ESF00+ Smart Fitness Scale Review: Tracking Good and Bad BMI

May is National Fitness Month, which got us thinking about personal fitness. How do you know what kind of figure you are and if you’re making any progress when the numbers on the scale move barely an ounce? Sure, breathing easily is a good sign that you’re not in the best shape — but does it really provide insight into your general fitness level, except for the fact that you need to get fit? Answer: Not much. If you love data and keep track of every little part of your health journey, it’s time to invest in a smart body scale like the Etekcity ESF00 + Smart Fitness Scale.

Data-rich design

The ESF00+ scale is what we call the smoothbore. The white scale has its rounded edges with 8mm tempered glass on top for a polished look. It would easily fit in any upscale modern bathroom with ease. It measures 1″ x 14.8″ x 11.8″, which is slightly wider than the standard gauge. It is also fairly lightweight, so it is easy to move around the house. At the base of the scale, slightly to the right, is the MicroUSB port used to charge the scale. MicroUSB to USB conversion cable is included in the box. There is also a tape measure, so you can keep track of the inches as they fall away.

The real instrument is the black center plate on the scale. Once you step on the scale, you can view all kinds of data, including percentage of fat, muscle, water, and bone. There is also data on your weight (tracked up to 0.1 lbs) and basal metabolic rate (BMR), and body mass index (BMI data). At the bottom of the black panel are the BMI Hints – basically bars that light up red and green to alert you if you’re in the correct areas. If you see some red bars, it means that some of your body composition is in ‘increased’. The application will display a detailed breakdown of the plus, high, low or standard areas.

The Etekcity scale uses the VeSync app to record and track data. VeSync is a hub where you can add smart home devices from Etekcity, Cosori and Levoit. You can even set up multiple rooms and users.

It will also sync data with Apple Health, Fitbit, Google Fit, Samsung Health, and MyFitnessPal. During setup, the app asks if you’d like to share data with any of these other apps. In our tests, it offered connectivity to Apple Health, Fitbit, and MyFitnessPal. Maybe it didn’t show connect to the other options because we used an iPhone.

Setup and installation

Setting up the Etekcity Smart Fitness Scale couldn’t be easier: Take it out of the box, remove the instructions from the face of the scale, and charge it. It fully charges in about three hours. I went through this process about a month ago, and I still didn’t have to charge it again even with daily use.

Connecting it to the app is very easy. It synced right away and then asked us to make a room for it and assign the scale icon (we didn’t like the overall scale picture). The app asks some general questions about your age, height, and gender, then you’re ready to go. The unit is activated the moment you step on it. You can see the scale’s intelligence in action as it takes a minute to record the weight and other data mentioned above.

The meter uses bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) technology to estimate your body composition. Basically, when you step on the scale, it sends tiny electronic currents through the body to analyze key biometrics. Don’t worry, you feel nothing. What this does is provide the app with some general information about you, including:

• Weight
• BMI
• body fat
• fat free body weight
• subcutaneous fat
• visceral fat
• body water
• bone mass
• muscle mass
• protein
• BMR
• Metabolic age

You can track this data through the app on the phone and see your progress in those categories. You can also send the data to a friend or medical professional via email. If your phone isn’t nearby and the app isn’t open when you step on the scale, it won’t track the data. That’s the only real bummer, but you can still look down on the scale and see some of that data if you have decent eyesight – although those red bars at the base of the monitor can be hard to miss.

we took

Overall, we love Etekcity’s scale and the sheer amounts of data it provides, although you definitely need real medical equipment to accurately measure all the data you collect. However, having some kind of baseline is helpful – especially if you’re trying to get in shape and don’t see any real progress at first. In this context, we absolutely loved the 0.1-pound increments and our weight formation. After two weeks of working out, we could see an increase in muscle mass.

Is there a better alternative?

If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, Wyze Scale S saves a fair amount of data and costs a lot less. This is a solid choice as a starting model, but if you’re committed to a weight loss regime and want to see more data, invest in a smart scale like this Etekcity unit.

How long will it last?

Scales can last a long time – at least a few years. The Etekcity ESF00+ comes with a 2-year warranty. If you start getting inaccurate readings or find issues with the display, or it hasn’t held its charge for a long time, these are all signs that it’s time to look for a new gauge.

Should you buy it?

Smart scales range in price from $20 to over $150. At around $60, this Etekcity scale is right in the middle. It provides a lot of data, an easy way to track and share it, and it looks good too.

Editors’ Recommendations