Best smart scales 2023: the top scales for getting greater insights
If you already know how heavy you are but want some more specifics, these connected options can show you the weigh
Whether you just want to keep an eye on your weight or get deeper insights into your general fitness, this trio of the best smart scales should help you learn more about what your body is doing.
Weighing yourself used to be a simple process: you stepped on the scales, winced at the dial, then lied about the figure to your significant other.
These days, there’s more to it. A new breed of smart scales can now track all manner of stats, from BMI and body fat to heart rate, plot your progress on your smartphone, and even link with your fitness band for true 360-degree health monitoring.
In fact, about the only thing these scales won’t do is lie to your family for you; you’ll still have to do that bit yourself.
We’ve put the best models through their paces to see which is best entrusted with your precious BMI info.
Withings Body Cardio
Withings practically invented the smart scale back in 2009, and its latest model claims to be the most advanced yet, providing metrics you never knew were possible without a visit to the hospital. Its biggest celebrity advocate is magician Penn Jillette (the talkative half of Penn & Teller), who credits Withings smart scales with helping him lose over 100lb.
The Body Cardio measures fat and muscle percentage, bone mass and heart rate and also pulse wave velocity, which can be a key indicator of cardiovascular health. It has modes for athletes, pregnant women and babies (don’t worry, they don’t need to operate it themselves), and all data is synced wirelessly to the informative Withings Health Mate app via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
Stuff says…
★★★★★ Big and pricey, but this is easily the cleverest and most accomplished smart scale
Xiaomi Mi Body Composition Scale 2
Xiaomi’s list of smart devices includes pet treadmills, toothbrushes, hairdryers, blood pressure monitors, massagers… and now this new version of its smart scale. The Body Composition Scale 2 is designed with minimalism in mind: it’s basic yet functional.
Without the Mi Fitness app, you wouldn’t be able to distinguish this tempered glass square from any other one; but the software unlocks metrics such as muscle mass, fat percentage and even metabolic age. We found the results to be consistent, and it’ll sync with Apple Health, Google Fit and Samsung Health. Just remember to buy AAA batteries, unless you only plan to use it as a chopping board.
Stuff says…
★★★★✩ A fine budget scale for keeping track of your weight and body composition
Eufy P2 Pro
Part of the Anker family, Eufy makes smart vacs, spy cams and all manner of health tech. Although it looks rather simple, the P2 Pro smart scale will take 16 different measurements, including heart rate, ‘body type’, skeletal muscle mass and subcutaneous mass. That’s the soft tissue beneath the skin – eurgh!
It’s impossible to check the accuracy of readings like ‘body age’ as you can’t compare them with other devices. But this is certainly an impressive number-cruncher, the app is easy to use and there’s even 3D body mapping – done by taking measurements with the bundled tape measure and entering them into the app. It’s useful for seeing your progress in 3D model form.
Stuff says…
★★★★★ A feature-packed option that punches well above its weight
Natalya Paul
