A little help can go a long way to losing weight. Surprise, surprise, there’s an app for that. In fact, there are several, but which ones work best? Tap or click here for four apps to help you drop some pounds. Bathroom scales are somewhat inaccurate compared to those at the doctor’s office, but they’re not all bad. Read on for the most accurate scales that don’t break the bank and a couple that packs in some neat features.
Etekcity smart bathroom scale
Etekcity went above and beyond for this budget-friendly scale. Readings are accurate to within 0.05 lbs., which is as close as we’ll get on a bathroom scale. A sensor in each corner of the scale means that your weight is more evenly displaced, and the numbers are more accurate. With a vibrant LCD screen (that doesn’t only produce blue light), it’s easy to see your results even in the dark early morning hours. Etekcity built an app to measure essential biometric data, including your weight, body fat, BMI, protein and muscle mass, among eight other core metrics, to help track data for doctor’s visits or measure weight loss goals. Use the Track Your Progress feature to see weight trends and correlate this with other information. You can sync with Apple Health, Google Fit, MyFitnessPal, Fitbit and Samsung Health to incorporate your daily weight check with your fitness tracking and put everything in one place.
INEVIFIT accurate digital bathroom scale
This is an example of something simple done right. INEVIFIT created an integrated digital screen along the top of this scale that shines through the tempered glass top, which can hold up to 400 lbs. The scale looks relatively plain, but the secret is in the sensors. INEVIFIT created auto-calibrating sensors that detect imbalance issues and automatically readjust. To our knowledge, no other scales are doing this. INEVIFIT includes batteries to help you get started and a 5-year warranty. Since most bathroom scales get tossed out after a couple of years, INEVIFIT made something you can invest in instead of waste.
Etekcity digital body weight scale w/ blue LCD backlight display
Not a fan of smart scales? That’s okay because Etekcity has a simple non-connected scale with the same expected level of accuracy. The tempered glass holds users up to 400 lbs. and runs on two batteries (included in the box). While the blue light is a bit bright, the LCD is easy to read and visible in dark early morning hours. The button on the underside of the scale switches between lbs. and kgs. The anti-skid padding keeps everything planted on the floor. This is a basic, simple scale that gets the job done with high accuracy. There’s ample space and four sensors to provide the best results possible, all with a slim tempered glass profile.
Arboleaf smart digital scale w/ BMI tracker
Arboleaf offers a value option for smart scales. It connects to the Arboleaf app to help you track a dozen biometrics, including BMI, muscle mass and metabolic age. You can also connect to FitBit, Apple Health and Google Fit. Everything runs on a 2.4 GHz connection through your Wi-Fi connection. Information is sent to the Arboleaf app, which the company vows to protect on its product page. All information is stored within the U.S., and Arboleaf promises never to sell user data to private companies. With four sensors, a body composition analyzer and a user weight limit of 400 lbs., this scale is made to last. It includes a 3-year warranty just in case something goes wrong. The only issue we encountered was the LCD screen being a little dim, which is nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Withings body+ Wi-Fi smart scale
The scale features a minimalist LCD that provides bright and clearly visible readings of your body fat content, weight, BMI and even local weather reports, so you’ll know whether to run inside or outside today. Withings built this scale with accuracy that rivals our Etekcity pick at the top of this list. These sensors detect how you’re standing and auto-calibrate based on your position, so your readings will always be on-point. This scale runs on AAA batteries and has an average battery lifespan of 18 months. The only thing that isn’t offered is heart rate detection, and we would have liked something longer than a 1-year warranty.
Detecto 339 physicians scale w/ height rod
Last but not least, we have the heavy hitter on this list. If you’re sick of digital scales, this is the solution you’ve been waiting for: a doctor’s scale in your home (sort of). Doctor’s offices spend thousands on scales, so the Detecto 339 is meant to be more of a lite version. It’s made of powder-coated steel and doesn’t rely on digital sensors to give accurate information. The included height rod is a valuable tool as well. Detecto builds its scales with the U.S. Bureau of Standards in mind, ensuring accuracy to the highest standard. To break it down, it’s accurate, and it’s the last scale you’ll need to buy for a long time.
Bathroom scale buying guide and FAQ
Before you buy, you need to know what to look for. Let’s outline bathroom scale features to pay attention to:
Smart scales use Wi-F to connect to apps that help track your weight over time. You can bring this information to your doctor and track your weight loss efforts together.Glass scales are designed to withstand expansion due to temperature changes, which is why they’re so popular. This removes some variables that prevent you from getting an accurate weight reading.LCDs help with visibility, especially during the morning when you’re most likely to weigh yourself. This isn’t a feature you need to ride or die by, but they are helpful and a sign of a higher-quality brand.Weight limits are straightforward. The higher the weight limit, the more robust the scale. Even if you don’t need a high weight limit on your scale, it indicates better quality and attention to detail.Accuracy is difficult to gauge, as we’ve explained, which is why reputation is everything. Brands like Etekcity and Withings have long-standing customer satisfaction and excellent reputations, which is why they made it onto this list in the first place.
Are bathroom scales accurate?
No scale is 100% accurate, even at the doctor’s office. Bathroom scales are subject to wear and tear. To test your scale’s accuracy, take an item you know to be a certain weight and weigh it. If the numbers match, your scale is accurate (for now). Otherwise, you’ll have to calibrate it. Your scale may be broken if the calibrations are challenging to perform or don’t work.
Do digital scales lose their accuracy?
Yes, they lose accuracy with time as well as wear and tear. Circuitry damage and extreme temperatures impact performance, and you don’t get any visible indicator on the outside of the scale. This is why bathroom scales are generally inexpensive and easy to replace.
Why is my scale at home different from the doctor’s?
Digital scale calibration isn’t perfectly accurate, so doctor’s offices don’t use digital scales. Additionally, temperature, humidity and even altitude can impact how scales work. Scales at the doctor’s office measure mass and technically don’t measure your weight. You may also like: True or false: Walking 10K steps a day means you’ll lose weight
