Blood Pressure Monitors: Ratings of Sources

Our AssessmentConsumerReports.org reviews 13 top-selling automatic blood pressure monitors for accuracy and consistency. The report stresses the importance of buying an accurate unit because at-home monitoring can help people manage blood pressure and diabetes. This is the largest test we found of specific models, but only subscribers can read this report, and four of the top picks have been discontinued.

Our AssessmentAlthough the nonprofit British Hypertension Society (BHS) doesn't test blood pressure monitors itself, it provides lists of various types of units that have been tested by others using BHS or other well-accepted protocols. Only devices that have been tested and have achieved a grade of at least "B" for systolic and diastolic measurements are listed. Different monitors for clinical and home use are listed, with arm and wrist units being described as suitable for home use. However, the BHS says arm blood pressure monitors are recommended because they're less prone to error. All of the monitors are available in the U.K., and many can be purchased in the U.S. A significant negative is that none of the monitors gets much in the way of discussion.

Our AssessmentThis Internet retailer lets customers post opinions about products -- including blood pressure monitors -- after the sale. Although the reports lack the precision and depth of professional reviews and medical journal articles, they also lack the latter's detachment and they do a good job of describing minor differences among the many choices on the market. The user feedback here is especially valuable in conjunction with the accuracy reports from the British Hypertension Society and elsewhere.

Our AssessmentAbout 40 of the 60 or so blood pressure monitors sold at Walgreens.com have at least one owner review, and several models have a dozen or more. The A&D Medical LifeSource UB-521 wrist blood pressure monitor is the most highly rated, receiving an almost perfect average 5-star rating in more than three dozen reviews.

Our AssessmentThis article discusses a recent study from The American Journal of Cardiology on the accuracy of home blood pressure monitoring. The study's co-author, Dr. Robert Kloner, offers insightful commentary on his research team's findings.

Our AssessmentThis study evaluates three blood pressure monitors to determine whether wrist devices with position sensors are effective for self-home monitoring. Using an ambulatory blood pressure device as a control for accurate readings (this type of monitor is worn all day), results reveal the Omron 705-IT arm monitor comes closer to the control than the Omron HEM-637 (R7) wrist device.

Our AssessmentLike ConsumerReports.org and Australia's Choice magazine, the British publication Which? performs independent testing of home blood pressure monitors. Five upper-arm and five wrist units are tested in the most recent roundup. Buying advice and a comparison chart are included. Note that the models featured aren't available in the U.S., so this article is much more useful to U.K. readers.

Our AssessmentLike Amazon.com, Epinions.com lets consumers write reviews of products they own. While the reviews can be longer and more informative than those at Amazon.com, few blood pressure monitors get much in the way of feedback.