Best Shipping Scale for Small Business: Brecknell PS25 Pink & Blue, PS-USB-150 NTEP and LPS400
The best shipping scale for small business is the Brecknell PS25: 25 lb with a USB cable for postage software, on sale for $38.00 (regular $88.00), in stock. It is non-NTEP; to charge by weight, choose the NTEP Brecknell PS-USB-150 at $518.00.
Our picks: for most small businesses and online sellers, the Brecknell PS25 in pink or blue is the best shipping scale: 25 lb capacity, 0.1 oz resolution up to 2 lb, a USB cable that sends the weight to PC postage software, and both batteries and the USB cable in the box, all for under $50. If you charge customers by weight, step up to the NTEP legal-for-trade Brecknell PS-USB-150. For heavy boxes up to 400 lb, the Brecknell LPS400 has a 15″ × 12″ stainless platform.
Guessing package weight costs money two ways: overpay on postage, or get hit with carrier adjustments later. A good shipping scale pays for itself in a few weeks. These are the shipping scales we recommend to online sellers, mailrooms, warehouses and fulfillment centers. Shipping cartons over 25 lb? Jump to shipping bench scales.
Quick comparison
| Scale | Capacity × readability | Platform | Connectivity | Legal for trade | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brecknell PS25 Pink / Blue | 25 lb: 0.1 oz to 2 lb, 0.2 oz to 25 lb | 8″ × 6″, flip-up letter stand | USB (cable included) | General purpose (non-NTEP) | Letters, small parcels, home and small business shipping |
| Brecknell PS-USB-150 | 150 lb × 0.05 lb | 14″ × 12″ stainless steel | USB and RS-232 | NTEP Class III | Charging customers by weight, shipping stores, busy shipping benches |
| Brecknell LPS400 | 400 lb × 0.2 lb | 15″ × 12″ × 1″ stainless steel | RS-232 (cable not included) | General purpose (non-NTEP) | Heavy boxes, warehouses, receiving |
Need it legal for trade? Here is an NTEP alternative for each model: the Brecknell PS-USB-30 for the PS25; the A&D FG-200KALN for the LPS400.
1. Brecknell PS25 (Pink or Blue): best overall for small business
The PS25 is the scale we’d put on almost every small shipping desk. It’s compact (about 8.5″ × 6″ × 2″) and low profile, so it fits next to a keyboard, and the flip-up letter stand holds large envelopes and shipping tubes. The pink and blue models are the same 25 lb PS25 in different housings (Brecknell PS25PINK and PS25BLUE).
- Capacity and resolution: 25 lb / 11.5 kg. It reads in 0.1 oz steps up to 2 lb and 0.2 oz steps from 2 to 25 lb, so letters and light packages are weighed finely.
- Units: lb/oz, kg and g, with an On/Off/Tare key and a Units key. For quotes in the other unit, our weight converter turns kg to lbs and back.
- USB to your PC: the USB interface works with most current USPS PC postage applications, so the weight goes straight into the software.
- Power: four AAA batteries or the USB cable, both included. Auto power-off after 2 minutes saves the batteries.
- Display: 0.6″ backlit digits with a low-battery icon.
- Overload protection up to 120% of capacity.
Equipping a team? Get the PS25 Pink 4-pack or PS25 Blue 4-pack for multiple packing stations.
Note: the PS25 is a general-purpose postal scale. To charge customers for shipping by weight, choose an NTEP model like the PS-USB-150 below.
2. Brecknell PS-USB-150: best NTEP legal-for-trade shipping scale
When the weight sets what your customer pays, the scale has to be NTEP approved. The PS-USB series carries NTEP CC 15-083 (base) and CC 15-084 (SBI-240 indicator), Class III, and it’s NSF listed.
- Capacity: 150 lb × 0.05 lb / 60 kg × 0.02 kg.
- Platform: removable 14″ × 12″ stainless steel platter on a cast aluminum base with adjustable feet and a level bubble.
- Indicator: 1″ backlit LCD on a detachable bracket. Weighing, counting, checkweighing, percent and accumulation.
