DIGITAL OR NON-DIGITAL SCALES. For People, not food! Opinions, please.

itmeansflower

DIGITAL OR NON-DIGITAL SCALES. I just changed the battery in mine, which is about 8 years old. At first it seemed to be fine, but now it's acting all wonky. Think it's time for a new one. I've heard that when one is very heavy that the digital ones are unreliable. So, everyone, what are your opinions? Do you like your scale? What brands have you felt were good?

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

Digital. Can weigh in grams/oz/kg/lbs, and has the tare option. I'd never go back to a non-digital scale.

dubird

Digital is more accurate. Non-digital can be used in a pinch, but gotta make sure it will measure in the measurement you want. And I have no idea how heavy is too heavy for a digital, the one we have goes up to 300 I think.

jaystacers

I have been using a health o meter digital scale for a while now. I love mine. I have not had any problems with it and it is pretty accurate. The one I got I purchased at Tuesday Morning Stores but I have seen them at a pretty reasonable price on Ebay.

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

Wait..are we talking about food scales? Or people scales?

minties82

I only use electronic bathroom scales (and kitchen ones for that matter). I started at 253.5lbs/115kg and never had an issue with reliability.

kshama2001

I'm happy with my Conair Thinner for weighing me and delighted with my OXO Digital Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull-Out Display for weighing my food.

We used the Thinner for our Biggest Loser at Work competition and there were participants close to the 330 pounds max weight.

DuckReconMajor

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »

Wait..are we talking about food scales? Or people scales?

Good question, my guess is food scale.

I use this highly rated one from Amazon. It hasn't done me wrong so far http://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Multifunction-Kitchen-Elegant/dp/B004164SRA/

bpetrosky

Food scale: digital hands down

Bathroom/bodyweight scale: "gold standard" is a mechanical balance scale, but is expensive and requires calibration. A decent digital scale is good and reasonably accurate, but lower price tier models compromise too much on parts and design. Cheap mechanical bathroom scales compromise too much as well since they compete with the digital scales now.

slaite1

itmeansflower wrote: »

DIGITAL OR NON-DIGITAL SCALES. I just changed the battery in mine, which is about 8 years old. At first it seemed to be fine, but now it's acting all wonky. Think it's time for a new one. I've heard that when one is very heavy that the digital ones are unreliable. So, everyone, what are your opinions? Do you like your scale? What brands have you felt were good?

I think she's talking about a bathroom scale.

OP-check out Amazon. I can't remember the name of it but there are very good digital scales for people over 300+ lbs.

earlnabby

I assume we are talking bathroom scales. I have a digital and I have compared it to the high end scale at my doctor's office. I weighed myself fully clothed just before heading out the door for my appointment and was weighed at the office about 30 minutes later. I did this 3 times and each time the two scales were within 1/2 lb. of each other, which is pretty accurate in my book.

earlnabby

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »

Wait..are we talking about food scales? Or people scales?

Since the OP referred to someone being too heavy for a digital I assume bathroom scales.

WaterBunnie

I have a Salter bathroom scale and it's always been reliable even at my highest weight but the sales info should give you the weight range it'll work for. I like a definite number on the display rather than a wavering needle that can be between lines.

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

earlnabby wrote: »

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »

Wait..are we talking about food scales? Or people scales?

Since the OP referred to someone being too heavy for a digital I assume bathroom scales.

I skimmed her OP, but yeah, I think you're right.

I'm a bit off today.

OP, I also have a digital bathroom scale.

DuckReconMajor

ah ok yeah. I read it as "when the food scale is very heavy" but that doesnt make sense given the context and i am an idiot

Kalikel

Given the choice, I'd take an old-fashioned doctor scale. My parents had one. I should've grabbed it.

I don't think any of them are all that reliable. Close enough for government work, but not numbers I'd bet my life on. Pick the one you like best.

DuckReconMajor

http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Bathroom-Capacity-Technology/dp/B001KXZ808/

This is the best one I've owned and says is good up to 400lb. it's highly rated on Amazon

MamaBirdBoss

earlnabby wrote: »

I assume we are talking bathroom scales. I have a digital and I have compared it to the high end scale at my doctor's office. I weighed myself fully clothed just before heading out the door for my appointment and was weighed at the office about 30 minutes later. I did this 3 times and each time the two scales were within 1/2 lb. of each other, which is pretty accurate in my book.

And it could be the dr's that's inaccurate! My OB/GYN's was off by like 4lbs. All the nurses knew it but wouldn't fix it for some reason. (THey're made so you can calibrate them.)

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

Kalikel wrote: »

Given the choice, I'd take an old-fashioned doctor scale. My parents had one. I should've grabbed it.

I don't think any of them are all that reliable. Close enough for government work, but not numbers I'd bet my life on. Pick the one you like best.

Those things are a PITA.

Digital scale, ftw.

