Into an elegant décor? There are stylish scales made of marble. Looking for a little more motivation? There is a talking scale that actually announces to you (and anyone else in earshot) your weight.
On the go? There are travel-friendly models that easily fit in a suitcase (but doing so will not allow you to keep the calories-don't-count-on-vacation mindset).
Like to keep it simple? A bells-and-whistles-free, plain bathroom scale can be found at discount or "big box" stores for around $10.
Want to go well beyond the basics? A chain home-goods store carries a glass scale that calculates and monitors bone density. (At over $120, it should also floss your teeth, in my opinion.)
But the truth is, no matter how fancy or advanced your scale is, it won't be worth a penny if you so dread its function that you won't step on it. No matter how much you might think you want to invest in a high-tech or fabulously-fashionable scale, the only thing that really matters is the result that comes up when you do step on.
Aside from the advancements that some newer scales offer, one change is truly valuable: A chief concern for heavier people was the capacity of a scale and whether or not it could be comfortably stood upon. Scales now measure up to 300 to 400 pounds (280 used to be the maximum capacity) and feature lower and wider platforms than in decades past. If one with a higher capacity costs a little more, and you need it, it's worth it to avoid going to the hospital or doctor's office to be weighed.
If you already have a scale, you might be concerned that it is not accurate. Before you buy a replacement, do this simple test: Place a five-pound bag of sugar on the area where your feet normally. It should read five pounds and the scale should reset itself to 0 when it is removed.
Even if you buy a scale known to be highly accurate, you still may not get the same results from a any at-home scale that you get at your doctor’s office (Balance-beam scales are specifically certified for professional use and are most accurate.)
And remember, your weight can vary by a number of pounds depending on the time of day you weight in, body fluid levels and hormonal fluctuations. There's no need to stress over the scale on a daily basis, but research has shown that people who weigh in regularly are more likely to maintain their weight loss than those who don't.
The bottom line? As far as I am concerned, since there is some controversy about the accuracy of those "bells and whistles" scales that supposedly do things like measure metabolism, it may not worth the investment to spend a lot. You are probably just as well off saving some money and sticking to the basics by picking a scale that you can comfortably stand on and with numbers you can clearly read, which you can easily find for no more than $30.
