Best High-Tech Body-Fat Scale

Technology is now watching your weight … and other things

High-tech body-fat scales link with a remote application using a Wi-Fi connection. These scales are more expensive than digital scales but can be more affordable than standard body-fat scales. For example, the Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi Smart Scale (*Est. $130) is one of the least expensive high-tech body-fat scales yet offers more functionality than most.

The Fitbit Aria connects remotely with the Fitbit website, which offers a robust selection of fitness and weight-management tools for tracking progress over time. The scale can be configured to track up to eight different users, each of whom have their own profile on the Fitbit website and their own personal measurements and goals. In addition to tracking weight and body composition, users can enter their daily activities and food intake on the website, which then calculates caloric values based on information in its database. Users can also connect with other Fitbit members to offer encouragement towards achieving their goals. Further motivation is offered by the interface itself, which rewards users with badges for every 5 pounds lost and offers encouraging messages and recommendations.

The biggest downside to the scale is that some users have difficulty configuring the scale and the Wi-Fi connection, but others say setup is a cinch. Nearly all Fitbit consumers agree both the scale and the cloud-based application are intuitive to use after initial setup.

The Fitbit Aria measures weights in 0.1-pound increments and body fat in 0.1-percent increments, and users say it's accurate to within about 0.2 pounds and 0.1 percent, based on comparisons to other body composition measurements.

Another option among high-tech body-fat scales is the Withings Wi-Fi Body Scale (*Est. $160). It's a bit more expensive than the Fitbit, and the cloud-based interface is not as comprehensive or intuitive. The Withings is also not as easy to set up as the Fitbit. Still, this scale also earns positive feedback from reviewers.

The Withings' body-fat measurements are less accurate than those offered by the Fitbit. Because users say that because the measurements are consistent, it can still be used confidently to track progress over time. Like the Fitbit, the Withings can be configured to track statistics of up to eight users. It has a higher, 396-pound weight capacity compared to the Aria's 350-pound maximum.