These new £20 kitchen scales from Salter nail the retro look

Salter mechanical retro scales — (Image credit: Salter)

My kitchen is missing something: a set of scales both functional and pretty enough to earn a space on my worktop full-time. That's why Salter's new retro-look mechanical scales, both the more affordable £19.99 Timeless version via Amazon and the £27.99 version are high on my current kitchen wish list.

Both available in a number of pastel colours, its the green and pink shades that really catch my eye with these scales. As well as being design-forward, it's fair to say that Salter (who have been manufacturing scales since founder Richard Salter began the business in the late 1760s as well as other kitchen appliances including the best air fryers) definitely has the history needed to produce these kitchen essentials. Here's how these new vintage inspired scales shape up.

CREAM

Salter

Timeless Mechanical Kitchen Scale

For under £20, this well-reviewed set of scales is perfect for upgrading your baking station on a budget.

PINK

Salter

Retro Mechanical Kitchen Scale

This curved design will set you back a little more at just over £25, but the charming pink colour is hard to resist!

GREEN

Salter

Timeless Mechanical Kitchen Scale

Greens are still so on trend for 2025 and this scale would be a lovely way to add a pop of this colour to your kitchen worktop.

Salter has two different retro-style collections on offer when it comes to their mechanical scales. While the more affordable Timeless collection features scales that are slimmer and lighter (at just 0.8kg), the rounded Retro version is more scaled back and simple.

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Both feature easy to read displays, with maximum readings of five kilograms and share one huge plus – you'll never have to change their batteries thanks to their mechanical designs.

If you are willing to spend more on the Retro style version, you'll enjoy a larger capacity bowl to weigh your baking ingredients, as well as the chance to snap the scales up in pink.

As I said, I've had a reliable set of scales on my kitchen wish list for a long time, and while Smeg's gorgeous 50's style version is the ultimate dream, the price tag of £169 via Amazon feels a lot to part with. I think I'll be adding this Salter version to my basket come this Black Friday in November, in the hopes there'll be even more off the price tag.

Molly is Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliances Editor and the Ideal Home Certified Expert on Appliances. An all-around cooking and baking enthusiast, she loves finding the next must-have product for readers that will their kitchen a better place. She joined the team in September 2022 after working on the editorial teams of Real Homes, Homes & Gardens and Livingetc.

For the last 4 years, she's been reviewing hundreds of small appliances; conducting tests at home or in the Ideal Home test kitchen.

Molly also has the lucky job of testing coffee machines, from pricey bean-to-cup models to low-faff pod machines, to serve those looking to hone their barista skills at home. She oversees an expert panel of coffee machine reviewers too, to cover every coffee niche.