looking for a good scale

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dawnemjh
dawnemjh Posts: 1,465 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
for myself!! (not a food scale) but one to weigh myself. every scale I get on is different and I am having a hard time tracking my progress. The one I have now is a regular non-digital scale, but i can step on it 3 different times in 5 minutes and get different readings every time, and depending on where it is placed in the bathroom changes the number as well, as the floor is not perfectly flat. I have had digital scales in the past, but they didnt seem very accurate either. i dont want to spend alot of money or get anything fancy, just a simple accurate scale. Any thoughts? also do you think if the floor is uneven (evenslightly) that it effects the scale??? thanks !

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  • Liatush
    Liatush Posts: 627 Member
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    bump
  • zer0vital
    zer0vital Posts: 42
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    About a month ago I purchased an EatSmart Precision Plus digital scale, extra wide. I've been really happy with it so far. It reads out to the nearest 2 tenths of a pound. I used to step on it multiple times to get an accurate weight, but it gives me the exact same answer every time so I learned to just trust it. I'm in the 250-260 range and it still gives me consistent results. The max capacity is 440 pounds.

    Note that an even (and hard) surface is key to getting an accurate weight, and that's going to affect any scale, regardless of quality. If you can't find a flat spot in the kitchen or somewhere else to use the scale, you should probably at least leave it in the same spot in the bathroom all the time so you get useful relative weights week to week. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the geometry involved, a scale on an uneven surface will tend to yield a lower than actual weight.

    Also, I would recommend avoiding scales that use electrical resistance to determine body fat through your feet. The handheld fat loss monitors are much more accurate and reliable.
  • dawnemjh
    dawnemjh Posts: 1,465 Member
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    thanks!
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
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    Definitely get a digital scale. Consumer Reports rated the Taylor model# 7506 as the best.
  • erzille
    erzille Posts: 524 Member
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    Thanks for the posting...I need to go buy a new scale
  • erzille
    erzille Posts: 524 Member
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    Both models given so far have good ratings...just googled them...thanks again:bigsmile:
  • DawnMarie1970
    DawnMarie1970 Posts: 97 Member
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    Bump
  • dawnemjh
    dawnemjh Posts: 1,465 Member
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    Does getting a scale thats "extra wide" make it more accurate? Or easier to step on is same place? I googled these, and it seems like I will need to order one on line if I go with taylor or eatsmart and wondering if I should go with just the regular eatsmart precision scale or get the extra wide? what is the benefit to the extra wide-if any?? Thanks again for info!!!
  • dandynick
    dandynick Posts: 25
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    I bought a digital strain gauge scale a few years back and it works great. It looks like a regular scale but the mechanism inside is different from regular scales. I got advice from an engineer who tried to explain to me how they work, but from I read afterward, they are far more accurate. And not much more in price to boot. The 9 volt battery last for a very long time.
    But it is also susceptible like any scale to where on the floor it's located. It usually varies about half a pound at most.
  • cherrieruns
    cherrieruns Posts: 342 Member
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    if you get a digital scale don't keep it in the bathroom. When I bought my Tanita (I think that is the name) there was a note that the moisture in a bathroom can, over time, alter the accuracy of the scale.
  • dawnemjh
    dawnemjh Posts: 1,465 Member
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    thanks cherrie, thats a good point!!
  • zer0vital
    zer0vital Posts: 42
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    I got an extra wide scale because I'm an extra wide guy. :-) I think a regular-sized scale can be just as accurate. Good point about the moisture; luckily I keep my scale in an upstairs bathroom that pretty much never gets used and has no shower or bath.
  • hemlock2010
    hemlock2010 Posts: 422 Member
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    bump
  • dandynick
    dandynick Posts: 25
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    Oddly enough, our scales are in our bathroom where they have been for over ten years with 3 kids who have long hot showers, and never had a problem.

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