Bathroom Scales Reviews

You may have noticed that analog bathroom scales (which have a mechanical needle to indicate weight) are slowly disappearing and are being replaced by digital scales promising more features and better accuracy. However, comparison reviews show that accuracy isn't always great, even on digital scales. We found the most credible comparison of bathroom scales and body-fat monitors (which also measure weight) at the UK-based Which? Online, where editors test over 20 scales for accuracy and ease of use. There's a similar but older comparison in Australia's Choice magazine, along with a good roundup of scales in Prevention magazine. Consumer Reports tested body-fat scales back in 2004, but hasn't tested regular bathroom scales in over a decade. We also examined user reviews at Amazon.com, Epinions, Target.com and Walmart.com, where owners especially focus on consistency. While reviews say most home scales can be off by a pound or two, a bathroom scale should at least be consistent. Some owners report different readings each time they step on or off a scale -- even within minutes.

In user reviews for the Taylor Lithium Slim Scale (*est. $20) gets very low scores. Owners report that the plastic platform can break after a month or two of use, and some find that the scale stops working altogether. All complain about the inaccurate readouts with most stating that their weight reading changed after just a few minutes. We found similar mixed reviews on consistency for the Health o meter BFM955KD-60 Body Fat and Monitoring Scale (*est. $45), another digital bathroom scale. One person supposedly lost 24 pounds in one day when using this scale. Many thought that the body fat monitor was completely inaccurate and a few thought the Health o meter model was lightweight and poorly constructed. The Homedics SC-403 Glass Top Lithium LCD Scale (*est. $50) gets similar mixed reviews from owners.

Measuring body fat is the latest feature on bathroom scales. Fitness experts agree that monitoring your body fat can be a better way to keep track of changes in your fitness level. Because muscle weighs more than fat, if you increase muscle mass there may not be any weight loss at all, but your fitness will have improved.

The problem, say experts including those at Consumer Reports, is that this method of estimating body-fat percentage just isn't very accurate compared to the results you'd get in a lab. In addition, the reading can be affected by a myriad of factors including your level of hydration, the temperature of your skin or by how recently you have had a workout. So while experts agree that most bathroom scales claiming to measure body fat may not be very accurate, some scales are at least consistent. If you're careful to weigh yourself at the same time of the day and when your body is in a normal state, you could use one of these body-fat scales to measure your progress. Here again, consistency is what's key.

While analog scales are hard to find these days, some are more reliable than a digital bathroom scale. Experts say a medical scale is the way to go if you want a reliable, accurate and consistent scale. These are the kinds of scales you see in doctors' offices and gyms that use metal weights to counterbalance a horizontal bar. They are easy to use and give you an accurate and visible weight measurement. A home version of this type of scale is the Health o meter 402KL (*est. $200) . While expensive, it gets nearly perfect reviews for ease of use, accuracy and consistency.  ... Continued

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By a wide margin, we found the most positive reviews for Tanita scales, which get the best ratings for accuracy and consistency overall. Experts particularly recommend the scales in the Tanita BF series, which measure weight and body fat. We found a couple of good professional reviews for the Taylor Body Fat Analyzer and Scale 5553, but users give it mixed reviews. After Tanita, we found sporadic reviews for other scales and some specialty bathroom scales.