We have a digital scale (for a person, not for food) that I bought probably 7 years ago. It's starting to really annoy me, because when I step on the scale 3 times in succession, it gives me 3 different weights (*pounds* different). It's really mucking up my morning routine because I obsessively get off and on the scale to try to figure out what my "real" weight is that day (I usually take the middle of the 3).
Does anyone know what this could be? Is the scale just biting the dust? Is it a battery issue (I haven't tried changing them yet)?
Also, does anyone have recs for a scale they love? I don't need anything fancy, just need to know if the diet is working or not.
How far off are the weights? Scales have some kind of tolerance on them. More expensive scales (theoretically) have lower tolerances. So if have a cheap scale, like I do, the tolerance may be a pound, and if you weigh 130 pounds, then 129, then 131, you're good and the scale is good. If you are more than one pound off, try changing the battery (just for the hell of it because the battery shouldn't affect how well it weighs you, although I guess it could affect the connection from the load cell to the display). Assuming the new battery doesn't fix it, either just weigh yourself one time and go with it or get a new scale.
I have a glass Tanita and it has held up very well - I've had it since 2006 and have changed the batteries once. It just does weight - it's not one of the Tanitas that calculate body fat %, BMI, etc.
Try weighing a dumbbell. If it's a 10-pound dumbbell it should come up as 10 pounds, or no different than 9.9 or 10.1. If it's off, change the batteries and try again. If it's still off, buy a new scale.