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

itmeansflower
itmeansflower Posts: 29 Member
edited July 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
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?
«1

Replies

  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    Digital. Can weigh in grams/oz/kg/lbs, and has the tare option. I'd never go back to a non-digital scale.
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    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
    jaystacers Posts: 50 Member
    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
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    Wait..are we talking about food scales? Or people scales?
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    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
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    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
    DuckReconMajor Posts: 434 Member
    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
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    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
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
    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
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    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
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    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
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
    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
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    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. :frowning:

    OP, I also have a digital bathroom scale.
  • DuckReconMajor
    DuckReconMajor Posts: 434 Member
    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
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    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
    DuckReconMajor Posts: 434 Member
    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
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    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
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    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
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    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
    Oxmarqt Posts: 378 Member
    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.

Categories