My scale is getting old and might not be showing appropriate weight, suggestions?

nkylerich
nkylerich Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have an old weight watchers scale that's a few years old (and has already had the batteries changed), thing is it's now posting inaccurately whenever I weigh myself on it. (the doctor's office weighed me at 310.8 pounds, the scale over here has me at one pound lighter.)
So any suggestions for digital (and durable) scales that are both cheap AND accurate?
I REALLY want to be sure that what i'm weighing over here is the same as what is being weighed over there.

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,336 Member
    edited May 2017
    Well, did you go directly from the doctors' scale to yours without going to the bathroom or eating anything? It could just be a normal deviation between the two scales.

    One pound is nothing to worry about. They are all off a little. I doubt any new cheap one would be better. WW scales would be as good as any you would buy at a store, I would think.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    There's going to be deviations, I think, no matter what home scale you have. Maybe your doctor's office only calibrates theirs once a week, so it could have been slightly off. I went to two doctors in one day, and there was a 1.5 pound difference between their scales. I don't know which one was "right". I'd say skip the expense and just keep using the scale you already have.
  • jo_nz
    jo_nz Posts: 548 Member
    Even calibrated, scales will have limits to their accuracy. A 1lb difference in your 310lb weight is a 0.3% difference, so really not that significant.
    I don't think any scales could guarantee complete consistency between it and another set of scales. Sounds like your current ones are fine.
  • nkylerich
    nkylerich Posts: 11 Member
    Even so I'm thinking of replacing it due to the fact that it's been acting really weird. yesterday afternoon for instance it started off by saying I was 314.2 pounds, alarmed I tried again and that time it said I was 309.2 pounds. A third time revealed the lighter result but I don't want a misread every time I scan the first time around.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,474 Member
    Do you have the scale on the carpet?
  • CiaIgle
    CiaIgle Posts: 72 Member
    edited May 2017
    I have three scales available: one electronic next to the lifting area of the gym, another very old mechanic (with the vertical pole and you have to move the weights, and my own electronic scale. NEVER the three provided the same value, but the inconsistency is constant :smile: they always are different in the same amount.

    I use the one I can control more (my own one) for recording purposes.

    Hope this can help.

    PS: another important point is WHERE you place the scale, cheap scales can provide a difference just for slight different in floor levelling. I put my scale always in the same spot in the floor (one ceramic tile that is bigger than my scale). If I put my scale in other part of the floor on between tiles, there will surely be a small difference.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,111 Member
    Maybe try changing the battery? If it's still acting up when you have it on flat ground (not carpet) then buy a new one.

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