Customer Reviews

Health o Meter Physician Balance Beam Scale

5 star:		(107)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

My strain-gauge bathroom scale as well as the more traditional spring-loaded one don't give me consistent readings. I could step on and off all day and never get three consistent readings. Even the range of readings fluctuates depending on the weather, positioning, stars and so on.

If your scale tops out at 250 lb and you weigh 245, expect to see inaccuracies. If you're 180 lb, the scales are more accurate and precise for that sweet-spot weight (for this example)

Now about this one:

Assembly is required. But it's minimal and well worth it.
- The four-nut install is simple if you place the column as the instructions suggest.
- Make sure you tighten and retighten with the provided tool so you don't have to do this again later. Don't use any more force than this tool allows, the nuts seem to be designed to firmly lock the base to the column.
- Even hooking up the assembly from the column to the base was designed for consumers, there's a convenient thumb-pull that brings the hook out of the column so the base can be functional. It sounds more complicated than it is.

Accuracy:
- It's easy to zero-adust with the big cylindrical weight on the left. Turn the screw one way or the other to get the indicator to float between the constraining ends.
- This is a balance beam, so you're simply balancing your weight with the counterweight. There are no springs that get weaker or change with the weather, no strain gauges that vary based on your foot's proximity to the corners.
- Here's how good it is. I drink 24 oz of water after weighing myself. Step back on and I'm exactly 1.5 lb heavier. I've never seen a bathroom scale work as well.
- If you're over 350 lb, prepare to do some math. Placing the supplied counterweights in the notches is easy, adding 88 lb or 150 lb as appropriate isn't that easy, but there is a handy table supplied for easy lookup, in 1-lb increments.
- You can measure 500 lb, not 450lb as the information suggests.
- An additional benefit here is that you could weigh suitcases before flying so that you don't have to dump stuff at the airport when airlines get testy about keeping the weight down. Bathroom scales don't do a good job of this and they are harder to read.
- I'd trust this more than a bathroom scale for parcels, say of 5lb or more.

Extras:
- Keep the weights safe and around if you're going over 350lb.
- There's a vertical scale in the middle that lets you measure heights up to 7 ft (I think). Great if you have growing kids.
- If you have a baby, you can simply get on the scale, measure your weight and then get back on with the baby. The difference will be consistent enough to yield the baby's weight. With bathroom scales, your balance change while holding the baby will cost you accuracy.

If you are looking at purchasing a physician's balance beam scale, you understand they are more accurate, repeatable, and durable than other types of scales and over the long run should be cheaper than replacing the regular strain gauge and digital bathroom scales every few years. You have three brand choices: Detecto, Health-o-meter, and Seca. Price isn't a consideration because careful shopping reveals less than a 15 dollar price difference between these three brands when one compares the equivalent models. Before choosing, I searched the net for reviews and information. Finding little, I contacted 7 companies which sell them (5 sold all three, 2 didn't sell Detecto) and 2 firms which calibrate & repair medical scales. I asked each which scale they would purchase for their own home and why. On to the review:

Detecto looked like a winner out of the gate. It is the only brand made in the U.S.A. However, looking at pictures I found on the net, the fit and finish did not appear to rise to the level of the other 2 brands. Additionally, no one I contacted recommended Detecto. The eliminating factor: Detecto has reduced their warranty from the industry standard 2 years to 1 year. Folks, this happens when the 2-year warranty is costing them too much money and it doesn't speak well for their quality.

The Health-o-meter brand is owned by Sunbeam and is made in China. Fit and finish are very good and it has a 2-year warranty. My parents and my brother both own Health-o-meter beam scales and highly recommended them. Additionally, none of those I contacted had anything bad to say about them. One put it best when he said the Health-o-meter vs. Seca was basically a Ford vs. Chevy argument. I do not believe one could go wrong purchasing the Health-o-meter model. They are great scales and should serve the needs of anyone for many years to come. If you buy a Health-o-meter make sure to get the 402kl or the 402lb since they are the best of the line (the EXP is not as sturdy and the CERT model is not worth the extra money).

Seca is a German company and the 700 model is made in China. Fit and finish are excellent and it has a 2-year warranty (the 5-year warranty listed all over the web is not accurate, call Seca if you don't believe me). All 700s have integrated wheels (optional and costs extra on the other 2 brands). Additionally, everyone I contacted chose Seca over Health-o-meter. Most chose on the basis of its modern, less clinical appearance, several felt it would be more durable in the long run because it outweighs the other 2 brands by at least 10 pounds, and one said she had never had a Seca returned.

I purchased the Seca 700 'pounds only' model with integrated height rod (5 bucks extra and I liked the looks) and have had it for over a month. It arrived well packaged and took 20 minutes to assemble. It was perfectly balanced out of the box and the weight was dead-on. It is highly repeatable; the weight will remain the same no matter how many times you step on and off. The heavy extra-wide cast iron base and the inherent strength of the round column design speak well for long-term durability. The balance beam is constructed of thick aluminum and is very robust. The beam has 1/8 of a pound graduations (the other brands 1/4 of a pound), is easily read, and the design of the beam `pointer' makes it very easy for one on the scale to tell when the beam is level and the weight is accurate. I also like the sleek appearance. Bottom line: I prefer the Seca 700 and recommend it without reservations to anyone. I'm very satisfied with my decision.