- Software: USB (virtual COM) and RS-232 with NCI, 8213, 3835 and Autosend protocols. It interfaces with programs such as UPS WorldShip.
- Power: AC adapter and USB cable included, or four AA batteries (not included).
3. Brecknell LPS400: best for heavy boxes
For cases, totes and small crates, the LPS400 gives you a low-profile 15″ × 12″ × 1″ stainless steel platform and a separate indicator that mounts on the wall or desk (brackets included). The large keys work with gloves. Counting parts or kits into those boxes before they ship? See our counting scale buying guide.
- Capacity: 400 lb × 0.2 lb / 182 kg × 0.1 kg.
- Output: RS-232 port that interfaces with common shipping software, including UPS WorldShip (cable not included).
- Power: four AAA batteries (included).
- Display: 0.625″ backlit LCD.
Shipping bench scales for heavier parcels (150 to 1,000 lb)
Once boxes regularly pass 25 lb, a shipping bench scale is the better tool: a steel base with a larger stainless steel platform and a display on a column, a bracket or a cable, so the readout stays visible when a carton covers the platform. When a warehouse calls us for a shipping bench scale, we ask three things: the heaviest box, the largest box footprint, and whether the weight sets what a customer pays. Those answers pick the capacity, the platform size and whether it must be NTEP. These are the bench models we recommend most, alongside the PS-USB-150 above. See the full range of shipping bench scales.
| Scale | Capacity × readability | Platform | Legal for trade | Calibration tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brecknell PS-USB-150 | 150 lb × 0.05 lb | 14″ × 12″ | NTEP Class III | 35 to 150 kg |
| A&D FG-60KBMN | 150 lb × 0.05 lb | 11.8″ × 15″, low profile, no column | NTEP | 35 to 150 kg |
| A&D FG-150KAMN | 300 lb × 0.1 lb | 11.8″ × 15″, display column | NTEP | 35 to 150 kg |
| A&D FG-150KALN | 300 lb × 0.1 lb | 15.4″ × 20.9″, display column | NTEP | 35 to 150 kg |
| A&D FG-200KALN | 400 lb × 0.1 lb | 15.4″ × 20.9″, display column | NTEP | Over 150 kg |
| A&D FG-150KAL | 300 lb, selectable down to 0.02 lb | 15.4″ × 20.9″, display column | General purpose | 35 to 150 kg |
| Brecknell PS330 | 330 lb × 0.2 lb | 15.3″ × 12.3″ | General purpose | 35 to 150 kg |
| MNM Scales portable shipping bench scale, 1,000 lb (also in 14″ × 20″) | 1,000 lb | 20″ × 20″, handle and two locking rear wheels | General purpose | Over 150 kg |
Why we recommend the A&D FG-K series for shipping benches
- Model codes are easy to read: “A” models have a display column and “B” models are low profile with no column; “M” is the 11.8″ × 15″ platform and “L” the 15.4″ × 20.9″ platform; “N” is the NTEP version.
- Power: AC adapter, or four C batteries (not included) for about 150 hours of use, so the scale can move to the dock.
- More than weighing: parts counting and HI/OK/LO checkweighing are built in. RS-232C and comparator output are optional (not included).
- Build: steel frame with a stainless steel platform, leveling feet and a level bubble.
Charging by weight? Choose one of the NTEP models in the table: the PS-USB-150, FG-60KBMN, FG-150KAMN, FG-150KALN or FG-200KALN (see what NTEP means). The PS330, FG-150KAL and the 1,000 lb portable scale are general-purpose scales for weighing your own shipments and inventory.
Calibration: scales up to 150 kg (330 lb), including the 150 lb and 300 lb models and the PS330, are in the 35 to 150 kg tier: In-house calibration + certificate ($350) NIST calibration + NIST-traceable certificate ($750) The FG-200KALN (200 kg) and the 1,000 lb scale are in the over 150 kg tier: In-house calibration + certificate ($495) NIST calibration + NIST-traceable certificate ($995)
Houston-area warehouses can also have every scale calibrated on-site in one visit: $295 plus $2 per mile, round trip, charged once per visit, plus calibration per scale (see scale calibration in Houston). Bought your bench scale elsewhere? Mail-in calibration usually takes 1–3 business days after we receive it.
