Typhoon Kitchen Scales 52.95 Highs:This is a very funky retro scales that will look good on any counter-top - as long as it doesn't clash with red, that is.

The dial is easy to read and is marked in half-ounce or ten-gram gradations, allowing for fairly precise measurements. The bowl is very cool and is designed for easy pouring. The scales comes in a range of "delicious, nostalgic" colours including this fire engine red number.

Lows: Quite what was either "delicious" or "nostalgic" about a lick of red paint, however, we will never know. It can only handle weights of up to 2kg without going round the clock, which makes it somewhat limiting, and it seemed to us to be a little on the pricey side, no matter how cool it was.

Verdict: Funky but costly

Star rating: ***

Corrina Jumbo Kitchen Scales €9

Highs: Bought in a bargain shop at a knockdown price, we really were not expecting much from this at all. Anything this cheap will be flimsy and flaky, we reckoned. We were almost completely wrong. It is made from solid metal and is identical to a very fancy scales on which PriceWatch spent a stupid amount of money in a moment of madness some years ago. It has a big face, a good-sized stainless steel bowl and seems to weigh things up to 3kg with as much accuracy as most of the other models.

Lows: It does require a tiny bit of assemblage so if you are completely clueless when it comes to using a screwdriver, or have no screwdriver to hand, you may need to call for back-up. It uses the metric system only and we were not completely taken by the white colour.

Verdict: Great value

Star rating: *****

Tefal Stage 5 Scales €59.99

Highs: This can handle weights up to 5kg and comes with its very own mixing bowl. It has a natty function which allows you to weigh the different ingredients in a recipe in the same bowl at the push of a button and it can also be toggled to measure liquids. If you're not happy with the bowl supplied you can use whatever measuring device you like and the machine will calculate its weight and subtract it from the final weight.

Lows: While initially we thought the liquid measuring facility was a good idea, on reflection it seemed a bit pointless and you might be as well to use a measuring jug. There were no batteries included which was mildly irksome, and 60 seems like a lot of money to spend on a weighing scales.

Verdict: High-tech and expensive

Star rating: ***

Judge Kitchen Scales €29.95

Highs: This scores extra points for being able to measure weights up to 10kg, allowing you to weigh a large turkey or a small child, depending on your circumstances. It has no frills, is very light and comparatively cheap.

Lows: Comparatively is the key word there. While it is cheaper than most of the competition, €30 still seems like a lot to pay for a shiny plastic scales, no matter how much weight the surprisingly shallow measuring bowl can take. It has 50g gradations which will make it pretty useless for the most delicate of recipes.

Verdict: The weighty option

Star rating: **

Salter Electronic Kitchen Scales €51

Highs: This is a dinky little scales which will not take up a great deal of room in your kitchen. Its main selling point is that it can weigh in gradations of a single gram, so if you're adding saffron to a dish and want to be very precise, this is your only man. It calculates using both the imperial and metric systems and comes with its own long life battery.

Lows: While it might be the most functional scales, it is not the most funky. Some of the others - well at least one of them - are designed to be shown off, whereas this is a little dull and plain. It is super-efficient, though.

Verdict: Compact and precise

Star rating: ****