Accu-Measure Fitness 3000 Personal Body Fat Tester Review.
"Simple and Does the Job" 2007-08-15
By P. Faulconer (SF, CA)
This caliper works well and the "click" feature takes the guesswork out of the correct pressure to use. The chart that's included with the documentation is possibly too simplified, but there are sufficient online resources for using the calipers to determine body fat. I consider it a good value for the home user.
"Excellent Product for the Money" 2008-02-29
By NorwichGrad (Northeast Pennsylvania)
My first reaction was "This plastic thingy-a-jigamus will accurately measure my body fat?" In a nutshell, the answer is YES. In fact, at work we have a health and fitness coach. She has a two-thousand dollar Tanita bio-electric impedance scale. The difference between her scale and this plastic tool is amazing. The deviation is within 2%. Just practice using it and you will be just fine. When I first used it the average difference between three readings is 2 to 4 mm. Once I got used to it, my readings were consistenly on the money, and I was able to accurately get the same reading even the following day.
Next to a pistol and a rifle (I'm a staunch Second Amendment and US Constitution supporter), I would say this is a must have in every household - especially if you are a bodybuilder, or just want to track your weight (or I should say fat) loss.
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Updated April 2, 2008.
Okay. I've been using this thing for over a month now. Just wanted to let you know that I have been consistently losing fat, and that the readings between this tool and the $2000 electric scale is still within 2% deviation. The key is consistency. As long as your readings are consistent, you can be rest assured that you will know whether your body is losing fat, muscle, or both. Again, it's a great tool to have.
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Update April 3, 2009
Hello again! It's been over a year. I decided to buy another one because the old one is losing the "click" when I measure. What do you expect? It's plastic, and plastic - just like with any other solid material - will deteriorate in time due to friction. Anyway, I am still giving the accu-measure a 5 star. For the price ($6.95 w/ free shipping as of this writing) you cannot go wrong. In retrospect, I probably should have bought more than 2 while they are still in sale.
"Great little device" 2008-09-11
By Chris Martin (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
Considering the price and simplicity of this little tool, I really like it a lot. As other reviewers have said, it does take a little getting used to to ensure repeatability though. Here's why:
These calipers use a clever little "half arm" sticking out from the side to help you to gage how hard to pinch before taking your reading. At the tip off this half arm is a little round tip that, as you pinch the calipers closed, nestles into a little pocket (on the long arm where Accu-Measure is printed). The problem is that you just have to pay careful attention to when that little round tip is fully seated in its pocket and not pinch to squeeze the calipers any more than that.
I consider myself pretty technically inclined and it has taken me a few weeks to get very comfortable and repeatable with squeezing it just right. Now it's no problem at all.
I will say though that an even greater source of variability in measurements (at least for me) is where specifically you measure. There's a little diagram that shows approx where to pinch your gut to measure. I found though that the more I move outward toward my side, the lower the body fat measure. I'm not all that concerned with the specific percentage...I've been using the calipers to mostly gage progress. And I can do this by looking at the millimeters of "pinched fat" and seeing that slowly reduce over time.
You just have to be VERY specific about pinching at EXACTLY the same location and not moving the location around inadvertently. Today I measured 20mm in one location (easily repeated 3 times very accurately) and 1.5 to 2" away (toward my side) measured 14mm (again easily repeated 3 times in a row).
So in short, the calipers are an awesome tool and will read VERY repeatably as long as you pay close attention to what you are doing. I can't vouch for how accurately they translate mm of pinched fat into % body fat. I'd imaging that there are lots of factors beyond the control of these little calipers that affect the accuracy of that correlation. But if all you need to do is track progress, this is a perfect tool for me.
"Very good product." 2007-09-18
By R. Morel (Santo Domngo, Dominican Republic)
This device is a little piece of plastic that simply gets the job done. After some practice i am getting practically the same results with the three point calculations and the one point calculation with the chart provided with the accumeasure 3000. I am getting the same BF% that my doctor gets, so that means the thing actually works perfectly. I suggest you find the formula for the 3skinfold method as it is more accurate than the one skinfold method witht he chart provided. The device seems cheap and could actually probably be cheaper, but it gets the job done with great accuracy, so I dont see the need to buy any other expensive equipment. This is what you need to track fat loss properly. Fully recommend.
"Great product." 2008-12-20
By Adam
These calipers are an excellent, accurate, low cost, reliable way to keep tabs on your body fat percentage. I strongly recommend calipers such as the Accu-measure 3000 over bio electrical impedance methods of measuring body fat because the readings you get are far more consistent and reliable.
The results you will get from bio electrical impedance methods such as Omron hand held body fat analyzers or Tanita body fat scales will fluctuate enormously based on a number of factors such as room temperature, fluid intake, dehydration, activity levels etc etc etc, making their readings wildly inconsistent. I have had my body fat readings vary between 18 and 14 in one day on an Omron body fat analyzer. Obviously the machine is wrong.
With these Accu-measure calipers, measurement is so easy, just grasp the pinch of skin at the Suprailliac as described in the instructions and close the calipers around it until you hear and feel a slight click which lets you know you have applied the correct amount of pressure to measure the thickness of your skinfold. Do this 3 times, take an average and then using the supplied chart (I got mine laminated so it would keep forever) check your results.