How to choose a shipping scale
- Capacity: pick about 25% more than your heaviest package. Most small sellers are fine with 25 lb, while warehouses usually need 150 to 400 lb.
- Resolution: 0.1 oz matters for letters and First-Class packages, where every ounce changes the price.
- Platform size: a box that hangs over the edge and hides the display is hard to read. Larger boxes need a larger platform or a remote display.
- Software: USB is the simplest way to send weight to PC postage software. RS-232 and USB with standard protocols connect to UPS WorldShip and similar systems.
- Legal for trade: if you charge by weight, buy an NTEP scale. See our NTEP guide.
Keep your shipping scale accurate
Check your scale every so often with a known weight. If it’s off, a carrier will notice before you do. Shipping stores and fulfillment centers that need documentation can add calibration with a certificate. The PS25 (11.5 kg) is in our 6.2 to 35 kg tier and the PS-USB-150 (68 kg) is in the 35 to 150 kg tier:
| Scale | In-house calibration with certificate | NIST calibration with NIST-traceable certificate |
|---|---|---|
| PS25 and other scales over 6.2 kg up to 35 kg | $250 (add to cart) | $595 (add to cart) |
| PS-USB-150 and other scales over 35 kg up to 150 kg | $350 (add to cart) | $750 (add to cart) |
| LPS400 and scales over 150 kg | $495 (add to cart) | $995 (add to cart) |
Legal-for-trade scales in Texas also need to be placed in service by a registered technician. MNM Scales is TDA licensed with registered technicians. See placing a scale in service in Texas.
Why buy your shipping scale from MNM Scales
MNM Scales has been in business for over 30 years, is one of the largest scale distributors in the country and is an authorized Brecknell dealer. We stock shipping scales in Texas and ship fast, often the same day, and a real person answers the phone when you have a question. Browse all shipping and postal scales and shipping bench scales.
Ready to ship smarter?
PS25 Pink PS25 Blue PS-USB-150 NTEP LPS400
Outfitting a warehouse or several locations? Request a quote or call (832) 290-3120.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best shipping scale for a small business?
For most small businesses and online sellers, the Brecknell PS25 (pink or blue) is the best choice: 25 lb capacity, 0.1 oz resolution up to 2 lb, USB to PC postage software, and batteries and USB cable included.
What is the difference between the PS25 Pink and PS25 Blue?
Only the color. Both are the Brecknell PS25 25 lb postal scale with the same 8 x 6 inch platform, USB interface and specifications.
Does the Brecknell PS25 work with USPS postage software?
Yes. The PS25 USB interface works with most current USPS PC postage applications, which take the weight directly from the scale.
Do I need a legal-for-trade shipping scale?
You need an NTEP legal-for-trade scale if you charge customers for shipping by weight. The Brecknell PS-USB-150 is NTEP Class III approved. For weighing your own packages before buying postage, a general-purpose scale like the PS25 works.
What size shipping scale do I need?
Choose about 25% more capacity than your heaviest package: 25 lb for letters and small parcels, 150 lb for most shipping benches and 400 lb for heavy boxes and warehouses.
Does the PS25 come with batteries?
Yes. The PS25 runs on four AAA batteries or the USB cable, and both are included.
What is the best shipping bench scale?
For most warehouse shipping benches, we recommend an NTEP A&D FG-K scale: the FG-150KAMN (300 lb x 0.1 lb, 11.8 x 15 inch platform) for standard boxes or the FG-150KALN (15.4 x 20.9 inch platform) for larger cartons. For lighter benches, the 150 lb Brecknell PS-USB-150 or A&D FG-60KBMN works well.
Which shipping bench scales are legal for trade?
In this guide, the Brecknell PS-USB-150 and the A&D FG-60KBMN, FG-150KAMN, FG-150KALN and FG-200KALN are NTEP approved for charging by weight. The Brecknell PS330, A&D FG-150KAL, Brecknell LPS400 and the MNM Scales 1,000 lb portable bench scale are general-purpose scales for weighing your own shipments.