Fitbit Aria Air<\/h3>\nBest affordable smart scale<\/h4>\n
$49 at Amazon<\/u><\/a>$49 at QVC<\/a>See more options<\/a> $45 at Amazon<\/u><\/a> $150 at Backcountry<\/u><\/a>$150 at CompetitiveCyclist.com<\/a>$130 at Newegg<\/a>See more options<\/a> $200 at Amazon<\/u><\/a>$200 at Apple<\/a>See more options<\/a><\/p>\n There are valid reasons to weigh yourself, but your self-worth shouldn\u2019t be defined by the number that shows up between your feet. If you\u2019re looking to alter your body shape, that figure could go up as your waistline goes down, since muscle weighs more than fat. Dr. Anne Swift, Director of public health teaching at the University of Cambridge, said that \u201cweighing yourself too often can result in [you] becoming fixated on small fluctuations day-to-day, rather than the overall trend over time.\u201d Swift added that \u201cit\u2019s sometimes better to focus on how clothes fit, or how you feel, rather than your weight.\u201d<\/p>\n (A meta-analysis from 2016<\/a> found there may be some negative psychological impact from self weighing. A 2018 study<\/a>, however, said that there may be a positive correlation between regular weigh-ins and accelerated weight loss. It can be a minefield, and I\u2019d urge you to take real care of yourself and remember that success won\u2019t happen overnight.)<\/p>\n A weighing scale that weighs you is probably the top requirement, right? One thing to bear in mind is that, with all these measurements, weight readings won\u2019t be as accurate as a calibrated, clinical scale. Consequently, it\u2019s better to focus on the overall full body weight trend up or down over time, rather than the figures in isolation.<\/p>\n Most scales will either connect to your phone over Bluetooth, or to your home\u2019s Wi-Fi network, and you should work out your regular weighing routine ahead of time. A lot of lower-end, Bluetooth-only scales will only record your weight when your phone is present and don\u2019t keep local records. That means if you routinely leave your phone outside the bathroom at home, you could lose that day\u2019s stats. Wi-Fi connectivity, on the other hand, allows a scale to post your stats to a server, letting you access them from any compatible device. But you need to be mindful that there\u2019s a small risk to your privacy should that information from your Wi-Fi scale be compromised.<\/p>\n The stronger your bones, the less you\u2019re at risk from breaks and osteoporosis, which you should keep in mind as you get older. Clinical bone density tests use low-power x-rays but higher-end scales can offer an approximation from your own bathroom. These bone mass tests pass a small electrical current through your feet, measuring the resistance as it completes its journey. The resistance offered by bones, fat and muscle are all different, and your scale can identify the difference.<\/p>\n Fat and muscle are necessary parts of our makeup, but an excessive amount of either can be problematic. Much like bone density, a smart scale measures both your body fat and muscle mass percentages using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). This measurement tests how well your body resists the electrical signal passing through your body. (It\u2019s a rough rule of thumb that you should have a 30\/70 percent split between fat and muscle, but please consult a medical professional for figures specific to your own body and medical needs.)<\/p>\n A lot of scales offer a BMI calculation, and it\u2019s easy to do since you just plot height and weight on a set graph line. Body Mass Index is, however, a problematic measurement that its critics say is both overly simplistic<\/a> and often greatly misleading<\/a>. Unfortunately, it\u2019s also one of the most common clinical body metrics and medical professionals will use it to make judgements about your care.<\/p>\n French health-tech company Withings has offered Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) on its flagship scale for some time, although regulatory concerns meant it was withdrawn for a period of time. It\u2019s a measurement of arterial stiffness, which acts as a marker both of cardiovascular risk and also other health conditions. I\u2019ve had anecdotal reports that PWV scales have sent people to the doctor, where they\u2019ve found they were close to a cardiac event. It\u2019s worth saying, as with all of these technologies, that there is limited, albeit positive<\/a>, research into how accurate these systems are.<\/p>\n Less a specification and more a note that smart scales have displays ranging from pre-printed LCDs or digital dot matrix layouts through to color screens. On the high end, your scale display can show you trending charts for your weight and other vital statistics, and can even tell you the day\u2019s weather. If you are short-sighted, and plan on weighing yourself first thing in the morning, before you\u2019ve found your glasses \/ contacts, opt for a big, clear, high-contrast display.