The Best Body Fat Scale Reviews – Expert Recommendation & Guide

Our Top Pick: Eat Smart Precision GetFit Digital Body Fat Scale
Read our full review.

Monitoring your health has gotten easier as the technology available to the home users has increased. A good body fat scale may be the instrument you need to track your fitness progression. Body fat scales work by sending an electrical pulse through one leg and measuring the signal strength and how long it takes to reach the other leg. Body fat, water, and muscle mass all affect how this signal moves through the body.

This is the scale for the serious athlete as it has a regular and an athlete mode. Athlete mode is for users that exercise for more than 10 hours per week, causing them to have greater muscle mass and less body fat. Be sure to check which mode the scale is in because having it in the wrong mode can lead to inaccurate readings. The user manual that you can find online at manualsnet.com  also suggests having bare feet and taking consistent incremental measurements over time for the best results. When used in this way readings were consistent and accurate

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The EatSmart Precision GetFit Digital Body Fat Scale (EatSmart) is a standout choice among body fat scales. EatSmart offers a good product with excellent customer service. Features include:

• Measures body fat, total body water, muscle mass and bone mass
• Auto recognition
• Storage of personal data for up to 8 users
• Auto turn on
• Large 3.5″ Blue LCD display with white backlight
• Auto calibrated
• Auto power-off
• Measures up to 400lbs.
• Dimensions 12.5 x 12.5 x 1 inches

The EatSmart includes features that make it easy to use, such as a large backlight display and no tap instant reading. It also offers the benefit of storing data for up to 8 users, a nice feature for a large family, group weigh-ins at the office, or gym.

This is the scale for the serious athlete as it has a regular and an athlete mode. Athlete mode is for users that exercise for more than 10 hours per week, causing them to have greater muscle mass and less body fat. Be sure to check which mode the scale is in because having it in the wrong mode can lead to inaccurate readings. The user manual that you can find online at manualsnet.com also suggests having bare feet and taking consistent incremental measurements over time for the best results. When used in this way readings were consistent and accurate.

To get consistent readings it is important to keep the conditions of your weigh-in consistent. Measuring at the same time of day, preferably not after exercising as exercising can dehydrate the body. Keeping the scale clean will also aid in consistent readings, although no users reported problems in this area.

The EatSmart allows for height increments of .5in, a convenient feature for those who fall between heights. The scale uses small increments to weight within .2 lbs., providing a more accurate measurement. The scale can also measure up to 400 lbs. a nice feature as many scales only go to 300 to 350 lbs.

The small, sleek design works well with modern décor. Gone are the days of the bulky bathroom scale sitting in the middle of the room. Users were pleased with its size. Despite its small size, it proved to be quite durable and withstood prolonged use.

The EatSmart is easy to use. Users simply step on and, based on past body weight, the unit recognizes the user. There is no need to tap a button to scroll through to find the correct profile because it has a touch screen interface. However, the scale does need to recalibrate if picked up and moved.

The real standout of the EatSmart is customer service. It is a small American based company and they respond quickly to problems or inquiries, frequently with a personal email from the vice president of the company. They have a 100% satisfaction guarantee that ensures that if you aren’t satisfied they will either replace the unit or give a full refund. With so many companies using automated systems that cause consumers frustration, it is refreshing to find a company that still values personal customer contact.

The Ozeri Touch 440 lbs. Total Body Bath Scale (Ozeri) comes in at a close second place. It includes many of the features found in our gold pick plus a tare feature. Features include:

• Infant Tare Button allows for quick and easy weighing of your infant, pet or luggage item while in your arms
• Calculates weight, body fat, hydration, muscle and bone mass
• Features 3 touch sensitive buttons
• Auto recognition of up to 8 profiles.
• Weighs up to 440 pounds (200 kilograms) in 0.2 lbs increments.
• Made of high quality impact-resistant tempered glass
• Runs on 2 lithium batteries
• Dimensions 12.2 x 12.2 x 0.5 inches

The Ozeri records, weight, body fat percentage, hydration and bone mass. It also has a tare feature that allows you to easily weigh infants or luggage. To do so, first the user steps on alone, then steps off, then steps on again holding the infant or luggage. This feature allows you to truly monitor all your family members’ weight, even the baby. Additionally, it can prevent expensive airport fees by allowing you to weigh your luggage before a flight.

