Omron HBF-306C Fat Loss Monitor, Black

Product Features

• Analyzer measures your body fat with a gentle, micro electrical current
• Two modes -- athletic and normal -- provide accurate results based on your exercise regiment
• Delivers measurement results for Bi method (Bioelectrical Impedance Method) and BMI (Body Mass Index)
• Delivers results in approximately seven seconds
• Features a nine person memory profile for the whole family
• 9 person profile
• Accurate readings in seconds
• Athlete mode for accurate results for athletes
• Measures 2 fitness indicators: body fat percentage and body mass index (BMI)
• Monitor your progress in losing body fat

From the Editors

Fat loss monitor. Measures 2 fitness indicators: body fat percentage and body mass index (BMI).
Product Description

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Customer Response

Excellent product
This product was better then I expected. I am looking forward to purchasing other products from this vender.

Seems pretty consistent (if I am)
I honestly don't know how accurate this item is, but it's consistent. If I follow the same personal patterns before testing, I get consistent results. I'm talking about some of the advice given by other satisfied users in earlier reviews.

-Measure same time of day
-Do it two or more hours after any food
-Properly hydrated, but empty bladder.

I've been testing weekly, before lunch, which also keeps me consistent on weighing time.

Again, I don't know if it's accurate or not, as I have used no other method to measure my body fat, but it's doing what I need. Namely, it's showing that despite not losing a single pound over a week of exercising, weight training and carefully controlled diet, my body fat percentage is reducing.

If I didn't have this, I would certainly be discouraged right now, looking at the scale alone. (I also recommend a tape measure, and regular measurements... it's all important).

Easy to use, not sure about accuracy
I got this mainly for my teenage son, who has been trying out bodybuilding this summer. We've had a Tanita scale for years. My wife and I can get consistent results from the Tanita scale, but our son was having difficulty with consistency. We got this product because we had seen positive reviews.

First off, it's pretty easy to use. Plug in the required data, start the reading session, hold the device straight in front (stiff arm and steady), and voila! you've got a reading pretty quickly.

Everyone in our family that has used the device gets consistent results as long as conditions are consistent as well: same time of day, same type of clothing, same hydration/feeding condition, etc. If any of these conditions differ, you can expect varying results.

Comparing the Tanita scale and the Omron handheld device, both require that you enter your height, sex, and fitness level. The fitness level is limited to normal and athlete. The Omron device requires you to enter your age and weight. The Tanita scale doesn't mention age. It measures your weight on its own, of course.

Making the choice on the fitness setting has always been frustrating for me. I'm no couch potato. I work out daily. But I'm not sure that I'd class myself as an athlete either. I'm somewhere in between. The difference in readings on the Omron device between the two settings can be as much as 1.5% for me. But on the Tanita scale, the difference can be as much as 10% for me.

I'd like to know more about the age variable, which is lacking on the Tanita scale. Dropping 10 years off my age on the Omron drops my fat percentage by about 2%. While I appreciate the normal changes in body composition that occur with age, I'd like to understand how Omron applies it and whether any kind of computation could be applied to the Tanita scale result to control for age.

The athlete reading on the Omron comes somewhat close to the normal reading on the Tanita for me. My teenage son comes in close to the same on both devices using the athlete setting. The upshot is that he's pretty happy with the Omron device, while I am left wondering how useful either the Omron or Tanita devices are for me.

While I may be mystified about the accuracy of the readings of the Omron and Tanita devices for me, I have found that both devices provide a good trend analysis when used over time. I may not know my actual body fat percentage, but I can tell whether I'm gaining or losing fat. And maybe that's sufficient.

Easy electronic fat measurement
It is easy to setup; takes in a number of variables and uses them to output a value after the measurement.

Getting these variables right has a big impact on the fat % that comes out. I wonder about this. If I enter a different weight or gender, the scan gives me a different fat %. I guess I expected it to not need other inputs besides just the reading itself. Other factors affect the number too: time of day; if you've visited the toilet; the way you hold it; and proximity to your last feeding (should be 2 hours since last feeding). So it has to be done at the same time of day.

If used in a consistent way, and as instructed - the directions that come with it are great - I believe one could get an accurate sense of where their fat % is headed. Like weighing yourself, it's one of those things best measured on a weekly or monthly basis instead of daily.

I was curious if I would be able to "feel" it taking a reading. You can't. But don't use if you have a pacemaker, it says. So it must be pushing some small current.

I have not tried using calipers, but that would be my next thing to try if I explore this again.

Accurate Product
I have used this one about 20 people and it is really accurate. I looked at one person and thought they were about 15% body fat, the machine read 15.3%. Terrific and easy to use product.

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