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll spend most of your time looking at your health data through its companion app, and it\u2019s vital you get a good one. This includes a clear, clean layout with powerful tools to visualize your progress and analyze your data to look for places you can improve. Given that you often don\u2019t need to buy anything before trying the app, it\u2019s worth testing one or two to see if you vibe with it.<\/p>\n Several companies also offer premium subscriptions, unlocking other features \u2013 including insights and coaching \u2013 to go along with your hardware. Fitbit and Withings both offer these services, which you may feel is worth the extra investment each month.<\/p>\n Using the same scale or app platform for years at a time means you\u2019ll build up a massive trove of personal data. And it is, or should be, your right to take that data to another provider when you choose to move platforms in the future. Data portability is, however, a minefield, with different platforms offering wildly different options, making it easy (or hard) to go elsewhere.<\/p>\n All of the devices in this round-up will allow you to export your data to a .CSV file, which you can then do with as you wish. Importing this information is trickier, with Withings and Garmin allowing it, and Omron, Xiaomi, Eufy and Fitbit not making it that easy. (Apps that engage with Apple Health, meanwhile, can output all of your health data<\/a> in a .XML file.)<\/p>\n It\u2019s not a huge issue but one worth bearing in mind that each scale will either run disposable batteries (most commonly 4xAAA) or with its own, built-in battery pack. Sadly, all of our crop of smart scales use batteries, adding an environmental and financial cost to your scale life. That\u2019s just about forgivable for scales that cost under $100, but this stretches even to the highest-end models. When you\u2019re spending more than that on a device, the lack of a rechargeable cell feels very, very cheap indeed.<\/p>\n For this guide, I tested six scales from major manufacturers:<\/p>\n Our cheapest model, Xiaomi \/ Mi\u2019s Body Composition Scale 2 is as bare-bones as you can get, and it shows. It often takes a long while to lock on to get your body weight, and when it does you\u2019ll have to delve into the Zepp Life-branded app in order to look at your extra data. But you can\u2019t fault it for the basics, offering limited weight and body composition for less than the price of a McDonald\u2019s for four.<\/p>\n Fitbit, now part of Google, is the household name for fitness trackers and smartwatches in the US, right? If not, then it must be at least halfway synonymous with it. The Aria Air is the company\u2019s stripped-to-the-bare bones scale, offering your weight and a few other health metrics, but you can trust that Fitbit got the basics right. Not to mention that most of the reason for buying a Fitbit product is to leverage its fitness app anyway.<\/p>\n Eufy\u2019s Smart Scale P2 Pro has plenty of things to commend it \u2013 the price, the overall look and feel (it\u2019s a snazzy piece of kit) and what it offers. It offers a whole host of in-depth measurements, including Body Fat, Muscle Mass, Water Weight, Body Fat Mass and Bone Mass, as well as calculating things like your Heart Rate and Basal Metabolic Rate (the amount of calories you need to eat a day to not change weight at all) all from inside its app. In fact, buried beneath the friendly graphic, the scale offers a big pile of stats and data that should, I think, give you more than a little coaching on how to improve your lifestyle.<\/p>\n Shortly before publication, Anker \u2013 Eufy\u2019s parent company \u2013 was identified as having misled users, and the media, about the security of its products. Its Eufy-branded security cameras, which the company says does not broadcast video outside of your local network, was found to be allowing third parties to access streams online. Consequently, while we have praised the Eufy Smart Scale for its own features, we cannot recommend it without a big caveat.<\/p>\n Given its role in making actual medical devices, you know what you\u2019re getting with an Omron product. A solid, reliable, sturdy, strong (checks the dictionary for more synonyms) dependable piece of kit. There\u2019s no romance or excitement on show, but you can trust that however joyless it may be, it\u2019ll do the job in question and will be user-friendly. The hardware is limited, the app is limited, but it certainly (checks synonyms again) is steady.<\/p>\n Joking aside, Omron\u2019s Connect app is as bare-bones as you can get, since it acts as an interface for so many of its products. Scroll over to the Weight page, and you\u2019ll get your weight and BMI reading, and if you\u2019ve set a fitness goal, you can see how far you\u2019ve got to go to reach it. You can also switch to seeing a trend graph which, again, offers the most basic visualization on offer.