EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale w/ Extra Large Backlit 3.5" Display and "Step-On" Technology
|
List Price: Our Price: $26.90 You Save: $23.05 (46%) Availability: Usually ships in 4-5 business days Buy 3rd Party: from $26.85 (click here) Category: Health Care See more product details |
|---|
Customer Reviews of EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale w/ Extra Large Backlit 3.5" Display and "Step-On" Technology
Customer Review: Sensitive, easy, inexpensive, but incredibly imprecise
Summary: 2 Stars
I purchased this scale about a week ago. This was one of the most highly-reviewed scales on Amazon, and for an affordable price. Unfortunately, just because something has a high rating on Amazon, doesn't mean it will be five stars for YOU.
The set-up is easy. It comes with 4 AAA batteries and (mine at least) an EatSmart tape measure. I just inserted the batteries, placed it on a hard, flat surface, and stepped on. A sticker on the scale said "No need to tap on--just step on." This was true; all I did was step on, and the weight appeared. I tested it several times with my 3-pound dumbbells and it was maybe .2 lbs off or so. (Note: It's sensitive enough for my 5-pound dumbbells by themselves; I'm not sure about the 3. I tested the 3's by stepping on the scale with and without the dumbbell and then minusing it from the weight without the dumbbell.) So, I was reasonably happy.
Then, I went on a scale at the gym (one of those doctor's office style scales, with the slider) and my weight was 3 pounds heavier than on the EatSmart scale. (I believe those doctor's office style scales are most accurate; if I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me.) It could have been water weight, I thought, but around 30 minutes later I went on the EatSmart scale again, and it was still 2 pounds off. (I was wearing the exact same clothes and had not drunk any water between the two periods.) Maybe for some people, 2-lb accuracy is acceptable; I won't be happy without an accuracy of at least .5. In addition, I expect a scale with "Precision" in its title would be, well, precise! I'm on a "diet" (simply eating more nutritious foods, calorie control, cardio, and strength training) and I want to know if it is working. Since weight loss can be as little as .5 pounds a week, I want a scale that can be this precise.
I still might have kept the scale, but I tried it again today. Again, it was on a hard, flat surface. I stepped on the scale. Apparently, I had lost ten pounds overnight. I tested it again and it registered the same weight. I (obviously) knew this was wrong. Two minutes later, I stepped on it again, (with the same stance, not shifting my weight either time) and the display was ten pounds heavier. I don't know if the new weight was right, but I don't want to have to step on the scale several times and "guess" which weight is right.
This gets a star for its great price, sensitivity (my ten-pound cat registered on the scale), and ease of use. Unfortunately, accuracy is worth three more stars.
I don't know if I got a dud, because so many people seem to be SO pleased with this scale, but I'm not taking a second chance.
This is going back to Amazon.
Customer Review: Lemon
Summary: 2 Stars
After looking at many different scales, I had decided to purchase this scale based on its numerous positive reviews with the intention of using it to help track my pursuit of a healthier weight. Now that I've had the EatSmart Scale for almost a month, I'm starting to think I received a lemon. My first indication was that the batteries that it came with did not work. After I popped them in, the screen didn't turn on. I thought perhaps I inserted the batteries wrong. Checked it twice. Popped them out and back in, stepped on, and nothing happened. Thank goodness I had extra batteries at home. After I replaced the batteries that came in the packaging with fresh ones that I bought the scale turned on. Sending dead batteries? Not the best first impression, but worse things have happened.
I began to test it, and it worked flawlessly. Stepped on, then waited for the "C" to appear for it to calibrate, then stepped again for a measurement. I ended up transferring the scale to four different locations in my house (all on smooth hard surfaces), and each time it recalibrated, as it should, and gave me the same reading (139.2, 139.2, 139.2, 139.2). I was thrilled.
Third week in however, I had apparently lost 4 pounds. I thought this was rather fast, so I decided on a whim to retest if the scale was still precise. To my utter disappointment this time, when I shifted the scale around the house, it not only didn't recalibrate, it gave me a different reading each time. 135.0, then 134.6, then 134.6, then 135.2, and then, after a 5 minute break, 135.0 again. (The first four test were in rapid succession, no change of clothes, no intake of food or liquids, only change of location, so the scale should have given consistent readings. The 5 minute break was me walking around my house, giving it some time before I stepped on again).
I'm not going to give it just one star (though I must admit I was sorely tempted), after all, an inaccurate scale is essentially a useless scale. However, I will give the product the benefit of the doubt that perhaps I did receive a lemon, obviously other customers have had better experiences than me. I think it would be a grossly unfair if I were to just slap it with one star. I'll give it another for simply the fact that the seller did ship it quickly, and that the design of the product is really quite decent. I love the tempered glass and the digital screen is very easy to read.
Unfortunately, I will be trashing this item (contacted Amazon customer service, and they do not do returns on Health and Personal Care products) and will be searching for a new scale.
Customer Review: Inaccurate.
Summary: 1 Stars
This scale came in the mail a couple of days ago, and I really, really, really *wanted* to like it. It's inaccurate.
Some background info: I'm dieting and losing weight. In the beginning when I was losing weight at 6 lbs, 4 lbs a week, my old scale worked ok. (Taylor brand, non digital) Now that I'm losing weight at the rate of 1 lb a week I needed a much more accurate scale.
Like everybody else I was led into this scale by the negative reviews but figured I'd take a chance at it. Not a good decision. I should have researched more.
