If the scale is one of those nifty little digital ones, I would have made the same decision, except I already have one. Using a digital scale is so different and so much more convenient than using from the old spring type that I think you will find yourself using and enjoying it. It's a snap to place a bowl on the scale, press a button to zero out the weight of the bowl, add an ingredient, zero out again, add another ingredient and so on. English or metric? Simple. No math to do. No need to consult your computer. Press the button.

So far as the $175, I might have bought a really large Le Cruset Dutch oven.

Jim

They have fabulous plastic tumblers for use out on the patio. They're made in New Zealand and are really and truly dishwasher safe, not like the ones from BB&B! Unfortunately they are spendy, but that's how I used my gift certificate!

Linda, I missed the Happy Birthday to you, so here it is...Happy Birthday! Hope you have some fun with that new scale. I recently used mine on the Jacque Torres chocolate chip cookies, and have to say, I'd do it again!

Hey Linda, Happy, Happy B'day and beyond.

I know the feeling of going into one of those great stores. I always think I'll want something there but end up realizing that I am at the stage in life where I really have mostly everything I need and only rarely find something that won't just duplicate what's already in my kitchen.

I do like to replace wooden spoons, kitchen towels and the like though. And I just got a cover for using in the microwave that flattens out for easy storage. There are colanders that do the same and I'm considering replacing my old ones with a few of those.

Happy Birthday! A scale is a good choice.
I really like their table linens particularly the patterned tablecloths. The prices on those seem to be very comparable with similar linens elsewhere. I have several and they have washed nicely. I would buy more if I already had all my pots and pans and such. Oh, I do think their pasta bowl sets are great. I have wanted one for years now. Even on ebay they are not much cheaper and I have never seen anything else as nice for the price.

Well, nuts!...I never even went into the table linen department. My daughter went directly, like a bee zeroing in on a flower to the Le Cruset display and nabbed a pot....guess she had been thinking for a while, and we had more shopping yet to do....so I saw the scale, and remembered sort of wishing I had one, and seeing that it will slide into the shelf with my cookbooks....so I bought!
No one has yet come up with a good reason why i need it, but to weigh packages to mail!
Linda C

All Clad...all the way baby! :-)

Linda I have two scales. One that goes up to 11 ounces and one that goes to eleven pounds. i use them all the time for measuring for baking, bread making etc. We buy our beef by the side, so I use the scale to weigh whatever beef product I take out of the freezer. Alot of the baking books I have use weight measurements.

I hope you enjoy your scale as much as I do. I would have had no problem spending any gift certificate as I love anything kitchen related. I agree with you though that WS is overpriced.

Shelley

Yes, Happy Birthday Linda!!

Oh I love WS. I know, crazy pricing and all, but I wander through that store and it just makes me happy! I would expand All Clad, or maybe la cruset. But I'm also charmed by things like the bee hive cake pan. Seasonal stuff that's so "cute".

I think you'll find plenty of uses for your scale. I seem to grab mine a lot for this and that. I'll weigh flour, or chocolate (I have a giant 10 lb. block I'm currently chopping from).

Glad you got something fun and useful!

What would I buy? Perhaps I'd also buy a scale so I can make all those recipes I don't need to eat that are given in weights not cups and such.

I might use it toward buying one good knife. I have a few decent but I still lust for a large cook's knife someday. I had a Wusthof in my hand a few times and it's just right. Just like Goldilocks!

Here is a link that might be useful: This beauty.

Well, Happy Birthday! What would I get for $50 at Williams Sonoma? Darned if I know. I don't have a scale and don't see the need for one in my kitchen (shrug), I'm too impatient to weigh anything.

I do have a great peach pitter that I got there for $3 on clearance, but I'm with Barnmom, I'd probably go for a good knife.

Annie

Happy Birthday Linda! I love the WS dish rags - they are waffle weave and just great for wiping up...but as you have a few more dollars - there are some really great pans and gadgets there....
I have a digital scale - it has a zero feature which I use when baking bread(Yeast or Quick)- usually make a double or triple batch and weight each pan so that the breads are the same size (for even baking). ...-maria