Bathroom Scales that Cheat

[TromboneAl]

A while ago I tried a Health-0-meter electronic scale at someone's house. I weighed myself four times in a row and got exactly the same weight each time. That impressed me enough to buy my own.

Although it is a good product, I think the manufacturers have put in some code that make its measurements appear to be extremely accurate in terms of repeatability.

Here's what I did this morning. I weighed myself six times in a row, and in each of those cases, got the same number: 165.8 pounds.

I then picked up a sixteen ounce water bottle full of water and weighed myself. I got something like 167.2.

I then put down the water bottle and weighed myself again, and got 166.4.

My theory is that if a second weighing is within about half a pound of the first, it redisplays the first result.

Supporting this, I've found that I can weigh myself, then pick up a bottle containing about 8 oz of water, weigh myself again, and get the same weight.

 

[Darryl]

Few years ago I bought a new scale that also tells you your % of body fat. I brought it home but didn't like the results it was showing (fat % was higher than I wanted to see) so I returned it (must have been defective) and bought the top of the line model. I brought it home and had similar results to the first scale as I read the owners manual there was a warning that the body fat reading may not be accurate for "world class athletes" the scale allows you to tell it you are a world class athlete and it adjusts accordingly. I did that and now feel much better about my readings. I wonder if three hours a week of aerobic is enough to legitimately put me in that category?

 

[W2R]

I don't like Health-o-meter because I was not getting my correct weight with mine. So, I gave mine away, and bought Tanita scales that measure to within 0.2 pounds. My Tanita scales don't always give exactly the same weight two times in a row - - but very close.

 

[twaddle]

I weighed myself six times in a row

Do you find yourself washing your hands a lot too?

I'm still happy with my analog Tanita. I even use it for weighing packages prior to shipping, and the UPS scale always agrees with me.

 

[zinger1457]

I also had a health-o-meter (mechanical) and thought it was accurate since it was repeatable. Had family visit and they joked how they liked my scale, come to find out it was about 5lbs. on the low side. Replaced it with a soehnle digital scale which has been very accurate so far.

 

[happy2bretired]

I have a "Thinner" (I wish) made in China of course. I bought it before the China thread, so there. I like it...it weighs me 4 pounds lighter than my doctor's scale. Now, wouldn't you like it too?

 

[Sandy]

I have a regular old scale. I can't recall how long I've had it - well over 25 years. Even when I bought it, it weighed me 5 lbs under. I adjusted the balance so when nothing is on it, it says 5 lbs. It has always weighed me correctly since then. I don't need (or want) digital readouts that give me 10ths of a pound. I can be obsessive enough thank you. As long as I stay in a 2-3 pound range (which I have since college), all good.

 

[SC]

It's funny that you should mention this. I made the same discovery this morning with a generic digital bath scale from Target. It displays weights with a resolution of 0.1 pounds, but that's just for show. I weighed myself, then picked up a kitten - about 8 ounces - and weighed myself again. Same number. Me, kitten, and random object = Same number, plus 1.4 pounds.

Repeating the experiment with other random objects, I always got increments of 1.4 pounds, and never anything in between. Grrr.

I'd much rather have a scale that doesn't display tenths and is accurate to one pound. This one is just pretending.

 

[Outtahere]

I don't know the brand I have but it's digital, weighs in half pound increments. I have to step on it, reset it , step on it again and then a third time to get my actual weight. I take two out of three, sometimes I get three different answers, it's very irritating. Now I'm begining to question the new digital scale at the dr's office.

 

[TromboneAl]

I saw a comedian on Conan recently who described a tech support call to the digital scale company.

I'm calling because I used to weight 170 pounds and now I weigh "error."

Did I drop it? (sarcastic You mean the thing that sits on the floor? Oh yeah, I dropped it. I was carrying it around the house to see if I weighed the same in different rooms, and I dropped it down the stairs.

 

[Bram]

I love all the little experiments you do, T-Al! You have an enquiring mind!

 

[clifp]

I guess if I weighed 165.8 lbs I weigh myself 6 times a day also.

Show off..

 

[Fireup2020]

LOL clifp! I have missed the chuckles from this board!