Withings Body Cardio smart scales review

In addition to body composition, they track your heart rate every time you weigh-in, and offer an estimate of your ‘vascular age’ based on something called Pulse Wave Velocity. We’ll cover this in more depth below, but Withings explain it as a measurement of your arteries’ age and stiffness, in comparison to your chronological age. 

These scales have been around for a while now, having first launched in 2018. But they still cost much more than a basic set of body composition smart scales. That said, they also offer more than many of their competitors, and we still think these are some of the best smart scales currently available.  

While it may seem obvious, testing these scales meant standing on them and weighing in regularly over a period of several weeks, to gauge accuracy and consistency of readings. The companion app was also routinely used to assess how well the data synchronises, and how effectively it tracks changes over time. 

We compared these scales to the BF511 body composition scales by Omron, as well as the Body Comp smart scales (a newer set of scales from Withings, which we’ve also reviewed). This allowed us to compare the Body Cardio scales and spot any potential discrepancies between measurements. 

The scales are extremely quick and simple to set up. You need to pair them with your phone via the Withings Health Mate app. The app is where you’ll create your profile, and enter key data such as your sex, age and height. Connect the app to your scales via Bluetooth, and you can then also connect your scales to your wi-fi network. The benefit of this is that it allows the scales to send data to your app without relying on your phone being nearby. 

You also get to customise a lot of what’s on display, such as choosing whether to display your weight in stones, pounds, or kilograms. You can also display the weather and your step count from the previous day.

In terms of weight measurements, they will show you: 

• Your weight trend, as a graph that shows changes over the past few weigh-ins. 
• BMI, your body mass index, a way of using your height and weight to calculate if you are a healthy weight.  
• Heart rate.  
• Pulse wave velocity and vascular age – these are two indicators of your cardiovascular health.  
• Fat mass percentage. 
• Muscle mass percentage.  
• Bone mass. 
• Body water percentage, to see how hydrated you are.  

You can choose which of these you want to display. 

For some people who work out more than eight hours a week and have a resting heart rate below 60 bpm, there is the option of turning on athlete mode. It uses a slightly different algorithm to calculate fat mass, to try to deliver a more accurate reading.  

When you want to weigh in, simply stand on the scales. They automatically switch on, and can identify which user is on the scale based on previous weigh-ins without you needing to select a profile. Automatic user recognition works for up to eight different users. 

These scales have a sleek, premium design. We tested the black version, but they are also available in white. They feel robust and durable. The top is made of tempered glass, which looks great, but we did find that they attract dust, water marks and footprints, and therefore need regular dusting and polishing to keep them looking their best.  

They have a flat aluminium base, and use something Withings calls “proprietary Position Control technology” which means you can use these on hard floors or carpet, and still get accurate results. They even claim that the scale adjusts for gravity, depending on where you are in the world. 

While these are a slim set of scales, with dimensions of 327mm x 327mm x 18mm (12.8in x 12.8in x 0.7in) the materials used mean that they are also relatively heavy, weighing 2.6kg (5.7lbs). Part of the reason for this is that the scales have a rechargeable battery, rather than disposable batteries.  

This is obviously good from an environmental perspective as it reduces battery waste, but Withings also claims that the battery can last up to 12 months between charges. Charging is done via a USB port on the side, and the display will tell you how it is progressing. 

The display itself is reasonably large at 2.4-inch x 1.6-inch and features high-contrast lighting, making it very easy to read the information it’s telling you. The graphs it displays (for example, your weight trend) are clear and simple to understand. 

As mentioned earlier, setting up a profile was very simple, via the Health Mate app. Once a profile was created, all we had to do was stand on the scales for a few moments, and then our results were delivered. We were able to view them on the digital display, and then review them later via the app. It’s worth highlighting that you need to weigh-in five times before the scales will give you a pulse-wave velocity reading.  

It takes a few seconds before your results are delivered, while the scales check your pulse and measure your pulse wave velocity. It takes a bit longer than other smart scales that don’t measure these, but it’s still quick enough that it doesn’t become irritating. 

In terms of accuracy, standing on these scales and then immediately stepping onto a different set of scales did show a few very small differences. In terms of body weight, the two devices were in-line – at most they were only ever 0.1kg apart. This indicates that in weight terms at least, the scales are very accurate. 

With body composition, there were some larger differences. For example, the Body Cardio scales often showed a significantly higher body fat percentage than the Omron scales we compared with (sometimes a difference of 3 or 4%). They were much more closely aligned with the Body Comp scales, with typical differences of only 0.1%. The Omron scales do have a handle, which means the electrical signal goes through the whole body, rather than just the lower body, which may explain the difference. 

However, when weighing in at a similar time and in similar conditions each day, the Body Cardio scales did provide consistent measurements, with only small differences. This was true when testing on hard flooring or carpet. 

As we explain in our guide to smart scales, there are question marks around the accuracy of BIA in general, so it’s hard to definitively say which scale was giving the most accurate number. It’s worth reiterating that the numbers you see are best used as a guideline, and for tracking changes over time. 

