The benefits of smart bathroom scales are numerous. They effortlessly track your weight, and usually other body composition metrics as well, by automatically recording them in an app so that you and your health care team can keep an eye on them over time. True to form, the $129.99 iHealth Core Wireless Body Composition Scale records all kinds of measurements about your body and reliably syncs them via Wi-Fi to a mobile app. It's a good, mid-priced scale that's very easy to set up and use. For about $20 more, though, you can get a scale with a few extra features, like the Withings Smart Body Analyzer WS-50 or the QardioBase, which are PCMag's Editors' Choice picks. The Withings scale reads heart rate and has an excellent Web app, while the QardioBase has great features for tracking weight through a pregnancy.
DesignThe iHealth Core is a square scale with rounded edges and a glass top. It measures 13.8 inches on each side and 1 inch high and weighs 5.5 pounds. Four silver circles mark where to put your feet when you step on.
You Can Trust Our ReviewsSince 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. (Read our editorial mission.)All the smart bathroom scales I've tested have the same general glass-top look, which I like, as the design is modern and clean. Most come in white, black, or both. The iHealth Core is white with a silver logo. The only smart scale that breaks away slightly in terms of design is the QardioBase because of its round shape.
The scale runs on four AAA batteries, which are included. It can read out in pounds, kilograms, or stones. To toggle between units of measure, you need the app. With the Garmin Index Smart Scale ( at Amazon Canada) , you can change from one unit of measure to another using a switch on the underside of the scale, which is much better for guests or family members who have different preferences.
4.5Outstanding $99.00See Itat AmazonRead Our Withings Smart Body Analyzer (WS-50) Review4.5Outstanding Read Our QardioBase Smart Scale Review 4.0Excellent $169.95Check Stockat Amazon Read Our Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi Smart Scale Review 3.5Good $90.00 Check Stockat AmazonRead Our Polar Balance Connected Smart Scale Review 3.5GoodCheck Stockat AmazonRead Our Runtastic Libra Bluetooth Smart Scale Review 3.5Good $120.60Check Stockat AmazonRead Our Garmin Index Smart Scale Review 3.0Average $60.00Check Stockat AmazonRead Our Koogeek S1 Smart Health Scale Review 3.0Average $59.99See Itat AmazonRead Our Health o Meter Nuyu Wireless Scale Review 2.5FairCheck Stockat AmazonRead Our Pivotal Living Bluetooth Smart Scale ReviewSetup, Syncing, and UsageEffortless setup, thanks to a simple QR code on the back of the scale, earns the iHealth Core scale big points in my book. To get started, you download the iHealth app to a compatible iPhone or Android device, and pop in a few batteries. The app prompts you to scan a QR code on the back of the scale. You create an account in the app and provide your age, height, sex, etc., to help it calculate data points such as body mass index (BMI).
When you stand on the scale, you see your weight appear quickly, followed by body fat, and then weight again. A Wi-Fi icon glows on the display to indicate the numbers are being sent to the app via the cloud. It's very straightforward.
Only weight and body fat percentage display on the scale, which means you need the app to see your other readings, including body water, BMI, and bone mass. The app also calculates visceral fat and daily caloric intake (how many calories you need to consume to stay at your present weight). When viewing these data points in the app, you can click on them to review a short paragraph explaining what the measurement is and why it might be useful.
If only seeing weight and body fat on the scale disappoints you, it's useful to know that the Garmin Index Smart Scale cycles through all your readings while you're still standing on it. That's much better for people who pay close attention to their daily readings and don't want to pull out their smartphone every time they step on the scale. There is no Web app, which is disappointing if you like to really dig into your data, or if you just prefer to view your history on a bigger screen.
The iHealth Core can track weight for up to 20 people. One nice feature is that if your W-Fi network goes down, the scale will save the 200 most recent measurements per user and sync them when the network connection resumes. It should be noted that this is the only scale I've tested that syncs via Wi-Fi but has no option for Bluetooth. That's fine by me, as Wi-Fi syncing tends to be much more reliable and convenient because you don't need to bring a phone with you into the bathroom.
A few times, I stepped on and off the scale quickly, before it had a chance to take a bioelectrical impedance reading. The weight was still recorded in the app, but the rest of my chart turned up blank. I like that the syncing is so fast it recorded my weight when I didn't make it through the body composition readings.
The app shows BMI on a color-coded line graph so that you have a sense of whether your number is considered healthy. A few weight-tracking apps do the same thing. It's really helpful for people who don't know what their numbers mean.
With a few other accessories from iHealth, you can also use the app to track your blood pressure, blood oxygen, activity collected from an iHealth tracker, and so forth. You can manually input these figures as well. And iPhone users who want to centralize their data in the Apple Health app have the option.
Of all the smart scales I've tested, my favorite one for weight loss is the Polar Balance, and not due to the scale, per se, but the app. When used in conjunction with a Polar fitness tracking device (I like the Polar A360 ( at Amazon Canada) ) and your own calorie-counting, the app gives you precise feedback about what to do to lose weight toward a specific goal. Say you want to lose five pounds in six weeks. The app will tell you exactly what exercises you can do and for how long, plus what foods to eliminate from your diet. For example, it might suggest running for 30 minutes and eating four ounces less of chocolate. I love the specificity of the recommendations. The iHealth Core doesn't offer anything like that.
Comparisons and ConclusionsSmart bathroom scales are priced loosely in three tiers. The high end is $149, and the low end is about $49. The middle is $99 to $129, which is where the iHealth Core falls. With smart scales, you get what you pay for. The higher-end scales tend to be far better than the cheapest ones, but many in the middle are more than adequate.
Other scales in the price range of the iHealth Core include the Fitbit Aria, the Runtastic Libra (which uses Bluetooth only), and the Koogeek S1. The first two are well suited to those who use fitness trackers of the same brand. The Koogeek scale doesn't have an affiliated fitness tracker, and it also doesn't play well with other apps.
At the top end of the price scale, you'll find our top picks, the aforementioned Qardiobase and Withings WS-50. What do you get if you pay the extra $20? With the Withings scale, you get your heart rate read through your feet, a top-notch online dashboard, and tools for sharing your data with a health care team. With the QardioBase, you get vibration feedback (great for people with poor eyesight or hearing), as well as the option to turn off bioelectrical impedance, which is necessary for people who have pacemakers and often recommended for pregnant women. The QardioBase also has some excellent features for tracking weight through a pregnancy, which I have yet to see in another scale.
Also at the high end is the Garmin Index, which didn't do quite as well in our testing as our Editors' Choices. All three of these scales sync by both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The Garmin Index can also sync to a computer using an ANT+ stick, but you have to supply your own.
At the low end of the price spectrum are the Nuyu Wireless ( at Amazon Canada) and the Pivotal Living scales. Neither has Wi-Fi syncing, so you need to have your phone in range to wirelessly record your weigh-ins. They only integrate with a limited number of devices, and their apps aren't great.
Priced as a mid-tier model, with easy setup and reliable Wi-Fi syncing, the iHealth Core Wireless Body Composition Scale is a very good smart scale. It does its job reliably and with little effort, but it won't surprise you with anything extra special. It's a good choice if you already use other iHealth products, but if you don't, I'd recommend you first take a look at the Withings and Qardiobase scales.
3.5Check Stock$149.99 at AmazonMSRP $129.99View MoreView MoreThe iHealth Core Wireless Body Composition Scale is a good mid-priced smart bathroom scale that's easy to use and will track weight and body composition for everyone in your household.
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