Withings Body Smart: further quantify your health

If you want to start tracking what’s going on with your body, and how your daily activity and caloric intake are impacting things, then a smartwatch with a good set of sensors (say, like the Withings Scanwatch Horizon we reviewed here) is an excellent first step. It’s a device you always have with you, and it’ll be collecting data into an app on your phone to establish trends. But what about things like your weight, muscle mass, and so on? For that, you’ll want a scale, preferably one that works with your current activity app. One we’ve been using as of late is the Withings Body Smart.

What it is

Simply put, it’s a drastic upgrade to whatever bathroom scale you had in the house growing up. It’s extremely thin (standing 1.1″ off of the floor) which lets it slip under a cabinet or dresser, and features a slick, modern aesthetic courtesy of the tempered glass top. While many smart scales rely on Bluetooth to send readings to your phone (which this one can do), the Withings Body Smart also offers the capability to send the data over WiFi. So, no, you don’t have to have your phone nearby in order to get your data into the Withings app, which is pretty great.

What it can measure

Unsurprisingly, the Withings Body Smart will measure your weight – and based on the data it’s capturing, can automatically figure out which person (of up to 8) is currently standing on the scale. Once you step on, you’ll have about a 30-second process that can measure your weight, body fat and body water percentages, muscle mass, and so on (full list below), as well as give you a snapshot of the weather forecast for the day, and predicted air quality index. It’s capturing – and showing – a lot of info in that 30 seconds, and it’s quick start to the day.

Why we like it

There are a number of reasons to like the Withings Body Smart. As we mentioned up front, sending that data over WiFi is a great touch. In terms of what it records, I do appreciate how it can show some basic trending of the metrics on the screen of scale, so you don’t have to open your phone app to see how things are going (though, you can). Finally, having it sync right into the Withings app means that – if you’re wearing a Withings watch – you’ve got one stop to see all of your health data. It’s not a walled garden, though. You’re easily able to send the data over to Apple Health, so you can setup your own web of connections to get the data where you need it to go.

Wrapping things up

Frankly, the Withings Body Smart can do just about everything you’re going to want a scale to do, plus some additional internal measurements that are nice to keep tabs on. Sure, you can probably find a less-expensive scale that might look similar at your local big box store, but it’s not going to have near the capabilities that the Withings Body Smart has. While it’s not an inexpensive device, it feels reasonable for what it offers. If you want to pick one up, it’s available now (in black or white) for $99.95 over at Amazon, or of course directly from withings.com

Tech Specs

• Weight
  • Four weight sensors
  • Precise weight measurements (0.1lbs)
• Body Composition
  • Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) Multifrequency
  • Units: body fat %, total body water %, muscle mass kg or lb, bone mass kg or lb, Visceral Fat Index, Basal Metabolic Rate
• Withings+
  • The Withings+ expands the capabilities of the data and features included in our award-winning app, to offer you more targeted guidance than ever before.You’ll have access to behavior change modules, daily missions and exclusive content to create a healthy routine that sticks.Learn more about Withings+
• Heart health
  • Standing Heart Rate
• Multi-user friendly
  • Automatically recognizes and tracks up to 8 users
  • Features tailored modes, including Athlete, Pregnancy, Baby and Eyes Closed
• App
  • Withings App is the best way to keep track of activity, sleep, weight, and more.
  • You’ll see trends, progress, and get coaching to help you improve over time.
  • Whatever your health goal, you’ll find support for it in the Withings App.
  • The use of the Withings App and the creation of a Withings account are required.Learn more about Withings+
• Wireless Sync
  • WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, compatible with WEP/WPA/WPA2-personal networks
  • Bluetooth connectivity (Bluetooth Smart Ready)
• Requirements
  • Body Smart can be installed on a smartphone or a tablet, via the Withings app available on iOS (iOS 14 and higher) and Android (10.0 and higher).
  • Cannot be set up from a computer
• Four weight sensors
  • Weight range: 5-200 kg (9-440 lbs)
  • 50 g (0.1lb) precision
  • Units: kg, lb, st lb
  • Patented body position detector
  • Highly-accurate weigh-ins via Position Control^TM technology
• Scale
  • High-strength tempered glass platform
  • Paint-free satin white casing
  • Ultra slim design
  • Dimensions: 12.8 x 12.8 x 1.1 in. / 325 x 325 x 25,6 mm
• Display
  • Clear, easy to see graphical display (2.8”), 320 x 240 pixels
  • High resolution LCD color screen
• Storage and memory
  • Free and unlimited storage of weight data
  • Stores up to 16 weigh-ins at one time if the scale cannot sync wirelessly
• Power supply
  • 4x 1.5V Alkaline cells (AAA)
  • Average battery life of 15 months