What to Look for in a Digital Platform Scale

Platform scales are commonly used in sports and fitness monitoring, manufacturing, warehouses, air travel regulations, agriculture, veterinary care, and many other settings and industries. They are useful for weighing a variety of objects, that range from extremely light to massively heavy. For example, they are used in warehouse settings to weigh objects as light as paperclips and in agriculture to weigh livestock. To choose the best digital platform scale for your purposes, it is helpful to look for ones that come in a variety of sizes, are customizable, and are designed with your industry in mind. 

Size Options

One of the primary considerations when choosing a digital platform scale should be the size of the scale in relation to what your specific needs are and what the scale will be used for. While it may be tempting to choose the largest scale offered, so it will accommodate all your weighing needs, there may be some accuracy loss when using an exceptionally larger scale to weigh smaller objects. 

An additional consideration should be where you are going to use the scale. Will the scale be stationary to weigh objects or portable to meet objects at various locations?  For example, if you are going to be primarily working with people and portability is a necessity, we recommend choosing a smaller portable platform scale, possibly with a convenient carry case for ease of transport. Conversely, if you will be primarily using the scale in one setting, you might choose a stationary scale such as one of our column scales which can measure weight or both weight and height. 

Ultimately, when it comes to choosing a scale size and type, you want to be sure you choose one that will best accommodate your intended uses without being cumbersome and contributing to technological waste. 

Customizations

Another general consideration when looking at digital platform scales should be possible customizations. In particular, we recommend paying attention to power sources, handrails, and ability to measure body mass index (BMI). 

When it comes to power sources for your scale, it will usually come from either an alkaline battery or an AC adapter. However, some scales feature both. Additionally, some batteries will be rechargeable while others will need to be more regularly replaced. All of Befour’s professional healthcare platform scales operate with 4 D-cell Alkaline batteries with the option of an AC adapter. When proximity to a wall outlet might be an issue or the scale is being transported on a regular basis to a new location, battery operation will be an advantage. Consider the benefit of each of these options when evaluating how the scale will be used and what various environments it will be used in.

Handrails may be something you need for your platform scale, particularly if you will be using them to weigh anyone who lacks stability. If so, we offer two handrail platform scales in our Sports and Fitness scale line (the PS-8070 and the WH-1070) to accommodate these situations as well as increase comfort for all user types. 

Finally, if you need to account for BMI in your weighing practices, be sure you choose a scale that will assist with that. Many of our digital platform scales measure BMI alongside basic weight. After the height measurement is entered, the BMI value is automatically calculated and displayed.  

Industry Specific 

Last but not least, a digital platform scale that is designed for your industry and setting will generally be your best option. At Befour, our platform weighing specialties are sports & fitness scales, veterinary scales, and professional healthcare scales. 

Purchasing scales that are designed for your specific uses will mean that they are appropriately sized and offer the customization you will likely need. Portable scales are made for use in non-standard fitness settings, so you can take them with you on the road to outdoor events, for example. 

Veterinary scales, on the other hand, are perfectly designed for the movements and size of most animals. Our veterinary scales feature 600-900 lbs weight capacities and MotionLock technology to capture accurate rate readings within +/- 0.1 lb. 

As mentioned above, it is best to avoid going with a “catch all” option as it will likely mean sacrificing accuracy as well as convenient options that will make the scale the most convenient for you. 

Befour Can Accommodate Your Digital Platform Scale Needs

Befour has the digital platform scale you are looking for as well as the knowledge to help you choose and get the most out of your purchase. We welcome questions about scale specifications and the best applications for each model. So, please reach out to us with any and all questions about our platform scale offerings. And be sure to take a look at our platform scale comparison guide to get you started.