Body weight and how much of it you can lose through exercise has become somewhat of a taboo subject in the health and fitness world. Once regarded as a measurement of health, we’re now well aware - thanks to science - that the pounds, kilograms or stones that your body amounts to is arbitrary.
With aesthetics not being the most quantifiable of goals, training to improve body composition for health reasons has become an even better reason to exercise, especially in this COVID-19 era. This might explain why smart scales account for the majority of the best smart scales these days. By giving you a host of measurements far beyond how much you weigh, these nifty gadgets not only tell you much more about your current state of fitness but are cheaper and more accessible than ever.
The FitTrack Beebo is no exception to that rule. Priced at £65, these smart scales are not only affordable but boast some potentially impressive features, such as 17 different body measurements and automatic health tracking over time. And so, we’ve put the Beebo smart scales through their paces to see how well they stack up to competitors and if they deliver on their promise of making it easier than ever to track your health goals.
FitTrack Beebo review – Price and availability
The Fittrack Beebo is available to buy now from the company’s official site for a reduced price of £60, down from an RRP of £160. Although we’re not so convinced they were ever that price, to begin with. You can purchase the Beebo smart scales with a FitCare+ Lifetime Warranty for £14.85, which covers any repair or replacement costs if the scales happen to break and it wasn't your fault. The Beebo scales are only available in one colour: white.
FitTrack Beebo review – Design
In terms of design, the Beebo scales offer up something a little different to the bog standard boxy look that most smart scales have today. With an oval shape and clean white design, they’re minimal, sleek and modern and we’re convinced they’ll look the part in any bathroom. We’ve found they are perhaps a little small for those with bigger feet, however, as the toes of our size 11s hang off the edges. This doesn’t seem to affect how well they take your measurements, though.
During operation, your weight is displayed from under the glass, which is a nice touch over models with an LCD display, such as the Fitbit Aria series, which look a little redundant when powered off.
The only major gripe we have with the Beebo scales is that they are powered by four traditional AAA batteries and - to add insult to injury - are not supplied with a set in the box, which we think is rather odd. Although most smart scales take batteries, we can’t help but wonder why, as a simple Type-C USB port for charging would definitely make them a more attractive purchase: it not only saves money but is better for the environment.
FitTrack Beebo review – Features and performance
Before we go into how well they perform, let’s talk a little about how the Beebo smart scales work. To power on the scales, all you need to do is stand on them. Once turned on, they quickly send a very low, safe electrical signal from the four built-in metal electrodes through your feet to your legs and abdomen. The electrical signal passes quickly through water that is present in hydrated muscle tissue but meets resistance when it hits fat tissue.
This resistance, known as impedance, is measured and input into scientifically validated equations to calculate body composition measurements. The results of this scan are sent to a connected mobile app, which not only displays your results but stores this data so you can track your body composition over time to help keep your vitals in check.
Each scan gives you the following 17 health measurements: actual weight (in kgs), body mass index (BMI), body fat mass, body fat percentage (BFP), metabolic age, body water percentage, basal metabolic rate (BMR - how many calories you need per day before exercise), visceral fat (the fat around your vital organs), subcutaneous fat (the amount of fat located between outer layer of skin and fascia tissue), weight without fat, bone mass, muscle weight, muscle mass percentage, protein mass (the amount of protein in the body), protein amount (the ratio of protein to fat in the body), standard weight (your ideal weight), and weight control (the difference between actual and standard weight).
Measurements are taken in a matter of seconds and updated in the app immediately. The app then records these and allows you to track them easily via a ‘History’ tab. It’s all presented cleanly and is easy to follow, with short descriptions of what each measurement means. Measurements seem to be accurate, although you can never know for sure with smart scales made for home use. However, comparing the results to a recent body composition measurement on the pro machine at our gym, the data on a whole seems to be about right.
We’ve not had the scales long enough to determine how long the battery should last, but during our few weeks of use, we received no low battery indicator message, which is always a good sign – especially when you have to replace the batteries with physical ones (yes, we’re moaning about that again).
FitTrack Beebo review – Verdict
The FitTrack Beebo is a great-looking set of smart scales that take measurements effortlessly and deliver what appear to be relatively accurate results (something home-use smart scales are usually lacking in).
However, we just wish they weren’t operated by AAA batteries. It’s inconvenient, unsustainable, and an added expense we could do without. Apart from that, we’re pretty content with these smart scales’ performance. We should also mention that there’s a dedicated mode for pregnant women (something we were unable to test), meaning the Beebo scales should suit just about anyone looking to accurately track their vitals in order to keep fit and healthy.