<\/p>\n Garmin\u2019s got a pretty massive fitness ecosystem of its own, so if you\u2019re already part of that world, its smart bathroom scale is a no-brainer. On one hand, the scale is one of the easiest to use, and most luxurious of the bunch, with its color screen and sleek design. I\u2019m also a big fan of the wealth of data and different metrics the scale throws at you \u2013 you can see a full color graph charting your weight progress, and the various metrics it tracks in good detail. If there\u2019s a downside, it\u2019s that Garmin\u2019s setup won\u2019t hold your hand, since it\u2019s for serious fitness people, not newbies.<\/p>\n At the highest end, Withings\u2019 flagship Body Comp is luxurious, and luxuriously priced, a figure I\u2019d consider to be \u201ctoo much\u201d to spend on a bathroom scale. For your money, however, you\u2019ll get a fairly comprehensive rundown of body composition metrics including your weight, body fat percentage, vascular age, pulse wave velocity and electrodermal activity. Its monochrome dot matrix display may not be as swish as the Garmin\u2019s, but it refreshes pretty quickly and feels very in-keeping with the hardware\u2019s overall sleek look. If there\u2019s a downside, it\u2019s that they ditched the rechargeable battery found in the Withings Body Cardio (its former flagship, and an excellent scale I\u2019d recommend if it were within the parameters of this guide) in favor of AAA batteries. Which, when you\u2019re spending this much on a scale, makes me feel very nickel-and-dimed.<\/p>\n Display type:<\/strong> LCD | Wi-Fi connectivity:<\/strong> Yes | App connectivity:<\/strong> Yes<\/p>\n It\u2019s very competitive at the low end for the best budget smart scale, and Xiaomi<\/a> and Fitbit<\/a> offer dramatically contrasting products for a very low price. Fitbit\u2019s scale has far fewer features, but has better build quality, is faster and more reliable than its cheaper rival. Crucially, it also leverages the Fitbit app, which is refined and easy-to-use, offering clean, easy-to understand visualizations.<\/p>\n Xiaomi, meanwhile, offers weight and some basic body composition measurements, although this extra data is only visualized inside the app. From a data perspective, the Xiaomi has the edge, but its companion app \u2013 formerly Mi Fit, now branded as Zepp Life \u2013 is terrible. The lag time for each weigh-in, too, leaves a lot to be desired with the Xiaomi, although I had no qualms about its accuracy.<\/p>\n When I was a kid, and complained about something, my nan would say \u201clook, you can either have a first class walk or a third class ride.\u201d And Fitbit\u2019s scale here is the very definition of a first class ride \u2013 polished, snappy and with a world-class app by its side. The Xiaomi, meanwhile, offers more for your money, and charges less, but both hardware and software lack any sort of polish. It\u2019s therefore up to you if you\u2019d rather the first class walk or the third class ride.<\/p>\n ProsGood build qualityEasy to useConvenient integration with Fitbit appConsFewer features than competitors$49 at Amazon<\/a>Explore More Buying Options$49 at QVC<\/a> Display type:<\/strong> LCD | Wi-Fi connectivity:<\/strong> Yes | App connectivity:<\/strong> Yes, syncs with Apple Health, Google Fit, or Fitbit<\/p>\n Well, this is awkward. Not long before this guide was published, it was revealed that Eufy<\/a> is in the midst of a massive security issue. Researchers found that its security cameras, which were promised to be secure, allowed internet users to access the stream using VLC player. Consequently the high praise for Eufy\u2019s P2 Pro I have as a scale will need to be moderated by the fact that we don\u2019t yet know how deep the company\u2019s promises around privacy and security really run.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unfortunate, as the scale does leap head-and-shoulders above the competition at this level, and it surpassed my expectations by quite a bit. The ease of use was one thing, but the depth of metric data made available in the app, and the way it presents that information, is fantastic. While I don\u2019t think the Eufy Life app is better than, say, Withings\u2019 class-leading Health Mate, it offers exactly what a would-be weight-watcher would need.<\/p>\n The fact you can get plenty of your vital statistics graphed by hitting two buttons helps you visualize your progress, but the stat dashboard laying out everything, including your BMR, is so useful. If you\u2019re going all Quantified Self, you could theoretically calculate your daily calorie intake to the finest of fine margins looking at this thing every morning.