Other Smart Scales
Renpho MorphoScan
Photograph: Chris Null
Renpho MorphoScan for $150: The Renpho MorphoScan full-body scanner bears a striking resemblance to the Runstar FG2015, including a nearly identical display attached to the handlebars. Spoiler alert: they are essentially the same scale. They even use the same app to gather data (and you can use both scales at the same time with it). The only reason this scale isn’t our top pick is that it’s $15 pricier. But don’t worry, a price war is on the horizon.
Arboleaf Body Fat Scale CS20W
Photograph: Chris Null
Arboleaf Body Fat Scale CS20W for $40: This budget-friendly Bluetooth scale might not be the most visually appealing I’ve tested, thanks to its large silver electrodes and an oversized display that comes off as a bit flashy. While the weight is easy to read, the six extra statistics shown at once can be hard to decipher. I prefer the Arboleaf app over the scale itself, as it includes five more metrics along with helpful explanations when you tap on them. It’s a decent deal at this price, but the upsell for an “intelligent interpretation report” at an extra $40 per year is likely one you can skip.
Hume Health Body Pod
Photograph: Chris Null
Hume Health Body Pod for $183: Hume Health’s Body Pod, another full-body scanner with handles, is heavily marketed—especially through apps on my phone—and is touted (by Hume) as the Next Big Thing in body management. While the app is indeed polished and welcoming, I was shocked by how flimsy the hardware felt, its lack of Wi-Fi, and the fact that some features are locked behind a $100-per-year Hume Plus subscription plan. It works adequately, but you can achieve similar results with a more affordable device.
Garmin Index S2
for $191: Five years after its initial release, the Index S2 remains Garmin’s latest model, which is surprising for a brand so focused on fitness. It still stands out for its beautiful color display that details six body metrics (for up to 16 users) with each weigh-in. The display also shows your weight trend over time visually and even includes weather information. The scale connects directly to Wi-Fi and Garmin’s cloud-based system, allowing you to track your progress without needing a phone nearby like with Bluetooth-only models. However, a phone running the Garmin Connect app (available on Android and iOS) is useful for long-term tracking. Unfortunately, as far as health apps go, Connect can be quite overwhelming, so expect a bit of a learning curve—especially if you want to tweak how the scale operates. You can toggle various LCD-screen widgets in the app, but navigating the extensive Garmin ecosystem can be a challenge. The colorful screen is nice at first glance but ultimately doesn’t add much to the overall experience.
Omron BCM-500
for $92: With its large LCD panel, four onboard buttons, and oversized silver electrodes, the Omron BCM-500 is a striking piece of brutalist design. If your bathroom features concrete and wrought iron, this scale will fit right in. The Bluetooth model syncs with Omron’s HeartAdvisor app (available on Android and iOS), but it displays all six body metrics directly on the scale, cycling through them with each weigh-in (for up to four users). It can be tough to read the labels for each data point, partly because the LCD isn’t backlit, but the app is somewhat easier to navigate, providing front-page graphs of weight, skeletal muscle, and body fat. However, the presentation feels quite clinical, and the app can be slow to sync. For a scale that lacks Wi-Fi, it seems a bit pricey as well.
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