Bodyfat scales are a reasonably new invention. Five years ago we would stand on a scale, and the only measurement we would get is our weight. Some people would take the time to get a tape measure and attempt to calculate their body fat percentage.
In 2019 however some of the best body fat scales give accurate readings of both weight and body fat, and some even connect to your other devices via WiFi.
As with any advances in technology, it becomes difficult to know what product is the best option for you, and body fat scales are no exception. There are literally hundreds of them available to buy online, and each brand and product has slightly different specifications, and each comes with a range of pros and cons. It’s enough to make you go mad!
I first started working in the fitness industry in 2008, and in the last eight years have learnt a lot about how to choose the best body fat scales. When I first entered the fitness industry, only the high-tech expensive scales available at gyms and health clubs could read your body fat. These days, any of the products listed on BodyFatShop.com will quickly (and easily) reveal to you your body fat percentage in under 30 seconds.
Best Body Fat Scales of 2019
To make your buying decision easy, I’ve given a quick review of the best body fat scales below. Any of these scales are highly recommended and can be purchased with confidence from the recommended retailers listed here.
Withings Body Composition Scale
Easily our number one body fat scale at the moment is the Withings Body Composition Scale. It has all the features you would need packed into a sleek design. It has WiFi connectivity to send all your measurement data directly to the Health Mate app for tracking, trending, and keeping an eye on your goals.
The accuracy is great at 0.2lbs, and there are intuitive features like displaying the weather on the display for you, and even your previous day’s steps if you link your Withings scale to other devices.
My favourite feature of this Withings product is how it displays your last eight weigh-ins on the screen which helps you stay focused on your goals and long term trends. It’s a great motivator to see the graph heading in the right direction!
I can’t do this product justice describing it here in 200 words. So head to Amazon.com to view the current price, and read other users reviews of the Withings Body Composition Scale to get a full understanding of just how amazing this product really is. Read more…
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Tanita BF679W Duo Scale
The Tanita BF679W Duo Scale has a 4.5-star average review on Amazon across hundreds of reviews. This product is without a doubt one of the best body fat scales we have reviewed and sits in seconds place behind the simply amazing Withings Body Composition Scale.
What makes the Tanita one of the best body fat analyzers we have reviewed? Firstly, it also calculates weight, and body water percentage. One stand-out feature which is priceless for anyone watching their diet is the daily calorie intake function. This innovative feature estimates how many calories you should be consuming each day to maintain your current weight level. Once you have this figure, all you need to do is monitor what you are eating and ensure the calories you consume is below this estimate. The accuracy of this scale is great at 0.5% for body fat readings, and 0.2lb for weight readings.
If you’re wondering why you would want to measure your body water percentage, the answer is simply that monitoring your body water percentage allows you to quickly hydrate if you see that your levels are low which allows your body to function more efficiently, and make you feel more energised. Most people aren’t drinking enough water throughout the day, so a scale such as the Tanita BF679W Duo will help in identifying just how much water you need, and help you maintain a healthy body water percentage.
Additional features the make this one of the best scales we have reviewed is its ability to store data for two people, and it’s guest mode which allows anyone else to use the scale at any time. The 2.25 inch LCD display will show your weight and body fat at the same time and will compare these readings to recommended healthy ranges based on your age and gender. Essentially, it not only shows you your data but analyzes it and gives insights into just how your body fits into recommended ranges. What’s the down-side of this scale? My only negative is that its a bit ugly….but that is no big deal compared to the features it has and the low price of this scale.
Tanita provides a great three-year warranty and is a trusted brand so you can be confident you are getting a high-quality scale.
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Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor
The Tanita BC533 has over 250 reviews on Amazon, most of which explain how this is one of the best body fat scales available to purchase in 2017. For starters, the BC533 doesn’t only measure body fat and weight. It also measures body water percentage, muscle mass, bone mass, metabolic age, daily caloric intake, and visceral fat. Additionally, if you like to keep things simple, this scale can also rate your physique!
