I tested Amazon’s popular RENPHO smart scales to see how well they track body metrics

How did the RENPHO smart scales perform in real use?

I’m not a fitness obsessive, but with a half marathon coming up, I’ve been making a real effort to get fitter and leaner.

That made a smart scale like this RENPHO model appealing, since it promised a clearer picture of how my body is changing as I work toward that goal.

Affordable, packed with features and backed by plenty of positive reviews, the MorphoScan Base 8 scales felt like an easy choice, especially while discounted.

Setting them up was simple: they connected to my phone over Bluetooth in just a couple of minutes and were ready to go straight out of the box.

Unlike ordinary bathroom scales, these have a retractable handle that you lift into a semi-bent arm position in front of you while standing. In a few seconds, your reading appears on both the scale screen and the RENPHO app.

When you open the app, you’re greeted with a wide range of readings and health metrics to help you get started.

I’ll admit I wasn’t thrilled to be told I was “above average” for BMI and body fat percentage, but that’s exactly why I wanted these scales: to keep myself accountable and monitor trends as I work toward being fitter and healthier.

The scales can be used without the app, but most of the useful data is presented neatly there, and it’s easy to understand.

The app covers everything from body fat percentage to muscle mass, and it also gives straightforward explanations of what each metric means.

You also get a full-body fat and muscle breakdown, showing how one arm or leg compares with the other, which could be especially useful if you do a lot of weight training or bodybuilding.

After only about a week of testing, I’ve already noticed some interesting patterns in the data. Combined with healthier eating and more exercise, my body fat and weight seem to be going down. Result.

That said, it’s best to weigh yourself at the same time and under the same conditions each time. I saw one odd reading that was probably caused by weighing myself later in the day than usual, so it’s worth keeping that in mind.

I also like that my partner can use the scales too without affecting my results. The device recognises his body and sends his data to his own app, which makes things much easier.

Overall, these RENPHO smart scales are impressive for the price. Like all home health and fitness tech, the results should be taken with a pinch of salt, and they are no substitute for medical advice or a doctor’s visit. Still, for tracking general metrics, they do an excellent job.

I’m looking forward to seeing body fat drop and muscle mass rise as I continue my wellness journey, and I’d recommend them to anyone on a similar path.