Digital Scale Vs Analog Scale!!!!

junodog1

I bought a new digital scale only because I could not get the same weight on the old scale two times in a row. But that was a spring scale more than 20 years old. I do not worry about how the scale compares to other scales. I care that the reading is the same within 30 seconds and that I can see direction I am headed.

I want those numbers going down!!

CancerStyx

A digital scale compared to my doctors scale is off by 35 lbs. I would think the doctors scale would be right, unless a few springs were loose, so I know it's the digital scale...

Woodspoon

I have a digital but kept my old analogue ones as well

I use both and take and average between the two.

Mrs_Brigham

My hubby and I got one of the fancy digital scales that wirelessly upload the reading to MFP. I weigh once a week and because most scales weigh differently depending upon where they are on the floor, I just picked a spot and that is where I weigh, once a week, in my birthday suit but not out of the shower (don't want to weigh the water in my hair).

It also checks my fat percentages and the air quality of the room, but at the moment I'm focusing on making healthy food choices and will worry about the rest when I get a bit farther along on the road, so I'm not going to freak out about it.

I have to say that I initially thought that this scale was going to be a colossal waste of money, but I have to say that my hubby is brilliant, and it was one of his better ideas ever.

Hope this helps!

GoMizzou99

Consumer Reports said, in an article about 18 months ago, in their exhaustive testing...digital spanked the analog scales...hands down. IOW - Calibrated load cells are much better than springs.

DIGITAL for the win.

sarafischbach9

I use the digital scale. They are more accurate than the analog scale in most cases!

My scale is 8 years old almost. I am not sure if I need to get a new one or not, but it still works. I probably need a new one soon.

Kevalicious99

This is the 21st century ... digital. Is there any other type ?

babykilo

This happened to me too. I don't know what to beleive. All that matters is for the numbers to keep going down.....that is my motivation.

chezjuan

I have two digital and one analog scale. The analog and one of the digital scales pretty much match, and the other scale has me about 2 lbs. heavier. The 2lb heavier one also does body fat readings. I use that one to watch my BF% trend, and the other digital as my official weigh-in scale because that is the one that I have been using since I started getting fit in 2012.

bforonda2580

I've worked in the scale industry for almost 5 years and learned that accuracy vary within a pounds, whether you are using digital or analog. Scales tend to wear out through years of use. Even medical scales can be off. It all depends if they get their equipment calibrated every 2 to 6 months, which is required. Repairs or replacements are sometimes needed. It also depends if the scale technician is calibrating correctly and if the test weights have been checked out by the state every couple years. If you've worked in the scale industry before, you may have found a lot of scale companies have not been keeping up with this because of how much it cost to get it done. Unfortunately, most scales used at home, whether it's bathroom or kitchen scales, cannot be calibrated. They would either have to be sent back to manufacturer (if they still exist) or replaced.
Oh yeah, almost forgot. Accuracy can change depending where you are on the Earth. For example, if you live on the west side of the US and purchased a scale manufactured in the east, accuracy can be off by a few pounds. So whether you like it or not are never always accurate. It's your choice which one you wanna believe. My advice is pick one and stick with it, and not worry if your doctor's scale shows a few pounds higher. More than that, then I'd start to worry.

ProgressNotPerfection32

My digital was actually more accurate than my analog. I switched to a Fitbit Aria and LOVE IT.

popo312

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ILIE6B2/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

This is what I use and I love it. Listed price is insane, I paid $25 a couple months ago. It's just out of stock at the moment with amazon.

HBombaMama

I hit my 10 days of logging goal (about 40 days ago) and used some Christmas money to get my awesome new scale. I got the Eat Smart Precision Get Fit Digital Body Fat Scale from Amazon. It was about $50. I got a cheap pair of body fat calipers to have a second opinion. I am excited that the scale can calculate so much more than weight such as body fat%, muscle, bone mass, etc. It can track 8 people up to 400lbs (I think). I love it! I have a doctor appointment on Tuesday and will be able to compare it to the doctor's scale. After that, I'll just know whether it's on or if I need to +/- any weight to be accurate. Just tracking on the same machine with the same circumstances has at least been telling with how I am fluctuating which is the main point. I know this was a little spendy for a household scale, but I am very happy with it.

Jenalicious75

Mine is the same. I'm frustrated.

Liftng4Lis

Dtto as everyone else. I was 3 pounds heavier on the digital and it HURT to have to go in and change my stats, but I did it. I also spent the next two weeks stressing until that extra 3 pounds came off.

AMC110

I have a digital scale and when I went to my GP last month their mechanical scale gave me an extra 4 pounds

I still only log the results from my own scales onto MFP though so I can monitor my weight loss.

