How hard are you working for that summer body?
Chances are, you’re putting in long hours at the gym, eating clean, and doing your best to “keep it tight” so you can look your best when out on the lake or at the beach.
Your job will be much easier with a body fat scale!
A body fat scale not only helps you track your weight (it is a scale, after all), but it also measures your body fat to help you see exactly how close to your “ideal” BMI you are.
Below, we’ve collected a list of the best, most reliable body fat scales for you to install in your home to make tracking your progress a breeze.
Read on to find out which suits your needs (and your price range) best.
But first, we’ve got a very important question to answer…
Why Do I Need a Body Fat Scale?
Contents
- 6 Best Body Fat Scales
- Best Body Fat Scale Overall: Withings Body+ Wi-Fi Smart Scale
- Best Body Fat Scale for Large Families: Eufy Smart Scale C1
- Most Accurate Body Fat Scale: Garmin Index S2
- Best for Goal-Oriented Users: FITINDEX Bluetooth Body Fat Scale
- Best Body Fat Scale for Heavier Users: Greater Goods Digital Body Composition Scale
- Best Budget-Friendly Body Fat Scale: Triomph Precision Body Fat Scale
You might be wondering, “I’ve already got a scale in my bathroom/gym, so why do I need a body fat scale?”
The answer is actually quite simple: body weight isn’t the best metric for determining your true health/fitness level, body fat is.
Let me explain…
Body weight refers to how much you weigh.
Body fat, on the other hand, refers to how much of your weight is comprised of fat (vs. bone, muscle, organs, etc.).
For example, let’s say your body weight is 200 pounds.
Someone who weighs 200 pounds with a 10% body fat percentage is exponentially healthier than someone who weighs 200 pounds with a 30% body fat percentage.
More fat, as you well know, is always a bad thing. High body fat slows down your organs, increases inflammation, clogs up your arteries, impairs liver function, and reduces your body’s ability to break down fat and sugars—all of which lead to serious health problems, everything from heart disease to diabetes to cancer.
A higher body fat percentage can elevate your mortality rates from all diseases. To be healthy, you want to keep your body fat percentage as low as possible. You do so by lifting weights, eating clean, increasing cardio, and managing stress. Over time, these efforts help you to eliminate body fat (burning it as fuel for your exercise/daily caloric expenditure).
Losing body fat will likely result in weight loss, but fat loss and weight loss are not the same. You can stay exactly the same weight and lose body fat (weight is balanced by increased muscle mass), but gaining body fat will always lead to harmful consequences.
That’s why you need a body fat scale: to help you see how much your fat loss efforts are working and track your progress.
The more body fat you lose, the healthier you’ll be!
What is a healthy body fat percentage for men?
The “healthy” or “normal” range for men is a body fat percentage between 18.5 and 24.9%. Above 25% and you enter into the overweight (and eventually obese) category. Below 18.5%, you enter the “underweight” category—which is where you want to be to have more prominent, visible musculature.
| Age | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 20-39 | 21-32% |
| 40-59 | 23-33% |
| 60-79 | 24-35% |
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Essential fat | 10-13% |
| Athletes | 14-20% |
| Fitness | 21-24% |
| Acceptable | 25-31% |
| Obesity | >32% |
Source: Healthline
6 Best Body Fat Scales
Best Body Fat Scale Overall: Withings Body+ Wi-Fi Smart Scale
The Withings Body+ scale claims the spot as the “top dog” for body fat scales, thanks to its many smart features. In addition to measuring your body fat percentage, it also measures bone mass and muscle mass, body weight, and body water percentage. All of this data is transmitted to your phone via Bluetooth and WiFi connection to be displayed in the custom-made app, which features a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to see your progress day after day.
The scale itself is designed with a non-slip surface and is sturdy enough to handle up to 396 pounds of weight. It has the capacity to store up to eight user profiles, and it’s designed to automatically recognize each user individually. It’s accurate to within 100 grams, and the position control technology helps to deliver the best reading possible no matter how you stand on the scale. With up to 18 months of run time on just one set of AAA batteries, it’s a long-lasting, ultra-reliable scale you’ll be glad to keep in your home.
Pros
- Long runtime
- Sturdy design
- Packed with “smart” features
- Automatically senses each individual user
- App is easy to use and provides detailed data breakdown
Cons
- Pricey
- Setup can be tricky/time-consuming
Specs
- Weight Capacity: 396 pounds
- Connectivity: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
- User Profiles: 8
- Power Source: AAA batteries
Best Body Fat Scale for Large Families: Eufy Smart Scale C1
No matter how many people you have at home, this smart scale will work for each person individually. It’s capable of storing up to 16 users on one account, automatically recognizing each member of your family and beaming the data directly to their phone to be displayed on the app of their choice—not only the EufyLife app, but also Fitbit, Google Fit, and Apple Health.
