 Tanita®
1479S
The Tanita 1479S is the latest in the Tanita line of pocket scales. It's sold alongside the classic 1479V as a higher capacity updated model. The shape of the 1479S is similar to the 1479V except for a curved tray on one side and a new sliding case cover. Improvents for the 1479S include a larger display, rubber buttons, higher capacity and more reading modes* (1479S-300 only). . 
We took
apart our Tanitas and found them to be very well built. However we
were surprised to find that Tanita switched from Capacitance to Load Cell
technology. All previous 1479 models used a Capacitance weighing
system. This is an older technology that is not as accurate as a Load
Cell, but it's extremely durable. The very reason that Tanita
pocket scales are so popular is because they have a reputation for being
"bulletproof". Now that Tanita has switched to Load
Cell technology, their scales won't be as durable as the original 1479
models. However, with a Load Cell you will get a higher capacity
and improved accuracy. So, it's a tradeoff. Is this the end of an era? All other major brands used Load Cell technology. Tanita was the last major manufacturer to still use capacitance. To equate this to watches, Rolex uses an old self-winding system. Imagine if Rolex suddenly switched to using batteries. Although the watch may keep better time by using batteries, the self-winding feature is synonymous with the Rolex brand. Thus watch wearers would be shocked to see a battery operated Rolex and probably not purchase it. Accuracy was good but mixed, the 1479S-300 was accurate plus or minus 0.1g throughout our testing spectrum. the 1479S-200 was accurate plus or minus 0.2g throughout our testing spectrum. As with some previous scales that we have reviewed, the 1479S is not recalibratable. This means that if your scale is inaccurate you cannot recalibrate the scale. It's a shame because we know these 1479S scales would have been perfectly accurate if we had been able to recalibrate them.
 We have very mixed opinions of this new Tanita. We like the shape and style of the scale. The 1479 series really needed this facelift. It's a bit on the big side at 6.25" long. We don't like that the scale is not recalibratable, and we don't like the high price of the scale.
Feedback? FeedbackWe encourage you to provide feedback on this article and/or tell us your personal experience with a scale. *Within reason - we stepped on the platform, dropped the scale from 4 ft, all without any damage except for cosmetic. Important Disclaimer: Scales are sometimes difficult to compare. Our results are just a sample of tests done at random conditions. The actual operating conditions of your scale may vary from our test conditions and your results may differ from our results. We did our best to test the scales in a blind and unbiased manner. We receive advertising and other consideration from companies that support this site. We do our best to not allow this to affect the results of our tests and evaluations. However, we strongly recommend that you do your own comparison tests in your actual operating environment to determine which scale is best for your needs. The terms PalmScale 7.0 and all are trademarks or trade names of their respective parties. Names are used for comparison purposes only and for the purposes of this article.
|
||||||||||||||||
Recommendations: When people buy an
Tanita scale they're often brand specific. Many times it's because
they had an older 1479 scale that lasted for years. Because of this
new change to a Load cell from Capacitance, we're a bit skeptical.
The 1479S is a good scale, but in this price range you could purchase an
Ohaus Emerald 500 with a higher capacity, backlit display, and the ability
to recalibrate when necessary. If you had an old 1479 that you loved
and need to replace, perhaps consider the 1479V which still uses the
well proven Tanita Capacitance weighing system.