Omron HBF-400 Body Fat Monitor and Scale Reviews

• Great Scale with Bonsuses

  
  By A22S7D0LP8GRDH on 2007-01-18
  As a scale the Omron HBF-500 is excellent. It is consistent, in tests with my wife and I (who are more than 100 pounds different in weight) the scale gave the same weight each of 5 times in a row that we stepped on it. So it is consistent. I am a nurse and weighed myself on our calibrated scales and found that this scale weighed me 0.5 pounds heavier than the hospital one, which can be explained by the glass of water I drank when I got home. So it is both consistent and accurate.
  
  So what about the body fat monitor: As to the accuracy of the monitor I cannot speak. However, it is very consistent, much more consistent than the experience that I have had with the handheld-only monitors from Omron. The scale will calculate your percent body fat & your percent skeletal muscle. It will also give you a reading of your visceral body fat, which is a better indicator of your health risk associated with body fat (visceral body fat is the fat which is inside your body surrounding your organs, which subcutaneous fat is the fat that we all see just under our skin). Using these calculations and the user-defined height, weight, and age data that you enter, it will give you your resting metabolic energy needs for the day to give you an idea of how much you should be eating to lose weight in a healthy manner.
  
  The scale has 4 user profiles so that 4 different users can use the scale and track their data. Data can be recalled letting you know what your measurements were yesterday, a week ago, a month ago, and 3 months ago.
  
  The handle fits well inside the front of the scale. I was expecting the scale to be bulkier than it is. It is just a little taller than a normal scale and very attractive. It isn't something that you're going to need to hide between uses. Just put it where any normal bathroom scale would fit.
  
  The scale is a little bit difficult to use if you haven't read the instruction manual. The good news is that the manual is very easy to use and very informative. Plan on 5-10 minutes of reading time when your scale first arrives. You will be glad that you learned all about what your new scale does. After skimming the manual, my wife and I are both able to operate the scale and use all of its functionality.
  
  Price-wise, this seems like an excellent value. The cost of a high-quality scale added to the price of a decent Body-fat monitor (which won't give you the more detailed body composition detail of this hands-and-feet monitor) will be more than the price of this one unit. Also, this unit keeps all of your data in one location. So for the price, this unit was a no-brainer for me when it was time to buy a new scale after my old one stopped being consistent and accurate.
  
  Highly recommended.
  
  

• Better than Tanita

  
  By A3MJULD3MWCKXN on 2006-08-09
  I compared this body fat monitor to similar ones from Tanita. You are definately getting more for your money here. It stores up to 4 users where the Tanita models only store 2 and compares function for function elsewhere at a lower price point. Not to mention that this scale just feels like better quality when you pick it up. I bought one with one of the Omron Pedometers to take advantage of the instant rebate on Amazon. (I haven't seen an event on Tanita on Amazon for a while.) The pedometer was the #1 rated in CR. They are both top notch products.
  
  

• Very Pleased

  
  By A3IVK808C08QZR on 2006-09-07
  I originally ordered a Tanita scale and it stopped working within two weeks. (Amazon, of course, took it back with no problems.) I was so glad when the Omron scale arrived. It costs less than the Tanita but the quality is much higher. The numbers on it are very large and easy to read. Also, it is much easier to place your feet properly than on the Tanita. I can't wait to try all the features. By the way, I weighed myself over and over and my weight only varied .2 lbs. as promised. Great deal for the money!!!
  
  

• Accurate Scale but BLASPHEMOUS Body Fat Calculator

  
  By A34KRJA7S8547W on 2007-06-06
  The Omron HBF-500 is not worth your money. Get a good scale and a separate Omron HANDHELD body weight calculator. I admit, the body weight scale is extremely accurate but the body fat percentage calculator is not. That is why I gave it two stars instead of one star.
  
  So far, based on a seven-fold calipher test, the HANDHELD Omron device is really on target (plus or minus a tenth of a percentage). The integrated Tanya body weight and body fat scale reports a 4 percent deviation from the two aforementioned methods. The Omron HBF-500 reports an almost 6 percent deviation from the first two aforementioned method.
  
