Are digital scales more accurate than mechanical ones?

felixthemaster1
felixthemaster1 Posts: 28 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I got a new digital scale today and it was showing around 5 kilos below the mecanical one. I made sure to use a level hard surface. Do you think the data I had to input (age, height, gender) has anything to do with it or is that only for the body fat and water calculations?

I am thinking of buying another one that is actually decently reviewed on amazon to see which scale is more accurate.

Replies

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I cant say if yours is accurate or not. But you're very lucky your new one has you weighing less, it's almost always the other way around.
    I recently upgraded my mechanical scale to a digital, and the digital one has me weighing 4kgs heavier than my old one. Which makes sense, as I couldn't figure out why I still had a belly podge at the weight I thought I was... Now I know it's because I was not the weight I thought I was lol
  • felixthemaster1
    felixthemaster1 Posts: 28 Member
    edited August 2015
    Interesting.the new one is not exactly a great brand, years ago when my dad worked at a store that sold them, we tried many products from them and sent them all back. So hope the eats mart scale will give me the right answer.

    But it's good to hear difference is normal
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Have you tried weighing something you know the exact weight of, like a barbell?
  • felixthemaster1
    felixthemaster1 Posts: 28 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    Have you tried weighing something you know the exact weight of, like a barbell?

    Nope, other than light food, I have nothing that I know the weight off. I even have an old dumbell that I don't know the weight of XD

    Besides, to notice the strange difference like this, I'd have to weigh something closer to a human
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    felixthemaster1 wrote: »
    I got a new digital scale today and it was showing around 5 kilos below the mecanical one. I made sure to use a level hard surface. Do you think the data I had to input (age, height, gender) has anything to do with it or is that only for the body fat and water calculations?

    I am thinking of buying another one that is actually decently reviewed on amazon to see which scale is more accurate.

    Age/height/gender are for the BF% calculations.

    Digital bathroom scales tend to be more accurate than mechanical bathroom scales, but they're still not completely accurate. But as long as they error is small and consistent, it doesn't matter. The mid to higher end scales tend to be more precise, since they tend to have better load cells than the cheap ones.

    Scooby's has a great pair of videos on scale accuracy.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/how-to-weigh-yourself-accurately/


  • funjen1972
    funjen1972 Posts: 949 Member
    It all depends on the scale accuracy i.e. The manufactured allowable tolerance. All equipment used to measure has tolerances and with use the measured range for any given value may increase. In general industry scales are calibrated at regular intervals to ensure accuracy, but we don't do that with equipment (scales) for home use. They may have been manufactured to a specific standard or tolerance, but may no longer hold to that standard.

    I would trust the newer scale more. The packaging should list specific manufacturing standards that you could research.
  • felixthemaster1
    felixthemaster1 Posts: 28 Member
    Ah, I love scooby! And thanks fun, I think Ill wait for the good brand scale I ordered to see.
  • felixthemaster1
    felixthemaster1 Posts: 28 Member
    Hey guys, I got the new good brand scale and it agrees with the bad brand digital csale far more than my mechanical one. It is showing 6kg lighter than my mechanical. Anyone know how to update my starting weight so that when I start to log this it wont show a massive 12 lb of false loss?
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    On the website, you can go to My Home/Check In. Under the entry fields there is a link that says "Edit Previous Entries"
  • felixthemaster1
    felixthemaster1 Posts: 28 Member
    bpetrosky wrote: »
    On the website, you can go to My Home/Check In. Under the entry fields there is a link that says "Edit Previous Entries"

    Thanks!!!
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    Have you tried weighing something you know the exact weight of, like a barbell?

    This is such a good idea, thank you!!
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