Why the FitBit Luxe Is the Fitness Tracker You Absolutely Need

Welcome to Skimm Tested, where we put products to the test and then give 'em a report card. (Check out all of our tried-and-tested faves here.)

The assignment…

To see if the FitBit Luxe ($129.95) deserves a permanent spot on your wrist as a trusted wellness tracker.

Straight A’s in…

• Battery life. We were very impressed with the battery life; both testers had to charge their trackers only every four to five days. One HQ’r even noted that the FitBit Luxe lasted longer on a single charge than any other fitness trackers she’s used in the past. We found the charging speed to be pretty quick as well, with a full charge taking easily under an hour. 

• Step tracking. FitBit Luxe is incredibly accurate with daily step tracking. Both testers used it while walking and running and loved to see their daily movement and total steps by the end of the day. 

• Range of features. You can see your full sleep cycle, check your heart rate, monitor your oxygen level, and browse through 20 exercise modes (to get real-time stats during workouts). There are also guided breathing exercises, stress-management tools, and more. Something to note: Both testers really loved the layout of the phone app. It’s pretty intuitive and presents the data in a very digestible way. 

• Style. We found the FitBit Luxe to be pretty sleek for a tracker. Both testers loved how light it is — and neither found it bulky for everyday wear. It’s available in three colored silicone bands (white, black, and orchid), and there’s also a soft gold stainless steel link bracelet if you want the tracker to look a bit elevated.

Room for growth…

• Ease of app syncing. One of our testers occasionally had issues with syncing their tracker to the app, even when the tracker was connected via Bluetooth and her phone was connected to Wi-Fi. At one point, she had to relink her tracker and that helped to smooth the process.

• Heart-rate accuracy. One tester found the heart-rate tracking to be a bit skewed. When she would double check her heart rate by taking it manually, she found the beats per minute reported by the FitBit Luxe to be slightly higher. Overall, though, there wasn’t a big discrepancy, and she did not find this to be reason to distrust the device’s metrics. 

• Screen size. While the screen is very responsive to touch, it is a bit narrow. One tester noted that it’s harder to toggle through stats if you’re on a long-distance run. She suggested that a larger screen (like ones on other FitBit models) would be easier for quick glances while on the move.

Plays well with…

• Anyone who’s focused on tracking their health stats and wellbeing — from daily steps to active minutes to sleep cycles to calories burned.

• Someone training for a marathon or who regularly hikes, walks or runs. The app logs stats for 30 days.

• Those who want a fitness tracker that looks a bit more chic and understated than the standard. 

Gets extra credit for…

• Recognizing an irregular heartbeat and recording the information in your compatible phone app.

• Having a phone app that tracks your menstrual cycle and ovulation, and records symptoms.

• Being able to receive text, phone call, and other smartphone notifications directly on the screen. PS: There’s also a ‘do not disturb’ mode.

• The option to set silent alarms from your wrist. So if you want a more gentle wake-up experience, the FitBit Luxe will vibrate.

How we did our homework…

• We had two Skimm HQ’rs wear the FitBit Luxe over the course of two months. They paid special attention to the accuracy of the tracker when it came to steps, heart rate, oxygen level, and sleep score. Both HQ’rs wore the tracker all day, seven days a week, but one focused more on strength-based workouts and distance walks, while the other incorporated long-distance runs, high-cardio fitness classes, and Pilates. 

• Both testers also took note of battery life, screen sensitivity, and how the tracker responded and synced to the compatible phone app. We wanted to make sure both found the app to be user-friendly and intuitive. They took into consideration how data is presented, easy takeaways about health and wellbeing, and whether the device seemed to be aiding them in achieving and/or maintaining their fitness goals.

Footnotes…

• $129.95

• Available in four styles, including a special-edition gorjana link bracelet

• Water-resistant up to 50 meters

• Small and large band included, along with charging cable