  I have had professional testing for my resting metabolism. For my body, the Omron HBF-500 under reported my resting metabolism by 600 calories.
  
  Overall, the only thing that is worth wild about this scale is the body weight scale. Nothing else. The extra gagets are not worth the money when the reports are inaccurate.
  
  

• Usefull Tool

  
  By A7GHOFXBU232E on 2008-03-15
  I don't do reviews often, but this product (and/or a similar model) have taken some knocks that my experience contradicts.
  
  First off, I think expectations need to be realistic if you are going to buy any kind of scale or monitor.
  1) Weight: No two scales read the same. They may be darn close, but rarely the same. What should be expected is that the scale always reads the same weight over time. I have a dumbbell that says it's 10 lbs and I have seen three scales say it's anywhere from 9.5 to 10.3 lbs. So you can demand consistency, but realistically for most of us absolute accuracy is just not practical.
  
  2) Body Fat or Composition: Unless you can find (and pay for) a DEXA (Dual Energy X-Ray) or Hydrostatic (full immersion weighing) test this number is totally subjective. A while back I had two physical therapist/trainers that work in a medical rehab/training facility check my composition using the calipers method ten minutes apart. The results were 29% and 34%. They were not surprised, said they were usually within 2%-3% of each other.
  
  I don't want it to sound like I am lowering the bar here, just trying to be realistic.
  
  So, what about the Omron HBF-500?
  As for weight, my HBF-500 has said from day one that my "10lb" dumbbell is 9.6 lbs (it's mate is always 9.7). Who's right, Omron or Weider? No idea. So who cares if the scale is off by 4% or if that dumbbell is really 4% lighter than advertised? The fact is that is is consistent, and if it says that on the day I got it I weighed 296 and I now weight 275, it is that 26lb difference that is important.
  
  Same thing for composition. I feel it is the change over time that is important, not the absolute accuracy. What I have found is that I have to be consistent in using the device. Lay off the H2O for a day and the number changes, hop on the scale after a hot shower, the number changes. Same for after a meal or exercise. I have has the best results using it once a week, at the same time of the day (for me, first thing in the morning on Mondays) before I eat and shower.
  
  Functions/Usability:
  1) Read the manual. It's not great, but after I used the thing two or three times it became simpler.
  2) The memory/user functions are nice, but to be honest I think the biggest advantage of the user function is that I do not have to re-enter my age, sex, etc.. each time. Use the enclosed for or write down the results, I'm a geek so trust me when I say it's just simpler than the memory functions.
  
  Overall I think it is a great tool for measuring changes, if not absolute numbers. And if you think about it, the changes are what matters, either as a warning that you are making progress in a direction you do not want to go, or as a reinforcement that you are doing things right and seeing results.
  
  If accuracy is a big deal for you, pay for the professional tests, use the device at home and note the difference. The apply that correction to the measurements you get at home. For me, the $400 -$600 cost of the tests for one shot vs. the cost of the HBF-500 to use whenever I like answered the absolute accuracy question.
  
  
  
• body fat % WAY OFF !
  By AOVELA94BRBRL on 2007-09-21
  This is a good scale other than the body fat percentage IS way off. I work in a weight loss office and we have a machine that cost thousands of dollars and many hand held units that cost only fifty dollars a piece. Those units (all seven of them) have my body fat at 22%. This machine reads 32%. I also read 22% with the use of calibers. The odds of 8 different methods being incorrect and this machine being right are not good !
  
  
• Accurate and easy!
  By A8891HVRDJAM6 on 2006-09-02
  I recently started Weight Watchers and was looking to purchase a new and accurate scale. I figured I would buy a WW product, but after reading the reviews, I decided to go with the Omron scale. I am very pleased with this product. It has been extremely accurate. It keeps a history for both my husband and I. I would highly recommend this scale to anyone! It is also an attractive scale which is a bonus. Go with the Omron scale!
  