This is an extremely reliable scale just like the kind in the doctor's office. It is easily assembled & set up. The results are consistent & the scale is sensitive to 1/4 of a pound. Stop getting on and off those digital and analog scales to get a reliable reading - this one is worth every penny. I should have gotten it years ago.

Update: 6/13/2008: I am still happily using this scale without any problems at all. It is still a good match for the doctor's scale & also for my veterinarian's scale when we weigh our dog. This has helped me lose 65 lbs and keep it off.

Regarding the product itself, it is all that I expected it to be. It works fine (Except that it indicates that Im too short for my weight! LOL)

However, on a serious note, I was disappointed with the condition of it when it arrived. The shipping box had no visible signs of damage, and the packing material inside the box that forms around the product was intact and undamaged. Regardless, there was a dent in the column half way up and one of the mounting bolts that attach the column to the base was bent in such a fashion that I could not attach it.

For practical purposes, I simply repaired the displaced bolt with a pair of plyers. The dent half way up the column is a cosmetic thing I will have to live with. It is annoying to purchase something new and have it arrive blemished.

This scale is IDENTICAL to the ones you can buy at *********.com for four hundred dollars more. The markings are the same, the weights are the same, everything is identical.
This is a steal for a real medical scale.
I am not kidding, this is the same one as the medical supply houses use.
Assembly took about five minutes- they also include the little tool you need to tighten the bolts.

This product is great. Assembly is was straightforward with all necessary tools and hardware provided. The build material quality, fit and finish were all excellent. In operation the scale is extremely accurate and provides very repeatable consistent results. Those of you who are frustrated with the fluctuating readings of digital scales, and demand medical accuracy in your home, need look no further than the 402KL Physician Balance Beam Scale.

Other reviews cover how great this scale is; I'll tell you what problems I had with it:

I ordered this scale and it arrived damaged-- a corner of the package got banged in shipment and there wasn't enough styrofoam to shield the four screws at the bottom of the pillar, one of which got bent. This made the scale impossible to assemble. Customer service was very helpful and shipped another one out right away, while emailing a UPS shipping label to send the damaged one back for free.

The new scale arrived and it wasn't too easy to assemble. The instructions are understandable, but it's hard to lug the two heavy pieces (pillar and platform) around and screw them together. I'm young and strong, but my mother could never have managed to do it.

After assembly the balance beam was stuck; it took a call to a very knowledgable tech support lady to determine that it had gotten jammed by a screw gun at the factory. Under her guidance I unscrewed the face plate and shook the assembly loose. This got the scale working.

The scale is advertised as being accurate to within one quarter of a pound, but it takes time and care to get such a precise reading. If you weigh 147.25 pounds, you can have the scale set to 147.0 or 147.5 and it'll still look balanced because the beam will drift without ever coming to rest. You have to watch the beam to see if it wavers near the top, middle, or bottom of the loop to determine whether you're right on or a quarter pound off. I only care about being accurate within half a pound anyway-- I just wanted to mention that the quarter pound accuracy isn't worth the effort.

But I love this scale! If you're trying to track half-pound gains and losses, a balance beam scale is a heck of a lot quicker and more accurate than a regular bathroom scale that requires repeated weighing to have any confidence in the number.

I'm not naturally a heavy set guy, but my job keeps me deskbound and over the years I'd just settled into a habit of eating too many sugary junk food treats to keep my energy levels up during the day. When I was a teen I was a rail thin 114 pounds. I stayed under 120 until my middle ages, when the weight began creeping up. Just last month I weighed in at around 170.

So my weight problem isn't big compared to other folks, but it was still too much for me. But when I started dieting, I quickly realized how inadequate my little bathroom scales are.

Balance beam scales like this one are a superior way of keeping close track of your weight. And when you get into that stage of dieting where the changes are small over time, they will give you Much better feedback then the usual spring loaded bathroom scales do. The better your feedback, the more you stick to it.

I didn't have the problems assembling this scale that some others here have. I think where the instructions tell you to tip the scale back to attach the beam to the base isn't the best. There is an illustration in the instruction booklet showing the scale resting face down on a flat surface with the base hanging off one end. That's how I attached everything together and it all went smoothly.

This scale is a pure joy to use. You get an excellent feel for how your body is gaining or loosing weight as you eat and exercise. It is a very good tool for the serious dieter, and weight watcher. It works just fine for someone in my weight range (I'm down to about 150 now). It is well worth the money if you are willing to commit to using it, and paying attention to what it is telling you.

This is simply a great buy. As everyone else here says, it is easy to assemble, sturdily built and very accurate. It's more or less the same as the scale I used to weigh in on when I wrestled, or in a doctor's office. It in every way surpasses my old untrustworthy digital bathroom scale.

I'm really very pleased with it. 5+ stars.

With all the excellent reviews, I guess I was expecting more... first, the quality wasn't there. The overall appearance was rather "flimsy". After assembly (the instructions are NOT the greatest), the scale was balanced to zero but would weigh everybody over 50 lbs less than they actually were. After calling the manufacturer and trying all the tips they could suggest, there was just no way to fix this problem. I guess I just received a lemon but I wouldn't have purchased it to begin with if I saw it "in person" before ordering. I'm heading to a medical supply store next to see EXACTLY what I'm buying next time.