Bathroom scales and weight scales have come a long way; just as a smart watch can do far more than just tell the time, so the new generation of bathroom scales can track everything from BMI and body fat to your heart rate. Some link up with your smartphone and other devices to track your progress for 360-degree health monitoring - from bone density to hydration or muscle mass.
Some of the best smart scales will even inform you of the weather forecast - handy if you're packing your kit for a run. This is great news for people who want to track their fitness goals. However, for some, the best weight scales will still be the most straightforward.
A good set of scales should have a clear display and be easy to use. Size is also an important consideration: make sure the scales you eventually decide on are big and sturdy enough to accommodate you. Scales with little platform space for your feet won't be able to accurately measure your weight - and nobody wants scales that break after one use.
Another factor to think about when searching for the best weight scales is their resistance to humidity. Most people keep their scales in the bathroom, and it can get pretty steamy in there. Look around for scales that won't start malfunctioning when they come into contact with a little extra heat and moisture.
How smart scales work
Dr Jet Khasriya, specialist in bone and mineral biology and NHS-registered and private GP for doctor-on-demand app GPDQ, shares advice - and recommends the best smart scales.
Why are smart scales useful?
Body profile analysis is a very useful tool in healthcare. Knowing how much fat, water, muscle and bone your body is made up of can give insight into whether you are achieving your health goals. Imagine a scenario where you trying to lose weight but have hit a wall. Knowing that you are adding muscle mass whilst losing fat and maintaining your water weight is reassuring.
How do smart scales work?
It uses a small non-harmful electrical impulse to measure impedance in different tissue types. If you step into a scale (with your skin exposed) it can give you a rough estimate about your body composition.
Are smart scales accurate?
The best way to measure body fat or bone density is using old fashioned callipers or more modern methods such as DEXA scanning. These are however quite difficult to learn or not readily available to the average consumer. While it’s true that the exact initial measurement you are given with the more widely available health scale technology is not entirely accurate, the ability of the technology to log your readings allows you to see change over time which in itself is a very reliable metric.
What’s the best bathroom scale available?
I have personally tried the Withings Body analyser scales. I’ve found them useful because of their WiFi capability and iOS integration, allowing me to effortlessly record my metrics by just stepping on them every morning. They have helped me keep my fluid intake in check as well as telling me whether my effort in the gym is paying off.
1. Garmin S2 Index smart scale
The shiny Garmin Index smart bathroom scale in black looks positively James Bond-esque, with an attractive design and pretty much all the functions you could ask for (the black quickly shows finger and foot marks though, so white could be a better option (£149, Currys).
The battery-operated model (it uses four AA cells) can accommodate up to 16 users. Make sure it's connected to WiFi and the free Garmin Connect app as you set it up.
It measures weight, body mass index, body fat, muscle mass and bone mass. The bright LCD display has large numbers against a black background, allowing easy visibility. You can link it up to Garmin's other smart trackers and Garmin Edge GPS bike computers, too (£149.99, Garmin). It provides consistent results, and we recommend it highly.
2. Fitbit Aria 2 smart scale in white
Fitbit's Aria, "for the technologically-advanced weight watcher" was the company's first foray into the scales market. Now, they've launched the Aria 2. It's sturdy and there's enough space for you to place your feet comfortably. The LED display is bright and easy to read. The Aria 2 calculates your body fat percentage by passing a small electrical current through your bare feet, offering up accurate results.
The FitBit Aria connects to your WiFi network, and syncs information including your weight, lean mass and body fat percentage to your computer or device, which can be accessed through the Fitbit website or app. On it, you can find graphs showing the progress of your weight loss and fitness regime.
The FitBit Aria is perfect for large families or house shares as it recognises up to eight people, and it's compatible with iOS, Windows and Android (the results are synced to your own mobile device privately, so no one else will be able to view your progress.) It also comes in black.
3. Salter ultra-slim glass analyser
This glass analyser received top marks from us for ease-of-use and accurate readings of weight, body fat, total body water and BMI. It uses BIA (Bio Impedance Analysis) technology, which passes a tiny electrical impulse through the body to determine fat from lean tissue.
It's simple to set up a personal data entry with sex, height, age, user number using the up and down and "set" buttons. A fuss-free gadget which will help you to set your goals and then track your progress.
4. Under £20: Etekcity Digital Bathroom Scales
As smart scales go, this inexpensive digital scale might just be the best tech available for the price. The second you step onto the scale's sensors you get an immediate reading, letting you track your weight quickly and easily.
With a slick design and 6mm of tempered glass, it's also incredibly sturdy and boasts a backlit LCD display, auto-power-off, auto-zero, low battery and overload alerts, and the ability to select your measuring unit of choice (st, kg, lb).