The aesthetics of the scale is a user favorite. The glass top creates a sleek look, which helps it to blend in with modern bathroom décor. The overall quality is good and solid. The use of new technology has greatly reduced the size and bulk of body fat scales and the Ozeri’s small compact size can easily fit into a small bathroom.

The scale also has an auto shut off feature which is good for battery life, especially if you have children that may forget to turn it off. It has an under/normal/over weight feature based on a calculated BMI. Be sure to read the manual and booklet that come with the Ozeri because it explains various calculations, such as BMI, and how that can affect the user. Reading and understanding all the readings of the scale will help the user to better gauge their overall health.

The Ozer stores up to 8 different profiles, which it automatically recognizes based on previous weigh-ins. However, users did report that the profiles cannot be set for users younger than 10 years old. It is suitable for group weigh-ins in a workplace or gym. This scale could work for a family looking to track their weights as long as they were not looking to track younger children.

The Ozeri did occasionally have problems accurately weighing users if the scale was not place on a hard flat surface. Users also reported that it could vary on weight within .5 lbs when several weights were taken in succession. The scale also has a unit button, which changes the units measured in, located on the underside of the scale. Some users report accidentally depressing this button when moving the scale.

Overall users were very pleased with the Ozeri and it does provide the accurate, consistent readings required of a body fat scale.

The Smart Weigh Body Fat Digital Precision Scale offers another sleek body fat scale option. It includes the following features:

• Tempered glass platform and stainless steel accents
• Recognizes and records information for up to 8 users
• Measures body weight, body fat, water, and muscle and bone mass
• Auto measure feature
• Uses 2 CR2032 batteries which are included.
• Measures up to 440 lbs.
• Dimensions 12 x 12 x 0.5 inches

This scale provides similar features to others on the list. The online price is listed at $32.99 making it an economical choice. Many users reported liking the look of the scale as it fit in well with modern décor. It is small enough to not be cumbersome even in a small bathroom. The tempered glass top is high quality and felt luxurious for the price paid. While many liked the stainless steel accents, they accents did smudge often which required frequent cleaning to keep them from looking dirty.

It has an auto start feature which turns on simply by stepping onto the scale. The scale then turns out without the user having to press any buttons or switches. It also automatically shuts off after a time, saving valuable battery life. It requires 2 CR2032 batteries which are more expensive than AA or AAA, a point that some users found inconvenient. However, the battery life was much longer than expected.

The Smart Weigh has auto recognition as the other scales and can be used with up to 8 users. Useful for a large family or group weigh-ins. However, users did report that if two users are within 6 lbs. of each other the scale requires the user to choose between the two profiles, which could cause potential difficulties if two users are similar in size and weight. The Smart Weigh can read weights up to 440 lbs., making it available to wide range of users.

This scale measures the five target areas of body weight, body fat, water, muscle and bone mass. Weight readings can be taken with shoes or socks on but for the additional readings, bare feet are required. It proved accurate when taking weight measurements but for some of the additional readings the accuracy was not as dependable. Bone mass in particular seemed to be difficult for this scale. If you are looking for a scale to help monitor bone mass this may not be the one.

Be sure to read the accompanying booklet because it includes charts and graphs that show where your percentage falls. Also be aware that the information included in the booklet is not all encompassing. If you are looking for additional explanations of the readings you may need to contact the manufacturer. Smart Weight willingly provided additional information to users about the uses of knowing body water percentage.

The VonHaus Body Fat Scale offers the features of a more expensive body fat scale but at half the price, online $22.95. Included features:

• Measures weight, body fat, water, muscle and bone percentage
• Calculates calories needed per day to achieve fitness goals.
• Auto-turn on
• Stores information for up to 12 people.
• Measures up to 400lb.
• Powered by 2 x AAA batteries
• Large LCD screen
• Dimensions 14.2 x 13.1 x 2.4 inches

The VonHaus scale measures weight, body fat, water, muscle and bone mass. It is easy to set up different profiles and its auto turn-on feature works well. Like similar scales it uses an electrical pulse to read fat and total body water. It has an indicator light when batteries begin to run low and an error message if feet are not placed properly on the scale.

