
āϏā§āĻā§āϞ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž āĻŦāύāĻžāĻŽ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž: āϏāĻāĻā§āϝāĻžāĻā§āϞāĻŋ āĻāϏāϞ⧠āĻā§ āĻŦā§āĻāĻžāϝāĻŧ
Lisa Thompson
Storage & Preservation Specialist
āϏā§āĻā§āϞ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž āĻŦāύāĻžāĻŽ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž: āϏāĻāĻā§āϝāĻžāĻā§āϞāĻŋ āĻāϏāϞ⧠āĻā§ āĻŦā§āĻāĻžāϝāĻŧ
āϏā§āĻā§āϞ āϏā§āĻĒā§āϏāĻŋāĻĢāĻŋāĻā§āĻļāύ āĻŦāĻŋāĻā§āϰāĻžāύā§āϤāĻŋāĻāϰ āĻšāϤ⧠āĻĒāĻžāϰā§. "0.1g āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž" āĻāϏāϞ⧠āĻāĻŋ āĻŦā§āĻāĻžāϝāĻŧ? "āĻĒāĻ āύāϝā§āĻā§āϝāϤāĻž" āĻāĻŋ "āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž" āĻāϰ āĻŽāϤā§? āĻāĻ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻĻā§āĻļāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻāĻŋ āϏāϰāϞ āĻāĻžāώāĻžāϝāĻŧ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ āϏā§āĻĒā§āϏ āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻā§āϝāĻž āĻāϰ⧠āϝāĻžāϤ⧠āĻāĻĒāύāĻŋ āϏāĻ āĻŋāĻ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ āĻāϝāĻŧāύ āĻāϰāϤ⧠āĻĒāĻžāϰā§āύ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻĒāύāĻžāϰ āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāĻā§āϞāĻŋ āĻāĻĒāύāĻžāĻā§ āĻāϏāϞ⧠āĻā§ āĻŦāϞ⧠āϤāĻž āĻŦā§āĻāϤ⧠āĻĒāĻžāϰā§āύāĨ¤
āĻĻā§āϰā§āϤ āĻāϤā§āϤāϰ
āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž āĻšāϞ āĻĒā§āϰāĻā§āϤ āĻāĻāύā§āϰ āĻāϤāĻāĻž āĻāĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻŋ; āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž āĻāϤāĻāĻž āϏāĻžāĻŽāĻā§āĻāϏā§āϝāĻĒā§āϰā§āĻŖāĨ¤ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ 0.1g āϏā§āĻā§āϞ 0.1g (āĻāĻ-āĻĻāĻļāĻŽ āĻā§āϰāĻžāĻŽ) āĻāϰ āĻĒāĻžāϰā§āĻĨāĻā§āϝ āϏāύāĻžāĻā§āϤ āĻāϰāϤ⧠āĻĒāĻžāϰā§āĨ¤ āĻĢā§āϞā§āϰ āĻāύā§āϝ, 0.1 āĻā§āϰāĻžāĻŽ āĻāĻžāϞ āĻāĻžāĻ āĻāϰā§āĨ¤ āĻāύā§āĻā§āϤ āĻāϰāĻžāϰ āĻāύā§āϝ, āĻāĻĒāύāĻžāϰ āĻĒā§āϰāϝāĻŧā§āĻāύ 0.01g āĻŦāĻž 0.001gāĨ¤ āĻĒāĻ āύāϝā§āĻā§āϝāϤāĻž = āĻā§āώā§āĻĻā§āϰāϤāĻŽ āĻŦā§āĻĻā§āϧāĻŋ āĻĒā§āϰāĻĻāϰā§āĻļāĻŋāϤāĨ¤ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž = āĻĒā§āϰāĻā§āϤ āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŽāĻžāĻĒ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻāϰāϝā§āĻā§āϝāϤāĻžāĨ¤ āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒāϰā§āĻāĻŋāϤ āĻāĻŋāύā§āϤ⧠āĻ āĻāĻŋāύā§āύ āύāϝāĻŧāĨ¤
āϏā§āĻā§āϞ āĻāĻļāĻŽāĻž āĻŦā§āĻāĻž
For statistical concepts in measurement accuracy, NIST āĻāĻā§āĻāĻŋāύāĻŋāϝāĻŧāĻžāϰāĻŋāĻ āĻĒāϰāĻŋāϏāĻāĻā§āϝāĻžāύ āĻšā§āϝāĻžāύā§āĻĄāĻŦā§āĻ provides technical guidance.
