accurate scale

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T1mH
T1mH Posts: 568 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Where do I get a good accurate scale? I've tried a couple of the 30-50 dollar ones and I've been unimpressed with their accuracy. Where can I find an accurate scale?

I usually only weigh myself at one of the 2 gyms I go to. 1 has a digital scale, the other a old school beam scale like a doctors office would have. They both seem to be accurate to each other.
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Replies

  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
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    How do you know the ones you've tried weren't accurate?

    I need to get a new scale, mine can never decide what I weigh as it changes every time I step on it. I am considering bringing a h small weight (8lbs) to the store with me to test out for accuracy when I go buy one.
  • firkiefunk
    firkiefunk Posts: 10 Member
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    digital works the best i found
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
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    Every digital one I've tried, even the one at my gym that I mostly trust will give 2 different readings back to back. I'm leaning towards a beam style scale like doctor's offices use.
  • melbatoast917
    melbatoast917 Posts: 370 Member
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    Big fan of my Biggest Loser scale. It is digital and recalibrates every time.
  • hen1946
    hen1946 Posts: 62 Member
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    I have one with the arm where you move the weight. I have owned it for about 25 years it always seems to record similar weight to doctors office. I dont remember what I paid for it but I consider it to have been a worthwile investment.
  • happythermia
    happythermia Posts: 374
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    Sometimes it isn't even the scale - you could have uneven floors! I live in an older house and my floors are all wonky. I don't know how accurate my scale is, and I don't really mind...just as long as the # goes down
  • tidesong
    tidesong Posts: 451 Member
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    This is the one I picked up for myself after reading tons of reviews on dozens of different scales. For me, it is consistent. I can step on it 5 times in a row, and it'll be exactly the same. Walk away, come back a couple minutes later, and it's still the same. I recommend it. And it comes with a measuring tape for taking..uh..measurements. (No, I don't work for the company, have no vested interest in the company, etc. Just a happy customer.)

    http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Bathroom-Technology/dp/B001KXZ808/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1330811565&sr=1-1

    If you can't get the link to work, search for "EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale w/ Extra Large Backlit 3.5" Display and "Step-On" Technology".
  • BlackTimber
    BlackTimber Posts: 230 Member
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    Every digital one I've tried, even the one at my gym that I mostly trust will give 2 different readings back to back. I'm leaning towards a beam style scale like doctor's offices use.

    I know how you feel, but don't get too hooked up by the exact numbers. As long as the variation is less than 1.0 pound it doesn't matter much. A tape measure a mirror and a photograph is a better method.
  • mfp_1
    mfp_1 Posts: 516 Member
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    My experience with digital scales is:
    * they all give small variations.
    * small variations are insignificant to me
    * they all vary badly when the battery is running down
    * they all vary badly when not on a flat surface

    The above applies to cheap ones as well as expensive ones.
    Q1. How old are the batteries?
    Q2. What surface is the scale on?
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    Note that apparently some digital scales will actually have a 'fake accuracy' - if they register a similar, but slightly different weight to the last one, they just show the last weight as they presume it's the same person.
    This makes them look more accurate, but they may not be.

    While I do like my accuracy, it's always the over-all trend to worry about.

    I suspect the weight of big gym scales helps - and that they don't generally let you work it out to quite such high precision anyway.
  • ButterflyJourney
    ButterflyJourney Posts: 46 Member
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    I have been using a weight watchers digital scale. I weigh the same whether I weigh in on a scale (balanced weekly) at a Weight Watchers meeting or the doctor's. All scales weighing me in the same. The one I use is the Weight Watchers Glass Memory Precision Scale. Model WW43D about $50 at Bed, Bath & Beyond. (Amazon also sells it).
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
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    I've been using two standard old type scale for many years...they always give me the same results (0.5 lbs close) ...and the same when I go to the doc.

