The bathroom scale has been a perennial fixture in many people’s homes. It’s an easy way to track weight gain or weight loss, as well as monitor the results from any diet or fitness routine you’re currently doing. In recent years, many people have switched to using smart scales, which look a whole lot like their traditional counterparts, while bringing a whole lot more in terms of features.
The best smart scales can measure your weight on the spot, much like standard bathroom scales, allowing you to check on your progress upon waking up every morning or after every fitness mirror workout. Aside from that, though, they’re also equipped with capabilities such as bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and pulse wave velocity technology, allowing them to provide insights into body fat percentage, metabolic rate, and muscle mass, among other things. Heck, they can even sync with your favorite health apps to instantly add any new readings to your overall record.
Even better, the best smart scales can create profiles for each person in your household, so the whole family can use just a single machine to get all their readings. The current crop of smart scales are also quite accurate and reliable when it comes to many standard metrics, with many of the kinks found in earlier iterations no longer an issue even with more affordable options.
Suffice to say, now’s a great time to get into smart scales and these are the best in the market today.
Renpho Elis 1
Pros
- Very affordable
- Well-designed app with personalized graphs
- All basic metrics are onboard
Cons
- No Wi-Fi
- Onboard display only shows weight
Metrics: 13 measurements
Connectivity: Bluetooth
Number of profiles: Unlimited
The most affordable smart scale in the list, this model does a lot for a very low asking price, making it a genuinely excellent value in the category. There’s plenty to love here, from the 13 wellness measurements it provides and the easy-to-read LED display to the well-designed app and the unlimited user profiles. Being a more affordable option, though, there are some glaring feature omissions. For instance, the onboard display only shows weight, requiring you to use the app for checking everything else, while the weight display is shown strictly in 0.2-pound increments, which we found strange, though not that big of a deal. It’s also odd that you need to use the same login for different user profiles, so each person gets access to everyone else’s. At any rate, none of those are dealbreakers, especially at this very attractive price point. It can sync with Fitbit, Apple Health, Google Fit, and Samsung Health, while supporting weights of up to 400 pounds. The set even comes with three AAA batteries right out the box, so you can start using it right away.
Eufy Smart Scale P2 Pro
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Plenty of useful metrics
- Batteries included
- Intuitive data presentation
Cons
- Limited syncing to third-party apps
Metrics: 16 measurements
Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Number of profiles: Unlimited
Water rating: IPX5
Although we initially wanted to put the newer P3 smart scale on this list, we decided to opt for Eufy’s P2 Pro instead for one reason: the lack of waterproofing for the P3. Sure, the P2 Pro has a bit less in terms of features, but the IPX5 rating is just so vital to something many folks will probably want to keep in the bathroom. It’s also very easy to set up, while allowing you to create unlimited profiles. This smart scale takes 16 different body measurements, including the usual weight, body fat, and BMI, but adds muscle mass, bone mass, standing heart rate, and many more. The companion app also gives you very informative full body reports and weekly trend graphs, which can be very useful for monitoring your progression. On the downside, it only supports Google Fit, Apple Health, and Fitbit, so it’s a bit limited when it comes to third-party support. It runs on four AAA batteries.
Fitbit Aria Air
Pros
- Integrates smoothly into Fitbit ecosystem
- Sleek app
- Lightweight and easy to use
Cons
- Only measures weight when used by itself
- Very limited capabilities
Metrics: 3 measurements
Connectivity: Bluetooth
Number of profiles: 8
Among the best smart scales in the list, this one probably has the least amount of features. However, if you’re already a Fitbit user, it’s probably not a bad idea to stay within the ecosystem and that’s what this smart scale does for you. It only takes three measurements, weight, BMI, and body fat percentage (the latter two only available if you’re wearing a Fitbit band), so there’s less depth here compared to the many other products in the market. However, it does those measurements really well and presents them using sleek visualizations on the app that are clear and easy to understand. Like we said, it’s very thin on extra features, but it’s easy to use and integrates seamlessly into the Fitbit app, which is all existing Fitbit users will probably want.
Etekcity HR Smart Fitness Scale
Pros
- Can show 10 different screens on the scale
- Very accurate and detailed
- Rechargeable battery
- Excellent price to features ratio
Cons
- App can be overwhelming at first
Metrics: 14 measurements
Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Number of profiles: Unlimited
If you want a feature-packed smart scale at a more affordable price point, we think this model is your best bet at getting that. It can take 14 different measurements, from the basics to more advanced ones like standing heart rate, subcutaneous fat, metabolic age, and fat-free body weight. Suffice to say, it gives you plenty of data points to obsess over, with daily, weekly, and monthly progress graphs available from the companion app making it easy to keep track of your wellness goals. Even better, the onboard color display doesn’t just show weight, instead offering 10 different screens that each show a different metric, so you can see readings for various measurements directly on the device. We’ve found it to be a faster, more efficient way to get insights, compared to having to use the app each time out. You can even choose which user profile you want to update by simply tapping your right foot on the scale, which is very handy. We also love the rechargeable battery, the ability to sync with plenty of apps (including MyFitnessPal), and the relatively smooth setup process. Do note, it uses the same app as the outfit’s numerous smart home products, so you’ll have to find the smart scale section in a pretty crowded interface, which is why we appreciate the fact that the built-in screen shows plenty of details on its own.
Withings Body Smart Scale
Pros
- OLED screen shows different measurements
- Excellent compatibility with 3rd party apps
- Very useful charts and graphs in companion app
Cons
- Adding new profiles isn’t smooth or fast
Metrics: 8 measurements
Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Number of profiles: 8
Withings makes a number of smart scales, which can make their product line pretty confusing. If you’re unsure which one to get, just go with the one we consider to be the most suitable for the majority of people. which is the Body Smart model. It takes eight different measurements, which covers what we think are the most important metrics, so you’re getting all the critical data points. You can also add up to eight users, although the process is not as smooth or seamless as we’ve seen with a few other competitors. We love the fact that the onboard OLED display can show different metrics, as well as let you cycle among different saved profiles, in case it incorrectly brings up the wrong one (it usually gets it right). The syncing compatibility with other apps is also better than others, as Withings seems to have put a lot of work on that end. It runs on AAA batteries, a fresh batch of which is supposed to last it up to 15 months, so there’s no need to change batteries frequently.
Garmin Index S2
Pros
- Customizable display
- Saves directly to cloud over Wi-Fi (no phone necessary)
- Solid build quality
Cons
- No third-party app syncing
- Not as many measurements as similarly-priced scales
Metrics: 7 measurements
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, ANT+
Number of profiles: 16
For whatever reason, Garmin still hasn’t updated their four-year old smart scale. Heck, it’s still on the pricier end of the scale after all that time. While we wish it was cheaper, we do like a lot of what it brings to the table, from the lovely color display and the direct-syncing with Garmin’s cloud-based servers (no need to go through your phone) to the different widgets it can show in the onboard screen. Its age is showing a bit, though, especially with the lesser number of measurements (seven), the slow-refresh display, and the lack of third-party app syncing, but it remains a solid option in the category. This is particularly true if you’re already a user of the outfit’s GPS sports watches, as the scale adds complementary data to really round out your overall wellness stats on the companion app. Battery life is good, too, with four AAA batteries lasting it for the better part of the year.