āĻĒāĻ āύāϝā§āĻā§āϝāϤāĻž (āϰā§āĻā§āϞāĻŋāĻāĻļāύ)
āĻāĻāĻž āĻāĻŋ: The smallest weight increment the scale displays.
Example:
- 0.1G āĻĒāĻ āύāϝā§āĻā§āϝāϤāĻž āĻĻā§āĻāĻžāϝāĻŧ: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, āĻāϤā§āϝāĻžāĻĻāĻŋāĨ¤
- 0.01G āĻĒāĻ āύāϝā§āĻā§āϝāϤāĻž āĻĻā§āĻāĻžāϝāĻŧ: 1.00, 1.01, 1.02, āĻāϤā§āϝāĻžāĻĻāĻŋāĨ¤
- 0.001G āĻĒāĻ āύāϝā§āĻā§āϝāϤāĻž āĻĻā§āĻāĻžāϝāĻŧ: 1.000, 1.001, 1.002, āĻāϤā§āϝāĻžāĻĻāĻŋāĨ¤
Key point: This is what you SEE, not necessarily what's TRUE.
Accuracy
āĻāĻāĻž āĻāĻŋ: How close to the actual weight the reading is.
Example:
āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ 3.5g āĻĒā§āϰāĻĻāϰā§āĻļāύ āĻāϰāϤ⧠āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧠āϝāĻāύ āĻĒā§āϰāĻā§āϤ āĻāĻāύ 3.48g āĻŦāĻž 3.52g āĻšāϝāĻŧāĨ¤ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž āĻāĻĒāύāĻžāĻā§ āĻĒā§āϰāϤā§āϝāĻžāĻļāĻŋāϤ āĻŦāĻŋāĻā§āϝā§āϤāĻŋ āĻŦāϞā§āĨ¤
āϏāĻžāϧāĻžāϰāĻŖ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻžāϰ āĻŦā§āĻļāĻŋāώā§āĻā§āϝ:
- "Âą0.1g" āĻŽāĻžāύ⧠āϰāĻŋāĻĄāĻŋāĻ 0.1g āĻĒāϰā§āϝāύā§āϤ āĻŦāύā§āϧ āĻšāϤ⧠āĻĒāĻžāϰā§
- āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ 3.5g āϰāĻŋāĻĄāĻŋāĻ āĻāϏāϞ⧠3.4g āĻĨā§āĻā§ 3.6g āĻšāϤ⧠āĻĒāĻžāϰā§
āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž (āĻĒā§āύāϰāĻžāĻŦā§āϤā§āϤāĻŋāϝā§āĻā§āϝāϤāĻž)
āĻāĻāĻž āĻāĻŋ: How consistently the scale gives the same reading for the same item.
āĻāĻžāϞ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž: Weigh same item 5 times, get 3.50g each time.
āĻĻā§āϰā§āĻŦāϞ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž: Weigh same item 5 times, get 3.48g, 3.52g, 3.49g, 3.51g, 3.50g.
āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒāϰā§āĻ
āĻ āύā§āĻļā§āϞāύ⧠āĻāĻŋāύā§āύ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻžāϰ āĻ āϰā§āĻĨ āĻā§
0.1 āĻā§āϰāĻžāĻŽ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž (āĻĒāĻā§āĻ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ)
āĻāĻĒāύāĻŋ āϝāĻž āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻāϰāϝā§āĻā§āϝāĻāĻžāĻŦā§ āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŽāĻžāĻĒ āĻāϰāϤ⧠āĻĒāĻžāϰā§āύ:
- 1g āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāϤā§āĻŽāĻŦāĻŋāĻļā§āĻŦāĻžāϏā§āϰ āϏāĻžāĻĨā§ āĻāĻĒ
- āϝā§āĻā§āϤāĻŋāϏāĻā§āĻāϤ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻžāϰ āϏāĻžāĻĨā§ 0.5G
- 0.5G āĻāϰ āύāĻŋāĻā§ āĻ āĻŦāĻŋāĻļā§āĻŦāϏā§āϤ āĻšāϝāĻŧā§ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧ
Best for:
- āĻ āώā§āĻāĻŽ, āĻā§āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰā§āĻāĻžāϰ, āĻāĻāύā§āϏ āϝāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ āĻāϰāĻž āĻšāĻā§āĻā§
- āϏāĻžāϧāĻžāϰāĻŖ āĻĢā§āϞā§āϰ āĻāĻāύ
- āĻĻā§āύāύā§āĻĻāĻŋāύ āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻšāĻžāϰ
āĻāϰ āĻāύā§āϝ āĻĻā§āϰā§āĻĻāĻžāύā§āϤ āύāϝāĻŧ:
- āĻāĻāĻ āĻ āϰā§āϧ-āĻā§āϰāĻžāĻŽ āĻā§āϰāϝāĻŧ
- āĻāύā§āĻā§āϤ
- āϝāĻĨāĻžāϰā§āĻĨ āĻĄā§āĻāĻŋāĻ
āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϰ āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻā§āϝāĻž:
āϝāĻāύ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ 3.5g āĻĻā§āĻāĻžāϝāĻŧ, āĻĒā§āϰāĻā§āϤ āĻāĻāύ āϏāĻŽā§āĻāĻŦāϤ 3.4-3.6gāĨ¤
0.01g āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž (āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž āĻĒāĻā§āĻ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ)
āĻāĻĒāύāĻŋ āϝāĻž āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻāϰāϝā§āĻā§āϝāĻāĻžāĻŦā§ āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŽāĻžāĻĒ āĻāϰāϤ⧠āĻĒāĻžāϰā§āύ:
- āĻāĻā§āĻ āĻāϤā§āĻŽāĻŦāĻŋāĻļā§āĻŦāĻžāϏā§āϰ āϏāĻžāĻĨā§ 0.1g āĻāĻŦāĻ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŦā§āĻļāĻŋ
- āϝā§āĻā§āϤāĻŋāϏāĻā§āĻāϤ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻžāϰ āϏāĻžāĻĨā§ 0.05g
- āĻ āϞā§āĻĒ āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŽāĻžāĻŖā§ āĻāĻžāϞā§
Best for:
- āĻā§āĻ āĻā§āϰāϝāĻŧ āϝāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ āĻāϰāĻž āĻšāĻā§āĻā§
- āĻāϰ⧠āϏāĻ āĻŋāĻ āĻĢā§āϞ āĻāĻāύ
- āĻŦāĻžāĻā§āĻ āĻā§āύā§āĻĻā§āϰā§āĻā§āϤ āĻāĻāύ
- āĻāĻžāϞ āĻā§āĻā§āϝ āĻĄā§āĻ
āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϰ āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻā§āϝāĻž:
āϝāĻāύ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ 3.50g āĻĻā§āĻāĻžāϝāĻŧ, āĻĒā§āϰāĻā§āϤ āĻāĻāύ āϏāĻŽā§āĻāĻŦāϤ 3.48-3.52gāĨ¤
0.001g āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž (āĻŽāĻŋāϞāĻŋāĻā§āϰāĻžāĻŽ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ)