<\/p>\n ProsEasy to useProvides a lot of dataHandy in-app dashboardConsLackluster app$45 at Amazon<\/a> Display type: <\/strong>LCD | Wi-Fi connectivity:<\/strong> Yes | App connectivity:<\/strong> Yes<\/p>\n I\u2019m very partial to Garmin\u2019s Index S2<\/a>, but I also think it\u2019s the sort of scale that needs to be used by people who know what they\u2019re doing. Almost everything about the hardware is spot-on, and the only fly in its ointment is the low refresh rate on its color screen. I can\u2019t say how upsetting it was to see the display refresh in such a laggy, unpolished manner, especially when you\u2019re spending this much money. But that\u2019s my only complaint, and the rest of the hardware (and software) is otherwise pitch-perfect. If you\u2019re looking to set goals to alter your body shape, this probably isn\u2019t the scale for you \u2013 it\u2019s the scale you buy once you already calculate your BMR on a daily basis.<\/p>\n ProsGood build qualityGood integration with Garmin mobile appProvides a lot of dataConsLaggy display$150 at Backcountry<\/a>Explore More Buying Options$150 at CompetitiveCyclist.com<\/a>$130 at Newegg<\/a> Display type:<\/strong> LCD | Wi-Fi connectivity:<\/strong> Yes | App connectivity:<\/strong> Yes, syncs with Apple Health and Google Fit<\/p>\n Naturally, if you\u2019re looking for a machine that\u2019ll cater to your every whim and hypochondriac urge, then Withings\u2019 Body Comp<\/a> is the way forward. It\u2019s a luxury scale in every sense of the word, and you should appreciate the level of polish and technology on show here. Apart from the batteries, which I\u2019ve already said is a cheap and nasty way to save money given that you\u2019re dropping this much money on a product.<\/p>\n The group of people who think it\u2019s reasonable to spend $200 on a scale is, especially with food and energy prices spiking, a fairly small one. But if you\u2019re the sort who already spends hand over fist to keep your body in check, this is probably justifiable as an \u201cinvestment.\u201d Knowing all of the extras about your nerve health and arteries is a bonus, but let\u2019s be clear and say this isn\u2019t the top pick for everybody. Hell, you might have second thoughts even if you do have a subscription to Good Yachting Magazine.<\/p>\n ProsGood build qualityExcellent software support with Withings appIn-depth health tracking, including data on nerve and artery heatlhConsRuns on disposable batteries$200 at Amazon<\/a>Explore More Buying Options$200 at Apple<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Back in 2007, I bought a dirt-cheap, dumb scale and drew my own graphs in order to chart my weight\u2019s downward progress after a rough year at university. I think that while 2007-me wouldn\u2019t be pleased with my own fitness journey, he would love the fact that the process is entirely automated, affordable and pretty […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,52,49,56,1587,48,778,51,1586,53,47,1058,81],"tags":[66,63,60,67,1589,59,779,62,1588,64,58,1059,84],"yoast_head":"\n<\/p>\n
Eufy Smart Scale P2 Pro<\/h3>\n
Most feature-rich smart scale<\/h4>\n
More options<\/a><\/p>\n
Garmin Index S2<\/h3>\n
Best smart scale for athletes<\/h4>\n
![](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/_X.0NgryuzYQ.JzvcZ6Urw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDtoPTEzNg--\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/d_chHJcBE.OT523LVJjsvw--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2023-12\/155f3990-95dc-11ee-bdff-59b1c3303c61\")
Withings Body Comp<\/h3>\n
Best premium smart scale<\/h4>\n
Safety<\/h2>\n
What to look for in a smart scale<\/h2>\n
Weight<\/h3>\n
Connectivity<\/h3>\n
Bone density<\/h3>\n
Body fat percentage and muscle mass<\/h3>\n
BMI<\/h3>\n
Pulse Wave Velocity<\/h3>\n
Display<\/h3>\n
App and subscriptions<\/h3>\n
Data portability<\/h3>\n
Power<\/h3>\n
How we tested and which smart scales we tested<\/h2>\n
Mi (Xiaomi) Body Composition Scale 2 ($29.99)<\/h3>\n
Fitbit Aira Air<\/a> ($49.95)<\/h3>\n
Anker Eufy Smart Scale P2 Pro<\/a> ($79.99)<\/h3>\n
Omron BCM-500 Body Composition and Scale with Bluetooth<\/a> ($89.99)<\/h3>\n
Garmin Index S2<\/a> ($149.99)<\/h3>\n
Withings Body Comp<\/a> ($209.95)<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Fitbit<\/p>\n
Fitbit Aria Air<\/a><\/h3>\n
Best affordable smart scale<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/a>eufy<\/p>\n
Eufy Smart Scale P2 Pro<\/a><\/h3>\n
Most feature-rich smart scale<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/a>Garmin<\/p>\n
Garmin Index S2<\/a><\/h3>\n
Best smart scale for athletes<\/a><\/h4>\n
![](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/d_chHJcBE.OT523LVJjsvw--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2023-12\/155f3990-95dc-11ee-bdff-59b1c3303c61\")
Withings Body Comp<\/a><\/h3>\n
Best premium smart scale<\/a><\/h4>\n