Digital scales always give incorrect readings. Am I right?

misshoneyz2dab
misshoneyz2dab Posts: 62 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've always had bad experiences with them. They always give bad readings.

Replies

  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    No
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Is it on carpet or tiled floor? And how do you know they give bad numbers?
  • misshoneyz2dab
    misshoneyz2dab Posts: 62 Member
    It's on a wooden floor.
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
    Test it. Weigh yourself. Wait a minute or two and weigh yourself again.
  • EquineSunshine
    EquineSunshine Posts: 21 Member
    As long as it's consistent, it doesn't really matter that much. That being said, I think my digital scale is correct on weight, but definitely not on that body fat thing it's supposed to do by measuring electrical resistance.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    my gp is in bad trouble then.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Same with my infusion clinic
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Are you talking about weight or body fat readings?
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    My digital scale has always been within a pound or so of the scale at my (numerous) doctors' offices...which I find acceptable.
  • Goober1142
    Goober1142 Posts: 219 Member
    I've had three. They always weight three pounds higher the first time I step on. Crazy...I weight myself twice.
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
    Even if I'm actually heavier than the scale says, I use the scale to keep track of my trend. I'm good as long as it's downward and not too quick.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    My home scale is with a couple hundred grams of the calibrated scale at the gym. So I'm happy
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,224 Member
    Mine are fine.
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
    Mine's fine, I weigh myself daily. It only gets weird when it's stored sideways, sometimes then it reads me 20kg heavier than I actually am! So I keep it stored flat and it's fine :)
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    the digital scales i own must be calibrated every time you move them. you have to weigh yourself a couple times, letting the scale go off each time. after that, i get the same readings over and over and over... unless i move the scale.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    No.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    What is the problem? Different readings seconds apart on the same scale? Different readings on different scales? Different readings at different times of day?
    Have you put a weight on it to see if it is really off?
    Changed the battery?

    My scale is fine. I've had it for years. The only time it was messing up the battery cover was loose so the battery wasn't in tight.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    All scales - regardless of type - may end up giving good or bad readings. It depends on calibration. Just about nobody pays a lab to calibrate their home scales, so it's hard to say which ones are right and which ones are off - and how much they're off. In theory, I'd expect the scales at doctors' offices to be calibrated, since you'd want to have the most accurate information possible when the doctor diagnoses/analyzes your health. That said, I get the feeling many doctors don't have calibrated scales. That's just a hunch, though.

    For an example - after the gym last night, the scale in the bathroom at the gym ("regular" analog dial type, on a wooden floor) said I was 178 lb. The analog scale (like the ones at many Dr. offices, with a scale for height, too) out in the MMA part of the gym - on hard rubber mats - said I was 181 lb. My digital scale at home - on ceramic tile - said I was 183.2 lb. Who knows if any of those are accurate? None of them have a current cal sticker, so I can't be sure. I just use my scale at home to keep track. Earlier this year, when I was trying to make weight for my PL meet, my scale said I weighed 179 and change. When I got to the meet, their digital scale (I don't actually know if it's calibrated properly, but it's the one they use) said I was 178.4, so mine was apparently high by 1 lb.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited November 2016
    No.. maybe you have foundation damage in your home.. it might be tilting some..i dunno

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