The scale is designed with ultra-sensitive G-shaped sensors that deliver the most accurate measurement possible, and it displays up to 12 different metrics: weight, fat %, BMI, water percentage, BMR, visceral fat, body fat mass, lean body mass, bone, bone mass, muscle, and muscle mass. The anti-slip top plate and low design combine to make it a safe choice even for smaller kids and unstable senior citizens. Thanks to its integrated Bluetooth connectivity, you’ll find tracking your fitness progress is easier than ever.
On the downside, though, there’s no integrated WiFi connectivity, so you have to rely on Bluetooth. Also, the scale is on the smaller side, so larger users may find it too small a platform to comfortably stand on.
Pros
- Excellent value for a reasonable price
- Well-designed app makes tracking data easy
- Easy to read LCD display
- Sturdy, not likely to break
- Displays multiple data points for up to 16 users
Cons
- No Wi-Fi connection
- May be very small for larger users
Specs
- Weight Capacity: 396 pounds
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- User Profiles: 16
- Power Source: AAA batteries
Most Accurate Body Fat Scale: Garmin Index S2
Those who use Garmin smartwatches know how accurate their devices are for fitness tracking, so it’s a no-brainer to add this Garmin smart body fat scale into your home. Not only does it easily pair with the Garmin app to make all your data easy to track in the same place, but it’s rated as the most accurate of the body fat scales on the market.
The scale can store up to 16 individual profiles that makes it easy for everyone in your home to track their fitness goals directly from their own smartphones, and data is uploaded via WiFi to ensure everything is visible at a glance. The scale measures body fat, weight, weight trend (gaining or losing) displayed on graphs, BMI, and skeletal muscle mass, but you can disable any metrics you don’t want to track so you only see the data that’s important to you . Battery life is decent—roughly 9 months on a single set of 4 AAA batteries—and you’ll find that setup is surprisingly easy, thanks to the detailed instructions provided in both the app and the booklet included in the box.
On the downside, it’s one of the most expensive body fat scales on the market (as to be expected from the Garmin brand), and the lack of Bluetooth connectivity means if your WiFi is down (even temporarily), the app won’t record your data.
Pros
- High resolution, extra-large screen
- Sturdy design, durable
- Convenient to pair with Garmin and other fitness apps
- Easy setup and pairing
- Decent battery life
Cons
- No Bluetooth connectivity
- Pricey
Specs
- Weight Capacity: 399 pounds
- Connectivity: WiFi
- User Profiles: 16
- Power Source: AAA batteries
Best for Goal-Oriented Users: FITINDEX Bluetooth Body Fat Scale
Thanks to the FitIndex Bluetooth scale, you’ll find it easier than ever to set and work toward your goals. In fact, the app is designed entirely around helping you keep track of your fitness trends, providing long-term access to a complete suite of data on 13 different metrics (including BMI, BMR, bone mass, and muscle mass). You can download the CSV spreadsheet to your computer or Google Sheets to make tracking even the most minute detail of your progress a breeze. Bodybuilders and professional athletes will love this capability!
The scale connects via Bluetooth to upload the data to your smartphone, and it’s compatible with Samsung Health, Apple Health, Google Fit, and FitBit. You have access to unlimited user profiles and even “baby mode” that increases the sensitivity to take exact measurements of your pet or infant. It’s also one of the most precise scales on our list, tracking your weight in 50-gram increments.
The lack of WiFi connectivity is definitely a drawback, and you have to turn on Location Services in order for the app to sync with your scale. It’s also on the smaller side, so users with larger feet and wider hips may find it uncomfortable.
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Makes detailed data tracking easier
- Affordable and mostly reliable
- Compact design fits under sinks and cabinets easily
- Compatible with most widely used fitness tracking apps
Cons
- Location Services must be enabled to pair
- Small size/platform
- Accuracy issues have been reported
Specs
- Weight Capacity: 396 pounds
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- User Profiles: Unlimited
- Power Source: AAA batteries
Best Body Fat Scale for Heavier Users: Greater Goods Digital Body Composition Scale
Thanks to its 400-pound weight capacity, this scale can handle just a bit more weight, meaning heavier users taking their first steps toward getting healthy can use it without fear. The data it collects with each measurement is accurate (compared to other body fat scales that use BIA), so you can use it to keep track of your progress as you work toward getting fit.