Very easy, much cheaper and far superior to bio electrical impedance body fat measuring devices. Highly recommended. Five stars for sure.
By P. Faulconer (SF, CA)
This caliper works well and the "click" feature takes the guesswork out of the correct pressure to use. The chart that's included with the documentation is possibly too simplified, but there are sufficient online resources for using the calipers to determine body fat. I consider it a good value for the home user.
By NorwichGrad (Northeast Pennsylvania)
My first reaction was "This plastic thingy-a-jigamus will accurately measure my body fat?" In a nutshell, the answer is YES. In fact, at work we have a health and fitness coach. She has a two-thousand dollar Tanita bio-electric impedance scale. The difference between her scale and this plastic tool is amazing. The deviation is within 2%. Just practice using it and you will be just fine. When I first used it the average difference between three readings is 2 to 4 mm. Once I got used to it, my readings were consistenly on the money, and I was able to accurately get the same reading even the following day.
Next to a pistol and a rifle (I'm a staunch Second Amendment and US Constitution supporter), I would say this is a must have in every household - especially if you are a bodybuilder, or just want to track your weight (or I should say fat) loss.
************************************************************************
Updated April 2, 2008.
Okay. I've been using this thing for over a month now. Just wanted to let you know that I have been consistently losing fat, and that the readings between this tool and the $2000 electric scale is still within 2% deviation. The key is consistency. As long as your readings are consistent, you can be rest assured that you will know whether your body is losing fat, muscle, or both. Again, it's a great tool to have.
**********************************************************************
Update April 3, 2009
Hello again! It's been over a year. I decided to buy another one because the old one is losing the "click" when I measure. What do you expect? It's plastic, and plastic - just like with any other solid material - will deteriorate in time due to friction. Anyway, I am still giving the accu-measure a 5 star. For the price ($6.95 w/ free shipping as of this writing) you cannot go wrong. In retrospect, I probably should have bought more than 2 while they are still in sale.
By Chris Martin (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
Considering the price and simplicity of this little tool, I really like it a lot. As other reviewers have said, it does take a little getting used to to ensure repeatability though. Here's why:
These calipers use a clever little "half arm" sticking out from the side to help you to gage how hard to pinch before taking your reading. At the tip off this half arm is a little round tip that, as you pinch the calipers closed, nestles into a little pocket (on the long arm where Accu-Measure is printed). The problem is that you just have to pay careful attention to when that little round tip is fully seated in its pocket and not pinch to squeeze the calipers any more than that.
I consider myself pretty technically inclined and it has taken me a few weeks to get very comfortable and repeatable with squeezing it just right. Now it's no problem at all.
I will say though that an even greater source of variability in measurements (at least for me) is where specifically you measure. There's a little diagram that shows approx where to pinch your gut to measure. I found though that the more I move outward toward my side, the lower the body fat measure. I'm not all that concerned with the specific percentage...I've been using the calipers to mostly gage progress. And I can do this by looking at the millimeters of "pinched fat" and seeing that slowly reduce over time.
You just have to be VERY specific about pinching at EXACTLY the same location and not moving the location around inadvertently. Today I measured 20mm in one location (easily repeated 3 times very accurately) and 1.5 to 2" away (toward my side) measured 14mm (again easily repeated 3 times in a row).
So in short, the calipers are an awesome tool and will read VERY repeatably as long as you pay close attention to what you are doing. I can't vouch for how accurately they translate mm of pinched fat into % body fat. I'd imaging that there are lots of factors beyond the control of these little calipers that affect the accuracy of that correlation. But if all you need to do is track progress, this is a perfect tool for me.
By R. Morel (Santo Domngo, Dominican Republic)
This device is a little piece of plastic that simply gets the job done. After some practice i am getting practically the same results with the three point calculations and the one point calculation with the chart provided with the accumeasure 3000. I am getting the same BF% that my doctor gets, so that means the thing actually works perfectly. I suggest you find the formula for the 3skinfold method as it is more accurate than the one skinfold method witht he chart provided. The device seems cheap and could actually probably be cheaper, but it gets the job done with great accuracy, so I dont see the need to buy any other expensive equipment. This is what you need to track fat loss properly. Fully recommend.
By Adam
These calipers are an excellent, accurate, low cost, reliable way to keep tabs on your body fat percentage. I strongly recommend calipers such as the Accu-measure 3000 over bio electrical impedance methods of measuring body fat because the readings you get are far more consistent and reliable.
The results you will get from bio electrical impedance methods such as Omron hand held body fat analyzers or Tanita body fat scales will fluctuate enormously based on a number of factors such as room temperature, fluid intake, dehydration, activity levels etc etc etc, making their readings wildly inconsistent. I have had my body fat readings vary between 18 and 14 in one day on an Omron body fat analyzer. Obviously the machine is wrong.
With these Accu-measure calipers, measurement is so easy, just grasp the pinch of skin at the Suprailliac as described in the instructions and close the calipers around it until you hear and feel a slight click which lets you know you have applied the correct amount of pressure to measure the thickness of your skinfold. Do this 3 times, take an average and then using the supplied chart (I got mine laminated so it would keep forever) check your results.
Very easy, much cheaper and far superior to bio electrical impedance body fat measuring devices. Highly recommended. Five stars for sure.
