Withings Body Cardio Smart Scale Review: Now with full body composition metrics and vascular age

Now that I own the Withings Body Cardio, I can see how beautifully it fits into a fitness plan, but I didn't even realize that smart scales were a thing until I came across this product. It's measuring a lot more than just weight! Having only owned standard digital scales in the past, I was amazed at all the things that are possible with a smart scale.

This device sends a tiny, undetectable current of electrical energy through your body in order to do a bioelectrical impedance analysis. This analysis provides the information necessary to calculate BMI, fat percentage, bone mass, muscle mass, and more. Impressive, right? I'm using it in tandem with the Withings Steel HR Smart Watch to get in-depth insights into my overall health like never before.

Withings Body Cardio: Price and availability

Withings invented the original WiFi smart scale, so it's no surprise that big retailers all over the world have picked it up. You can buy this scale almost anywhere electronics are sold, such as Apple, Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon. It sells for about $150 at all of these retailers, but if it goes on sale, we'll be sure to post it in our Deals section.

Withings Body Cardio: Body composition and beyond

Before I owned the Withings Body Cardio, I didn't really keep up with my BMI, fat percentage, or muscle mass. I was counting steps, tracking sleep, and monitoring my heart rate by using fitness trackers, but now I see that this data was only a small piece of the puzzle. By using the Body Cardio in conjunction with the Withings Steel HR Smart Watch and the HeathMate app, I can get a full rundown of body composition, as well as an overall vascular age, fitness level, and progress reports. It's super thorough and an excellent tool for setting goals and tracking improvement. These are all the data points collected and displayed by the Body Cardio:

• Weight
• Weight loss or gain from day to day
• BMI
• Fat mass
• Muscle mass
• Bone mass
• Water level
• Heart rate

It will also display the weather forecast and your recorded steps, if synced with a fitness tracker.

Using the HealthMate app, it's simple to set up the Body Cardio and pair it with your fitness trackers. You can set it up with different profiles, so everyone in your house can access their own data. The scale automatically recognizes who is standing on it once you set up the profiles! I have no idea how it does this, but if a new person stands on the scale without a profile, it will record the data as an "unrecognized reading" that you can assign to a new profile later on. Cool, huh?

I really love how HealthMate takes all of the information recorded by the Body Cardio and integrates it into a full health profile. The app provides additional information and insights into the data collected, as well as goal setting and tracking. It also provides an overall fitness score and vascular age to give you a broader picture of your health. I even receive a weekly progress report to update me on my progress towards my fitness goals. I find the entire system incredibly intuitive and easy to use.

Although I haven't had opportunity to use the pregnancy tracking and Baby Mode on the Body Cardio, I think these are really cool features. The scale can be used to track pregnancy progress and health, as well as to weigh a growing baby while you hold it in your arms. This is worth mentioning because it could be very helpful for new moms.

Withings Body Cardio: Tricky ticker readings

There's not much I can find to complain about the Withings Body Cardio Smart Scale. It has been easy to use and super useful to me since I took it out of the box. The only thing I notice sometimes is that the heart rate monitor occasionally acts a little tricky. I have to stand perfectly still while it's trying to read heart rate, and if I'm not standing in just the right place, it may not get a reading. This has only happened a couple of times, but it's the only thing I've had any trouble with while using the scale. Other than that, it's both accurate and quick to give out all my readings every time.

Withings Body Cardio: Competition

Withings may have been the first to invent a WiFi Smart Scale, but they were not the last. Several other competitors exist on the market today. One similar option is the Fitbit Aria 2, which also records weight along with BMI and fat mass. This one does not record as much data as the Withings, but it might work well for you if you use a Fitbit fitness tracker. As far as we can tell, however, there are no other smart scales that give the same thorough metrics and insights that the Body Cardio does when used with HealthMate.

Withings Body Cardio: Should you buy it?

• You want to keep up with your health and body composition metrics
• You're serious about your fitness and/or weight loss goals
• You have a Withings smart watch or other fitness tracker
• You are planning to conceive and would like to track pregnancy weight gain

• You don't care about body composition and just want to know your weight

If you've got some serious fitness goals, or if you just purchased a fitness tracker and want to embark on a new fitness journey, then a smart scale is the natural next step. You don't need a doctor or gym membership to help you calculate the body composition and metrics that affect your overall health. With the Withings Body Cardio, you can take ongoing measurements to track your fitness progress. Heart health, respiratory health, and overall wellness are all affected by your body composition and heart rate, so it's a good idea to keep up with this information, even if you're not undertaking any big fitness journeys. This is the perfect accessory if you already own a Withings smart watch, but it also functions with the best Apple Watch and Apple Health if those are your fitness tools of choice. Your whole family will enjoy using this scale to keep up with their health and wellness stats from day to day.