# Known weight of a household item

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-weight-of-a-household-item/561113>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 18, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-weight-of-a-household-item/561113 "2010-11-18T17:21:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-weight-of-a-household-item/561113/21 "2010-11-23T01:10:49Z")

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For a scale intended for weighing people, are small test weights such as 3-pound dumbells and pint cans of food really any help? If the scale’s wonky, it doesn’t seem like you can rely on the result for a pint can, either by itself or with you on the scale holding it. Sure you might see the 2.2 pound difference if you stand on the scale with or without a liter container of water, but that doesn’t mean both results aren’t five or ten pounds wrong either way.

Suggestion: Has anyone else in your house recently been to the doctor, or otherwise had a chance to be weighed on an accurate scale? If so, weigh them, and then extrapolate.

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