āĻāĻĒāύāĻŋ āϝāĻž āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻāϰāϝā§āĻā§āϝāĻāĻžāĻŦā§ āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŽāĻžāĻĒ āĻāϰāϤ⧠āĻĒāĻžāϰā§āύ:
- āĻāĻā§āĻ āĻāϤā§āĻŽāĻŦāĻŋāĻļā§āĻŦāĻžāϏā§āϰ āϏāĻžāĻĨā§ 0.01g āĻāĻŦāĻ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŦā§āĻļāĻŋ
- āϝā§āĻā§āϤāĻŋāϏāĻā§āĻāϤ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻžāϰ āϏāĻžāĻĨā§ 0.005g
- āĻāϰāĻŽ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž
Best for:
- āĻāύā§āĻā§āϤ
- āϏā§āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻĻāĻŋāώā§āĻ āĻā§āĻā§āϝ āϤā§āϰāĻŋ
- āĻŦā§āĻā§āĻāĻžāύāĻŋāĻ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž
- āĻĒā§āĻļāĻžāĻāϤ āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻšāĻžāϰ
āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϰ āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻā§āϝāĻž:
āϝāĻāύ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ 3.500g āĻĻā§āĻāĻžāϝāĻŧ, āĻĒā§āϰāĻā§āϤ āĻāĻāύ āϏāĻŽā§āĻāĻŦāϤ 3.498-3.502gāĨ¤
āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž āĻŦāύāĻžāĻŽ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž āĻāĻŋāϤā§āϰāĻŋāϤ
āĻāĻāϝāĻŧ āĻāĻžāϞ (āĻāĻĻāϰā§āĻļ)
āϰāĻŋāĻĄāĻŋāĻāϏ: 3.50, 3.50, 3.50, 3.50, 3.50
āĻĒā§āϰāĻā§āϤ āĻāĻāύ: 3.50 āĻā§āϰāĻžāĻŽ
Result: Perfectâaccurate and precise.
āϏā§āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻĻāĻŋāώā§āĻ āĻāĻŋāύā§āϤ⧠āĻā§āϞ
āϰāĻŋāĻĄāĻŋāĻāϏ: 3.55, 3.55, 3.55, 3.55, 3.55
āĻĒā§āϰāĻā§āϤ āĻāĻāύ: 3.50 āĻā§āϰāĻžāĻŽ
Result: Consistently wrong. Needs calibration.
āϏāĻ āĻŋāĻ āĻāĻŋāύā§āϤ⧠āĻ āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒā§āϰā§āĻŖ
āϰāĻŋāĻĄāĻŋāĻāϏ: 3.48, 3.52, 3.49, 3.51, 3.50
āĻĒā§āϰāĻā§āϤ āĻāĻāύ: 3.50 āĻā§āϰāĻžāĻŽ
Result: Averages correct but individual readings vary. Environmental issue likely.
āύāĻž (āĻāĻžāϰāĻžāĻĒ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ)
āϰāĻŋāĻĄāĻŋāĻāϏ: 3.45, 3.58, 3.42, 3.61, 3.49
āĻĒā§āϰāĻā§āϤ āĻāĻāύ: 3.50 āĻā§āϰāĻžāĻŽ
Result: Unreliable. Replace or repair scale.
āĻāĻĻā§āĻĻā§āĻļā§āϝā§āϰ āϏāĻžāĻĨā§ āĻŽāĻŋāϞāĻŋāϤ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž
āĻāĻžāĻāĻāĻž āĻĢā§āϞā§āϰ āĻāύā§āϝ
āύā§āĻā§āϰ āϞāĻžāĻāύ: 0.1g works for most flower purposes. 0.01g is better for small amounts.
For Concentrates
Bottom line: 0.001g is really the only appropriate accuracy for concentrates.
For Edibles
Understanding Margin of Error
What Âą Means
When specs say "Âą0.1g":
- Reading of 5.0g means actual could be 4.9-5.1g
- Reading of 3.5g means actual could be 3.4-3.6g
Error Compounds with Small Weights
At larger weights:
5.0g Âą 0.1g = 2% potential error
At smaller weights:
0.5g Âą 0.1g = 20% potential error
Lesson: Accuracy matters more for smaller amounts.