  
• I didn't like what I read...
  By AB86ER2AGB0M3 on 2007-02-09
  but guess that my body fat (BFI) and body mass (BMI) index readings are a wake up call to lower! This scale is solidly built, easy to read, and simple to operate. The "metal colored plastic" is extensive, but does not detract from the scale's aesthetics. Getting the scale to display your weight only is simple. However, getting it to display your BFI and BMI are a little more daunting, but simple when you get the hang of it. The controls (on-off) and the logic of the readings are very intuitive. I use my feet to easily turn it on and off and select weight-only or body fat index. No need to bend down or get on the floor! As for accuracy, I can't totally weigh in (bad pun). Did note that the BFI and BMI readings were fairly close to those measured in a recent doctor visit, which is why I bought this scale in the first place. One last positive: the scale takes four AA batteries (included), which is much better than lithium, since AA's are cheaper and more readily available. All in all, an economical start toward monitoring a shape-up, weight loss program.
  
  
• Serious healthy weight loss tool for the price of a scale
  By A224MN0WB0MVP2 on 2007-07-13
  If you are willing to spend a few minutes with the manual, and are interested in healthy weight loss, then this is a great product. This scale will measure body fat and skeletal muscle. This is important because unhealthy weight loss can be accomplished at the expence of muscle and often leads to quick regain of the weight with more fat than you originally started with. The scale does not give 100% accurate measure of body fat or skeletal muscle BUT the readings are consistant if you do them at the start of each day. This means you can see if you are loosing fat (yeah!)or muscle (boo!) over time. Don't trust any one measurement as it will vary based on fluid intake and other factors. It is better to get an average over several days to see your present level. I am tracking my progress carefully and though I am loosing weight slower, I am actually loosing fat at the same time I am gaining muscle. If I had a regular scale I might assume I wasn't loosing much weight at all and restricted my calories too much or over exercised. Oh yeah, the scale works great also.
  
  
• Inaccurate body fat percentage
  By A25D26Z241YKDH on 2006-11-15
  In the user manual there is a whole list of people who it will provide inaccurate body fat percentage measurements for and body builders are one of them. I wish I had known this before. Now I have to waste about $20 in shipping to return it.
  
  DO NOT BUY FOR BODY FAT MEASUREMENTS
  
  
• Great scale at this price!
  By A1XMGWR1DY4RN1 on 2007-01-09
  I order all kinds of items online and have done so for years. But when it comes to some items, I usually prefer to see it firsthand before ordering. I couldn't do that with this scale, but it turned out better than I'd hoped!
  
  The picture doesn't really show you how well this scale is made. Although the top is primarily plastic, there is so little flex that you'd think the whole thing is metal. The display is high contrast and the digits and icons large making it easy to read even at my height of 6'1". My favorite part of the construction is that the feet "float" slightly allowing the scale to adapt to surfaces that may be a little uneven. That's always been a problem for me on vinyl, tile, or hardwood floors where slight variations occur. Also, the power button on the front (as you walk up to it) toggles the unit on and off. Nice for saving battery life instead of having to rely on an Auto-Off feature (which it will do after 10 minutes of inactivity). The manual states that you'll get about 12 months on one set of batteries (4 x AA) taking four readings a day.
  
  Having memories for 4 people as well as a "guest" reading is great, too. The unit keeps only the last reading, but if you're tracking that information and don't have time to jot it down at a weigh-in, you can always come back later, turn it on, and pull up your profile's most recent data.
  
  The BMI and body fat percentage readouts are simple to understand and a bar graph accompanies the BMI to give you at-a-glance feedback where you're at generally, i.e., Under, Normal, Over, etc. on your BMI. This is based on your providing your gender, height (in 1/4 inch increments) and age.
  
  The manual is well written and in English only. It gives a good overview of how the BMI is calculated and what Omron did to come up with the table references that it uses internally to generate that value.
  
  Overall, I am extremely pleased with this scale and highly recommend it for anyone who wants an accurate, repeatable (same readings with little to no variation when taken one after the other) and informative digital scale.
  
