Is an expensive scale worth it?

orkla
orkla Posts: 34 Member
in Getting Started
I bought a $10 scale that is nothing special, it just tells me how much I weigh. And I've been pretty happy with it in the two weeks I've been using it.

But I've been seeing a lot of posts about how amazing more expensive scales are, and how the $130 fitbit aria scale changed their life.

So, is it worth it? What makes it worth it? And how do people without these fancy scales measure their body fat %, as I've recently learned I absolutely should do (or should I)?

Replies

  • karsei01
    karsei01 Posts: 442 Member
    My scale meassures bf%, but unless really expensive, it's not too accurate, but shoves a trend. The biggest plus for me, is that it autosyncs to my phone, mfp etc.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,238 Member
    As with many things these days the base product provides most of the core functionality.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    I don't think it's worth it. It's just a gadget created to make you consume more products... Spend more money. How is it going to change your life? Probably not very much LOL.
  • mabelgrex
    mabelgrex Posts: 24 Member
    only if you use it.
    Me I am a data person, I like to put the data in my phone and I like tech toys
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,128 Member
    I am not sure how a fitbit scale could change someone's life, maybe these people are just really easy to please.

    Presumably you just want to know what your body mass is, your $10 scale will tell you that.

    The body fat reading on scales is generally pretty inaccurate, particularly for women who carry more fat on their lower body.

    https://www.livestrong.com/article/354963-how-do-body-fat-scales-work-are-they-accurate/
  • yvonne_beavis
    yvonne_beavis Posts: 39 Member
    My scales just show my weight. Every now and again, when I get to a weight loss milestone, I use the more sophisticated machine at the gym to see % body fat etc. I don't find I need that information on a daily basis.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    It's easy enough to use a basic scale and utilize a trend app like Libra or Happy Scale to give you the same info without the markup for brand or bluetooth. As another poster mentioned, the accuracy of bio-impedance through the feet or hands can vary in accuracy and precision as it's drastically impacted by hydration levels, will be inaccurate or have a special "athlete" mode necessary for those who weight train. I have a Homedics scale with these sensors that I purchased without doing that much research into the tech. Have found there to be a simple linear relationship between my weight and what the scale says my weight to be and the difference between "normal" and "athlete" mode is 4%.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    I've bought a $14 scale from Walmart about a year ago when I started tracking my weight. It's take 2 seconds for me to enter the number into MFP so I didn't see the value of a $100 + scale. I did invest in a Garmin tracker which I love and would recommend.
  • jlscherme
    jlscherme Posts: 157 Member
    I got a seemingly nice digital scale for Christmas, can't find fault with it yet. I also use an app called Happy Scale to watch my trends as @steveko89 suggests.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Not necessary, I have a cheap set of Salter digital ones and they do the job just fine.
  • Azercord
    Azercord Posts: 573 Member
    I also have a $10 scale which I use about once a week. I have a $15 kitchen scale (to track down to .00g cause I'm a nerd) that I use constantly. And I have an expensive Garmin watch that you can pry off my cold dead arm.... :) It really depends on what is a priority to you and what numbers are important.

    I don't care about my weight or body fat but I've been in maintenance for years. I do still keep control over my macros and calories (I lift and endurance run) and track my output. If your weight is a priority and you need better control of the numbers then go for the more expensive scale, if not then don't worry about it. The accuracy won't change but the reporting may get a bit easier.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    It depends on you.

    I have a fairly expensive and accurate scale for body fat (it is always 0.3%-0.4% higher than Dexa every single time when taken on the same day). I've never used another that was anywhere close to as accurate as they are usually several percentage points lower than Dexa and my accurate scale. But to me, that accuracy is incredibly important.

    If your goals are based on how you feel or how you look, you don't really need a scale at all.

