One of the most commonly owned—and commonly misunderstood—household items is the bathroom scale. While almost everyone has a scale in their bathroom, you’d be surprised at how few people really know how to use their scale for optimal results, or even how many people know about all of the different features available on today’s scales. The most accurate bathroom scale technology is something that sounds like it’s maybe from science fiction—but it’s not, it’s real, and it’s more accessible to you than ever. Formerly available only in a professional medical setting, it’s now incredibly easy to own an accurate scale. This article will detail all of the things to look for when purchasing a scale, as well as all the various options available to you. All of the scales presented on this list are lauded for their high accuracy, but some have extra features, which will make them an ever better addition to your bathroom. And the good news is, even if you don’t think you can handle a complicated scale with lots of fancy features, they’re all incredibly user-friendly and versatile.
The Most Accurate Scales We Could Find
Accuracy Counts!
In order to help understand the most popular features of scales today, we’re going to take in a short history lesson on the bathroom scale. Up until a few years ago, if someone had mentioned a scale, you probably would have thought of a balance beam scale. Balance beam scales have a lever with weights on it that’s connected to the scale platform. When you stand on the platform, you’re able to move the weights around on the lever to figure out your true weight. These scales have been popular for generations due to their general ease of use and practicality; since they don’t require electricity, you can keep one anywhere. In fact, many doctors’ offices still use them today. Balance beam scales are generally very accurate, especially if you’re just curious about your weight. However, for the dedicated athlete or dieter, they likely won’t cut it because they don’t have the extra features of a digital bathroom scale. Still need another reason not go to with a balance beam scale? They require constant recalibration for accurate results—extremely inconvenient for anyone not trained to do that, or even anyone who has little free time.
Digital scales, even the cheaper ones, have automatic calibration, which among many other features, serves as a major draw for people looking to update their bathrooms or start a weight loss journey. The only drawback with digital bathroom scales is that sometimes they can be a little finicky—unless you have your scale placed on a flat, firm surface, it’s likely that you won’t get an accurate reading! Luckily, this is an easy fix. With that small problem out of the way, let’s talk about how to find the most accurate bathroom scale for you and your needs.
What Can I Expect to Spend?
If you’re thinking about upgrading your bathroom scale (or possibly buying one for the first time), you wouldn’t be remiss to wonder about how much you’ll be spending. While it’s possible to get a great deal on a scale, you may have to do a little hunting and research beforehand. However, don’t start thinking that you’ll need to drop a bundle in order to get the most accurate bathroom scale for your needs. In fact, you should be able to find something quite reasonable priced. This article will review scales available from under $50 as well as over $200—with such a wide range of designs and features to choose from, it’s possible for everyone to find the perfect scale for them. And while it’s true that no, most people don’t need a ton of extra features, it should be noted that sometimes, extra features can prove helpful and morale-boosting when losing weight. As good as it feels to track your lost pounds, sometimes it can feel even better to note a lower BMI or lower percentage of body fat. That way, you know you’re not just losing weight, but really getting healthier as a result of all your hard work.
With all these different features and prices, you’re bound to feel intimidated when it comes time to choose a scale. No worries! This guide will give you the knowledge needed to go shopping and return, confident that you’ve made a fabulous purchase.
All The Best Scales…
All the most accurate bathroom scales have certain things in common. When looking for a scale, you’ll definitely want to make sure that whatever you choose is able to be calibrated easily, or recalibrates automatically. As an added feature, you may want to look for a smart scale. A smart scale not only displays your weight, but also can be programmed to track your BMI, lean mass, and body fat percentage. Sometimes, smart scales can even interact with a smartphone app, making it easier than ever to see how your dietary choices affect your body. The Fitbit Aria, featured below, is a great example of a smart scale that won’t break the bank.
When shopping for scales, another thing to look for is one that will alert you when you’re not standing properly on the scale. Many scales have alerts that you can set up prior to using, and doing so will ensure a much more accurate read than just weighing in and hoping that you have good posture! It can be intimidating to think about programming scales to do all these tricks for you, but luckily, most of them are incredibly user-friendly and feature great customer service after purchase.
Scales, Scales Everywhere
EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale
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Among many other desirable features, this digital scale from EatSmart is incredibly easy to use. The Precision Digital scale’s four high precision sensors give you an amazingly accurate read in record time, no need to step on and step off in order to turn it on! This is definitely one of the most accurate bathroom scales; every time you use it, you’ll receive a number within the nearest .2 lbs. of your actual weight. The backlit display of the EatSmart Precision Digital ensures that it’s great for use at any time of day or night, and the two-year warranty guarantees that you’ll be more than satisfied with your new purchase. As the Precision Digital provides an accurate reading up to 400lbs, this would also be a great scale for someone beginning to lose weight. One of the neater features of the Precision Digital is the ability to receive read-outs in pounds, kilos, or stones, this scale would be ideal for a frequent traveler or a multicultural family. Plus, every scale ships with a free EatSmart body tape measure—an awesome and useful tool for documenting your fitness ventures.