  
• Big Step in the Wrong Direction for Body Fat Calculations
  By A11FKVW1SH2DZL on 2007-02-09
  I just received the Omron HBF-500 Body Composition Monitor with Scale. Omron should market this product as a scale; probably not a body composition monitor. I tested the body fat, visceral fat, and skeletal muscle composition about 8 times and the numbers were about the same, each time, reading high in both body fat and visceral fat. I then decided to change my height from 5'6 to 6'0. The body fat, visceral fat and muscle readings all changed drastically, reading extremely low body fat. Then I added some weights to my shoulders and tried it again. The numbers changed again, reading high in body and visceral fat. It appears that this device uses a mathematical formula using your height, age and weight to figure out body fat, visceral fat, and skeletal muscle. It does not appear to take into account different body types (IE athletic builds). On the other hand, the scale seems to be accurate. I hope I am giving you a fair assessment of this product.
  
  
• GREAT SCALE
  By A2GXWVFQPYY15Z on 2007-02-02
  I got this scale to replace my previous digital scale which was hard to work. This one is super easy, can be turned on and off with your toe! The body fat feature seems fairly accurate though does vary somewhat from day to day. The weight feature is right on and matches my doctor's office scales so no more five pound jump in weight when I see the doctor! You can get on and off this scale three times in a row and your weight does not fluctuate as with some scales. This scale feels sturdy and not flimsy (like the one I got rid of).
  
  
• Great Tool for Health!
  By A2BM3YZT9J17UT on 2007-04-03
  Finally I am able to see a true representation of what is happening when I am trying to lose weight/fat and incorporating a workout program. I love the memory function so I can track my progress. The visceral fat feature is VERY important is this is the most dangerous fat and most scales do not have this feature. I highly recommend it and for a great price. It looks great as well.
  
  
• Weight a second ...
  By A13LX51AQRV73P on 2007-01-20
  We have been using an old-fashioned medical scale for a few years. While it's a great device and very accurate, it requires constant rebalancing, it takes up considerable space and cannot be easily moved. Enter this gem from Omron. It works great out of the box, it rebalances itself in <5 seconds, and also provides the extra benefit of B.M.I. calculation. I found this very useful (well, actually kind of sobering...). This is an excellent scale -- great price, too. (I have the Omron pedometer, too. Also 5 stars).
  
  
• I will weigh in on this scale
  By A3J679RA0NIQ5M on 2007-02-09
  The scale is an interesting way to measure your weight but it does have a few problems. The scale allows the user to switch to different users. That's great but unless you are the first user you will likely have to bend down and hit one of the small buttons. It would be better if the buttons were larger so that your toe could accomplish the task.
  
  I have to wonder if the BMI and body fat measurements are accurate. A more expensive scale at my gym showed a BMI of 15. This scale gave ne a BMI of 24. If you use the numbers as a gauge on whether you have gone up or down it will work better. I would not rely on the BMI or body fat percentage numbers completely.
  
  Frequently I found the scale giving errors as one of my feet would not be touching all three pads in the correct location. If there is an error you will need to turn off the scale and turn it back on.
  
  The scale seems to be made fairly well and is sturdy. The size is less than one square foot. The visual design is stylistic and appreciated. Overall I am quite happy with this purchase. I believe it works well as long as you follow the well written instructions and position both your feet correctly. I would recommend users go to their doctor or a gym to get a baseline of the BMI and body fat numbers.
  
  I recommend taking your weight after you wake up and have gone to the bathroom. This will give you a weight that is low on water weight and thus pleasantly lower than later in the day. Compare the readings each day and you will know if you are gaining or losing weight. The BMI and body fat numbers will go down as you lose weight.
  
  I am giving this product 4 stars. It does more than other scales and it is a purchase I do not regret. Despite the problems I have written on in this review I would recommend it. Just be aware that there are a few issues with the product.
  
  
• Deceiving
  By A14CX5OH4NMNVY on 2007-07-30
  I tried one at my friends place and I thought it was cool at first until I did some research and put some serious thinking into this.
  
  First off, this system works by measuring the change in voltage from the reading on one node to the other. Given that, consider these facts
  
  1) the system can't account for a difference in electrical impedance between different types of skin
  2) it will give you different results if your overly hydrated or dehydrated
  3) it is well known that electricity takes the route with the least resistance. so unless somehow that route goes up your leg through each of your arms, and back down your body, this thing can only measure the body fat between each of your legs.
  4) i scored a 5% on the calipers... which has a pretty high margin of error... but not so bad that i would actually have a 15% body fat composition, which is what this thing rated me at.
  
