Customer Reviews

Seca Clara 803 Digital Personal Scale with White Rubber Coating

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I just received this scale and pulled it out of the box. The scale seems well built, however as I just received it I can't vouch for how it will hold up. (although I have no reason to suspect any problems.)

What I can tell you is how this scale works out of the box. Simple to use. Just put in 4 AAA batteries and select using a mechanical switch whether you want lbs or kgs. Then quickly step on it with one foot to wake it up. Step off and then step the on it and let it weigh you.

The scale is very reproducible. I stepped on it a series of five times immediately in a row and got the following results. 178.6, 178.6, 178.6, 178.8, 178.6. (all in lbs). That was far better than I expected on purchase given how many scales differ by several lbs between measurements.

As far as accuracy goes, I can say it seems reasonable. My wife tried the scale and got a reasonable number. She held our cat and stepped on and the weight difference was the exact same as the weight given by its vet appointment yesterday. I then tried it and got a reasonable number. I also stepped on it holding each of my big dogs (one 60 lbs) and got good weight differences for them as well.

The short end of this is that it is a scale that works easily out of the box and that I trust it to be accurate and reproducible within at least the range of 100 to 250 lbs. The scale has no frills like remembering your weight or calculating bmi, however if you want something that does what a scale is fundamentally supposed to do and aren't worring about gimics that a pen and paper can substitute for then this may be the scale for you.

I bought this scale based on a recommendation from my son's nutritionist. We needed an accurate scale that had weighs in 0.2 pound increments to monitor his precarious health condition. The nutritionist named this brand specifically, and we could not be happier we found one on Amazon.
While I would have liked a "prettier" scale, performance was what my family needed. The black rubber top is non-slip, which is a great safety issue and the digital read-out is easy to see.
I must say... my family hates this scale, LOL... it is more accurate and we all weigh about four pounds more!

This scale is a great buy. It is hands down the MOST accurate scale I have ever used at home. The reading is quick and easy to read. Time and time, the readings are consistent. My only complaint is the material. It really has too much plastic everywhere. At nearly $100 dollars, the Clara 803 feels and looks extremely cheap. I hope in the future, Seca will improve the look and build quality of this scale.

The scale I received appeared solidly constructed of good quality plastic and on 5 successive weighings gave a value that varied by +/- 0.1 kilogram.

That summarizes the problem for this sample, too: I could weigh myself in kg or in stone, but not pounds. Despite at least 10 attempts at resetting the scale and nudging the "units" switch in a variety of ways, I could repeatedly measure my weight in only two of the three possible positions.

I bought on the basis of the simple, thin (almost Bauhaus-like, it is a German product) design and good reviews, but will be returning it for a slightly better reviewed Tanita model to replace my previous Tanita. The switch defect apart, I would otherwise have rated it at 4 stars or so on the basis of reproducibility and apparent build quality.

I purchased the Seca Clara 803 Personal Scale about a month ago because I was unhappy with a relative new Healthometer HAP 350, large dial mechanical scale. With the Healthometer it was difficult to get the same weight twice in a row and seemed very sensitive to being moved. I must admit, my wife who weights about 105 had much less trouble with the Healthometer than I did at 215 lbs. The Seca solved my problem. It is very consistent and typically weighs plus or minus 0.2 lbs. It might actually be better, but the display only shows 0.2 lb increments. Like all scales, it is sensitive to the surface it is on. So, moving it to a different location can produce somewhat different weights, as much as 0.6 lbs. However, the Seca 803 seems much less sensitive to moving than other scales I have used. Also, like all scales it is sensitive to the placement of the object being weighed. But, if you get on in the same position, it likely will produce the same weight. For a $60 scale it is remarkably consistent.

However, there are a few frustrations. First, it is necessary to "tap" the scale to turn it on. It took some experimentation to find just the right spot to tap the scale. On mine it is about two inches from the display and it needs to be a hard tap. Second, the instructions are awful and apparently, in part, illustrate a different scale. While pictures are useful, sometimes spelling something out is required. There is switch on the back labeled kg, lb, and st. Kg and lb are obvious, but how many people will know that st = stones? Third, whereas it is consistent, I'm not convinced it is accurate. I put on 30 lbs in barbell weights and consistently come up with a weight of 31.4 lbs. I'm not sure if the barbells weigh more than they claim or the scale is off. Since there is no zero adjustment there is no way to correct. Regardless, this scale is very repeatable and easy to use. Despite these minor problems I would get it again.

This scale has a large display so I can see it without my glasses, it weighs to 0.2 pounds (also kg & st), and youre weight lingers on the display for a few seconds after you step off it. It did take me a while to figure out how to turn it on as it is different than most scales you step on to turn on, rather you have to strike it right on the edge quick and hard but I'm sure I will get used to that in no time. I disagree about it being bad looking, in fact it looks better in person, it may not be modern nor retro but has a clean and timeless look to it that could be mistaken for metal and rubber until you look close. It is actually all plastic though.

I have found this scale to be very accurate and consistant. I hope I never have to replace it.

The precision of this scale is scary. It will repeatedly measure the same value to within two tenths (0.2) of a pound. The scale is also very accurate; it easily detected the difference in weight with my shirt on or off. The construction is solid, and the padding is non-slip and very comfortable. The switch on the back allows you to change between kilograms and pounds. The numbers are easy to read, but don't expect to be able to do it in the dark. Mine even came with a battery.

My only complaint, and the reason it did not get 5-stars, is that ours will not "wake-up" by simply tapping your foot on it. We have to step on the edge to get it the back feet to lift off the floor and then let go, after it goes "thump" back on to all four feet it finally wakes up. This hasn't been a big issue for us, but I am concerned it may reduce the devices lifespan.

I compared this product to several others available on Amazon. I especially liked feature to track more than one persons body weight over time. However, scales with these features either cost much more or had reviews indicating they suffered from precision and/or accuracy problems. At the end of the day I purchased this scale and a small 10" white-board that I use to track my weight -- problem solved.

I highly recommend this product, it's worth every penny if you want to know how much you actually weigh.

I have been using this scale for almost one month. It's an attractive scale. With regards to accuracy, it sometimes vary by 2/10 of a pound when you do successive weighing. I like the feature where the numbers stay on even after you have stepped off the scale. The only frustration or concern I have with this scale is that it takes a gentle tap or two on the floor to activate it. Just the movement or standing on it does not turn it on. I have touched various surface areas to determine what may activate it. The instructions that came with the scale do not say anything about activating it. I am concerned that the tapping may either break down the scale or cause it to display inaccurate weight.

My personal battle of the bulge requires a precise, reliable scale to keep me aware and honest. I bought another highly recommended scale and actually gave it away after discovering it showed weights in a range of 5 pounds when I repeated use within a minute or so. Some serious scale research lead me to the Amazon site and pointed me to SECA Clara 803, and after several weeks I am thoroughly satisfied with it's accuracy. There can occasionally be a slight (.20) differential if I go back on in a different position, but that satisfies even my obsessiveness. So nice to have a product important to me that does what it says it will do.