Fitbit Aria WiFi Smart Scale
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For those looking for a scale with a few more features than the EatSmart Precision Digital, the Fitbit Aria WiFi Smart Scale will not disappoint. The Fitbit Aria is nothing short of futuristic: it can sync up with any of the six currently available Fitbit devices. You can program the Aria with up to eight users, and once you step on the scale, it identifies you by name before displaying weight and body fat percentage. If you choose to link the smart scale with your Fitbit and Fitbit mobile app, it will then send your body information to the app, which you can use to create charts and graphs showing your weight, body fat percentage, and BMI. If you don’t have a Fitbit, you can still use the scale—when you first set it up, you have an option whether or not to link it with any devices. It still works perfectly without a linked app, but since it’s designed to work with Fitbit, you’ll definitely get more impressive results if you choose to use the scale with the Fitbit device and app. The Fitbit Aria is made out of polished glass, and looks classy and timeless despite its very progressive design. This is a truly impressive scale at a price point friendly enough for casual users, plus it’s one of the most accurate bathroom scales on the market.
Ozeri ZB20 WeightMaster II Digital Bath Scale
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The Ozeri ZB20 WeightMaster II was designed to provide excellent service to those looking to lose or monitor their weight. Featuring BMI measurement and weight change technology, the WeightMaster II will display your net weight change from your last weigh-in, the average from your last three weigh-ins, and most impressively, the average from your last thirty weigh-ins. This would be a great scale for someone who isn’t necessarily focused on a set number weight loss, but rather a general trend of their weight loss. The scale depicts weight gain in red and weight loss in green, which provides an interesting form of visual feedback that most digital bathroom scales don’t offer. The Ozeri WeightMaster II is extremely reliable, recalibrating automatically so it always provides an accurate read at very little trouble to the user. And while the red and green visual display of the Ozeri is unique, it’s definitely not the only special feature about the WeightMaster II: this scale is also exclusively treated with microban antimicrobial product protection, making it a great choice for families or shared bathrooms.
Health-O-Meter Professional 349KLX Digital Floor Medical Scale
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For the serious (or aspiring professional!) athlete or health nut, the Health-O-Meter Professional scale would be a great choice. This is definitely one of the most accurate bathroom scales; it comes from a very well respected brand and it provides professional grade accuracy. Unlike many of the other available scales, this scale can be used with a rechargeable battery or an adapter. While its immediate lack of portability might be a downside for some, others will appreciate the durability and simple design. The remote display can be mounted on the wall in front of the scale for ease of use, and the heavy-duty steel base ensures a solid product for years and years to come. In addition to be used by nationally-recognized chapters of multiple weight loss programs, an unexpected use for the scale is that it’s perfect for weighing pets and small animals—it would definitely come in handy if your dog was on a diet! This scale is also used by lots of smaller health care facilities around the country, which only serves to mark it as one of the most accurate scales available, even compared with much more expensive balance beam models. This would be a great scale for someone who needs in-home medical care, or even for someone who wants to open an assisted living facility. Health-O-Meter also provides a customer service phone number, so in the event you need to have your scale recalibrated, the company can either have someone talk you through it on the phone. If you don’t feel comfortable recalibrating your own scale, it’s also possible to mail your scale in to the company for professional recalibration. The Health-O-Meter digital scale is definitely one of the most expensive options, but the widespread use of the scale in a professional setting proves just how indispensible it really is.
BalanceFrom High Accuracy Digital Bathroom Scale
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Much like the EatSmart Precision Digital scale, the BalanceFrom High Accuracy scale features ‘step on’ technology, making it virtually foolproof to use. The High Accuracy scale, no surprise, boasts high accuracy with most readings coming within .10lb of your true weight. This scale features an extra-large backlit display, considered to be one of the biggest available. Users report really loving the simplicity of the High Accuracy’s design, and it’s a great value for the relatively low price. The BalanceFrom features automatic calibration, so you don’t ever have to worry about adjusting it yourself, as well as a two-year warranty for extra security. While this scale doesn’t have any extra features, it’s attractively low price-point, giant backlit display and accuracy have made it a customer favorite for years.
