Our Verdict
This sleek connected scale is the most convenient addition for Fitbit owners, but unlike most other smart scales, it doesn’t measure anything except your weight. Anyone interested in body composition stats will find better options – and value – elsewhere.
For
- Looks good
- Connects to app easily
- Convenient for Fitbit owners
Against
- Measures weight only
- Zeroing scale is fiddly
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Where ordinary scales just display your weight, smart scales connect wirelessly with your phone and, in most cases, use an electrical current to estimate metrics such as body fat percentage, muscle mass, bone mass, water content and so on. While the accuracy of some of these measurements is questionable on home smart scales, as long as the readings are consistent it can be a useful tool to see how your body is changing in response to exercise or a change in diet.
I have reviewed several of the best smart scales, so I wanted to see how Fitbit’s new effort compared. The Fitbit Aria Air is a Bluetooth-connected smart scale and the only scale Fitbit sells. It follows the original Fitbit Aria, and the Aria 2, both of which used WiFi to connect, and both of which measured body fat percentage as well as weight. The Aria Air, however, does not measure any other metrics. It just weighs you, and then uses your height and weight data to calculate your BMI.
Fitbit Aria Air: Price And Availability
The Fitbit Aria Air Bluetooth Smart Scale is available online from Fitbit at an RRP of $49.95/£49.99. It’s also available from third-party retailers including Amazon.
The price compares well to other established tracking brands – Garmin’s Index S2 is more than twice as much – but there are cheaper models available from the likes of Renpho and Xiaomi that also measure more metrics.
Design
A minimalist square of black or white glass with rounded corners, this scale certainly looks smart. On the underside of the scale there’s a button to switch between pounds, stones and kilograms. The screen is clear and easy to read, it takes mere seconds for your weight to appear, and the reading remains on the screen for about 30 seconds.
Setting Up
Set-up was easy: pull the plastic tab out of the battery compartment and the scale is ready to connect. It was a breeze to add the scale in the Fitbit app and connect to it via Bluetooth.
Using The App
You’ll need the Fitbit app open on your phone in order to register a weigh-in. The app will display the latest reading, but unlike most other smart scales, you need to tap “save” in order to record your weight – just having the app open is not enough to register the data.
Multiple users can share the same scale, using their own smartphone and the Fitbit app. Although Fitbit doesn’t mention exactly how many users, it seems safe to assume it’s quite a few.
The app shows your weight, plus an average for the week. A weight trend chart shows your weight at each weigh-in plotted on a graph, and on the same graph there’s a line showing the general trend, ironing out any fluctuations and making the direction of travel easier to see. There’s also a graph showing how your BMI has changed over time.
If you’ve previously imported data that included body fat percentage from another scale into your Fitbit account, then your last body fat percentage recording is carried over and added to your new weigh-ins. Essentially you’re stuck on that body fat percentage forever with the Aria – a frustrating situation.
It’s a shame Fitbit removed the ability to measure body fat composition from the Aria, as this would have given it another dimension and made it feel like a truly smart scale, rather than just a digital scale that connects to your phone.
Accuracy
If, like me, you store the scale out of sight and then bring it out to weigh yourself, know that like some other smart scales we’ve reviewed it has issues zeroing on the first attempt after being moved. The first weigh-in is inaccurate and a second weigh-in takes a few pounds off. However, once it was properly zeroed, I found it accurate and consistent.
Is The Fitbit Aria Air Worth It?
Although priced a little high for something that’s essentially a Bluetooth-connected digital scale, if you already have a Fitbit device then the attractive Aria Air could be a convenient addition that allows your weight to be integrated seamlessly into the rest of your health and fitness data. But if you’re interested in your body fat percentage or any other body composition stats, you’d be wise to give this one-trick pony a miss.
If you want a slick experience, the Withings Body Cardio is our top pick for a smart scale. If you’re on a tight budget, try the Renpho Smart scale, and if you’re a Garmin user, consider the Garmin Index S2.
