A good scale but there is NOT an athlete mode for Body Fat

As a scale I give this product 5 stars. It gives me accurate and consistent readings every time. I went with a high capacity scale as I've got size 14 feet that dangle over the sides of most commercial scales giving me inaccurate readings. The large surface area of this scale has made that a non-issue and I've been very please with the product in that regard.





As a body fat analyzer this product did not live up to my expectations. I was displeased to find this product does not in fact have an Athlete setting for body fat measurements as is claimed in Amazon's description of the product. As a lifelong weightlifter I have always found body fat analyzers very inaccurate due to my increased muscle mass. I thought this product would be able to provide me with accurate body fat measurements by way of having a setting specifically for athletes. Unfortunately that has not been the case as the scale routinely advises me I have approximately 35% body fat which is in direct conflict with caliper & hydrostatic testing that has put me at around 20% body fat.



I was going to knock my review of the scale down to 3 stars over seemingly false advertising. I decided not to because I reviewed both the instruction manual and Escali's website and found no claims of this product featuring an athlete setting. Therefore the fault may lie with Amazon's listing of the product and not the product itself.





In summary a good scale for large individuals. A subpar bodyfat analyzer for anyone with above average levels of muscle mass.

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Directionally Correct but Accurate???

I've used a simple model from Tanita for over 5 years and was as happy as a man with one clock -- I knew exactly what time it was. The added features of the BC554 were irresistable but now I had 2 sources of data and they were not in agreement by a significant amount (e.g. 3% body fat difference on a base of 16%).



The weight measurement is as good as ever: precise accurate and consistent. The best that can be said of the other functions is that they seem to be directionally correct and some are simply 'figures of merit' not measurements at all.



Customer support is surprising. When I asked the inevitable questions via their web site I received a phone call from them. The answers made sense but only reinforce my assessment.



It seems that the algorithms are based on a statistical sample using gender age height and 'athleticism'. If your actual profile is close to the sample population the accuracy is probably pretty good. But as you progress toward 'athletic' and away from the calibration population accuracy declines.



It seems to me that anyone purchasing this model is serious enough about fitness to fall into this 'no man's land'. The other issue is that I would expect some continuity between the measures for 'standard adult' and 'athletic adult'. But there is a chasm! I measured 19% at 'standard' and 9% at 'athletic'. The first is clearly too high and the second is too low. Maybe a calculated average is closer to an accurate reading but that is a serious shortcoming in a top-of-the-line product.



So simpler & cheaper is my recommendation. Accept the idea that you are getting directionally correct numbers that are only accurate if you match the calibration population profile.More detail ...

Fabulous Scale Sleek Stunning with Precision Accuracy

We bought this scale to replace an older Taylor model. This scale is way beyond our expectations. We love the combination of stunning style with high quality digital accuracy. The readings are consistent and accurate every time. The large number display is terrific. You can see the numbers without bending down even in low light situations. We also enjoy the sense-on technology with no more tapping to turn on the scale. You simply step on and get a reading. Would highly recommend to others.More detail ...

Saltier 914 baby scale

I bought this scale to weigh my cats as I have one that is 14 lbs and should be about 8 lbs (adopted her at that weight). I also have 5 others that I want to monitor their weight to keep them healthy. The cats are pretty good at staying on the scale and it registers quickly to get a weight; some of them love to lay in it. It appears to be very accurate as the weight did not fluctuate when I weighed them several times. I have only had it about 2 months and only use it about once a month so cannot attest to its long-term reliability but it seems like a good product to me. Since a half a pound is a big deal to a cat I wanted something to give me ounces and be accurate and it seems to do both.More detail ...

excellent scale

I just got this scale to replace an older digital scale that broke and I'm very impressed.



To weigh yourself you step on the scale wait about 3-4 seconds for the scale to stabilize and look at the reading. The weight is easy to read -- large numerals with a backlight. The only drawback of the backlight is that it will increase battery usage. You have a choice of units -- pounds kilograms or stones.



The scale itself is very sleek and low profile. It's 11.8 inches (width) x 11.7 inches. Some scales (both digital and analog) make a clunking sound as you step on but this is totally silent.



Like most digital scales it has to be placed on a hard surface such as tile or wood.



Some digital scales have a "fake repeatability." That is if you weigh yourself and then hold a small weight and step on again it gives exactly the same value. This scale doesn't have this undesirable feature. If you hold a small weight it gives an honest result.



I measured the variability of nine readings. The range (max minus min) was 0.4 pounds and the standard deviation was 0.12 pounds. This is excellent and much better than my previous scale.



I think that the absolute reading is very close to correct but I haven't had a chance yet to compare this scale to the one at my doctor's office.



The instructions warn that the glass surface is slippery when wet. It's not a scale you want to use after stepping out of the shower or bath.More detail ...

7th Review 7th 5 star rating!! Great Scale

There may only be seven reviews for this scale but there's a reason that all seven of us have rated this product with 5 stars; it is a marvelous machine. You get 5 numbers: weight body fat muscle mass water percentage and bone mineral mass. There is an athletic setting and a regular setting. When I checked body fat (the most examined number) in both athletic and regular mode the range of fat seemed consistent with a range for my height weight and build. Obviously each user will choose the setting that seems most accurate to them (athletic or normal).



The only issue that I have with the scale is in the length of time that information is displayed. Weight is flashed three times and then is solid for about 5 seconds before the scale turns itself off. As well the body percentages cycle three times before they turn off. I would prefer for the numbers to show as long as you are on the scale. I think that the manufacturers designed it that way to preserve battery life.



Nevertheless if you do repeated tests within the same time span you get consistent results (no variations). So the consistency alone is the main reason for getting this scale. I highly recommend this product. Even if you just use it for the scale it's worth it.More detail ...