Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale review: A cheap way to achieve your New Year's resolution

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2023
Losing weight is usually one of the most made New Year's resolutions people have, and the Pohl Schmitt Body Fat Bathroom Scale -- and its connection to Apple Health -- can help you achieve that goal.




Smart body scales take the traditional bathroom scale that a lot of people have and add the ability to measure more body elements and have that data wirelessly transferred to your iPhone from it.

If you are looking to monitor your health better in the new year, or whenever, then the Pohl Schmitt Body Fat Bathroom Scale may be a tool to look into to help achieve that goal.

Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale design

The Pohl Schmitt Body Fat Bathroom Scale ships in a white finish, covered with an 8mm-thick glass plate with two silver metal bars positioned diagonally on each side of the surface.

The scale can hold up to 400 lb (or 180 kg), so it can handle all but the most extreme body weights.

The glowing LED screen that shows your weight is located in the center of the scale on the top portion. The screen shines through the top surface of the scale, so you will not notice it when it is off.

The scale is powered by a pair of AA batteries, which are included in the box. This means you do not need to charge the scale overnight or wait for it to charge if it is low on battery.




You also do not need to turn the scale on and off to use it. Just step on it and your weight is automatically calculated.

Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale functionality

The Weight Scale works like any ordinary bathroom scale, in that all you do is stand on it and see your weight. Though, the first reading may not be accurate, so you may want to step on it a second time and trust that number.




Make sure, when using the scale, that you place it on a hard surface and not on a bathmat or rug. This will ensure a more accurate calculation of your weight.

The smart elements that ship with this scale are that the data collected can be transferred to its free partnering app: Fitdays. While the import of the data happens nearly instantly, you must have the app open when weighing yourself for it to record your weight.

You will hear a chime from the app once it has successfully recorded the information from the weighing scale.

The scale can collect a lot of measurements from you when you step on it, beyond how heavy the user is at that moment. That list of data points includes:
  • Weight

  • BMI

  • Body Fat

  • Muscle Rate

  • Fat-free Body Weight

  • Subcutaneous Fat

  • Visceral Fat

  • Body Water

  • Skeletal Muscle

  • Muscle Mass

  • Bone Mass

  • Protein

  • BMR

  • Body Age
If you want to know more about any of the categories you see, you can tap on the down arrow next to their names in the app for more detail.


Measurements have been covered up for privacy reasons. Left: Measurement categories. Middle: Weight calculated. Right: Charts from measurements.


Up to 24 users can set up accounts within the app for that one scale, making it handy for extended families and potentially fitness trainers with a small client base.

The app will chart all data collected from the scale and show you your measurements in the Charts section of the app, viewable in timeframes of weeks, months, and years.

Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale and Apple Health

The Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale -- through the Fitdays app -- can export data to the Health app on your iPhone, all through a fairly simple set-up process:
  • Go into the Health app

  • Tap on your profile in the upper right of the screen

  • Tap on Apps under the Privacy section

  • Tap on Fitdays from the list of apps

  • Choose the info you want to be shared with the Health app
With the two applications connected, this means the information recorded to the scale's app from the scale will also automatically transfer to the Health app too.

You can find the information imported in the Body Measurements sections of the Health app.


Measurements have been covered up for privacy reasons. Left: Weight chart. Middle: Body measurements page. Right: Measurements shared with the Health app.


Any other dieting or nutrition apps you have on your device that are also connected to the Health app, and can get information from it, will also get the weight measurements the scale recorded -- if the other apps take it.

The integration of the Health app with the Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale is a great addition and is a great way to stay on top of your weight loss and health journey all in one place.

Weighing up the scale

The Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale is a great body weight scale that offers a ton of measurement calculations for such a small price. With the addition of Apple Health as well, the scale opens up the door for further integration into the Apple ecosystem.

The scale is sturdy and tough but is also light and minimalistic at the same time. The screen stays flush with the rest of the design, which makes the scale look cleaner and more eye-pleasing.

The app is easy to use and set up, and the scale is easy to connect as well. While you may not have 24 people to share a scale with, it is great to see that more than one person can use it.

While it is annoying that you must have the app open for it to record your measurements when using the Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale, it is a minor annoyance that does deeply impact the use and benefits that the scale brings.

If you are looking for a good -- and affordable -- scale to help achieve your weight loss journey in 2023, then the Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale may be the right fit for you and is worth checking out.

Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale pros

  • Cheap price

  • Battery powered

  • Lightweight

  • Modern and minimalistic design

  • Apple Health integration

  • Measures multiple body aspects

Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale cons

  • Need to have the app open for it to record measurements

  • Need to step on the scale twice for an accurate measurement

  • Only comes in one color

Rating: 4 out of 5

Where to buy

You can purchase the Pohl Schmitt Weight Scale from Amazon for $20.97, but it is currently on sale for 29% off at just $14.97.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 2
    This is certainly a "feature rich" scale for $15, but the worth of any measurement device is CONSISTENT accuracy, not features, so it would have been helpful to test at least some items on this long list of sophisticated measurement capabilities for consistent accuracy before slapping four stars on it. I realize that's a very big ask because getting a control test for many of these measurements that you can be sure is accurate would require testing on hugely expensive equipment in either a hospital or professional sports clinic setting... which is really my point. Honestly, for $15, you'd be very lucky to get a scale that could deliver consistently accurate weight--accurate BMI, etc at this price point (and even MUCH higher) is a joke. 
    baconstangwatto_cobraiOS_Guy80
  • Reply 2 of 2
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,360member
    Accuracy and consistency are the two dealmakers/dealbreakers for me. First and foremost, those need to be right. No amount of features are going to make me happy, without first having both of those.

    There have been several "smart" scales available over the last few years, and many of them are crap, because they lack one or both of the mandatory "features" I require, and because they're not durable.

    At $15, I'm wary.  Having to step on the scale twice to get a proper reading is unacceptable. The scale is affordable but without extended testing I think "good" is premature.


    chr15h
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