What Are the Benefits of a Postal Scale for a Home Office?

What Is a Postal Scale?

Yellow gift box weigh on digital weight machine

A postal scale is a compact weighing machine to weigh objects you need to mail. It is incredibly beneficial as it allows you to calculate the accurate postage rate for an item. It is designed to be extremely sensitive, which is why it can accurately weigh items that weigh less than a kg. 

Calculating the postal weight of a package you want to mail is essential because many post offices only accept up to 70 lb parcels to deliver. On the other hand, shipping carriers allow you to ship up to 150 lb parcels or more. Due to these restrictions, it is essential that you know the weight of your package. As this scale also measures the postage rate, it is vital that it is accurate and efficient. 

Benefits of Having a Postal Scale

Post worker weighs the parcel

If your job requires you to post several packages, you must invest in a postal scale. It has a lot of benefits and can significantly help increase efficiency and quicken the shipping process. 

If you run a business, having a postal scale is crucial because you want to be able to gauge how much postage you need beforehand. 

There are many benefits of owning a postal scale, and here are a few of them.

It Helps Save Money

Every corporation has to deal with enormous losses worth hundreds and thousands of dollars if they do not ship their products correctly. This can be rectified with a postal scale, as it allows you to calculate the postage from the comfort of your home office. With the help of a postal scale, you can easily have all your shipping essentials sorted out to avoid incurring any big losses later on. 

A postal scale helps you eliminate the chances of wrong measurements so that you can minimize all sorts of collateral costs that may be bound to the delivery process. By having the correct measurements, you will no longer waste money on excess postal, traveling, and dispatch charges.


It Helps Save Time

A good postal scale is efficient at its job and can help you save a lot of time. If you own a postal scale, you do not have to spend excessive time at the post office trying to figure out how much your package weighs and the subsequent postage. Neither do you have to fill out any sort of form. All you need to do is drop off the package, and your job is done. 

Standing in line and filling out forms can be draining, especially if you have to do it regularly. A postal scale helps you bypass all these steps to save time, energy, and money. Good quality scales also come with convenient features, such as auto-calibration, auto-off, etc., which can be of great use. 

It Is Convenient

Having a postal scale is highly convenient as you don’t need to do any calculations. These weighing scales come with a built-in postal meter that allows you to do every calculation with minimal effort. You no longer need multiple devices around you to calculate the exact postage. With just one scale, you can find out all that you need to know. 

Once you know all the relevant information, you can simply put the required labels, shipping tags, and stamps. Then you can drop off the package or ask the postal-delivery people to pick it up and drop it at the office. Therefore, postal scales make the task of shipping your packages extremely convenient. 

Budget-Friendly

A postal scale is a budget-friendly device worth the money that it will help you save. Postal scales come in various price ranges, and you can get a very basic one for $25. On the other hand, if you want a fancy one, there are ones that cost thousands of dollars. If you plan to use it in your home office, you will most likely need one that is not too advanced but can get the job done. 

Additionally, if you are on a budget, you can easily find a small one from a local brand that will serve you well. There are a large variety of brands manufacturing postal scales, so it won’t be too hard for you to find one within your budget. 

How To Choose the Best Postal Scale for Your Home Office?

Post worker weighs the parcel

When picking out a postal scale for your home office, you must choose the best one to avoid the hassle of making multiple post office trips. There is a large variety of postal scales available on the market. You can find budget postal scales that can be used for basic tasks and ones that cost more but are more efficient and accurate.

 With all these options at hand, it can become challenging to choose the perfect one, which is why you should consider various factors before purchasing one. Here are a few features that your postal scale should have. 

Accuracy

One of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a postal scale is its accuracy. The accuracy is extremely important because it is then used to calculate the postage. Unless you get an accurate reading of the weight of your package, there is no point in using a postal scale. If the reading is incorrect, you risk losing money as well. Most lower-quality scales are inaccurate, making them extremely difficult and almost useless. 

To avoid purchasing an inaccurate postal stamp, do not go for the cheapest one and try to test it before buying. Usually, scales get less accurate over time, especially if they are abused. 

Capacity

If you are in the market for a postal scale for your home office, you need one that can measure the packages you intend to ship. To ensure that it can, first, you need to assess the range you will need and purchase a scale accordingly. 

