When considering all the options, “it should be easy to calibrate in between uses so that it is grounded to zero and should be accurate to about two decimal places if someone is looking for small changes in weight," Huma Sheikh, MD, a neurologist at Mount Sinai in New York City and member of the Verywell Health Medical Expert Board, told Verywell. Also, consider ease of use, ability to give consistent readings, and Bluetooth connectivity.
We purchased 23 options of all shapes and sizes, including smart, digital, and dial scales, and put them to the test in The Verywell Testing Lab. We evaluated the scales’ setup, data storage, display and readability, ease of use, durability, and overall value.
Ideal if you prefer smart features, the scale pairs with an app, complete with Bluetooth connectivity. Our tester praised the easy setup and liked that all of your data can be stored and tracked on your phone. Aside from weight readings, it also offers 12 other metrics, including body fat, bone mass, and metabolic age, making it a diverse pick if you have varied wellness goals.
When it came to ease of use, this scale fell a bit short. Our tester found the scale prone to tipping due to the positioning of the scale’s feet, earning this attribute a 4.5. All attributes considered, it received an overall score of 4.6. As a plus, the scale is compatible with a variety of wellness apps including Samsung Health, Fitbit App, Google Fit, and Apple Health.
Average Standard Deviation: .14
Price at time of publication: $35
The scale received consistent five star ratings for all attributes except data storage, which received a three. Our tester wasn’t a big fan of the flashing feature of the weight reading, but this was a personal preference. During the durability test, the scale also displayed an error message with an initial reading being inaccurate by 10 pounds—but it was working normally by the second try.
This scale received the highest overall value on our list, at a rating of five, and its price can’t be beat by any others on our list. If you’re new to bathroom scales and prefer an option without any frills, this scale offers the basics in a sleek, reliable design.
Average Standard Deviation: .94
Price at time of publish: $16
We admitted to liking the app, which was thorough and easy to navigate, more than the actual scale, since the scale didn’t have the most visual-friendly display with dark red text and black background. However, it held up well during the durability test with no flaws to point out. The scale earned a 4.5 for overall value and is likely the right buy if you’re tech-savvy and enjoy having a lot of app features to play around with.
Average Standard Deviation: .16
Price at time of publish: $25
It received a three for data storage, as our tester notably pointed out that the first reading produced a different number within a few minutes time, with no eating in between. The scale itself also has a non-traditional design, and may take up more room than you’re likely hoping for if you have a small space. This feedback affected its overall value, which received a 3.5. However, its other attributes received no less than a 4.5, as the scale is straightforward and versatile thanks to the dual reading function, and was easy to set up.
While it doesn’t offer many of the features of the smarter models, it does have a built-in alarm to remind you to weigh in at the same time daily and is offered in multiple colors.
Average Standard Deviation: .69
Price at time of publish: $33
A caveat that we found is that the scale retained footprint marks, earning it a four out of five for ease of use. This may not be the most visually appealing to some, especially if the scale is being shared among several people. However, the scale didn’t receive scores below a four, making it a solid choice if you prefer a more modern scale that can offer many insights into your health. We especially recommend this scale for those who plan on using a scale to track their long-term health.
Average Standard Deviation: .14
Price at time of publish: $36
The simple design is best suited for users who don’t require extra technological features. As a plus, it features auto shut-off to save battery life as well as an extra-wide platform, its dimensions making it the largest device among all our choices. Recommended for occasional use, the scale received four out of five stars for overall value.
Average Standard Deviation: .54
Price at time of publish: $50
We rated the scale a 3.5 for data storage, as it doesn’t include an app or Bluetooth compatibility. While it’s not a smart scale, it offers an option for the weight readings to be viewed in kilograms. Additionally, as one of the two devices on our list with the largest dimensions and highest weight capacities, it’s accommodating of a variety of sizes, and it’s ideal if you like extra room. However, if you have limited space, it may be too large.
The scale received a four out of five for its overall value.
