More than I Bargained For
I'd been using the Fitbit One with great success for 6 months, dropping over 25 pounds...and one day, our Health-o-Meter digital scale just stopped working.  Since I was already using a Fitbit One and am familiar with the Fitbit online dashboard, the Aria has been a no-brainer replacement for my old scale.<br /><br />The Hardware<br />In some ways, the glass top makes the Aria seem fragile, as does its slim height.  However, this thing is heavy, and feels fairly solid on the inside.  The Aria is also pretty bulky, larger than any other scale I've owned.<br /><br />The Software<br />Setting up the Fitbit Aria is incredibly simple.  The instructions are in the box, and in my case the wireless setup went exactly as the instructions indicated, without a hitch.  Not all Amazon reviewers have been this lucky, so be aware that depending on your network you may encounter some issues.<br /><br />Once connected, the Fitbit Aria will sync your weight and body fat to 'the cloud':  a Fitbit dashboard utility that is free.  You can read this information in a browser and also install supporting software on your PC, Mac, or mobile phone.  You can do all sorts of things with the information, such as start logging your food and exercise and make the Aria part of your weight control plan, but in my case it just gets lumped in with the Fitbit One data I was already using.  Other people in the house can use the scale as much as they like without having an account, or you can have the Fitbit send them a setup e-mail that will start tracking their weight:  up to 8 different people can have this feature.<br /><br />The Readings<br />So let's talk for a moment about the accuracy.  Since my old scale was broken, it's hard to be 100% sure they would match up, but it seems to be reading about the same weight as my old digital scale.  I've seen no reason to doubt the weight readings.<br /><br />The body fat though is a different story.  I've learned how to use a pair of calipers to do the 'pinch test' of body fat percentage, a process that requires some time and a partner:  pinch several places, jot down the numbers, run them through an online calculator.  The Aria skips all this hassle and uses electrostatic technology to 'read' your body fat in a few seconds.  I've noticed it can be about a percentage off from my pinch measurements, and it is affected by other factors.  If I've had a lot of water to drink but it's because I just did a ton of cardio and sweated a lot off, I might see the body fat reading go up...which can't be right if I haven't eaten since the last measurement and I've just been drinking water.  If I'm wet from the shower, that also tends to change the reading.  My conclusion is it's best to step on the Fitbit dry and naked at the beginning of the day.  If you want to take readings more often, expect the numbers of both body fat and weight to move around.  Long term, you'll see if you're on an upward or downward trend, and I've even had days where I lose a pound but gain a percent.<br /><br />For You<br />It's important to remember that your goals are long-term and not worry about every day.  Step on the scale at the same time every day, but think about the numbers in weeks or even months.  The Body Fat is a nice measurement to keep you thinking about how much fat you take in and how much you burn, but don't rely on the Aria to be super-precise:  be happy with the fact that it's still pretty good.<br /><br />Conclusion:<br />The Fitbit Aria is a bit pricey for digital scales, but if you're looking for a way to lump in a lot of information, the online aspect is a big extra that the Fitbit brings to the table.  If you're already used to Fitbit devices, you'll find this integrates into the dashboard really well.
Rating: 5 stars