  
• Read the reviews closely
  By A33GO0KKMW20BK on 2007-03-06
  Most folks are saying this is a great scale. Yes it is a great scale but you don't have to pay this much money for a great scale.
  
  You are paying for a fat "Fat Monitor and Scale" and the fat monitor portion is faulty. If you come out of the shower and dry off you will get a different reading for fat percentage than if you are dry. You also get a different percentages during the day at the same wieght.
  
  The accuracy of this thing is no where near good enough. Not even to tell if you are losing fat. I ended up buying skin fold calipers that are good accuarcy for the price and a I use this scale as a scale.
  
  
  
  
• It doesn't work
  By ANNXHU61L0AXF on 2006-11-03
  The scale part works fine, but the fat % measurement does not work. If you care about fat%, I'd recommend using the hand held device instead. It gives more accurate reads.
  
  
• does what it says
  By A3A4ZAIBQWKOZS on 2008-01-14
  Not really sure how to review this one, as it's just a scale/body fat monitor.
  
  It's really simple to use. You power it on, wait for it to start and then press the user button to choose which user you are. This scale gives the option to have up to 4 people keep track of their weight and body mass index.
  
  In order for the scale to work you must be barefoot (preferably naked given your clothes add weight). It seems to give an accurate reading, more accurate than the standard dial kind of scale, and is much easier to read.
  
  Just make sure you know your height prior to inputting your information as you need to have an accurate height input in order to get an accurate body mass index reading.
  
  Worth the money if you want to watch your weight.
  
  
• excellent scale, bogus fat monitor
  By A1KXUT3ZECIJDB on 2008-07-22
  I have been using this device for 2 years now. The good about this tool is scale that is extremely precise and gives 100% reproducible results.
  
  As for body fat monitor, I believe it is a bogus. According to the description, they run some low-voltage electricity through your legs and compute fat level based on that. But here is my personal experience. I lost over 50 pounds within a year, and logged my mass and fat percentage daily. Body fat was reducing together with my mass, which is very predictable.
  Once I was 150 pounds I made a simple experiment and measured my body fat while holding 2 20-pound dumb-bells in my hands. Since the current is run through your legs, you would not expect that these weights in my hands would affect the reading, but the tool displayed my body fat number PRECISELY the same as I had when I was 190 pound. In other words, this number is not really measured, it is just calculated based on your height (which you entered in the profile) and your measured mass.
  To confirm my conclusion another way, I used Microsoft Excel and drew a graph of dependency between my mass and body fat percentage as shown by the scale. The line appeared ideally straight which is only possible if one number is derived from another rather than measured independently.
  
  The bottom line here is: if you just want excellent scale for this price, it is a good choice, but don't count on body fat measurement.
  
  
  
  
• does the job well
  By A37MNAGD64RRW1 on 2007-01-16
  Its pretty easy to use as a scale and does a good job of monitoring the fat%. However, the scale always starts in guest mode which makes it hard to use. It would have been much easier to use if the scale started in the last user mode.
  
  
• Stylish, but not as functional as I'd hoped
  By A1ZEU8FHEWA8O7 on 2007-03-08
  This scale looks beautiful, and I think the weight measurement is accurate, but I bought it for the body fat monitor, and that is way off. They do admit in the instruction booklet that the monitor won't be accurate for "athletes or people with a high percentage of muscle", but I wish I'd known that before buying. I'm no Olympian, but I work out regularly, and had had my body fat measured on previous occasions as being 21-22%. This scale measures it consistently as 32-33%. I'm assuming the discrepancy is because of my muscle mass, not because the scale itself is malfunctioning, but I'll admit to being lazy enough not to want to return it and find out -- if the next one did the same thing, I would have wasted my time. Anyway, nice features otherwise, and at least I can tell if I'm going up or down! :o)
  
  
• WARNING - Does not work on carpet!!
  By AJMITHGQHC6LC on 2007-02-19
  I'm suprised I haven't seen any comments about this. I'm giving it a 3 star rating because it only works on a hard floor.
  