    Then there are the majority of people in between people like me who demand accuracy and reliability of objective data and those who seek more subjective results. Within that group, there is still quite a range. Figure out where you fall within that range and then you have an answer.
  • abirdintherain
    abirdintherain Posts: 73 Member
    Well, I really wanted a bluetooth scale because, well, I like new things, but did not want to spend the Fitbit price on it. So, $26 Renpho bluetooth scale on Amazon, and it syncs up to my Fitbit and Apple Health. I like having the extra data, even if it isn't going to be 100% accurate on BF and stuff like that. And I like not having to input it manually, just because it makes me feel a little fancy. But, a normal scale works just as fine for the weight alone. Depends if you want to feel fancy.
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
    I bought a Withings Composition Wi-Fi Scale last year (the company has since been acquired by Nokia) for about $100 and I think it was totally worth it. I weigh myself 5-6 days a week and having the data automatically transmit to fitness apps instead of manually entering it saves a few minutes per day. It also gives me other stats like fat and lean muscle measurements - these aren't precise, but they provide relative changes, that I think are useful.

    Also, the scale can calculate who is being weighed by the previous weight data, so my kids weigh-in a few times per week and I can monitor their weights (plus they think it is fun).
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    Azercord wrote: »
    I also have a $10 scale which I use about once a week. I have a $15 kitchen scale (to track down to .00g cause I'm a nerd) that I use constantly. And I have an expensive Garmin watch that you can pry off my cold dead arm.... :) It really depends on what is a priority to you and what numbers are important.

    me too.

    Not having to type in the morning weigh-in number daily → not worth $99+ to me (will reconsider if scale dies and I find one that will send data to both Withings or Fitbit (for Trendweight) and Garmin). And I definitely don't need a daily (inaccurate anyway) BF% reading.

    Longer battery life on mountaineering trips, turn cues, custom data fields, custom fairly intricate training intervals - totally worth $500. ;)
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    It's only worth it if you see worth in it. I have an expensive scale because I'm lazy and don't like to log my weight, so I saw worth in a scale that automatically logs weight for me. On the other hand, I have very few expensive clothes because I don't see worth in them. I'm more about comfort than labels, so I don't see worth in paying for a high end brand. Others may and do see the worth in high end clothes so they pay for them.

    What is it that you're looking for in a scale, and do you feel the price is worth it?
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
    ritzvin wrote: »
    Azercord wrote: »
    I also have a $10 scale which I use about once a week. I have a $15 kitchen scale (to track down to .00g cause I'm a nerd) that I use constantly. And I have an expensive Garmin watch that you can pry off my cold dead arm.... :) It really depends on what is a priority to you and what numbers are important.

    me too.

    Not having to type in the morning weigh-in number daily → not worth $99+ to me (will reconsider if scale dies and I find one that will send data to both Withings or Fitbit (for Trendweight) and Garmin). And I definitely don't need a daily (inaccurate anyway) BF% reading.

    Longer battery life on mountaineering trips, turn cues, custom data fields, custom fairly intricate training intervals - totally worth $500. ;)

    Anything to make fitness more interesting (or at least less tedious) catches my attention and is totally worth the money if it keeps me engaged. I also have a Garmin Fenix 3 HR watch, which is several hundred more dollars than your average fitness tracker, because I love fitness gadgets and data.

    Do I need all of this data? Probably not, I could get by without most of it. However, I've been in maintenance for over 4 years, and honestly, it is a grind and very boring at times -my PRs and weight are as good as they are going to get at this point, so anything to take the edge off of that is welcome.

    PS - the Nokia (Withings) WiFi scale automatically transmits to other apps (including Fitbit and Garmin)\
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited February 2018
    Bry_Fitness70 wrote: »
    ritzvin wrote: »
    Azercord wrote: »
    I also have a scale which I use about once a week. I have a kitchen scale (to track down to .00g cause I'm a nerd) that I use constantly. And I have an expensive Garmin watch that you can pry off my cold dead arm.... :) It really depends on what is a priority to you and what numbers are important.

    me too.