Average Standard Deviation: .75
Price at time of publish: $73
Our tester praised setup and ease of use, as it required no calibration, earning the scale a five for both attributes. It passed the durability test without any scratches or marks, and kept its glossy, sheen finish without a trace of footprints after use.
The scale fell short when it came to display and readability, which received a three out of five. The bright blue background and dark text wasn’t the most user-friendly, and not all may like the flashing reading feature. Data storage also received the lowest rating of 2.5, as the scale doesn’t have this feature, requiring some more manual work.
While not a smart scale, this option makes up for this with extra features like a low-battery notification and four anti-slip pads. Among all our options, this scale received the lowest overall value, at three out of five, but it gets the job done while appearing more expensive than it actually is.
Average Standard Deviation: .12
Price at time of publish: $50
The scale’s lowest score was given for display and readability, which received a two. Our tester noted that the scale tips easily when stepping on to the device, and it isn’t sturdy due to its small size. She also found that it was easy for her feet to accidentally cover the reading, making it not the best suited choice if you have large or wide feet—or stability issues.
For a portable, carry-on choice, the scale is hard to beat. Its units can be converted between kilograms, pounds, and stone weight, and it’s available in multiple colors.
Average Standard Deviation: .12
Price at time of publish: $29
4.5 to 4.7 stars: These bathroom scales are excellent—they might have minor flaws, but we still recommend them.
4.0 to 4.5 stars: We think these are great bathroom scales, but others are better.
3.5 to 3.9 stars: These bathroom scales are just average.
3.4 and below: We don’t recommend bathroom scales with this rating; you won’t find any on our list.
The Withings Body+ tracks four different mass measurements—muscle, fat, water, and bone—for a more complete picture of your weight and health. Our tester thought that once it was set up it was easy—and even fun—to use, but it takes more than 10 minutes to set up out of the box.
The Fitbit Aria Air seemed like it would be a pretty useful smart scale to our testers, with plenty of metrics to keep track of your health and easy tracking in the Fitbit app. The problem is that you need a Fitbit Premium membership (at $9.99 per month) to access the smart scale features, otherwise it’s just a basic bathroom scale.
How We Tested the Bathroom Scales
The Verywell Health team spent eight hours at the Verywell Testing Lab, testing 23 bathroom scales to find the best. Our testers, comprised of two Verywell Health editors and a product assistant—with varying weights and heights—conducted multiple tests barefoot, with the supervision of a nurse practitioner.
First, our three testers performed a reading consistency test. After weighing themselves on a medical-grade scale, they weighed themselves on their scale they were testing. They took their weight three times: once on a tile surface (to mimic real consumer use in a home bathroom), once on a carpeted surface (to see if the readings had any inconsistencies), and once again on the tile surface while holding a 4.3 pound dumbbell (to test the scale’s sensitivity to minor weight changes). They repeated this process for each scale. After a short lunch break, the testers took new base weight readings to ensure reading consistency on the remaining tests performed.
A durability test was also performed for each scale. Our testers dropped a nine pound dopp kit from waist length on each scale twice, and inspected the item for physical damage. One tester stepped on each scale after the dopp kit was dropped to see if the impact affected the the scale’s weight reading.
We calculated the standard deviation of each scale by using the tile surface and dumbbell readings when compared to the baseline weight taken by the medical-grade scale. We did not take into account the scale reading on the carpeted surface, as the readings varied greatly during that test. We decided that including that data would not give us an accurate standard deviation. Sheikh advised that devices with standard deviation readings of less than one are considered consistent. Any devices with a standard deviation higher than one did not make our list.
Throughout the tests, taking into account what would be most important to consumers, each scale was evaluated based on setup, reading consistency, data storage, display, ease of use, durability, and overall value—and offered ratings out of five, with five being a perfect score. If the scale was a smart model, our testers took notes on the pairing app’s ease of use, connectivity, and speed, and how well it complemented the scale.