What do all these measurements mean? Just briefly, the muscle mass is simply the amount of muscle in your body, and bone mass is the weight of all your bones. Visceral fat is the fat surrounds your vital organs and fat in the stomach. If this is getting a bit confusing, simply rely on the physique rating which is a simple rating of your body on a scale of one to nine. Between the physique rating, the weight measurement, and the body fat measurement, you will have a great understanding of your overall health thanks to the Tanita BC533.
The scales 2.25 inch LCD screen is easy to read and shows accurate readings clearly. The accuracy of this scale is weight increments of 0.2lb, and the body fat and body water readings are in increments of 0.1%. For those who are new to deciding what scale to buy, the accuracy of this scale is right up there with the best of the best.
There is a four-person memory built into the scale, and guest mode is available for any additional people who would like to use the scale. The adult mode, as well as child mode, means anyone in the house is able to use it. Finally, if all the great features of this scale are a bit overwhelming and you want to go back to basics, you can switch it to weight mode only to use it as a regular bathroom scale. Read more…
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Fitbit Aria WiFi Smart Scale
The Fitbit Aria WiFi Smart Scale is always a popular choice with our readers. This is one of the best body fat scale options for people who already have other Fitbit products, or are members of fitbit.com. The main drawcard is the fact it can connect via WiFi to your home network, and automatically upload your daily (or weekly) body fat recordings to fitbit.com. This automatically happens each time you step on the scale so you don’t need to keep track of your progress manually.
This body fat scale can be set to recognise up to eight different people, so if you live in a household with others who are interested in measuring and recording their body fat percentages this is a great option. Read more…
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Omron Body Composition Monitor
The Omron Body Composition monitor is a bit different to the majority of body fat scales on our website, as it features a handheld extension to ensure you get an accurate an comprehensive understanding of your body composition. Omron justifies the handheld sensor by explaining that full body sensing, with their hand-to-foot technology, provides more accurate body fat readings that the foot-to-foot monitors also seen on this page.
This body composition monitor is manufactured in the United States to high standards and can measure five different fitness indicators. These are body fat percentage, BMI, visceral fat, skeletal muscle, and weight.
The large LCD display makes taking readings easy, and the long retractable cord makes it easy to use for tall people (I am 6 foot 3, and have no issues with this product).
There are also some additional beneficial features of the Omron Body Composition monitor, which include its easy to use on/off switch and the ability to program in up to four user profiles.
The scale runs on four AA batteries which are included in the package.
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Easy@Home Digital Bluetooth Body Fat Smart Scale
The Easy@Home Body Fat Smart Scale has over 550 positive reviews on Amazon, and is a great choice for anyone wanting a great high-quality body fat scale. Typically it can be found online for about $60 (if you find it for less, we suggest getting your hands on it ASAP) which is not at the high end alongside the super high-quality Withings scales, but a price most people who want a high-quality scale can afford.
This scale will measure your body fat, body weight, body water, BMI, BMR, muscle mass, bone mass, and visceral fat! Essentially what I am saying is it will measure pretty much everything you need to know! (Check out our measurements guide to find out what all these terms actually mean).
A great feature of this scale, like many other smart scales, is it allows the data it collects to be uploaded seamlessly to the corresponding App that you can download onto your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. This is achieved via Bluetooth technology.
The Easy@Home Digital Bluetooth Body Fat Smart Scale (what a mouthful!) has inbuilt high precision sensors that will measure your weight in increments of 0.2lb (0.1kg). The strong tempered glass surface can support up to 400lbs and a LARGE 4.3 inch backlit LCD display means reading the scale at any time of day or night is easy.
As with most modern scales, this Easy@Home scale features smart step-on technology and auto shutdown after you step away, which prolongs the battery life which is four AA batteries.
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Tanita BC 554 Ironman
Calling all data geeks! I have found the best body fat scale for you! However, you won’t be limited to just body fat. The Tanita BC 554 Ironman will also measure your weight, muscle mass, body water percentage, metabolic age, BMR, bone mass, visceral fat, and will even….wait for it….rate your physique!
This may be a bit too much data for some, in which case we recommend looking at the simpler (and possibly cheaper) body fat scales listed here.
But for those that love data and technology, the Tanita BC 554 is a pretty cool toy that will have you keeping a close eye on many of your bodies vitals.