    Not having to type in the morning weigh-in number daily → not worth + to me (will reconsider if scale dies and I find one that will send data to both Withings or Fitbit (for Trendweight) and Garmin). And I definitely don't need a daily (inaccurate anyway) BF% reading.

    Longer battery life on mountaineering trips, turn cues, custom data fields, custom fairly intricate training intervals - totally worth . ;)

    Anything to make fitness more interesting (or at least less tedious) catches my attention and is totally worth the money if it keeps me engaged. I also have a Garmin Fenix 3 HR watch, which is several hundred more dollars than your average fitness tracker, because I love fitness gadgets and data.

    Do I need all of this data? Probably not, I could get by without most of it. However, I've been in maintenance for over 4 years, and honestly, it is a grind and very boring at times -my PRs and weight are as good as they are going to get at this point, so anything to take the edge off of that is welcome.

    PS - the Nokia (Withings) WiFi scale automatically transmits to other apps (including Fitbit and Garmin)\

    Yes, this is the one I have. I chose it because I read the Aria can have finicky bluetooth and some found it hard to set up, at least back when I bought my scale.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    I have a Fitbit Flex 2, $20 scale, and a $20 hand held Omron Bodyfat monitor. I'm a data guy and monitor my progress with these.

    I also have access to a full metabolics lab as part of my job, so I can monitor my BMR, body composition, etc. but the degree of error is so similar to my home products it is statistically insignificant.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    Scales have some basic mechanisms such as springs, balances, and strain gauges but the price isn't always a good indication of their accuracy. I always look for a strain gauge because it's very accurate, as far as human weight goes, and inexpensive and easy to find them.
  • Cleosweetie
    Cleosweetie Posts: 71 Member
    I splurged on a doctor's-office-quality Tanita scale about ten years ago, and I love it. It is the kind they use at WW for weigh ins. (The only difference is mine is not legal for trade.)

    When I had a Polar activity watch last year, I bought the Polar scale that went with it. I had a lot of problems syncing to my watch, and compared to my Tanita scale, the Polar scale was really inaccurate. (Only off by .2 or .3 pounds, but it was happening on a daily basis.)

    I agree with the others: a simple scale is all you need, but if there something about data and tech and gadgets that you personally find motivating, then the purchase is worth it. I personally find the Tanita valuable because there is no way I can argue or justify a gain in my head (no, the scale is not off today).
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    Bry_Fitness70 wrote: »
    ritzvin wrote: »
    Azercord wrote: »
    I also have a $10 scale which I use about once a week. I have a $15 kitchen scale (to track down to .00g cause I'm a nerd) that I use constantly. And I have an expensive Garmin watch that you can pry off my cold dead arm.... :) It really depends on what is a priority to you and what numbers are important.

    me too.

    Not having to type in the morning weigh-in number daily → not worth $99+ to me (will reconsider if scale dies and I find one that will send data to both Withings or Fitbit (for Trendweight) and Garmin). And I definitely don't need a daily (inaccurate anyway) BF% reading.

    Longer battery life on mountaineering trips, turn cues, custom data fields, custom fairly intricate training intervals - totally worth $500. ;)

    Anything to make fitness more interesting (or at least less tedious) catches my attention and is totally worth the money if it keeps me engaged. I also have a Garmin Fenix 3 HR watch, which is several hundred more dollars than your average fitness tracker, because I love fitness gadgets and data.

    Do I need all of this data? Probably not, I could get by without most of it. However, I've been in maintenance for over 4 years, and honestly, it is a grind and very boring at times -my PRs and weight are as good as they are going to get at this point, so anything to take the edge off of that is welcome.

