Mechanical or digital bathroom scale?

alanahp93

So I just moved into my first home (Hooray!), it's been 2 months and it's finally time to get a bathroom scale. My only problem is Im not sure which one is more accurate. My parents scale was digital but my mother in laws scale was mechanical and they always gave me diffrent readings, sometimes as much as a 5lb diffrence. Mechanical is cheaper but does that mean it's just not as good?
Which scale do you think is best or are they just as good as each other?

Thanks!

kgirlhart

I like digital, but I am old and it is easier for me to see the display. Plus I like having the reading to the decimal. As long as you are using the same scale you will be able to see that your weight is trending down. So just pick one and don't weight at other people's houses anymore. You should also weigh at the same time of day dressed (or not) the same and after bathroom before eating or drinking.

savithny

There are good and crappy scales of both types.
For the most part? The decimal doesn't mean anything. The cheaper digital scales are not accurate enough to really give you decimal points. So unless you spend a lot of money, the decimal is a lie.

(it's like using a measuring tape that is only marked to the nearest quarter-inch and proudly telling everyone your waist is 3/16 inches smaller. The tape can't actually tell you that. And most consumer-quality scales can't actually measure to a tenth of a pound).

Read reviews and find the best one you can at the price you can afford. You'll probably find that because almost everyone believes that digital=more accurate that almost all the good scales are going to be digital, because manufacturers tell us what we want to hear. But a cheap digital won't actually be better than a well-made analog.

Cbestinme

I agree with pick what works for you. I also think weight can fluctuate (eg bloating, water).

alanahp93

Thanks everyone!

SolotoCEO

This is what I use - https://smile.amazon.com/BalanceFrom-Accuracy-Bathroom-Backlight-Technology/dp/B00A8SLH8I/ref=sr_1_8_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1476726856&sr=8-8&keywords=bathroom+scales;+digital&th=1

Very accurate. If you step on it twice you get the same result. Weighs in .2 lb increments and is less than $16. I've used it for about 1.5 years. Good luck!

not_my_first_rodeo

I think I found a Consumer Reports article on this and I went with an Escali (cost was around $30). I have some vision issues in certain lighting and found the digital model works best for me.

courtneyfabulous

Get a digital scale that also measures body composition/body fat percentage