5. Withings Body+ body composition Wi-Fi scale
You can connect the Nokia Body+ body composition Wi-Fi scale to the Health Mate app to keep track of your goals and history. It works well for a variety of goals, so it's a good option whether you're aiming to lose weight, get active, sleep better or even monitor your blood pressure.
It recognises up to eight users and also measures fat mass, muscle mass, water percentage (to check hydration and retention) and bone mass. You can even monitor your nutrition - just tell Health Mate your target weight and how fast you want to get there, then you’ll get a daily calorie budget.
Note that Withings merged with Nokia, so Nokia health products are now synonymous with Withings scales.
6. Beurer BG51XXL High Capacity Diagnostic Bathroom Scales
This bright white scale set from Beurer boasts a range of features, displaying not only your weight, but your body fat percentage, body water, muscle ratio (helpful, as muscle can weighs more than fat), bone mass (useful for ageing members of the family), and BMI.
The LCD displays are clear and easy to read, though it can get a little busy and differentiating between the five first thing in the morning might be tricky for some.
Subjectively, the scale's ability to recommend a daily calorie intake often suggests more calories than users are used to (or arguably, need). Because of this, we advise speaking to a nutritionist or GP for more targeted diet planning.
7. Under £20: Collection bamboo digital bathroom scales
These very accurate battery-operated bamboo scales are a great budget option for those on a budget. Made from natural bamboo, they're also visually pleasing - and can withstand weights of up to 180kg.
They provide enough space to comfortably stand on and accurately calculate your weight in real time, switching between imperial and metric measurements.
8. Omron BF511 family body composition monitor
More than just a set of scales, the Omron family body clinical composition monitor also gives you precise and in-depth body fat measurements. It reads not only body fat percentage, but also visceral fat, resting metabolism and skeletal muscle percentage to help you meet your fitness and weight goals. It uses both feet and hand sensors to accurately analyse and display your measurements.
If you don't mind fiddling around with the various buttons to get the measurements you need, the Omron provides accurate, in-depth information.
9. Salter 145 mechanical bathroom scale
The trusty Salter 145 mechanical scale has a rather retro look about it. Sturdy and with a generous amount of foot room to keep you balanced, the scales can hold weights up to 150kg. There are no bells and whistles, but for a simple set of scales, the Salter 145 mechanical scale is a great choice.
10. Under £20: WW Ultra Slim Glass Scale
The design and functionality don't offer anything particularly special but, for the price, it is the very best bathroom scale you could hope for. It has a glass base, decent LCD screen, comes with a battery, and can hold weight up to 28 stone. With a 15-year guarantee, you really can't go wrong.
Our favourites
While we love the retro look and the simplicity of the classic Salter 145 mechanical bathroom scale (£23.20, Amazon), the new breed of smart scales have exciting features to offer - many of which are easy to use thanks to their connectivity to apps and other devices, and their clear, easy to read LCD screens.
Of these, we particularly rated the Garmin Index smart scale and the Withings Body+ body composition Wi-Fi scale (£89.99, Amazon).
According to Dr Daniel Wright (NHS-registered and private GP for GPDQ the UK’s first doctor-on-demand app, and medical director of VIVA medi-clinics private GP practice in Harley Street), such scales are a stress-free way to monitor your health - but if in doubt, you should still seek professional medical advice.
"There are a number of bathroom scales available now which endeavour to measure bone density using a different method, using ‘bioelectrical impedance analysis’ (BIA). These bathroom scales send a very small electric current through your body. Given bone, fat, muscle and other tissues all conduct electricity at a different amount, the scale can then calculate your bone mass. This measure is proportional to your total body water," he explains.
“However, given that this total body water is the factor against in which they measure against, they can be very sensitive to hydration, to how much fluid is in your body. The devices invariably try and take this into account and negate this by issuing quite strict instructions about weighing yourself, time of day, fluid and food intake. Other factors you may want to take into consideration are your menstrual cycle and caffeine and alcohol intake. This is difficult to be exact about however, given your daily diet variation and external environment factors.
“Studies comparing these machines with traditional methods did show relatively poor accuracy about body composition, principally due to the above reasons.
“If you are aware of all the possible factors which can cause an inaccurate reading and try to keep your lifestyle as consistent as possible, though, despite their flaws, the scales are a stress-free, at-home way to monitor your health over a prolonged time. They will give you a general picture, showing any long-term changes in your body composition. This may keep you incentivised in keeping your health at the forefront of your mind, and may be good for tracking changes with a diet and exercise program.
“If you have concerns regarding your bone mineral density and believe you are at high risk for osteoporosis, do not rely on these devices, but seek medical advice from your GP."
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