CSARdiver

itmeansflower wrote: »

DIGITAL OR NON-DIGITAL SCALES. I just changed the battery in mine, which is about 8 years old. At first it seemed to be fine, but now it's acting all wonky. Think it's time for a new one. I've heard that when one is very heavy that the digital ones are unreliable. So, everyone, what are your opinions? Do you like your scale? What brands have you felt were good?

All scales have an optimum weight range which they are most accurate - anything outside this range dramatically increases the margin of error.

Now considering you're not weighing out ingredients of life saving pharmaceuticals how accurate do you need to be? If your goal is weight loss it doesn't need to be accurate, but precise.

Oxmarqt

I have a Fitbit Aria digital scale. Syncs right up, through Wifi, with the website and/or my phone. I do not trust the BF% as it is so dependent on hydration level. I do trust the weight measurement. I love the automatic logging component.

velveteen7845

I have a BalanceFrom scale from Amazon. It's the silver one with the back light. It weighs within 1 pond of my doctor's scale and I highly recommended it. I strongly prefer a digital kitchen, too.

velveteen7845

Now that I'm on my desktop computer I can link to the scale I have. I specifically chose it because it does not show the last weight weighed. They make other ones that do show the last weight, in case you wanted that feature.
amazon.com/dp/B00IVPHAJA

itmeansflower

velveteen7845 wrote: »

Now that I'm on my desktop computer I can link to the scale I have. I specifically chose it because it does not show the last weight weighed. They make other ones that do show the last weight, in case you wanted that feature.
amazon.com/dp/B00IVPHAJA

Thanks for the info, Velvet! ~ And thanks for all the feedback, everyone! Appreciate it!

barbecuesauce

I use a dial scale. It's about 2 pounds more than the Wii (which everyone says is accurate). I plan to hit goal within 2 months and am not really bothered with the difference because I'm going to recomp.

PeachyCarol

velveteen7845 wrote: »

Now that I'm on my desktop computer I can link to the scale I have. I specifically chose it because it does not show the last weight weighed. They make other ones that do show the last weight, in case you wanted that feature.
amazon.com/dp/B00IVPHAJA

I have one of theirs that shows the last weight, and it's very accurate. It matched my doctor's office. I love it.

It's this model:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FX0S4DC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

Lounmoun

I have a digital bodyweight scale. I think it is weight watchers. I have had it for many years and it still works well. I don't think I have ever replaced the battery. It doesn't do anything fancy like show previous weight or sync to anything. I like that it is easy to read and doesn't take up much space. I actually keep it in my dining area and slide it under or behind a piece of furniture when it is not is use.

earlnabby

Amazon no longer carries the one I have. I used to have a talking scale, which was kind of fun. Once in a while I would hear a voice from the kitchen announce "your weight is 13.5 pounds". I knew then that one of the cats was standing on it.

DebsPoore

I have been very frustrated with my self and my scales. I've been here on MFP for the second time, after a year with weight watchers. I have the digital WW scales that is supposed to weigh up to 400 lbs. When I started, I weighed close to 350 lbs. About 3 weeks ago, I finally got below 300. I log my food daily. At my weight, my calorie level is around 1900. The problem is that I seem stuck. I will get on my scales and it will show I've lost (or gained) an ounce. And if I step down and weigh again, it will give me a different number all together. I am diabetic and I have to inject insulin before each meal. I have been able to reduce the amount, but like today before supper, it was 43, which is a very low number. I was shaking and of course had to drink OJ to bring it up. I also have to control sodium intake, so I make most of my own food and do not depend on processed foods. I just don't understand why I can't lose, even when I consistently come in under my allowed calories.

PAV8888

DebsPoore wrote: »

When I started, I weighed close to 350 lbs. About 3 weeks ago, I finally got below 300. I log my food daily. At my weight, my calorie level is around 1900. The problem is that I seem stuck. I will get on my scales and it will show I've lost (or gained) an ounce. And if I step down and weigh again, it will give me a different number all together.

There are many reasons to enter your weight in a "trendline" generating web site or app such as www.weightgrapher.com, www.trendweight.com, happy scale, and others.

It allows you to weight daily, yet at the same time it eliminates the agony associated with changes in water weight.

It also lets you look at your overall weight trend and understand that when you've lost 50lbs the scale really IS moving, even if it doesn't look like it has moved much in the past three weeks!

Congrats on the weight loss so far. Keep doing exactly what you were doing during the first 50lbs you lost!

PS: most scales that don't exhibit fake consistency will do exactly what your's has been doing. You should, of course, check the batteries. You should also make sure that you are using an absolutely level piece of very hard floor (not carpet or soft lino). A valid option when the normal flooring is not suitable is to place the scale on a large floor tile specifically bought for that use.

itmeansflower

earlnabby wrote: »

Amazon no longer carries the one I have. I used to have a talking scale, which was kind of fun. Once in a while I would hear a voice from the kitchen announce "your weight is 13.5 pounds". I knew then that one of the cats was standing on it.

I love that! Thanks for the laugh!