This scale can store information for up to 12 people, ideal for a large family, work place weigh-ins, or gym. An additional feature not seen in more expensive scales is the ability to calculate calories needed to achieve weight goals. This information is calculated using age, gender, and height to determine how many calories are needed for each individual.

The VonHaus consistently measures weight well but, on the other measurements particularly body water and muscle mass, it tends to be more temperamental than the previous scales. A profile must be selected and set up before it will read any measurement beyond weight. Users also have to be sure the scale is wiped clean before trying to get a Body Mass Index (BMI) reading. Users had a difficult time getting their feet placed properly causing them to frequently get an error message when trying to get a measurement beyond their weight.

The VonHaus is larger than the previously reviewed models and its design is not as sleek but it still provides reliable consistent readings for those who are looking for a budget conscious option.

Pre-purchase considerations

Accuracy

A scale is only as good as its accuracy. Successful health monitoring requires an accurate measurement of weight, in particular, but if you are also planning on tracking other factors such as body fat or muscle mass be sure to find a model that is reported to function well when taking those measurements. Check reviews because if a scale is inaccurate it will show up in customer complaints. If you’ve already bought a scale compare its accuracy with that of a trusted scale such as one at the physician’s office.

Consistency

Body fat scales are used to monitor health and overall fitness. To do so a user must be able to rely on them for readings that will truly indicate progress made. Even if the scale measurements are off by .2lbs, it should always be off by .2lbs to give the user reliable results.

Consistency can be tested by weighing in, then stepping off the scale, and weighing in again. The readings may vary but should not be more than .2 -.5 lbs over or under if readings are going to be consistent. Check the increments in which the scale measures because discrepancies may appear as the scale only measures in .5 lbs. increments.

Also keep in mind, a scale may be consistent with weight measurements but not with extra features such as body water, muscle and bone mass. If there is a particular reading you want to follow such as fat content be sure to check reviews that should indicate if the scale is consistent in this area. Use the same test to see if the scale is giving consistent readings for these numbers as well.

Ease of Use

Gone are the days of tapping buttons or dialing your scale in. Look for scales that locate all on/off buttons on the top of the scale. Some pricier models even have touch screen technology. Look to see if the scale has any buttons or switches on the sides or underneath as this can be inconvenient.

Automatic on/off features make weigh-ins convenient and easy. They can also prolong battery life. Check reviews to learn if creating profiles is difficult or cumbersome. Know how many profiles you want to create before buying so that if you need more than 8, which seems to be a standard number with body fat scales, it will be able to accommodate. If the scale has an auto recognition system, it can save you valuable time because the scale can recognize users based on their past weight with no need to scroll through a user list.

Right Features

There are subtle differences in models that may make a big difference for you. If you are an athlete, someone who spends 10+ hours working out hard every week, you need a body fat scale with an ‘athlete’ setting to get accurate, consistent results. If you have a family and want to record weights for children under the age of 10, you’ll need to make sure the model you are looking at has settings for a child. Bone mass measurements are going to be important for users who are at risk for osteoporosis so be sure the model you are considering takes accurate measurements in this area.

It comes down to deciding which measurements are going to be most important to you. Once you’ve decided search for the model with the most accurate, consistent results in that area.

Conclusion (Wrapping it up)

A body fat scale may be exactly what you need to take the next steps in monitoring your health. Technology has made taking body fat measurements in the comfort of your own home a possibility. There a several good scales available and many of them are at a reasonable price.

To get the results you are looking for it is best to take readings in consistent conditions. Take readings at the same time of day each time you get on the scale. Clothing should be similar at each reading. Try not to weigh-in right after exercise or eating a large meal. Most scales take better readings if they are kept dry and clean, but check the manual that comes with your scale to determine optimal weigh-in conditions as it may change your results.

Remember, these scales are best used to track your progression, not to compare yourself to someone else as body composition and make up can vary greatly between individuals. Once you’ve decided on a scale it is important to read the manual that comes with it and follow instructions carefully. Not doing so can result in inaccurate results.