Etekcity High Precision Digital Body Weight Bathroom Scale
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Boasting high accuracy and a sleek design, the Etekcity High Precision Digital Body Weight scale is another customer favorite, and for good reason. It’s definitely a more entry-level scale model, but the High Precision Digital Body Weight scale uses German-built technology for a solid and dependable product that will last for years to come. Another great feature of this scale is that it only takes two AA batteries to run, unlike some other models which can take up to four batteries each time. While this scale doesn’t display body fat percentage or BMI, it’s reported to be highly accurate—within a tenth of a pound every time—and very consistent. This would be a great scale for a more casual user, or someone who wants to begin documenting their weight without being intimidated by lots of bells and whistles. Similar to the BalanceFrom High Accuracy scale, the Etekcity High Precision Digital Body Weight scale would be a great buy for anyone looking to just start monitoring their weight and not worry about figuring tons of unnecessary extra features included in the scales.
Mosiso Ultra Thin High Accuracy Digital Bathroom Scale
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The Ultra Thin High Accuracy Digital Bathroom scale is definitely not the most technically advanced or decked out with features, but it manages to compensate in appearance. Weighing in at just a few pounds, the design of the scale is very sleek and attractive, and may serve to help decorate a bathroom (or lessen the sting of buying a scale!) as well as provide a useful function. The Ultra Thin High Accuracy Digital Bathroom scale also features ‘step on’ technology, so you don’t need to turn it on beforehand or step on prior to weighing yourself. For extra efficient battery life, the scale automatically turns itself off after 10-15 seconds of inactivity, and comes from the manufacturer pre-loaded with batteries. While it’s definitely not necessary to have functional things also be attractive, it’s always a nice touch, and combined with the fact that this is one of the most accurate scales available for the price, it’s hard to beat this Mosiso scale. If blue clashes with the rest of your bathroom scheme, this scale is also available in pink. And unlike some of the other entry-level scales, the Mosiso gives accurate readings up to 500lbs! Considering how lightweight and inexpensive the Ultra Thin High Accuracy Digital Bathroom scale is, that’s pretty impressive.
VIVE Digital Bathroom Scale
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With a tempered glass build that looks like stainless steel or brushed aluminum, the VIVE Digital Bathroom scale would be an incredibly slick way to upgrade your daily weigh-ins. Featuring a two-year limited warranty, the VIVE Digital Bathroom scale uses lithium batteries, unlike many scales of a similar price point. This scale has been voted a customer favorite, and like the EatSmart Precision Digital scale, it can be used in stones and kilograms as well as pounds. Even though many users report buying the class to add a touch of class to their bathroom, it shows incredibly accurate results, and most people say they would purchase the same scale again if given the chance. It’s also a relatively flat scale, so you could easily slide it under a counter while not using it, although from the way it looks, who would want to do that?
Where Do We Go From Here?
Good question. While this article has been written in order to provide you with the most accurate scale information possible, it’s true that after reading, you may have a few more questions than you did when you began. You can start by thinking about what kind of scale is best for you, personally. Ask yourself a few questions, such as the following:
- Am I the only one who is going to be using the scale?
- What kinds of features are absolutely non-negotiable when choosing a scale?
- Do I need a scale to sync in with the rest of my digital devices?
- What are my weight loss and dieting goals for the next six months?
- How do I want to visualize my weight loss results?
After evaluating what your personal situation is, you’ll have a much more clear idea of what kind of bathroom scale to purchase. For instance, if you share a home with a few roommates and everyone has a Fitbit, the Fitbit Aria scale would be a great choice—split the cost between everyone, and keep it in a shared space. If you’re not sensitive about your weight information, you could even make a contest out of who makes the most progress in a month. For those who are interested in less of a community experience while using their scale, the EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom scale and the Etekcity High Precision Digital Body Weight scale would be great, entry-level options. And if you’re caring for an elderly relative, maybe you’d get the most use out of the Health-o-Meter Digital Professional Medical scale. It all depends on your situation, and it all depends on what you’re expecting from a scale purchase.
It Comes Down to Customer Satisfaction
Finally, you definitely want to invest a scale with a great warranty and customer service. Many brands of the most accurate bathroom scales offer wonderful service to their customers, including warranties, free replacements, personalized attention, and so forth. Technology has grown to a point where good items are available in a wide price range, so even if you’re not planning to spend a lot on a scale, you should at least make sure that you’re buying a quality scale. And many of the scales also ship with free additional items, like low-fat cookbooks and body measurement tapes. While you shouldn’t choose a scale just because it comes with something free that you want, it’s never a bad idea to incentivize yourself when beginning a diet. Just remember: shopping for a scale shouldn’t be a frightening task, and even though weight-loss is an incredibly personal journey to undertake, there’s a scale that will match your needs perfectly.
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