Digital or Mechanical?

Hey everyone!

I have electronic scales at home which have weighed me in at 299lbs. However, I went to the gym and eyed up their mechanical scales, and to my surprise weighed about 292 on them!! On one hand it would be great if the gym ones were accurate, cause that means I'm 7 lbs lighter than I thought! but then deep in the back of my mind I can't help thinking it's too good to be true!

But back to the point, I need to buy some new scales so was wondering which one's you think are best: digital or mechanical?

I like digital scales.  I think they are easier to calibrate than mechanical scales and harder to eff up.

Hi zootalor!

I dont think you need to buy a new scale. Save the money! I use a mechanical scale which only shows pounds - nothing in between and some days it's off a lb or two. But it doesnt really matter at this stage. I know I started at 260 and now I am around 245 so I have definately lost more than 10 lb which is great!

The only thing that matters is the difference you make between starting CC and ending it at some point.

good luck for your journey!

B.

I have digital scales but would recommend mechanical...I am thinking of changing. Reason - digital scales make it too easy to fret over 1/4 lb or so weight gains...which may be nothing more than a cup of coffee !  Mechanical scales suffice to show longer term trends which is what should be of interest.

I've used a digital scale for over five years now, and I wouldn't own anything else.  Yes, it does weigh to the half pound, but I just don't count it till it hits a full pound.  I just feel it's more accurate, but this is just my opinion.

I have a digital scale but I think mechanical ones are more accurate! At least the ones I've owned. :/ weird, huh?

My digital scale told me my daughter, me, my husband and others that we all weighed 150lbs when my toddler weighs 40lb, I weighed at the time 160lbs and my husband is more like 180lbs.  I would recommend an old fashion mechanical one.  I swear by them; they mess up a LOT less and an be much cheaper.  Walmart has a ton of them.

I think the majority here is right.  Mechanical.

I have a digital now.

I had a weight of 240 yesterday morning, then 242.5 after breakfast and then 243 a bit later.  One week I saw a 5 pound swing up and down at different times and days.  Changed battery and no help, still lame.

I have decided to weigh frequently and only record weekly or so.  Also I add a pound or two to the low weight to get a more close average.  Pretty lame, should be more accurate.

But for me, I know the low weight I have seen so I hold on to that in my head.

Seems like the consumer reviews seem to push toward digital scales.  Maybe I just have a lame one. 

Thanks for your replies guys. I was told mechanical ones were more accurate before I posted, but I have pretty bad eyesight so find it difficult to see the numbers! I think I might just go with digital as they're the most common and the numbers are easier to see!

I have to tell you, zootalor, I've been really happy with my digital scale.  Very accurate, and, yes, easy to read the numbers.  They do have the mechanical ones with large numbers, too, though.  I think they're more expensive, not sure. 

The only prob I have with my mechanical scale is that EVERY morning I have to move the needle back to '0'.  Forever I didn't move it bc I thought it wouldn't matter, when really it did, bc I was 5+ lbs lighter.

I'm happy you posted this bc I REALLY want a digital, but if the reviews are this bad, I guess I'll pass and keep moving that needle over.

Anyone have a scale like the hospitals have? Are they pretty accurate?

Do you mean the really big scales? We don't use them in the UK but I'm pretty sure you can find one on the internet. They're very accurate, but the last one I saw cost about £200/$350.

Yikes...I don't need the numbers to be that accurate! Thanks!

Original Post by cameronmyers:

I think the majority here is right.  Mechanical.

I have a digital now.

I had a weight of 240 yesterday morning, then 242.5 after breakfast and then 243 a bit later.  One week I saw a 5 pound swing up and down at different times and days.  Changed battery and no help, still lame.

I have decided to weigh frequently and only record weekly or so.  Also I add a pound or two to the low weight to get a more close average.  Pretty lame, should be more accurate.

But for me, I know the low weight I have seen so I hold on to that in my head.

Seems like the consumer reviews seem to push toward digital scales.  Maybe I just have a lame one. 

You do know that your weight is supposed to fluctuate by several pounds over the course of a day, right?  After breakfast you have breakfast in your body so of course you weigh more.  The digital scale is more sensitive/easier to read  than a mechanical scale so you notice more.  It's you, not the scale.

Original Post by prinzessin_naseimbuch:

Original Post by cameronmyers:

I think the majority here is right.  Mechanical.

I have a digital now.

I had a weight of 240 yesterday morning, then 242.5 after breakfast and then 243 a bit later.  One week I saw a 5 pound swing up and down at different times and days.  Changed battery and no help, still lame.

I have decided to weigh frequently and only record weekly or so.  Also I add a pound or two to the low weight to get a more close average.  Pretty lame, should be more accurate.

But for me, I know the low weight I have seen so I hold on to that in my head.

Seems like the consumer reviews seem to push toward digital scales.  Maybe I just have a lame one. 

You do know that your weight is supposed to fluctuate by several pounds over the course of a day, right?  After breakfast you have breakfast in your body so of course you weigh more.  The digital scale is more sensitive/easier to read  than a mechanical scale so you notice more.  It's you, not the scale.

Very true.  In fact, I only weigh every other day, or so.  And, when I do weigh, it's before I eat and at basically the same time every morning, just to be consistent.  I would NEVER weigh more than once a day.