This article was co-authored by Michele Dolan and by wikiHow staff writer, Raven Minyard, BA. Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 631,922 times.
Scales are a useful tool for tracking weight loss or gain, but those numbers can be thrown off if the scale isn’t accurate. In this article, we’ll teach you how to test the accuracy of bathroom (both analog and digital) scales and kitchen scales so you know if your scale is working correctly. Plus, find out what the best bathroom scales are and get answers to common questions about using and testing scales.
How to Know if Your Scale is Accurate
First, zero out the scale according to its instructions. Test the scale’s accuracy by weighing an object you already know the weight of. Reweigh the object multiple times to ensure you get the same number each time. Or, weigh two objects to make sure the combined weight matches the individual weight.
Steps
Expert Q&A
-
QuestionI weighed myself on a digital scale, but I think the weight is wrong. I even moved it to a flat surface, but it gave me the same result four times. What can I do to fix this?Michele DolanMichele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
Certified Fitness TrainerIf you are convinced the scale is repeatedly giving you the wrong number, press the reset button on the bottom of the scale. If there is no button, then you may not be able to reset your scale. What is most important is consistency. Try to focus on whether the number changes over time, more than what the actual reading is. -
QuestionHow do you adjust a digital scale that is incorrect?Michele DolanMichele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
Certified Fitness TrainerThe digital scale should have a button on the bottom which allows you to reset the scale to zero. Before pressing the button however, make sure your scale is sitting on a level flat surface and has been sitting at room temperature for a while. -
QuestionHow do I calibrate a scale?Michele DolanMichele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
Certified Fitness TrainerCheck the bottom of the scale. Many scales have a dial on the underside for resetting to zero.
Video
Tips
-
Keep in mind that many scales have a maximum weight. Check the specifications on your scale or go online to check the specifications for your scale to determine if your scale maxes out at a certain weight.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://content.teladochealth.com/cp/PM10198.A_Livongo_Guide_to_Scale_Accuracy.pdf
- ↑ https://www.theexaminernews.com/buying-guides/ultimate-guide-to-the-best-analog-bathroom-scales/
- ↑ https://renpho.com/blogs/wellness-fitness-blog/how-to-test-your-bathroom-scale-for-accuracy?srsltid=AfmBOop7OOKdy_zak3P8Ip16Skozdd9x-lzWMNjMz_qydm8NCWKD2Mm_
- ↑ https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-13-1194
- ↑ https://www.tutelman.com/golf/measure/digitalScaleTest.php
- ↑ https://support.mybaggage.com/help/how-do-i-weigh-my-items
- ↑ https://content.teladochealth.com/cp/PM10198.A_Livongo_Guide_to_Scale_Accuracy.pdf
- ↑ https://totaste.com/how_tos/how-to-tare-a-kitchen-scale/
- ↑ https://www.tastingtable.com/1181889/the-foolproof-trick-to-make-sure-your-kitchen-scale-is-properly-balanced/
- ↑ https://www.mashed.com/587343/heres-how-to-tell-if-your-kitchen-scale-is-accurate/
- ↑ http://lifehacker.com/test-your-kitchen-scale-s-accuracy-with-pocket-change-1638466253
- ↑ https://www.techgearlab.com/topics/home/best-scale
- ↑ https://www.techgearlab.com/topics/home/best-scale
- ↑ https://www.techgearlab.com/topics/home/best-scale
- ↑ https://www.theexaminernews.com/buying-guides/ultimate-guide-to-the-best-analog-bathroom-scales/
- ↑ https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/physical/world-ocean/map-distortion/practices-science-precision-vs-accuracy
- ↑ https://www.cnet.com/health/fitness/timing-matters-how-and-when-to-weigh-yourself-correctly/
- ↑ https://www.theexaminernews.com/buying-guides/ultimate-guide-to-the-best-analog-bathroom-scales/
About This Article
To know if your bathroom scale is working correctly, start by checking that the screen or dial shows 0. If the scale shows higher or lower than 0, turn the dial or press the button to return it to 0. Once you’ve corrected your scale, use an object that you know the weight of, such as a bag of flour or sugar, or a hand weight, to test the scale. Test the object at least 5 times to make sure the results are always accurate. You can also weigh 2 objects together to test its accuracy with an uneven weight distribution. For more tips from our Personal Trainer co-author, including how to test your kitchen scale, read on!