Why Cheap Scales Are Worse
Better scales:
- Tighter actual accuracy than spec
- More consistent
- Better at edges of range
Cheap scales:
- May not meet stated spec
- Worse at small weights
- More environmental sensitivity
Testing Your Scale's Accuracy
Using Known Weights
Calibration weights (best):
- Known precise weight
- Use to verify and calibrate
Coins (adequate):
- US nickel = 5.00g
- US penny (post-1982) = 2.50g
- Stack for larger weights
Precision Test
1. Weigh same item 5 times
2. Record each reading
3. All same = good precision
4. Variation = precision issue
Accuracy Test
1. Weigh known weight (calibration weight or coins)
2. Compare to known value
3. Close = good accuracy
4. Off = needs calibration or replacement
Improving Your Readings
Environmental Factors
For best accuracy:
- Level, stable surface
- Away from air currents
- Consistent temperature
- No vibrations
Usage Factors
For best accuracy:
- Calibrate regularly
- Fresh batteries
- Let scale warm up
- Don't rush readings
Scale Factors
For best accuracy:
- Quality brand
- Appropriate accuracy for task
- Proper maintenance
- Not exceeding capacity
Quick Reference
Accuracy by Scale Type
When Readings Matter Most
- Verifying purchases: Need accuracy
- Consistent dosing: Need precision
- Making edibles: Need both
- Casual use: Either works
Summary
Understanding scale specs helps you:
1. Choose right accuracy for your needs
2. Interpret readings correctly
3. Identify problems when they occur
4. Not overpay for unnecessary precision
For most cannabis flower use, 0.1g accuracy is sufficient. For concentrates or precision work, 0.001g is essential. Don't be fooled by extra decimal placesâreadability isn't the same as accuracy.
This guide is for educational purposes. Always comply with local laws regarding cannabis.
Frequently Asked Questions
āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž āĻšāϞ āϏā§āĻā§āϞāĻāĻŋ āĻĒā§āϰāĻā§āϤ āĻāĻāύā§āϰ āĻāϤāĻāĻž āĻāĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻŋāĨ¤ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻā§āϞāϤāĻž āĻšāϞ āĻāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻŦā§ āϧāĻžāϰāĻžāĻŦāĻžāĻšāĻŋāĻāĻāĻžāĻŦā§ āĻāĻāĻŋ āĻāĻāĻ āϰāĻŋāĻĄāĻŋāĻ āĻĻā§āϝāĻŧāĨ¤ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ āϏā§āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻĻāĻŋāώā§āĻ āĻāĻŋāύā§āϤ⧠āĻā§āϞ (āϏāĻžāĻŽāĻā§āĻāϏā§āϝāĻĒā§āϰā§āĻŖāĻāĻžāĻŦā§ āĻā§āϞ), āĻŦāĻž āϏāĻ āĻŋāĻ āĻāĻŋāύā§āϤ⧠āĻ āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒā§āϰā§āĻŖ (āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŦāϰā§āϤāĻŋāϤ āĻāĻŋāύā§āϤ⧠āĻāĻĄāĻŧ āϏāĻ āĻŋāĻ) āĻšāϤ⧠āĻĒāĻžāϰā§āĨ¤ āĻāĻžāϞ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ āĻāĻāϝāĻŧ.
Related Guides

Best Scales for Cannabis: Complete Buying Guide
Find the perfect scale for weighing cannabis. Compare pocket scales, milligram scales, and kitchen scales with recommendations for different needs and budgets.

How to Calibrate a Digital Scale: Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to properly calibrate your digital scale for accurate cannabis measurements. Step-by-step instructions for calibration weights, DIY methods, and troubleshooting.

Cannabis Weight Measurements Explained: Grams to Ounces
Complete guide to cannabis weight measurements. Learn what grams, eighths, quarters, halves, and ounces weigh, common slang terms, and how to verify you're getting what you paid for.