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The 5 best blood pressure monitors: Check your hypertension at home
The pandemic has resulted in a lot of us sitting at home worrying about the future. It's causing undue stress and an increase in hypertension. If you're one of those folks, consider investing in a blood pressure monitor so that you can keep things under control. We chose products across a breadth of price points, industry leadership, and distinction in key functional areas.
Size: 7.25 x 5.25 x 3.25 inches | Weight: 11 ounces | Power: Batteries, AC wall outlet | Display: LCD | FSA/HSA eligible: Yes
The GreaterGoods Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor is an all-in-one, cordless, wireless, cuff-integrated unit, making it our best overall pick. It comes with a simple smartphone app for tracking blood pressure readings over time. The unit is rechargeable, so no worries about replacing batteries. It can also operate with AC power connected. It fits an 8.75- to 16.5-inch circumference upper arm.
Pros:
- One piece
- Rechargeable
- Bluetooth app
Cons:
- May not be good for larger arms
- App is a bit basic
Size: 5.5 inch display, 8 or 17-inch circumference cuffs | Weight: 18 ounces | Power: 3 AA Batteries | Display: LED | FSA/HSA eligible: Not specified
With the largest backlit display on the market, this device is ideal for those, such as the elderly, who have trouble looking at smartphones or small digital displays. It doesn't have Bluetooth, but it's priced to go at $45.
Pros:
- Big, backlit display
- Affordable
- Automatic upper arm machine
- Accurate adjustable digital BP cuff kit
Cons:
- No smartphone connectivity
Size: 4 x 6 x 2 inches | Weight: 16 ounces | Power: AC wall outlet | Display: LCD | FSA/HSA eligible: Yes
Some folks just need a bigger cuff to take a more accurate reading. And for those people, the LifeSource is the best choice. Able to accommodate a 16.5- to 23.6-inch arm circumference, you should be able to measure the blood pressure of a professional bodybuilder, no problem.
Pros:
- Good for larger arms
- Extra large cuff
- Quick inflation
Cons:
- No smartphone app
- Pricier than other models
Size: 3.3 x 1 x 1 inch | Weight: 8.5 ounces | Power: 4 AAA batteries | Display: LCD | FSA/HSA eligible: Yes
Omron's Evolv looks like something you might even see on a futuristic sci-fi show, like Star Trek. And it wouldn't be out of place there, because not only does it work with Omron's smartphone application, which can track two users' blood pressure histories over time, but it also integrates with Alexa as well as the AliveCor Kardia cloud service, so you can track blood pressure and mobile ECG readings from the same app.
Pros:
- Smartphone app
- Dual user profile support
- Alexa-enabled
Cons:
- May not fit larger arms
- Smaller display
Size: 7.5 x 3.3 x 4.7 inches | Weight: 7 ounces | Power: 4 AAA batteries, AC wall outlet | Display: LCD | FSA/HSA eligible: Yes
The Omron Platinum does everything the Evolve does, but it allows for more than two users and has more of a clinical-style, detached upper arm cuff rather than an all-integrated cuff unit. It comes with an AC adapter, so you don't have to worry about charging it. A high morning average indicator alerts the user if systolic or diastolic measurements are out of the normal range in the morning when there is a higher risk for heart attack or stroke.
Pros:
- Alexa-enabled
- Dual user profile support
- AC adapter
Cons:
- App costs extra
What is the best blood pressure monitor?
The best blood pressure monitor is the GreaterGoods Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor since it is an all-in-one, device that comes with a useful smartphone app for tracking blood pressure readings over time.
Blood pressure monitor | Price | FSA/HSA eligible | Power |
GreaterGoods smart blood pressure monitor | $49.88 | Yes | Batteries, AC outlet |
Lazle blood pressure monitor | $45.90 | Not specified | 3 AA batteries |
LifeSource upper arm blood pressure monitor | $104.99 | Yes | AC outlet |
Omron Evolv | $104.99 | Yes | 4 AAA batteries |
Omron Platinum | $179 | Yes | 4 AAA batteries, AC outlet |
Which blood pressure monitor is right for you?
Our above list of products is vetted and should fit all budgets and usage scenarios. When considering a blood pressure monitor to buy, you should look for features such as:
- Smartphone connectivity
- All-in-one, upper-arm style designs
- Units with large displays for elderly or vision-impaired patients
- Clinical-style multi-piece configurations for ease of use
- Units with large cuff accommodation
- Devices with remote clinician monitoring capabilities if needed
Our least expensive device on the list is under $50 and features a large backlit display. There are certainly units on the market that are cheaper than $45, such as the more entry-level units in Omron's product portfolio, but you then start sacrificing features such as display size, backlight, blood pressure history tracking, upper-arm cuff configurations, multiuser, and even basic app connectivity.
Choose this blood pressure monitor... | If you want... |
GreaterGoods blood pressure monitor pack | The best overall option |
Lazle blood pressure monitor | A budget-friendly blood pressure monitor |
LifeSource upper arm blood pressure monitor | A blood pressure monitor for larger arms |
Omron Evolv | An Alexa-enabled blood pressure monitor |
Omron Platinum | A clinical-style blood pressure monitor |
How did we choose these blood pressure monitors?
We know there are a lot of blood pressure monitors to choose from, so we combed through products, reading reviews and noting the top-rated blood pressure monitors. We considered price, sizing, additional features, and known and trusted brand names when making our final picks.
How accurate are blood pressure monitors?
While home blood pressure monitors aren't going to be as accurate as what you'd find in a doctor's office, they still give you good enough results to give you a clear idea of how your heart health is holding up. If your home results are wildly different than those at the doctor's, you should purchase a new monitor.
Does the Apple Watch monitor blood pressure?
While the Apple Watch is great for measuring your heart rate and blood oxygen level, it currently does not support blood pressure monitoring. Apple said it plans on adding the feature within the next few years.
Which is better for measuring blood pressure: wrist or arm?
Both places can give you fairly accurate results with at-home blood pressure monitors. However, if you choose a wrist-worn model, remember to hold your wrist at heart level when taking measurements. Otherwise, you'll get numbers that will be much higher than what you'd get with an arm cuff.
What is a healthy blood pressure for my age?
Healthy blood pressure targets tend to change with how old you are. For most adults under 60, your BP target should be less than 120/80, with 60+ seniors aiming to keep theirs under 135/70. If you want a more in-depth explanation of what healthy blood pressure looks like, you can read our full article over at Healthline.
Are there alternative blood pressure monitors worth considering?
While we did not include smartwatches and devices with other cardiac and pulmonary monitoring functions on our list, you might wish to consider looking at Pulse Oximeters and Mobile ECG units.