Often used by fitness professionals, calipers are used to literally pinch your skin folds (usually around the waist or hips) to estimate your body fat.

Most bathroom scales that measure body fat percentage use bioelectrical impedance to do so. Sensors send a small electrical current through one leg, across your pelvis, and down your other leg, measuring the amount of resistance created by body fat. These measurements can provide helpful estimates but are not highly accurate. Biometric measurements: weight, body fat percentage, BMI, muscle mass, body water, muscle mass percentage, lean body mass, bone mass, protein, visceral fat, basal metabolic rate, and metabolic age To help come up with the list of the best bathroom scales, we also interviewed and consulted with experts, including:When you’re trying to lose weight, measuring body fat is equally as important as measuring your overall weight. There are two main types of scales: analog and digital. Analog scales use an interior spring that compresses when the scale is weighted and displays the reading on a dial. Generally, analog scales are the cheapest option, but since they don’t require batteries, they rely on the human eye for an accurate reading.

I definitely recommend getting a scale that takes into consideration your body composition measurements if you’re trying to lose weight and manage your fitness,” says Lauren Hubert, MS, RD. Lauren says that while at-home scales aren’t as accurate as those you’ll find at a doctor’s office, they still give you the information you need to understand what’s going on inside your body. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute notes that your risk for heart disease and diabetes increases if you are a woman with a waist measurement greater than 35 inches (88.9 cm) or a man with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches (101.6 cm). Calipers Since 2012, our California-based brand has produced reliable, everyday essentials which have reached markets across the globe. From North America to Europe to Asia, we are known for award-winning and best-selling household electronics, health & fitness scales, outdoor recreation equipment, and easy-to-use smart products. We are dedicated to developing products that help you make the most out of every day.The Garmin Index S2 could be a useful tool if you're already a Garmin watch user, but ultimately is not worth the price. From Bluetooth scales for tech-savvy people to talking scales or budget-friendly models, it’s possible to find a product that works for your needs. For small loads, the Oxo Good Grips scale has a one-tenth gram resolution. For reference, 1/10 of a gram is a little more than the weight of one typical grain of popcorn. One gram is seven grains of popcorn, roughly. However, the OXO wasn't super precise. Only when rounded to the nearest gram, did it get all the masses correct. Although BMI isn’t always accurate and doesn’t differentiate between lean mass and fat mass, it can help you determine a healthy weight range for your height ( 3). Prior to working for PCMag, I was the managing editor of Game Developer magazine. I've also worked at the Association for Computing Machinery, The Examiner newspaper in San Francisco, and several other publications.

We tested accuracy by weighing calibration masses of known weights. We did so across a range of weights over a total of four tests with each scale. The most accurate scale got the "answer" right, to the nearest tenth of a gram. The least accurate scale missed three of the weights by one gram. In the grand scheme of things, given what we're typically weighing with these scales, this isn't a huge variation. In short, for typical kitchen and office use, all the scales we tested are accurate enough. Investing in a high quality scale can be a great way to monitor your weight and manage your health. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity/health-risks This test is based on the buoyancy of your body weight. Fat floats more easily than muscle. Based on your buoyancy and your weight, the person administering the test can calculate your body fat percentage.The durable 3.2" x 1.5" LCD display uses a bold font which makes reading your measurements easy. The scale doesn’t use LEDs, so the readability isn’t great in low lighting, but during the day or in brighter lighting you should have no problems seeing. Your measurements stay up for around 15 seconds even after you get off the scale, so you have time to take in what you see. You can change the measurement units by using a small button on the underside of the bathroom scale. Multiple users can use the scale, however, you can’t make individual profiles as there’s no app. Plus, weight fluctuation is natural due to physical activity, time of day, and what you’ve had to eat and drink. When is the best time to weigh yourself? After our reading consistency tests, we subjected each bathroom scale to a durability test. (Accidents happen in bathrooms, and you don’t want your bathroom scale to break the moment you drop a shampoo bottle on it.) To test the bathroom scales for durability, we dropped a 9-pound toiletry bag on each bathroom scale twice. Then, we inspected each bathroom scale for damage—noting whether it broke, malfunctioned, or got scratched during the test. And we assigned each bathroom scale a score, based on how it held up. (A higher durability score—so, a five out of five—indicates a more durable bathroom scale.) To keep things consistent, we asked each tester to drop the toiletry bag from waist-high both times. (Since the testers were different heights, drop height varied slightly from bathroom scale to bathroom scale. But since people are different heights, we figured this test would mimic real life.) We also love the quality and durability of this bathroom scale. Its construction makes us feel that it could last for a long while as long as we replace the batteries. The bathroom scale also turns off automatically after use to save battery and lifespan. In general, body fat scales can provide rough estimates only. While safe to use, there are many variables that can affect your results. These include:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.This bathroom scale felt pretty durable and we believe it’ll last a long time with proper care. While it doesn't come with all the bells and whistles of other options we tried, this scale is straightforward, functional, sleek, and gets the job done. Our real-world tests were similar, in that we measured accuracy and precision in the same ways. The core difference in the real-world test is the duration of the test itself. Testing two bathroom scales at a time, we took the bathroom scales home, set them up with the accompanying apps on our phone, and tested our weight at least three times a week for a month straight. We made sure that we did so right after waking up, before eating or drinking. We recorded our notes on the display, ease of use, accuracy and throughout and at the end of the testing period. That’s because healthy habits, like exercise, can build muscle. Increased muscle mass can make the number on the scale stay the same or, in some cases, increase, even if you’re losing fat and becoming more toned. Kathryn Ross, PhD, MPH, associate professor, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida, phone interview, March 27, 2019 Over time, bathroom scales can lose their accuracy due to general wear and tear from prolonged use and age, however, the changes in accuracy might not be significant. To get the best readings, place your scale in the same location every day to ensure precise measurements.