9. Withings’ WiFi Connected Body Scale ($160; www.withings.com)

Why we like it: Normally, the scale is never your friend, but this one’s fun because it automatically recognizes you (and seven other family members) as soon as you step on it. Once it figures out your weight (along with your body mass index (BMI), it sends that data wirelessly to either your own personal web page, or your iPhone, so you can track your weight loss. You can even have the scale send messages through Twitter to let friends and followers know how close you are to hitting that target weight—or how close you’re not, so they can motivate you to push yourself harder.