    I wanted to get some digital scale the other day...I saw many demo at the store...So I tried one. I was 20 lbs heavier on it?????????
    Told myself..oh well,broken....Tried the other one, 10 lbs over etc....They were ALL giving me different weights and all were wrong and by far..... not by 1-2 lbs.....I don't understand!
  • Code7526
    Code7526 Posts: 52
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    A more accurate way to workout if you are loosing fat is to measure your waist with a tape measure. Muscles weigh more than fat so if you are exercising and building muscle, a scale is not very accurate way to workout if you lost fat.
  • ButterflyJourney
    ButterflyJourney Posts: 46 Member
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    Tidesong: Does this measure in tenths too? 151.1, 151.3, etc. or is it just the number 151; 152; 153?
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
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    A more accurate way to workout if you are loosing fat is to measure your waist with a tape measure. Muscles weigh more than fat so if you are exercising and building muscle, a scale is not very accurate way to workout if you lost fat.

    For sure.... Mirror and a measuring tape is the best....a scale doesn't count the bones,muscles etc.... So it's not accurate for that point...You can gain 2 pounds but lose 4 inches waist....it's non-sense!

    BUT.... weight is still weight ,,,I would say to check every 2-3 weeks...not more than that.
  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
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    The scales at the gym can read two different readings because they are used so much. THe more a scale is moved, used, etc affects it's readings.

    Any scale will be accurate. Digital ones would be less accurate when the battery needs to be changed. I love my Health o meter scale... cost me $17.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
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    I haven't ever found an accurate one. The ones in doctor's offices where you move the weights always record my weight at least 6 pounds higher than it actually is, sometimes more.

    I have a WW digital scale. It works better than a standard scale but I've seen weirdness with it too. I have to weigh something with a significantly different weight in between every time I weigh myself, or half the time the scale will just keep spitting the exact same weight back at me for 6 weeks in a row.

    If I weigh a 20 pound item, and then weigh again the scale weight changes. I just try to use it as a guide. Like someone else said, what really matters is if it's going downward.

    edited because I can't spell this morning.
  • fitnessgal1985
    fitnessgal1985 Posts: 110 Member
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    Every digital one I've tried, even the one at my gym that I mostly trust will give 2 different readings back to back. I'm leaning towards a beam style scale like doctor's offices use.
    Been using a walmart scale that probably became crappy cause I used to accidentally step on it. Found out a couple days ago it's highly inaccurate.

    Heard that the beam style scale is more accurate than even digital scales. quite a small investment though.
  • mfp_1
    mfp_1 Posts: 516 Member
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    geebusuk wrote:
    ... some digital scales will actually have a 'fake accuracy' - if they register a similar, but slightly different weight to the last one, they just show the last weight as they presume it's the same person.

    That's weird, I haven't heard of that.

    I have heard of scales that remember average (median) weight for the day.
    For example, step on it naked in the morning and the display might say 50 kg.
    In the evening with clothes after a heavy meal it might say 52 kg.
    It remembers your average weight for that day as 51 kg.
    You can get it to shows the trend of daily averages on a graph over the last 30 days.
    As long as your weight is within 3 kg of the last time, it'll assume you're the same person.
    The scale can be used by several people, each with their own trend graphs.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
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    I'm looking for a beam scale. Like the doctor's office uses. You can zero them and then place a known weight on it. If it's accurate it should be accurate across the range. They start at about $150 (with shipping) on Amazon.

    I know muscle pound for pound is smaller than fat. I know I can gain muscle and lose fat staying the same weight. I've still got 25 lbs to lose before I'll focus on building muscle. At that point I wold expect to see weight gain.

    I want to more accurately track my weight. I'm tired of people telling me I should only weigh weekly or monthly or not at all. You do it your way I'm going to do it mine. My way requires micro-management. I don't freak out when I gain a lb but I want to know when and why I do. I'm not going to get discouraged over the fluctuations. For others I understand they can't deal with that and just want the scale to be a trending tool.

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