Why can't I get a consistent reading on digital scales?

[QuimReaper]

In our old flat I had a cheapo ten-quid set of scales which gave different readings in the kitchen and bathroom.

Chucked those out, moved house and just last week got a £70 pair (in the sale) and have the exact same problem! The bathroom has big enough tiles that all four feet can be on the same tile without any being in the dips, so I can't really understand why, when I rotate the scales 90 degrees or move the scales one tile over, the reading can change by up to 5lbs.

I've also tried them on the downstairs floor, which has admittedly seen better days but I thought it might be more solid, but no dice.

It's so frustrating! Obviously I might have just got a dud (and they're going straight back) but these ones had excellent reviews and nobody else seems to have this problem.

I was so looking forward to the Moment of Truth on Saturday after a very hard week's dieting, and still don't know how much I sodding weigh

Is it the scales? The floor? Something else? Any ideas?

[Lucked]

Keep it in the one position so that the results are consistent.

[SoakedinBleach]

Mine do this!i take the best of three

[QuimReaper]

Lucked I wish I could but our bathroom is miniscule, you'd have to stand on them to brush your teeth!

[QuimReaper]

Soaked is it just a problem with digital scales, do we think?

[QuimReaper]

Obviously I am choosing to believe the 4lb loss

[SoakedinBleach]

I have no idea, they aren't cheap ones either!

[twobambinos]

Mine are the same. I could stand on them 3 times and get 3 different readings. I have a pair of old fashioned non digital ones that I use as they are more consistent sorry I know not much help

[QuimReaper]

I am beginning to think an old fashioned pair with a dial is the only solution!

[lougle]

I had this! We bought a fancy set of scales that do BMI, water%,fat%, etc., but even changing the angle you were leaning at when you stood on them changed the weight drastically. I could lean back slightly and lose 2kg or lean forward and gain 2kg,etc. So I went back to our bog standard digital scales. They are consistent no matter where our how often I weigh.

[QuimReaper]

I'm baffled this is a problem for so many people. I'm always hearing people say "I've lost half a pound this week" etc., I thought I was the only one who couldn't ever say for certain.

Are scales just basically a con?