MrsPinterest34

I have a digital scale and fortunately for me it's very accurate since I get the same numbers with my PCP. Also, my weight can fluctuate up to 4 pounds within the month, thanks to monthly hormonal changes. I'm assuming you are a female. For accuracy wait until after ovulation and your TOM to weigh yourself.

joemac1988

weightlossgrind wrote: »

:sad: Hi Everyone!!! just wondering which type of scale people use and which ones they recommend. I have always had an analog scale, its always hard to tell where the dial is actually pointng so i decided to get a digital. Well, the digital says im 4 pounds heavier than what i though :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: should have stayed with the analog!!!! oh well, guess this will push me harder to lower that number..thanks for listening

You did NOT gain 4 lbs! What is the issue??? A scale is only a unit of measurement.

kristen8000

I have always used a digital. Have had the same one for about 6 years now. Bought it from Aldi for about $15. I only use the "weight" function and not the "composition" function. I know the compostion function is probably WAY off...

There was a time about a month ago that I thought it was broken. My weight kept going down when it really should have been staying the same or even going up. My Mom figured it was the battery. I got new batteries. Same weight. Even had my BF get on it. His weight was "reasonable" for him. I fully expected it to weight him the same as me, even though I am 40lbs lighter...LOL Nope. Just not eating enough to maintain.

vingogly

There are two things to consider when choosing a scale: accuracy and consistency. As others have said, unless you invest in an expensive triple-beam scale like they have at the doctor's office, nothing you buy for home use is going to be particularly accurate. One way to calibrate is, weigh yourself at home before a visit to the doctor's office, then weigh at the doctors office and see how your home scale differs. Use that amount to adjust your home measurements. Also, accuracy is often different at different weight ranges: a scale that's accurate between 150-200 may not be as accurate above 200 or below 150.

For me, consistency was the most important factor: I found that my old scale gave different weights if I moved it on the bathroom floor -- and even gave different weights if I stepped on it two or three times without moving it. Without consistency, you can't rely on a scale at all; with it, you at least know it's showing your loss or gain correctly even if it's not that accurate.

Based on reviews, I chose the EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale with Extra Large Lighted Display (available on Amazon 23USD, currently listed at 15USD for Prime members). It's super consistent and based on measurements at my doctor's office, the accuracy isn't that bad, either. I also have an EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale, and am highly satisfied with both products.

If you want a triple beam analog scale that's accurate like the one at your doctor's and have the room for one, I've seen them listed for around 200USD and up.

Fitnessmom82

I use the digital scale at my gym. I find it easier than messing with the other type. So far it's been spot on with my doctors office digital scale. But I think the most important thing is that you find one scale that you like and stick with it.

tulips_and_tea

Well, this is an old thread. Seems to have been resurrected today.

Bry_Fitness70

I believe that your relative weight is more important than your absolute weight, so no matter what your initial weight is on a particular scale, continue to use that scale and focus on the trend.

I use a digital scale that Bluetooths to a phone app and I weigh myself almost every day first thing in the morning. This takes the administration out of having to manually document my weight and is one less thing to concern myself with.

PAV8888

vingogly wrote: »

There are two things to consider when choosing a scale: accuracy and consistency. As others have said, unless you invest in an expensive triple-beam scale like they have at the doctor's office, nothing you buy for home use is going to be particularly accurate. One way to calibrate is, weigh yourself at home before a visit to the doctor's office, then weigh at the doctors office and see how your home scale differs. Use that amount to adjust your home measurements. Also, accuracy is often different at different weight ranges: a scale that's accurate between 150-200 may not be as accurate above 200 or below 150.

For me, consistency was the most important factor: I found that my old scale gave different weights if I moved it on the bathroom floor -- and even gave different weights if I stepped on it two or three times without moving it. Without consistency, you can't rely on a scale at all; with it, you at least know it's showing your loss or gain correctly even if it's not that accurate.

Based on reviews, I chose the EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale with Extra Large Lighted Display (available on Amazon 23USD, currently listed at 15USD for Prime members). It's super consistent and based on measurements at my doctor's office, the accuracy isn't that bad, either. I also have an EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale, and am highly satisfied with both products.

If you want a triple beam analog scale that's accurate like the one at your doctor's and have the room for one, I've seen them listed for around 200USD and up.

I agree with the spirit of what you're trying to achieve but there are a couple of nits that I have to bring to your attention.

There is a problem comparing measurements at two different locations in that you are not weighing in at your doctor's office at the same time and wearing the same clothes you were at home.

Plus did you eat, drink, or eliminate anything between your home and your doctor's office? Sweat? Exhale and use energy driving and walking? etc.

