Safety and accuracy are the most important features. Calibrated with weights certified traceable to the United States Bureau of Standards. This i sthe only scale tha can never get out of adjustment. The beam is made from a verytough phenolic, the same type material used on table and counter tops. Phenolic is tough but, like glass, it can't be bent. Even if dropped you can feel confident that if it did not break it is still accurate. Sensitive and readable to 1/20 grain.