ConsFirst / Smart scales

Garmin

Garmin Index S2: the downsides first

We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes what we report. Learn more

#8 of 8
$$$Wi-Fi + BluetoothiPhone and Android via Garmin ConnectScore 3.0/5
20%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-10)

A sleek Wi-Fi scale that mainly makes sense if you already live in Garmin Connect. Tom's Guide found the app adds little and limits third-party links, Wirecutter notes owner accuracy concerns, and 1 in 5 Amazon ratings are 1 or 2 stars. Garmin advises people with pacemakers or other internal electronic devices not to use it.

Subscription: None: no subscription mentioned by testers

Top complaints

  • Pairing failures and units that die

    Amazon's review summary reports Bluetooth pairing problems and complete failure after three months. Tom's Guide's app kept showing "An error occurred" when pairing on two different phones.

    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say), Tom's Guide review
  • Body fat reads high

    Amazon's summary says owners find weight accurate but body fat overestimated by about 3%. Wirecutter says several customer reviews highlight accuracy concerns with the Index scales.

    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say), Wirecutter (NYT)
  • Expensive, with a thin app and no special modes

    Tom's Guide lists the price, no pregnancy or baby mode, an app that doesn't add much, limited third-party apps, and glass that's hard to keep clean.

    Source: Tom's Guide review

What owners love

  • Premium design

    Tom's Guide calls it sleek, minimalist and well built, with a display that shows weight, BMI and a 30-day trend graph.

    Source: Tom's Guide review
  • Fits the Garmin ecosystem

    Data syncs to your Garmin account alongside your watch data; Tom's Guide says this scale is for Garmin watch owners.

    Source: Tom's Guide (best smart scales)
  • Lots of users, weight-only in socks

    Up to 16 users with automatic recognition. With socks on, it measures only weight and BMI (Tom's Guide).

    Source: Tom's Guide review
Good for
  • Garmin watch owners who want everything in Garmin Connect
  • Big households (up to 16 users)
  • Weight-trend graphs on the scale itself

Scores (tap for why)

  • Weight accuracy & consistency3.0
    Why 3.0?Amazon's summary says it weighs accurately, but Wirecutter notes customer accuracy concerns. No expert published a weight-test result.
    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say), Wirecutter (NYT)
  • Body composition (as tested)2.5
    Why 2.5?Owners say it overestimates body fat by about 3% (Amazon summary). No expert test results.
    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
  • App & syncing2.5
    Why 2.5?Wi-Fi sync to Garmin Connect, but pairing errors, few third-party apps, and little added insight (Tom's Guide).
    Source: Tom's Guide review
  • Multiple users4.5
    Why 4.5?Up to 16 users with automatic recognition, though adding a second user hit app errors in Tom's Guide's test.
    Source: Tom's Guide review
  • Durability & battery2.5
    Why 2.5?Solid glass build but hard to keep clean, and it runs on 4 AAAs (Tom's Guide). 20% of Amazon ratings are 1 or 2 stars, with reports of failure after three months.
    Source: Tom's Guide review, Amazon.com product page

What experts say

  • Tom's Guide: Well built and premium-looking, but the app doesn't add much and it lacks pregnancy and baby modes. Tom's Guide calls that a letdown at $149.
  • Wirecutter (NYT): Not tested: pricier than any model Wirecutter tested, and several customer reviews raise accuracy concerns.
Check price on AmazonWe don't list prices — they change daily. Paid link.

If that catch is a deal-breaker

Highly ranked smart scales whose biggest complaint is something else.

#1 in smart scalesWithings Body Smart

Tom's Guide's best smart scale overall, praised for a polished app that explains every number. It also has athlete, pregnancy, baby and eyes-closed modes. Some features sit behind a $99/year subscription, Withings now lists it at $129.95, and about 1 in 8 Amazon ratings are 1 or 2 stars.

Its catch: some features need a subscription#2 in smart scalesWyze Scale Ultra BodyScan

PCMag's best alternative to a DEXA scan: a handlebar scale that breaks down fat and muscle by arm, leg and torso for about half the price of rivals, with the most precise weight readings PCMag has tested. Its body-fat and muscle numbers varied between weigh-ins, sometimes by up to 5% against a pricier handlebar scale.

Its catch: body fat and muscle readings jump around#3 in smart scalesEtekcity HR Smart Fitness Scale

PCMag's best smart scale overall: Wi-Fi, a rechargeable battery and a color screen for $79.99, and its body-fat reading matched a gym analyzer in testing. The VeSync app is crowded, and low-star Walmart reviews describe units that stopped charging or wouldn't pair.

Its catch: dead, won't charge or won't pair

See all 8 smart scales ranked →