How to Choose a Personal Scale
Scales have more uses than to help you lose weight. They can help give an overview of your body weight, vitality, health and lifestyle. Some types of personal scales also provide data such as muscle, fat and water percentages in your body.
Tips for Choosing a Personal Scale
- Consider how many people will use the scale and what the maximum load should be.
- For more users, you can get a scale with user-recognition that can store measured values.
- Consider the accuracy, which may vary in kilograms.
- Besides scales for measuring your body weight, there are also devices that measure BMI, muscle percentage and other values.
- The most advanced types can be synchronised with your smartphone.
Basic parameters
Load capacity
Each scale has a maximum load that determines the user's boundary weight. Some models offer a load capacity of up to 160kg. Before purchasing, consider whether other members of your household will be using the scale.
Accuracy
This is a very important parameter that defines any deviations of the measured values. Digital scales measure weight with a variety of sensors, including one in the middle of the device. They are usually accurate to 100g. The deviation can reach up to 2kg on mechanical personal scales.
Dimensions
You can between larger and more compact scales. For smaller spaces, it is better to find a small scale that will fit anywhere. Thin tempered glass scales are also very light, so they can be placesd under furniture or in storage spaces.
Manageability
Most digital scales offer simple (some even voice) controls and a number of automatic functions. They activate themselves after you step on, shut down after inactivity, and have a self-reset. Choose a scale that is easy to use and read.
Memory
Some scales can recognise up to 4 different people based on stored parameters (age, gender, height, etc.). This allows them to offer more accurate data and values from the last weighing.
Design
There are scales of varied design, with angular and round corners, in a wide variety of colours. Most often they are made of thin hardened glass, which is very durable and often so elegant, that the scale can become part of your interior design. Choose your scale according to your personal taste. Children's models boast striking and cheerful designs, but their load capacity is not as high as a normal scale.
Smartphone Sync
Diagnostic personal scales can also be connected to your smartphone via bluetooth or WiFi. Using a freely available application, you can immediately see the measured values and have the opportunity to save them if you want. Special applications for personal scales that use personal trainers, offer the ability to compile clear statistics to help you achieve your goal weight.
Digital Scales
Digital scales are precise, modern scales with a crisp LCD digital display and an elegant and compact design. They measure your weight by evaluating the results of several independent sensors (the most important sensor is in the middle of the scale). Weighing yourself with a digital scale is comfortable, fast and easy. Even small children can do it.
Diagnostic Scales
These are intelligent digital scales that can measure and calculate more than just weight. They can handle multiple users' data, store that data in their memory and communicate with external devices. They are perfect for fitness trainers and can help the user maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Mechanical Scales
Analog scales provide an approximate body weight with the help of a classical dial with a hand. They are very affordable and easy to use. Everyone, who only needs to check their body weight once in a while will appreciate one of these.
Baby Scales
Baby scales allow you to safely measure a baby's weight, with up to 5 to 10 grams accuracy. They are made with a curved surface that helps keeps the baby in place, and they usually switch off automatically. The scale remembers the last measurement, so you can track your baby's weight gain (e.g. after meals).
Frequently Asked Questions - Personal Scales
When and how often should you weigh yourself?
The best time for weighing is in the morning, after using the bathroom and before eating your first meal. The recommended weighing frequency is once a week. You should only weigh yourself in your underwear and barefoot. Before weighing yourself, make sure that the scale is on a flat and hard surface. Stand straight using the entire surface of your feet.
What do personal scales measure?
A personal scale can provide you with body weight data and calculate the percentage of measured fat, water and muscle mass. Depending on the type of scale, you can also get information about the weight of your bones, calories, visceral fat, basal metabolic consumption, and BMI index.
How to customise your scale choice to fit your lifestyle?
If you want to maintain your ideal weight, lose weight, or work as a fitness trainer or expert nutrition advisor, choose a scale with diagnostic features. Using special sensors and a built-in computer, your scale can measure and count the important data you need for a healthy and vital life.
What special features do personal scales offer?
Modern digital scales offer features such as automatic switch-on when you step on the scale, switch-off after inactivity, and automatic reset. They are equipped with user recognition and a smartphone connection via WIFI and Bluetooth.