The scale connects to your phone via Bluetooth and WiFi both, and uploads all the data to the user-friendly app designed specifically to make your fitness tracking easier. Even if your phone isn’t close at hand, the scale will auto-sync the data after every weigh-in. In addition to body fat, it tracks weight, bone density, water weight, BMI, and muscle mass.
There’s no argument that it’s one of the most modern, best-looking scales on our list, but some users have complained that the measurements can sometimes be inaccurate or inconsistent. Setting up the scale and app is tricky, though once it’s set up, it’s easy to use. Also, some scales have been known to suffer from occasional connectivity issues.
Pros
- Sleek and stylish
- User-friendly design and app interface
- Auto-syncs data to your smartphone after every weigh-in
- App makes fitness tracking a breeze
- Excellent customer support from industry experts
Cons
- Inaccurate/inconsistent data
- App and scale setup can be tricky
- Connectivity issues
Specs
- Weight Capacity: 400 pounds
- Connectivity: Bluetooth and WiFi
- User Profiles: 8, with unlimited “guests”
- Power Source: AAA batteries
Best Budget-Friendly Body Fat Scale: Triomph Precision Body Fat Scale
The scale will take 7 measurements—including body fat, weight, muscle mass, body water, estimated calorie needs, and bone mass—and display them clearly on the large, highly visible LCD screen.
One major drawback of this scale is that there is no WiFi or Bluetooth connection, so there’s no way to pair it with your phone or upload the data automatically to your favorite tracking app. But really, it’s no big deal to do it all manually—it’s just a few more minutes of work!
The scale will store data for up to 10 individual users, and it will help you track your progress as you work towards getting fit and shedding body fat. It’s also one of the most affordable options on our list and comes with simple, easy-to-understand instructions on how to weigh/measure and read the data on display.
Pros
- Affordable
- Reliable and easy to use
- Data is easy to read, highly visible
- Higher-than-average weight capacity
Cons
- No Bluetooth/WiFi connectivity
- Data sometimes inconsistent/inaccurate
Specs
- Weight Capacity: 400 pounds
- Connectivity: N/A
- User Profiles: 10
- Power Source: AAA batteries
Buying Guide and FAQs
When shopping for a body fat scale, here are the most important factors to consider:
Measurements – You want a scale that not only measures your body fat, but also your weight. That way, it’s just one device to do everything you need it to.
Useful measurements to look for include: bone mass, muscle mass, and body water percentage.
Custom App – Some scales (as you’ve seen above) are compatible with customized apps that allow you to track your fitness down to the tiniest details. While the broader apps like Apple Health and Google Fit allow for some data tracking, the custom apps specifically designed for these body fat scales will offer much more detailed information.
Connectivity – Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections are integrated into some of the better body fat scales on the market. This is how the scale pairs with your smartphone and/or smartwatch, automatically or manually copying the data on your latest weigh-in to the app tracking all your progress.
User Profiles – If you live in a house with multiple people trying to track their fitness, a scale with multiple user profiles will make it easier for everyone to keep records of their progress directly. With each user profile, the scale will actually track how much you’ve lost (from day to day, week to week, or even from your first weigh-in).
Additional Information – Many of the higher-end body fat scales will go beyond just weight and body fat, but actually display additional information like pregnancy tracking, weather forecasts, and other metrics broadcast via the smartphone app.
Price – More expensive isn’t always better! Some of the premium-priced scales will have more accurate data tracking but fewer “smart” features, while others will be loaded with “smart” features but take less accurate data.
It’s better to consider functionality and purpose first, and price second.
Body Fat Scale FAQs:
How does a scale measure body fat?
Body fat scales use bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to calculate body fat. BIA utilizes a weak electrical signal that travels through the body. Various tissues (fat, muscle, bone, joint, etc.) and substances put up varying degrees of resistance, and that resistance is calculated (using specific and complex mathematical formula) that pairs the resistance with gender, age, height, and other factors to determine body composition (body fat percentage).
How accurate are body fat scales?
Unfortunately, body fat scales aren’t the most accurate tool for measuring body fat around. According to a Consumer Reports test, body fat scales can be off by as much as 34%–though the average was much lower. Bioelectrical impedance analysis is far from accurate, sadly.
For a more accurate calculation, you may need to look into hydrodensitometry (underwater weight) testing, air displacement plethysmography (ADP), or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA scans). These are believed to be the most accurate methods of calculating body weight.