The second issue is that unfortunately modern scales lie. They know that people want to be "re-assured" that they got an "accurate" (or as you correctly identify "consistent") number from their scale. So they employ fake consistency.

In other words the scales are programmed to show the same result REGARDLESS of what they actually detect UNLESS the weight changes by more than a certain amount.

You can easily verify that.

Weight yourself holding a known weight like a bottle of water or jug of milk (by preference more than a couple of lbs as some scales identify the user and won't even budge for differences that are not measured in lbs). And then weight yourself without the large weight. Is the difference equal to the known weight? (you could weight the known weight on your kitchen scale. they tend to be more accurate in terms of total grams of error.

Let's try the opposite. Weight yourself. And now weigh yourself holding a SMALL weight that is bigger than the gradation the scale is supposed to detect but not too big.

If your scale is supposed to show .1 or .2 of a lb, how about you weigh yourself holding something that is more than 2 oz, or 57gram. Say a half full tube of toothpaste <-- your scale should detect this, right? I

n all probability it won't, it will return a weight equal to your previous one. Don't feel bad.

They are still remarkable instruments for the price.

And really these are all single measurements and what matters is the TREND over a six to eight weeks, not any individual measurement and not the day to day variations.

(personally I engage my scale's calibration routine every time so as to get a "fresh" perspective and then log the info to a trending weight web site or app such as trendweight.com, libra or happy scale)

TonyB0588

Do they even still make analog scales?!?!

The main thing about weighing is to use the same scale every time. So you can't compare today's digital weight with yesterday's analog weight. Nor this afternoon's weight at the doctor with this morning's weight at home.

After you establish a new starting point for your weight on the new scales, then you can make realistic comparisons in the weeks and months ahead.

Good_Morning_Glory

The opposite for me. I went from digital to analog and was up. I should’ve just gotten a new digital scale.

Unknown

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vingogly

PAV8888 wrote: »

I agree with the spirit of what you're trying to achieve but there are a couple of nits that I have to bring to your attention.

There is a problem comparing measurements at two different locations in that you are not weighing in at your doctor's office at the same time and wearing the same clothes you were at home.

Plus did you eat, drink, or eliminate anything between your home and your doctor's office? Sweat? Exhale and use energy driving and walking? etc.

If you weigh before going to the doctor's office and don't strip or pile on clothing in the car, what you're wearing isn't a problem. I don't usually stop along the road while I'm going to the doctors to relieve myself, or eat a meal while I'm driving. The amount of mass lost to sweat, exhalation, and walking a few steps is negligible.

Bottom line: if you weigh before the visit and the doctor's scale shows 2.5 lbs more than your scale, you can safely assume you can add 2.5 lbs to the weight on your scale to get more or less the "real" weight you'd see at the doctor's - which is an approximation anyway, because most of us do not weigh ourselves naked at the doctor's.

I haven't personally done this sort of check against the doctor's scale, because it really doesn't matter to me how accurate the numbers are at home - it's only the relative change and the end point that are significant for most of us.

The second issue is that unfortunately modern scales lie. They know that people want to be "re-assured" that they got an "accurate" (or as you correctly identify "consistent") number from their scale. So they employ fake consistency.

In other words the scales are programmed to show the same result REGARDLESS of what they actually detect UNLESS the weight changes by more than a certain amount.

The recalibration threshold for the scale I use is I think half a pound. But as the user manual points out, you can force a recalibration to override this if you choose. People are welcome to weigh themselves carrying certain objects if they wish, or weigh themselves four times a day, but as my musician dad used to say, my scale is "close enough for jazz".

I only record weights if they go down, because it's the positive reinforcement of logging a lower weight that's motivating for me. In my opinion some people in this forum spend way too much time agonizing over numbers reported by an imperfect instrument, and over whether they should log that breath mint or the calories in their multivitamins.

And really these are all single measurements and what matters is the TREND over a six to eight weeks, not any individual measurement and not the day to day variations.

(personally I engage my scale's calibration routine every time so as to get a "fresh" perspective and then log the info to a trending weight web site or app such as trendweight.com, libra or happy scale)

All I want or need to see is that the needle's going down in the right direction over time. Once I get to my maintenance range, I can worry more about the exact numbers but until then, it doesn't really matter - the only real reasons for anyone to weight themselves while losing or gaining rate are to make sure they're still on the right track, and as a behavioral reinforcement - and in my opinion people should weigh themselves at a frequency that's positively reinforcing rather than negatively reinforcing (if someone's worrying about day to day fluctuations, they should try not weighing themselves every day).

TimothyFish

I have both and they both show the same weight, so I use the digital scale because it is easier to read. You should test both scales with a known weight to see which is accurate.

howudix

I find the highest quality and accuracy digital scales from ScalesGalore.com