Read article : The best bathroom scales
The humble bathroom scale has come a long way from those clunky old things with the red needles in doctors' surgeries. Today, scales look sleek and fancy – and they do more than just tell you your weight, too.
Key features
Putting aside extras like being able to tell you the weather (seriously) or sing you a lullaby (OK, not seriously, but who knows for how long?), the best bathroom scales will include the majority, if not all, of the following features.
Easy readability
While the analog scales are traditional, they can be difficult to read. A good set of scales should have a clear and easy to understand display.
Accurate weight measurement
The entire point of investing in bathroom scales is to have your weight accurately measured and relayed to you. Otherwise, what's the point?
Size
Make sure the scales you eventually decide on are big enough and sturdy enough to accommodate you. Scales with little platform space for your feet won't be able to accurately measure your weight. And nobody wants scales that break after one use.
Humidity resistant
Most people keep their scales in the bathroom and it can get pretty steamy in there. Look around for scales that don't start malfunctioning when they come into contact with a little extra heat.
Accurate body fat analysis
Increasingly, scales are being used for much more than simply telling you your weight. If you're on the lookout for scales that can also relay your body fat back to you, ensure its accurate.
Fitbit Aria WiFi smart bathroom scales
£89, Currys
Fitbit attempt to corner the scales market in addition to the fitness gadget one with the Aria, a set of bathroom scales described as "for the technologically-advanced weight watcher".
The scales are sturdy and have enough space for you to place your feet comfortably. The LED display is bright and easy to read. The Aria calculates your body fat percentage by passing a small electrical current through your bare feet, offering up accurate results.
The scales connect to your WiFi network and upload your weight and body fat percentage to a private online profile which can be accessed through the Fitbit website or app, where you'll be able to see graphs showing the progress of your weightloss and fitness regime.
Rating: ★★★★
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Digital glass bathroom scales
£18, John Lewis
For a great value set of digital scales, this glass set from John Lewis should do the trick. Made from a toughened glass, these scales are sturdy and provide enough platform space for you to stand on comfortably.
It has an easy to read LCD display revealing your weight in numerical form. Extremely accurate, the scales go the extra mile and are fitting with carpet feet to reduce any chance of inaccuracy due to uneven floors.
Unlike other scales, these scales do not analyse BMI or any other additional measurements and cannot connect to WiFi.
Rating: ★★★
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Withings Smart Body Analyzer
£95.69, Amazon
Smart Body Analyzer " />The Smart Body Analyzer from Withings is another set of scales that would be ideal for the technologically inclined. It connects to your WiFi and links to your Withings account, automatically uploading your weight to your profile every time you step on it. Use the app to look at your weightloss/gain graphs and set a target weight.
The scales record your body fat percentage by passing a small electrical current through your body to ensure optimum accuracy and also allows you to read your heart rate. For homes with multiple people, the scales are smart enough to analyse the weight of the person standing on it and correctly guess who it is, sending the information to the correct account.
Bizarrely, these scales also monitor temperature and CO2 levels in your home, notifying you of any unusually high readings.
This bright white scale set from Beurer boasts a range of features, displaying to you not only your weight, but the time, indoor and outdoor temperatures, and the local weather forecast. Simply attach the weatherproof outdoor sensor on a wall and get temperature readings in either C or F and a weather forecast each morning.
The LCD displays are clear and easy to read, though it can get a little busy and differentiating between the five first thing in the morning might be tricky for some and just plain annoying for others.
Despite offering extras such as temperature and a weather forecast, the scales don't measure BMI which is surprising given its other capabilities.
Rating: ★★★
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Collection bamboo digital bathroom scales
£15.99, Argos
These bamboo scales from Argos are a great budget option for people looking for a cheaper set of scales without compromising on accuracy. Made from natural bamboo the scales can withstand weights of up to 180kg and have enough space to comfortably stand on.
It accurately calculates your weight in real time switching between imperial and metric measurements and is battery operated.
Stylish and smart, the QardioBase measure not only your weight, but also your BMI and full body composition (fat, muscle, water and bone). It connects to your WiFi to work seamlessly with the free Qardio app to collect, store and analyse your measurements.
It measures in kg, lb and stones to offer a precise and accurate measurement even on an uneven surface. Like other scales, this one is smart enough to recognise the profiles of up to 8 users automatically after been stepped on.
The bright LED display is simple to read, replacing numbers with smiling faces and the scales even have pregnancy mode, measuring progress week-by-week with a photo diary.
Pricey, but well worth it for the results.
Rating: ★★★★
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Omron BF511 family body composition monitor
£61.95, Amazon
More than just a set of scales, the Omron family body composition monitor also gives you precise and in depth body fat measurements. It reads not only body fat percentage, but also visceral fat, resting metabolism and skeletal muscle percentage to help you meet your fitness and weight goals.
It uses both feet and hand sensors to accurately analyse and display your measurements.
If you don't mind fiddling around with the various buttons to get the measurements you need, the Omron is top tier for the kind of accuracy you'd receive at your GP.
Rating: ★★★★
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Salter 145 mechanical bathroom scale
£23.19, Amazon
If you'd rather keep things traditional, go for the trusted Salter 145 mechanical scale. Sturdy and with a generous amount of foot room to keep you balanced, the scale can hold weights up to 150kg.
It doesn't have any of the bells and whistles as any of the above machines, but for a simple set of scales that'll tell you what you want to know without any hassle, the Salter 145 mechanical scale is a great choice.
Rating: ★★★★
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