The Body Cardio scales measure weight, body fat percentage, body water percentage, muscle mass and bone mass. They can also measure heart rate, pulse wave velocity, vascular age, and calculate BMI. This is more than most smart scales on the market can offer. 

The companion Health Mate app really shines in this context. As well as offering an easy and straightforward way of viewing all this data, the app also provides more information to support you in achieving your health goals. Guides offer more information about the different measurements, and ways you can improve them. It will also show you trends over the previous seven days. 

There is a Health Insight feature, which pops up to have a chat with you about your latest measurements, as well as a meditation program designed by Petit BamBou, a mindfulness and meditation app. 

Overall, the app is one of the most comprehensive of any that we’ve tested. It gives thorough, but easy to read details about your measurements, with plenty of supporting information, to help you understand what it all means, and why it matters. 

The scales also measure vascular age. In (relatively) simple terms, the Body Cardio scales measure the time it takes for blood to leave the heart and reach your feet. You are presented with a score:  

• Optimal, which means your vascular age is lower than your chronological age 
• Normal, which means these are aligned.  
• Not optimal, which means that your vascular age is higher than your chronological age. 

Pulse wave velocity is designed to measure the stiffness of your arteries. The higher the number, the stiffer the arteries appear to be, which can be a sign of poor heart health. The lower the number, the healthier your arteries are likely to be.  

We can’t speak to the accuracy of these measurements, but Withings do say that the Body Cardio was developed with cardiologists, and that they compared the results from the scales to a sphygmomanometer, which is the gold standard in measuring cardiovascular health. Seeing our vascular age getting lower was nice, and definitely worked as a motivational tool for us.   

Withings also took part in clinical studies around cardiovascular health, and they have received regulatory approval for these metrics, so hopefully, they are accurate. As always though, if you have any concerns, then contact your doctor. 

Withings is undoubtedly a premium brand, and prices its products accordingly. That said, you get more features than you do in a lot of cheaper smart scales. Specifically, the focus on heart health is something that we haven’t seen in scales by other manufacturers. While you may be spending more, you are also getting more. 

If you aren’t going to use or benefit from those additional health metrics, then these scales won’t represent great value. Basic body composition scales are available for less. If, however, you feel that these measurements would be beneficial to you, then these scales give you a lot for your money.  

There are plenty of other smart scales on the market, and here are three examples that might be worthy of consideration.

The Fitbit Aria Air is the only smart scale currently offered by Fitbit, and it is cheaper than the Body Cardio with an RRP of £49.99. It is basic, offering weight and BMI measurements that can then be tracked in the Fitbit app. But if you already wear a Fitbit fitness tracker or smartwatch, this will slip easily into that ecosystem.

If you like the look of the Body Cardio, but want something a little cheaper, then the Body+ might be worth a look. Unlike the Aria Air, the Body+ does offer body composition analysis, but lacks the cardiovascular monitoring of its sibling. It works with the Health Mate app, which can also incorporate data from other apps such as Google Fit and Apple Health. It’s a little cheaper too, with an RRP of £89.95, but we have seen it available during sale periods for as low as £69.95. 

The Garmin Index S2, like the other two options we’ve listed here, is a Wi–Fi enabled smart scale. This one also offers body composition measurements, but again, lacks the cardiovascular health monitoring of the Body Cardio scales. These scales sync with the Garmin Connect app, which can also integrate data from third–party apps such as MyFitnessPal. The data it provides is less comprehensive than the Body Cardio, and the app offers far less support and insight. But again, it is a little cheaper, with an RRP of £129.99 (we’ve seen this one occasionally available for £109.99). 

When it comes to body composition smart scales, Withings consistently produce some of the most interesting and feature-packed devices. The Body Cardio now sit in the middle of their range, but are still a premium product, that look and feel high quality. 

They offer a lot in terms of health-tracking features. For some people, you will be able to track your heart rate via a smartwatch or fitness tracker, which may render some of these features superfluous. Nevertheless, being able to stand in one place for less than 30 seconds and be provided with a comprehensive breakdown of body composition and heart health, is still impressive.  

They are easy to set up and use, and the Health Mate app is excellent as an aid to tracking changes over time.  

Newer products mean the Body Cardio has been superseded slightly by newer, more expensive products with even more features. Nevertheless these remain an excellent set of smart scales. If you want to start checking your heart health and body composition, this is one of the most straightforward ways to go about it. 

• You want a comprehensive insight into your body composition and cardiovascular health. 
• You’re looking to track changes to these health metrics, with the Health Mate app offering guidance on support on how to do that. 
• You want an easy-to-use device that works on different surfaces. 

• Budget is a concern. Despite having been around for a few years now, these remain a premium product. There are cheaper options out there, albeit with fewer features. 
• Measuring your cardiovascular health is not a concern. If all you want is your body composition, then you can certainly get that information on cheaper devices.