Click Here to See the Latest Price, Ratings & Reviews on Amazon
What should your goal body fat be?
Generally, men and women will have different body fat goals. As a general guide, if you simply want to look great and feel healthy you should aim for a body fat percentage of 18 for men, and 21 for women.
Anyone of our recommended body fat scales will show you your body fat percentage within thirty seconds. If you have set a body fat goal you may want to consider one of the WiFi connected body fat analyzers. This will make tracking process much easier, and therefore something that you are more likely to actively record. Otherwise, if you buy a non-Wifi model, you can simply get out the pen and paper to track progress over time, or alternatively (if your anything like me), simply stand on the scales once or twice a week to check if your body fat percentage is moving towards your goals.
It is also worth keeping in mind that body fat percentage is simply your body fat, nothing else. It sounds obvious, but it means two people with the same body fat can still look completely different. For example, one person might have no muscle, and the other could be lifting weights 3 times a week and have the muscles of a bodybuilder.
How do I reduce my body fat?
Have you purchase a body fat scale, and realised that your body fat percentage is higher than it should be? Lucky for you, a few lifestyle changes can help to reduce your body fat to within your goal range.
How do you know if you should reduce your body fat? Generally, once a male’s body fat gets to over 20 per cent he should look and making changes to reduce it. For women, once it hits 30 per cent of over it is time to start actively working towards decreasing it.
So what can you do to reduce your body fat? Your two options are either make small changes to your diet, or lifestyle changes.
How Losing Body Fat Improves Your Life
Deciding to lose weight and work on your health is a huge leap for most of us. It comes with many small tasks we need to build into our daily life, at the cost of things that we enjoy doing. Surfing the internet, watching our favourite TV show, eating a delicious bowl of mac-n-cheese, or just generally lazing around.
Whatever your guilty Pleasures may be, the fact you have chosen to visit BodyFatShop.com and see how your life can progress into a healthier lifestyle is already more than most of us are willing to do!
So let me tell you why this is such a great choice to make…
If you manage to get enough motivation to push through the first few weeks at the gym, you will in fact, be shocked to find out how much you’re starting to enjoy it. You will one day be stronger to push aside that burning desire to order pizza. Instead, you’ll reach for those walking shoes and get some fresh air. Working out boosts your confidence (Mens Health Source) as you keep at it; especially if you’re doing it to achieve your ideal body type, and beginning to see progress.
Your priorities will change for the better, and you will have to set up a schedule that fits your new lifestyle better. This might mean that next week you won’t be able to go out drinking. Deciding to lose a few pounds doesn’t mean you have to give up on everything you used to enjoy doing. It is all simply a matter of balancing both sides out! Control is key. Everything needs to be balanced for you to be happy, so try to find something that fits your style and work at it!
After you get that body you always wanted, people around you will start noticing the change, not only in your appearance but also in your way of living–that couch doesn’t look that good anymore, now does it? Exercising and focusing on staying healthy will change the way you see food in general. Of course, it’s fine to have a cheat day once in a while, we are all humans after all!
But it’s not just you on this journey. We are all easily inspired by the people around us, and the way you’ve changed your life will inspire many others! Your family and friends may adopt your healthy habits because they want to better themselves. You might even become a role model for them. It’s always great to introduce the things you like to your friends!
With your new self, you can be sure that activities in the bedroom with your significant other will be more enjoyable and may happen more often. Not only will you feel more confident about how good you look with that shirt off – for all you know, you might look better without it than with, but it can also make things better for your significant other – your newfound confidence might prove to make it much more enjoyable than before. It could even spice up your sex life by being able to try out new things that you might not have been able to do before. Weight loss provides you with more stamina, endurance, and self-esteem, all things that improve the fun! So get ready for more fun under the sheets!
All said and done, the one that benefits from this is none other than yourself, to get fitter, stronger, healthier, to have the ideal body, or just because you need a healthy hobby- whatever it may be, it’s all about improving your life in the long run. It may change a few things in your schedule, result in a few bad habits dying out totally and maybe even a little less quality time with family and friends, but you do it because you want those end results. To achieve our goals, we must work for them. So go for it, and I can assure you – boy, will you be glad you did it!