    PS - the Nokia (Withings) WiFi scale automatically transmits to other apps (including Fitbit and Garmin)\

    Ditto. Fenix 3 HR and a Withings scale. The scale updates all my apps and makes my life a bit easier. Just be warned the Nokia may be pulling the plug on their health toys and so I would not buy their scale until the future is clearer. Going to be pissed if I lose access and have to start typing in numbers in my 4 apps.
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    Bry_Fitness70 wrote: »
    ritzvin wrote: »
    Azercord wrote: »
    I also have a $10 scale which I use about once a week. I have a $15 kitchen scale (to track down to .00g cause I'm a nerd) that I use constantly. And I have an expensive Garmin watch that you can pry off my cold dead arm.... :) It really depends on what is a priority to you and what numbers are important.

    me too.

    Not having to type in the morning weigh-in number daily → not worth $99+ to me (will reconsider if scale dies and I find one that will send data to both Withings or Fitbit (for Trendweight) and Garmin). And I definitely don't need a daily (inaccurate anyway) BF% reading.

    Longer battery life on mountaineering trips, turn cues, custom data fields, custom fairly intricate training intervals - totally worth $500. ;)

    Anything to make fitness more interesting (or at least less tedious) catches my attention and is totally worth the money if it keeps me engaged. I also have a Garmin Fenix 3 HR watch, which is several hundred more dollars than your average fitness tracker, because I love fitness gadgets and data.

    Do I need all of this data? Probably not, I could get by without most of it. However, I've been in maintenance for over 4 years, and honestly, it is a grind and very boring at times -my PRs and weight are as good as they are going to get at this point, so anything to take the edge off of that is welcome.

    PS - the Nokia (Withings) WiFi scale automatically transmits to other apps (including Fitbit and Garmin)\

    Ditto. Fenix 3 HR and a Withings scale. The scale updates all my apps and makes my life a bit easier. Just be warned the Nokia may be pulling the plug on their health toys and so I would not buy their scale until the future is clearer. Going to be pissed if I lose access and have to start typing in numbers in my 4 apps.

    Yeah, I just read that the other day, I love it when a company gets acquired and then they just dismantle it shortly thereafter, lol. I'm hoping that they will still continue to support the app or sell it to another company to support so our scales will remain functional...
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    Cleosweetie wrote: »
    I splurged on a doctor's-office-quality Tanita scale about ten years ago, and I love it. It is the kind they use at WW for weigh ins. (The only difference is mine is not legal for trade.)

    When I had a Polar activity watch last year, I bought the Polar scale that went with it. I had a lot of problems syncing to my watch, and compared to my Tanita scale, the Polar scale was really inaccurate. (Only off by .2 or .3 pounds, but it was happening on a daily basis.)

    I agree with the others: a simple scale is all you need, but if there something about data and tech and gadgets that you personally find motivating, then the purchase is worth it. I personally find the Tanita valuable because there is no way I can argue or justify a gain in my head (no, the scale is not off today).

    Which Tanita, and How much, which vendor/source?

    I've been considering one, but looking for reviews from actual users that can be crossexamined.

    @Cleosweetie
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    Bry_Fitness70 wrote: »
    ritzvin wrote: »
    Azercord wrote: »
    I also have a $10 scale which I use about once a week. I have a $15 kitchen scale (to track down to .00g cause I'm a nerd) that I use constantly. And I have an expensive Garmin watch that you can pry off my cold dead arm.... :) It really depends on what is a priority to you and what numbers are important.

    me too.

    Not having to type in the morning weigh-in number daily → not worth $99+ to me (will reconsider if scale dies and I find one that will send data to both Withings or Fitbit (for Trendweight) and Garmin). And I definitely don't need a daily (inaccurate anyway) BF% reading.

    Longer battery life on mountaineering trips, turn cues, custom data fields, custom fairly intricate training intervals - totally worth $500. ;)

    Anything to make fitness more interesting (or at least less tedious) catches my attention and is totally worth the money if it keeps me engaged. I also have a Garmin Fenix 3 HR watch, which is several hundred more dollars than your average fitness tracker, because I love fitness gadgets and data.

