Luggage scales seem to be all the rage these days. Well, at least that’s what the ads I’ve seen have led me to believe. And with the increased airline baggage fees for pretty much every single U.S. airline, and stricter weight policies — “You’re 3 ounces over, that’s $50″ — perhaps it’s time to invest in a luggage scale.

Personally, on the occasions I’ve needed to weigh my luggage, I always used a bathroom scale. And I’ve never given any thought to buying a special suitcase scale since my bathroom scale works fine. But, when stumbling upon some luggage scale reviews I realized that there are plenty of reasons why a portable luggage scale might be a good choice:

• If you’re likely to have more stuff when returning home. If you are going somewhere (e.g., a trade show or winery tour) and are planning on bringing a lot more home with you a portable luggage scale would making packing a lot easier.
• If you frequently pack bulky or heavy items. For instance, in one review I read, a scuba diver commented on how much easier it was to pack his scuba gear for the return trip. Photographers or others carrying a lot of equipment might benefit from a luggage scale.
• If you attend cruises, weddings, polar expeditions, or other events that require a lot of clothing options. When you’re backpacking around the world and your packing list includes only 3 shirts, you probably don’t need a luggage scale. But if you are retired or are attending events several times a year that require a lot of changes of clothing, I can see how a luggage scale would be a good choice.

The luggage scale reviews pointed towards the following three luggage scales as the best:

Best Luggage Scales

Balanzza Digital Luggage Scale

Based on reviews , the Balanzza ergonomic digital compact luggage scale is one of the best luggage scales. It’s supposed to be an “ergonomic digital luggage scale” due to the design of the scale. It weighs luggage up to 100 pounds. You can buy it through Amazon for about $16.

Here’s a further description from Balanzza:

The Balanzza Ergo is a step forward in digital scales design, with no handles, the scale itself is the grip. Is the first scale that is horizontally positioned instead of vertically in regards to the floor, offering the most natural way to lift heavy objects. The screen is located on the upper side of the scale so the user can see the weight while lifting it with one hand; it can also wait for the beep to set it down if lifted with 2 hands.

Its ergonomic shape lets you lift the objects easy and with less stress to your hands, its patent pending process of lift, wait for the beep, and set it down, makes it the most easy to use scale in the world. Use it at home to weigh your children backpack, or the holidays gifts you are planning to ship, or that occasional parcel that need to be sent. Make sure to bring it with you on your trips so you are safe from the overweight luggage fees, even use it for the office for those small and medium size packages that need to be weigh before shipping.

In addition to these differences, the Balanzza Ergo has the same durability, strength and features as its original predecessor the Balanzza Digital Luggage Scale.

Taylor Digital Luggage Scale

This suitcase scale is little more professional looking that the Balanzza as it’s silver (not green). It gets equally good reviews, costs $19, and ships from Amazon for free. Some features of the Taylor include:

• Compact modern design with easy-to-read 1.3″ LCD with a .6″ readout
• Weighs up to 88 pounds/40kg
• Durable clasp and rugged web material
• Weighs less then a .5 pound

Travel Lite Luggage Scale

With a LED Flashlight, the Travel Lite is slightly more practical than either the Taylor or the Balanzza, but it’s newer and has fewer reviews. You can buy it from Amazon for about $21. Some features include:

• Lightest available Digital Luggage Scale at only 7 oz.
• 100lb/44kg capacity
• 5 Year Unconditional Guarantee
• Exclusive EZ-Weigh indicator instantly shows over/under 50 lb weight limit
• Integrated 12 LED flashlight

I think luggage scales are a good choice for people who will save money and pack less because they buy them. For people who won’t use them frequently or will pack more because of it, don’t waste your money and add electronics trash to the landfills.

The environment benefits because you’ll be packing light and thus less fuel will be used when transporting your luggage. So for green travelers who are looking to constantly reduce their luggage weight, it would be a good purchase — comparable to buying a Kill-A-Watt energy monitor.