CH-1000 Champion - 1000 X 0.1 g

CH-1000 Champion: a kilo measured to a tenth of a gram

The Champion is one of the oldest models in the On Balance range and has barely changed over the years, largely because it does the job it was built for. It weighs from 0 to 1000 grams in increments of 0.1 gram. That range sits neatly between a kitchen scale and a fine precision balance: big enough for a jar of herbs or a bag of tea, sharp enough to show a tenth of a gram either way.

The weighing platform is stainless steel, so a wipe with a dry cloth keeps it clean. The display is backlit and stays readable in a dim room. Besides grams it reads in ounces, troy ounces and pennyweight, which helps if you handle jewellery or precious metal. Overload protection is built in, and after a spell of inactivity the scale switches itself off to save power. Two AAA batteries are supplied. It measures 11.6 x 7.8 x 2 cm with a 6.6 x 7 cm platform and weighs around 122 grams with the batteries in, small enough for a coat pocket.

Keeping it accurate

Set the scale on a flat, solid surface rather than your knee or a wobbly side table, since that is by far the most common cause of odd readings. Keep the platform dry and never press on it to straighten something up. If the readings drift over time, calibrate it with a suitable calibration weight.

Other scales at Avalon

Avalon Magic Plants carries more On Balance models, among them the Boston 500 x 0.1 g, the California 100 x 0.01 g for finer work and the Calculator CL-300 with a working calculator in its lid.