    Do I need all of this data? Probably not, I could get by without most of it. However, I've been in maintenance for over 4 years, and honestly, it is a grind and very boring at times -my PRs and weight are as good as they are going to get at this point, so anything to take the edge off of that is welcome.

    PS - the Nokia (Withings) WiFi scale automatically transmits to other apps (including Fitbit and Garmin)\

    Ditto. Fenix 3 HR and a Withings scale. The scale updates all my apps and makes my life a bit easier. Just be warned the Nokia may be pulling the plug on their health toys and so I would not buy their scale until the future is clearer. Going to be pissed if I lose access and have to start typing in numbers in my 4 apps.

    That's a shame. I'm very happy with the scale. I guess I'll have to go for an Aria scale if this one dies. These are the only two scales I know compatible with a wide variety of apps.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    Bry_Fitness70 wrote: »
    ritzvin wrote: »
    Azercord wrote: »
    I also have a $10 scale which I use about once a week. I have a $15 kitchen scale (to track down to .00g cause I'm a nerd) that I use constantly. And I have an expensive Garmin watch that you can pry off my cold dead arm.... :) It really depends on what is a priority to you and what numbers are important.

    me too.

    Not having to type in the morning weigh-in number daily → not worth $99+ to me (will reconsider if scale dies and I find one that will send data to both Withings or Fitbit (for Trendweight) and Garmin). And I definitely don't need a daily (inaccurate anyway) BF% reading.

    Longer battery life on mountaineering trips, turn cues, custom data fields, custom fairly intricate training intervals - totally worth $500. ;)

    Anything to make fitness more interesting (or at least less tedious) catches my attention and is totally worth the money if it keeps me engaged. I also have a Garmin Fenix 3 HR watch, which is several hundred more dollars than your average fitness tracker, because I love fitness gadgets and data.

    Do I need all of this data? Probably not, I could get by without most of it. However, I've been in maintenance for over 4 years, and honestly, it is a grind and very boring at times -my PRs and weight are as good as they are going to get at this point, so anything to take the edge off of that is welcome.

    PS - the Nokia (Withings) WiFi scale automatically transmits to other apps (including Fitbit and Garmin)\

    Ditto. Fenix 3 HR and a Withings scale. The scale updates all my apps and makes my life a bit easier. Just be warned the Nokia may be pulling the plug on their health toys and so I would not buy their scale until the future is clearer. Going to be pissed if I lose access and have to start typing in numbers in my 4 apps.

    Definitely one of the reasons to go with Garmin or Fitbit or UA. They're more likely to be providing support 2-5 years down the line... although most of these devices have an 18-36 month life expectancy.
  • Cleosweetie
    Cleosweetie Posts: 71 Member
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    Cleosweetie wrote: »
    I splurged on a doctor's-office-quality Tanita scale about ten years ago, and I love it. It is the kind they use at WW for weigh ins. (The only difference is mine is not legal for trade.)

    When I had a Polar activity watch last year, I bought the Polar scale that went with it. I had a lot of problems syncing to my watch, and compared to my Tanita scale, the Polar scale was really inaccurate. (Only off by .2 or .3 pounds, but it was happening on a daily basis.)

    I agree with the others: a simple scale is all you need, but if there something about data and tech and gadgets that you personally find motivating, then the purchase is worth it. I personally find the Tanita valuable because there is no way I can argue or justify a gain in my head (no, the scale is not off today).

    Which Tanita, and How much, which vendor/source?

    I've been considering one, but looking for reviews from actual users that can be crossexamined.

    @Cleosweetie

    I either bought it on Amazon or direct from Tanita; I can't remember.

    It was around $500 or $600.

    My model was the BWB-800S, which has been discontinued.

    The new version is the Tanita WB-800S plus Digital Scale. Looks like this new version has a BMI function, which mine does not. I agree with the others though that in-home BMI devices are not that accurate.

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