Took it out, calibrated it, weighed myself, weighed myself with a 20 lb weight, weighed myself alone again. I repeated this test multiple times, and the first and second weights are always different, ranging from a difference in .2 to over a pound or more. This is unacceptable. I would give this scale four stars if it was only off by .2 lbs or .4 lbs, but it is off by more than that.
Weighing my 20 lb weight by itself yielded results of 20 lb and 20.2 lb. However, the scale is off by more than .2 lb when I weigh myself.
I am very disappointed and honestly feel like crying. I don't know whether or not to return this scale, as it was a waste of $$ or try to contact the company and ask for a replacement. I go away to college soon and quite frankly don't have a lot of time for dealing with this issue. My advice to other buyers: Don't take a gamble on this, like I did. There are enough poor reviews here to negate all of the fabulous ones. Get a different scale. This one is useless if you are looking for a scale accurate to what this scale claims to be.
UPDATED REVIEW:
I returned this scale to Amazon.com. The company emailed me and left a message on this comment before I had done that, but I got a full refund, preferring to take my business elsewhere. The company sent me a new scale of the same model which I received in the mail today, which I was not expecting seeing as how I got a refund. But who is going to complain about getting something for free? The vice president's business card was inside. If the scale works I'll give him a call to thank him, but if not I'm not too disappointed anymore, seeing as how I have my money back. I guess I'll test it out. I mean, hell, it's a free scale. So kudos to the company's customer service. I just wish they had a wonderful product to back, because it would be such a pleasure to see service like this from other companies.
The free scale is just as crappy as the first one. I stand by my original review. One star
Customer Review: Initial failure, mixed feelings after failure was fixed
Summary: 3 Stars
Original review, posted Sep.2, '09 [1 star]:
This scale had problems from the beginning -- according to the sticker, you are supposed to be able to "wake it up" just by tapping it, but I could only get it to turn on and calibrate once out of every twenty taps or so, which was pretty frustrating.
Now, after 2 weeks of mild use, it has stopped working -- it is permanently stuck in calibrating mode, until the batteries wear out.
Very disappointed with this purchase.
Update:
The company contacted me based on the original review, and offered to replace the item in exchange for deleting my review. I said I would be willing to amend, but not delete the review outright. They said that that wouldn't be good enough -- they insisted that I change the number of stars, not just change the text. (That's what I intended to do anyway, but they spelled out their condition)
Now, I have a problem with that to begin with. In my mind, if you sell a lemon, before worrying about exactly what the customer's going to do with their review, as a conscientious business owner, first of all you fix that problem, no questions asked. Sending me a replacement should _not_ be contingent on what I do with my review.
Common sense suggests that if you take good care of your customers, they're going to do right by you. Obviously if I get sent a working replacement, I'm going to reflect that good experience in my online writing. That's why I take the time to write reviews in the first place -- to share my experiences, and this would be a significant turn of events, worth reporting.
As it is, it gives me a slightly used feeling as I bump up the stars on this, like I struck a backroom deal.
I like to support small business owners and good customer service, so in that sense it's great that this company monitors what customers say about them and moves to rectify problem. However the quid-pro-quo aspect is a little troubling.
Also the company mentioned that they have "only" a 1% defect rate. 1% seems pretty high to me, actually. So that also casts a bit of a shadow on their otherwise admirable vigilance in monitoring the Internet for negative reviews -- if their product fails for 1 out of 100 customers, it makes sense that they need to actively do damage control.
Anyway, I did receive the replacement, as promised, and this one has worked for the first week at least, so that's a plus.
Customer Review: This is not "precision"...
Summary: 2 Stars
In my eyes, the word precision is meant to be used on a product that displays precision operation every single time it is used. This scale does not do that. Does it work? Yes. Can it provide an accurate weight? I can only assume it does so, and for that I am pleased. But this DOES NOT provide an accurate measurement EVERY time you step on the scale. I'll admit that its feasible that I have a faulty unit... that's always possible. But the issue I have is too consistent. So here's the deal... the scale will display what can only be assumed to be a fairly accurate weight when a new body of mass is put onto it. However, the next time it is used, the scale will display the exact same weight if the newer body of mass is within the ballpark weight of the previous weighing. By my rude calculations, if the second weighing is within about +/- .6-.8 lbs, it will display the exact same weight as the first time. I have to add about .8-1.0 lbs to get a new weight displayed. The scale will even momentarily flash a higher weight, then go back to that original weight. As an example, five minutes ago I stepped on my scale, fully clothed, and weighed 210.2 lbs. I re-weighed myself three times and got the same weight each time. Now I stepped off, let it reset, then stepped back on with a thick wallet now in hand... same weight at 210.2 lbs. I stepped off, let it reset, then stepped on with a small video camera in hand (and no wallet), and it flashed up to 211.0, then back to 210.2 lbs. I stepped off, and then grabbed a different bigger camera, and brought my weight up to 212.0 lbs. With a new weight in the scale's memory I let it reset, then got on again with my wallet (and no camera), and it displayed 210.8 lbs. Now I weighed my self with the wallet again a few times, each time it showed 210.8 lbs. And of course I re-weighed myself with no wallet and it displayed....... 210.8 lbs, and the same weight after two of the same. I then weighed myself with both cameras in hand to "reset" the weight, and weighed myself with nothing in hand and magically came back down to 210.2 lbs. This is horribly inaccurate, and inconsistent. This is NOT a precision instrument. Every time I weigh myself in the morning, if I get the same weight I had the previous day, I then have to weigh myself with something "heavy" in my hands so that the scale's memory is erased, and then re-weigh myself again to get an accurate reading. Take it for what you will, but if I could have spent my money on a different scale, I would have.