this article.
Edited by Jackie Cucco, testing editor at Travel + Leisure, who plans and edits product tests and reviews, drawing on her background as a travel agent and over eight years of product review experience.
Updated by Anne Taylor, updates writer at Travel + Leisure and avid traveler, and Asia London Palomba, trilingual Italian writer focusing on travel and products.