  Actually it weighed 50 - 80 lbs light when used on the carpet. I sent my first one back thinking it was defective. Then I got the replacement and got even worse results. I found a line in the troubleshooting section of the manual to make sure the scale is on a hard flat surface if the results seem way off. So, I tried it on the hardwoods and got the weight I expected. I thought about sending this one back too for a refund but decided to go ahead and keep it, since I like the ease of use and all the extra data it gives me. The numbers do fluctuate from day to day but I have no way to test the accuracy of the fat%, skeletal muscle, resting metabolism, or bmi.
  
  I got around the carpet problem by cutting out a square board for it to sit on in the bathroom. It looks kinda stupid but it works and I didnt want to go downstairs every morning in my underwear and weigh myself in the kitchen. Just thought everyone should be warned.
  
  
• Stylish yet not top quality for function
  By A1P2JISXYTT6VT on 2007-03-09
  I found that this scale is attractive in my bathroom yet not as accurate in it's functions. I found that the fat percentages are not quite accurate. Also if you weigh yourself 2 or 3 times within a few minutes the weights are off by as much as .4 pounds. If you do not "tap" the end portion of the scale to turn it off, it remains on, draining the batteries. My husband noticed that if you are starting to weigh yourself the scale will register from "0" to .2 without even stepping a foot on the scale! For the amount of money, I would go with a better product.
  
  
• LOVE this scale!!!!
  By A2W057DV7IVIVO on 2007-07-27
  After searching (and buying) several digital scales, this it the only one in my price range that weighs the same if you step on it two or three times in a row. I work in a hospital and the scales at work match the weight on this scale. It is great, I love and would recommended it to anyone.
  
  
• Even Though This Scale Informed Me That I Was Obese - It Still Is A Great Scale!
  By A3IT1MC5W7M9TJ on 2008-01-18
  That's right, this scale told me in "oh so many numbers" that I was obese. After I was finished crying in my spaghetti and meatballs, I realized what a great scale this really is. It really looks great under that stack of newspapers I put on it. Just kidding. I love this scale. Just like that best girlfriend, this scale will tell you never to wear that skimpy mini skirt again without handing out free therapy session business cards to the public. It measures everything and things you didn't know a scale could measure. It knew more about me that my own doctor did, that was for sure. I LOVE how the handles rest smoothly into the face of the scale and pull out smoothly when you need them. This scale was a steal at $63.00 and I would definitely buy it again. It got me off my "not so little" rear end and started me working out again. I would buy this scale over and over again. It was a great buy. I did alot of comparison shopping and research before buying this and my homework paid off! This is such a smart scale, I hope it is smart enough to read, reads this review and starts to "talk" nicer to me in the future by giving me some numbers that give me hopes for a mini skirt in the future. In the meantime, no more spaghetti and meatballs, it's tuna and rice cakes for this gal!
  
  
• Excellent
  By A1QY9C6LUNZJDS on 2006-11-23
  After buying a scale from Amazon which didn't work and I had to return. I was skeptic about this. But it works great and very easy to use. I have never used such an excellent product.
  
  
• It displays weight only in lb
  By AE9WL2JIYTKAK on 2007-01-04
  It displays weight only in lb and not in Kgs.
  There is no option to set this. Biggest disadvantage for users like me.
  
  
• Very nice but, question accuracy
  By A2KPAGF6JSLK1B on 2007-05-02
  I purchased two of these HBF-500 from Amazon, one for myself, another as a gift. I exercise a lot and use it to track my progress. The results are VERY stable in the sense that my weight, %fat, etc are very consistent from measurement to measurement. I really like it.
  
  I do question the accuracy because there is no supporting information about this on the company website or product literature. One thing I do notice is that, using the Omron 300 body fat analyzer at my health club, I consistently get 15% body fat (very low). On my HBF-500, I consistently get 23% (average to high). I am sure this is because the HBF-500 uses resistance throughout my whole body (belly fat, etc) whereas the model 300 only does the upper torso (more lean). When people look at me, they tell me I am very lean and fit. So, which reading is correct? I think, the relative values are probably accurate - that is, change in readings over time, rather than actual value of any individual reading.
  
  

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