Although the Rolli-Fit scale is very user-friendly, fast, and connects seamlessly, it lacks options for athletic body types. As well, it cannot be used by children and provides some questionable advice within the app. Read on to read our full Rolli-Fit Smart Bodyfat Scale F8 review to find out more.
Rolli-Fit Smart Bodyfat Scale F8 review: Price and availability
Rolli-Fit Smart Bodyfat Scale F8 review: Design and display
This scale has a slightly larger footprint than some other popular smart scales, which along with its low profile, makes it sturdy and stable for all body sizes. It’s made of tempered glass with indium tin oxide coating for superior electrical conductivity. It has four separate sensors that use bioelectric impedance, the standard measurement tool for smart scales. The LED display sits underneath the glass with no border, so it is clean looking with no visible separate screen when turned off — it’s a sleek looking scale. That said, a large stylized “R” logo sits in the center of the scale, which could be a turn-off for some. Once you step on the scale, your body weight will display quickly. The scale will flash 0.0 initially to show that it is calibrated before settling on your weight, at which point the final number will flash to indicate it is complete. If you have bare feet, it will proceed to send the bioelectric current through your body to obtain further readings. The scale displays weight to the 0.2lb increment. This means that any odd decimal place will be rounded to the closest even number. You can choose to measure in either pounds or kilograms by pressing the button on the back of the scale. Alternatively, you can also change the unit within the app within your personal profile.
Rolli-Fit Smart Bodyfat Scale F8 review: Set up
Setting up the Rolli-Fit scale is straightforward, beginning with the insertion of three AAA batteries (included) into the back. As with all smart scales, you should place the scale on a hard-level surface and avoid using it on carpeted areas. Inside the box is a setup guide that includes stickers for recording your weight goal. The included manual is handy, but not strictly necessary, as downloading the Rolli-Fit self-titled app provides enough instruction for the easy set-up process. Once you have the app installed, you will need to create a user profile and enter your age, height, sex, and goal weight. Step on the scale with bare feet to get your detailed reading. You will need to have the app open to see details beyond your body weight, which is the only reading displayed on the screen. It is worth noting that the Rolli-Fit scale does not detect weights under 66lb (30kg) and only functions for people between 3’3” and 6’6” tall, who are over 13 years of age.
Rolli-Fit Smart Bodyfat Scale F8 review: App features
Rolli-Fit’s self-titled app is user-friendly, accessible, and easy for anyone to use and understand. After the initial set-up, you will see three images at the bottom of the screen: a bar graph which will take you to a view of your measurement trends (you will need past data to see any trends), a scale, which shows you your latest data, and an avatar which brings up the menu. When you want to take a body reading on the scale, opening the app will show you the results in real-time when connected through Bluetooth. If you conducted a bioelectric scan, you will see your weight, bone mass, BMR (basal metabolic rate), BMI (body mass index), body water, body fat, muscle mass and visceral fat. The app uses a scale for each measurement, indicating whether that measurement falls in a low, standard, or high range. For some metrics, such as visceral fat, the scale is standard, alert, or dangerous. If you click on the measurement, which will have a corresponding color for each range, it will show you where you fall within the range and provide a few paragraphs on what the measurement means. A smiley face will appear if you fall in an “acceptable” standard range and a sad face appears if you are in the high, alert, or dangerous ranges. During testing, I was put-off by the faces, especially since there are no allowances for those with larger frames or those who have high muscle mass. If you carry a lot of muscle, for instance, you may appear in a weight category that is considered “high.” While this should not be considered negative, a sad face will appear. Furthermore, those carrying “extra” body fat should not have to see a sad face when checking their statistics. Each person’s body weight or other body measurements and the feelings attached to them are individual. The app also will give you unsolicited advice about losing weight if you fall in the high range, including tips on portion control, avoiding fatty foods, or limiting carbs. While this could be helpful for many, I thought this type of advice should only be accessible if you choose to view it. There are no sources or details on how the advice was obtained, and some of the advice (low carbs, for instance) is questionable. Beyond this, there is no athlete mode for the scale or app. For anyone who lifts weights and carries a large amount of muscle, the scale will likely report them as overweight or in the “high” range for body fat. Athlete mode, which is common with other body composition scales, uses a unique algorithm to decipher the bioelectric impedance results the scale obtains. Without this alternative algorithm, anyone with a significant amount of muscle mass will find the measurements substantially inaccurate, as I did while testing (compared to a more advanced testing method for my body fat percentage).
Rolli-Fit Smart Bodyfat Scale F8 review: Compatibility
Rolli-Fit app enables connection to third-party apps including Fitbit and Google Fit. Google Fit only works with Android phones. You can sync these to MyFitnessPal or related apps indirectly to pull data from the secondary app to your profile within these tracking apps.
Rolli-Fit Smart Bodyfat Scale F8 review: Verdict
For a user-friendly and sturdy mid-range scale, the Rolli-Fit is an acceptable choice. The scale is quick-reading and has a large, bright display and sleek design. The readings are quick and connectivity is seamless. Measurements are consistent and seem accurate, although it rounds up to the nearest 0.2lb. The ability to add unlimited profiles is nice, although the scale cannot be used by anyone under 13. However, for those who weightlift, or have a higher muscle mass, this is not worth buying due to the lack of athlete mode. Better smart scales exist with superior and less questionable apps and more choices for athletic body types, such as the Withings Body Plus.