On this list, we included scales that track metrics beyond the user’s weight, including BMI, muscle mass, body fat percentage, and more. We did not, however, test the accuracy or consistency of these statistics.
Finally, overall value ratings were given by our testers, while star ratings were based on the average of all attribute scores. None of our picks received perfect five star ratings across the board and all scales had something that could have been improved.
What to Look for in a Bathroom Scale
Budget
As with any household gadget, always consider your budget before you start shopping. While you can easily spend over $100 on a super intelligent scale, you can also find a great one for under $20. In fact, many high-end digital scales have features that are mostly unnecessary, according to physician-turned-entrepreneur Andrea Paul, MD, medical advisor for Illuminate Labs.
“Any digital scale from a reputable manufacturer should be fine,” she said. “The core function of a digital scale is just to report your weight accurately, and that can be achieved with digital scales in the $20 to 30 price range.”
Weight Capacity
If you are less than 400 pounds, you can usually choose from any number of scales. However, for those over 400 pounds, your options may be more limited; scales become less accurate when you overload their weight capacities. Make sure to read the fine print before making a purchase and, if possible, chat with your primary care provider before ordering.
“I’d recommend that patients who are significantly obese speak with their doctor before purchasing a scale, so they don’t waste money on a scale that may not suit their needs,” said Paul. “There’s also a chance that a specialty scale, like a bariatric scale, may be fully or partially covered by insurance when ordered under the provision of a doctor.”
Other Metrics
Between the pandemic-imposed difficulty of getting to the gym and the costs associated with a personalized body composition assessment, it’s hard not to be intrigued by a bathroom scale that offers to provide these measurements for you. But it’s important to temper your expectations here, since scales that claim to be able to give you a comprehensive look at your body composition will always be limited—and less accurate than an in-person measurement.
“The technology used to provide body composition data is not the ‘gold standard’ for measuring it, and can be inaccurate based on fluid shifts, such as dehydration or water retention,” New Jersey-based diabetes expert Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, author of Belly Fat Diet For Dummies, told Verywell.
Instead of focusing on the numbers the scale gives you, Palinski-Wade suggests tracking your trends: a decline in body fat percentage on the scale over a period of weeks is still an accurate reflection of a loss in body fat, even if the percentage of body fat shown on the scale isn’t exactly accurate. In other words, consider the big picture, not specific data points.
Smart vs. Basic
Smarter isn’t always better for everyone. While many people prefer a connected scale that can instantly transfer data to an app, others might find the technology too complicated. If you fall into the latter category, you are better off saving some money (as well as frustration) and opting for a no-frills model.
That said, there’s no shame in wanting to streamline your health goals by collecting all your data in one place, including your daily or weekly weigh-ins.
“Although this feature may not be needed by everyone, if you track data for your health in an app—such as tracking your food intake, blood sugar or blood pressure levels—being able to import weight history can help you easily identify trends and see how changes on the scale may impact other health metrics,” said Palinski-Wade.
Added Features
Are you looking for a gadget to simply calculate your weight, or do you need it to help monitor other fitness goals? Each scale offers different features, so if you are only concerned with weight, you should stick to the simpler models and take a pass on anything that syncs itself to your smartphone or offers a body fat composition measurement.
However, if you’re looking to lose or gain weight for health purposes, look for a scale that also shows body mass index, which is more accurate in determining the healthiness of one’s weight, recommends Sheikh. As for some more technical features, “It may also be important to weigh how easy it is to put in and change batteries, the footing while weighing yourself, and how well and easily it calibrates.”
It’s also wise to know the expected lifespan of your model and, if necessary, check for warranty and return policies: “I would recommend that consumers purchase scales with a long warranty period, since scales break more often than other health devices,” advises Paul.
Why Trust Verywell Health
Tori Zhou is the Associate Health Commerce Editor at Verywell. She enjoys staying up-to-date on wellness trends and products, with a focus on holistic health. She prioritizes app compatibility in a scale and is currently conducting a long-term test of the WYZE Smart Scale.