Postal scales are designed to be able to weigh a certain amount and have a lower limit. If you plan on sending lighter packages, you will benefit from purchasing a postal scale that is extremely weight sensitive and can measure those weights. 

The real test of capacity for postal scales is the lowest weight they can accurately measure. The lower the weight it can measure, the larger capacity it has. It is best to purchase a scale with a large capacity so you can weigh heavier and lighter packages on it with ease. 

Construction

When purchasing a postal scale, you must pay attention to its construction, especially the platform. Ensure that it has a large and stable platform so you can easily place your packages on it without any issues. If your platform is not large enough, you will have trouble measuring accurately, which may lead to problems in shipping. 

To avoid this issue, it is crucial that you first assess what kinds of packages you will weigh on it. Suppose you are most likely to be weighing smaller packages. In that case, a postal scale with a smaller scale will work fine too, but if you plan on measuring larger packages, a wide platform is necessary. 

Additionally, the platform should also be stable. You do not want your packages tipping over or being measured inaccurately. Therefore, you should always check the structural integrity of a postal scale before purchasing it. 

The Kind of Power It Uses

The kind of power your postal scale uses is another essential factor to consider. If you need to send out packages and use your scale constantly, ensure that you purchase one that runs on AC. That way, you can simply install it and forget about it. 

Some postal scales are battery-powered, which can be extremely useful if you move your scale around. In a home office, you will most likely keep your postal scale in one location, so getting an AC postal scale that needs to be connected to power is the best choice. You should ensure that you have a surge protector installed to protect such devices from sudden power surges. 

Display

Postal scales come with a display that allows you to read the weight of the package and other important information about postage and shipping. This information must be displayed in an easy-to-read manner on a high-quality screen. When purchasing a postal scale, ensure that the LCD display is of high quality and bright enough that you can use it outdoors, where there is a lot of sunlight. 

Some postal scales also have a detached screen, which allows you to see the weight of your parcel, even if it is large and heavy. Additionally, a detachable screen also enables you to mount the screen onto a surface from where it is clearly visible. The best place to mount your screen at eye level on the wall so that you can see the weight easily with just one quick glance. 

Advanced Features

Depending on the kind of packages you want to weigh and how extensive your shipping job is, you may wish to purchase a postal scale that has an advanced feature. With the advancement of technology, postal scales have greatly evolved. Now, you can get scales that have wireless connectivity, a touch control panel, auto-calibration, and more. You can even have all the readings appear on your phone if you want. 

Durability

When purchasing a postal scale, you must purchase one made using high-quality materials that will last a long time. Most scales are designed to last for at least five years, but if you take good care of them, you can make them last even longer. Suppose you use your scale regularly or abuse it by trying to weigh items heavier than what it is capable of. In that case, the accuracy will decline, and you may experience errors. To avoid having such issues, you must purchase heavy-duty postal scales that can withstand wear and tear. Especially if you plan to use it regularly. 

Pros and Cons of a Postal Scale

There are many electronic devices that you need to have in a home office, such as a paper shredder, a postal scale and a printer. When using these devices for professional use, it is important that you choose the best out there. To do so, you need to know the pros and cons that come with them. Here are some pros and cons of postal scales. 

Pros Cons
They help save time and money. Their accuracy reduces over time.
They are extremely convenient. If it is battery-powered, you will need to have batteries on hand.
Postal scales are budget-friendly. If you want extra features, they can get extremely expensive. 

FAQs

What should I look for when purchasing a postal scale?

When purchasing a postal scale, one of the most important things you should look for is the accuracy, dimensions, and weight limit of the postal scale. By considering these features, you will be able to purchase a scale that fits your needs.

How accurate are postal scales?

Postal scales are usually quite accurate and can measure within +/- 2 grams with a sensitivity of around 0.1 ounces. 

Should I buy a postal scale?

If you send out many packages, you should invest in a postal scale, as it will save you a lot of time and money. Additionally, it is highly convenient and saves you from making multiple trips to the post office and filling out forms. 

Conclusion

Postal scales are necessary for your home office if you need to send out many packages. There are a lot of benefits to owning one, as they allow you to determine accurate postage from the comfort of your home. Once you own a postal scale, you don’t need to make multiple trips to the post office and lose money if your package is inaccurately weighed. 

To ensure that you are purchasing the right postal scale, consider the accuracy, capacity, construction, and display. These factors will help you buy one that fits your needs best.