Omron 3 Series Review: What to Know About This Value Blood Pressure Monitor

This wallet-friendly device provided accurate, reliable readings during our testing. Are its other features a fit for you?

Taylor Leamey,

AARP

Medically Reviewed by

Dr. Merle Myerson

Comments

Published May 06, 2026

The products and services discussed on this page have been independently tested and researched. AARP may earn a commission through affiliate links, but this does not influence our objective reviews. Proceeds earned go toward supporting our mission.

The Omron 3 Series blood pressure monitor next to its packaging

Courtesy of Omron

If you’re in the market for a value blood pressure monitor, the Omron 3 Series may be one to consider. This device is made by Omron Healthcare, which reports selling more than 400 million units of home-use blood pressure devices worldwide since 1973. And while this device is noted as one of the site’s best sellers, the key question is: Could this device be a fit for you?

To help you answer that query, and make it easier for older adults to monitor their blood pressure at home, we talked with medical experts, surveyed 300 adults ages 50 and older who use blood pressure monitors and researched the top-selling brands on the market. Our AARP Smart Picks team then whittled down our list of products and tested six of these devices so we could choose the best blood pressure monitors.

As part of this process, we tested the Omron 3 Series with an older adult tester who regularly uses a blood pressure monitor at home. Our tester pointed out the device’s accuracy, noting the readings “were coming out as accurate to what I usually see.” She also said it was “easy to take a reading” with the device.

Another plus? This device retails for $59.99 on the company's website. For comparison, that’s about half the average retail price of the models on our list of blood pressure monitors. We named this device the best value pick on our overall list because it’s wallet-friendly, but still provides accurate, reliable readings, according to our tester. However, this device doesn’t store much data compared to others we’ve tested. And while you can download its optional app to store unlimited readings, if you want a blood pressure monitor that includes advanced tracking features, this one may not be the right fit.

So, could the pros of this device outweigh its cons for you? In this Omron 3 Series blood pressure monitor review, we break down our experience testing this device, how to use it effectively, whether it’s covered by Medicare and more.

Omron 3 Series: Best Value

Courtesy of Omron

Score: 9.8 out of 10

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Pros and cons

Pros

Low-priced
Easy to use
Third-party validation for accuracy

Cons

Package only includes one cuff size
Cord could be perceived as short

Features

App: Yes
Cuff size: 9 to 17 inches
Third-party validated: Yes

Key takeaways from our hands-on testing

Affordably priced with a straightforward design. The Omron 3 Series has a simple, straightforward design featuring an uncluttered screen with large, visible numbers to help with easy measurement initiation. It retails for $59.99 on the company’s website, but its price may vary among retailers. For instance, Walmart sells this device for around $37. In addition to this wallet-friendly price, its simple design was a plus during our assessments. “This device is a little more basic, but it’s just what you need,” said Daria, a 57-year-old tester who uses a blood pressure monitor at home to track her general health. She said the blood pressure monitor was easy to use because she only had to put the cuff on and press the start/stop button to get her readings. She also said the numbers on the display were well spaced, which made it easy to read the results. Therefore, the Omron 3 Series earned an admirable rating on average for ease of use in our assessments.

A woman using the Omron 3 Series blood pressure monitor

Tester Daria said she appreciated the large font on the Omron 3 Series screen, noting that the numbers were easy to read.

Courtesy of AARP Smart Picks™

Accurate, validated readings. In addition to measuring your blood pressure, the Omron 3 Series also detects pulse rate and excessive body movement during measurements, which is important because these factors can affect your reading accuracy. For example, too much movement may skew results due to inconsistent measurement. Daria gave this blood pressure monitor a perfect score for accuracy, noting that its readings were as accurate as her typical readings at home. Another easy-to-use feature? This device lets you store and access up to 14 past readings if you’d like to log your blood pressure. Just press and hold the Bluetooth button to see this history. You also can download the optional app to store an unlimited number of readings. And while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned against using unauthorized devices to measure blood pressure, this device is authorized by the agency. It’s also third-party validated by the American Medical Association (AMA), meaning it meets the association’s rigorous standards for accuracy.

Short cord and limited cuff sizing may be inconvenient for some users. Daria said the device’s air tube — the cord that connects the arm cuff to the monitor — wasn’t very long, noting the device had to sit in her lap or somewhere else close to her body to be used. A short cord could affect your posture by causing you to lean over. That leaning could affect the accuracy of your reading, as the ideal posture for taking your blood pressure is to sit up straight. However, the manual says the device will alert you via an icon on the screen if the cuff cannot inflate correctly. In addition, the Omron 3 Series is packaged with a single D-ring cuff — a standard cuff that uses a D-shaped ring to assist with fastening the cuff to the arm — that fits around arms that measure from 9 to 17 inches around the midpoint. The standard size of a blood pressure cuff is around 10 to 13 inches. So if you’re interested in this device but would need a smaller cuff, one downside is that you’d have to buy it separately for an additional $35 (the retail price). In addition, if the measurement around your arm (the circumference) is greater than 17 inches, this device may not be the best fit, since the company does not sell a larger cuff at this time.

How we tested the Omron 3 Series blood pressure monitor

To put this device through its paces, we tested it in our lab, assessing features like battery life, ease of use and maximum data storage.

We also added a home testing component by recruiting a tester age 50+ who uses blood pressure monitors at home to give us her unbiased feedback. She took a minimum of three readings on the Omron 3 Series and compared them to her normal blood pressure readings to gauge the device’s accuracy.

Our home tester answered questions like: Was this device easy to set up and use? How comfortable were the cuffs? Were the readings accurate? For more details, see our blood pressure monitors testing methodology page.

A woman reading the instructions of the Omron 3 Series blood pressure monitor.

Tester Daria said the Omron 3 Series blood pressure monitor was easy to set up because of its simple design, which features large, clear numbers and visible icons. The device also comes with a thorough user manual, seen here.

Courtesy of AARP Smart Picks

How to use a blood pressure monitor

If you decide to buy this blood pressure monitor — or another third-party-validated device for home use — it’s important to know how to get an accurate reading.

Accurate readings can help you determine which next steps to take, such as when to loop in your health care provider about any meaningful changes. To this point, Dr. Ami Bhatt, a professor of medicine and genetics at Stanford University in California, says one of the most important factors she considers when recommending blood pressure devices to her older adult cardiology patients is the simplicity of design and use, so her patients can use these devices correctly every time.

Here are some best practices to consider, in general, to get the most accurate results with a home blood pressure monitor.

Wear short sleeves — or no sleeves. To help get the most accurate reading, you’ll need to place the device’s cuff directly on your bare skin. Wearing a loose, short-sleeve shirt or tank top, for instance, can help you to properly position the cuff. And if you’re tempted to wear long sleeves and just roll them up, try not to. That’s because tight clothing can constrict blood flow and lead to inaccurate readings.
Rest. Right before taking a reading, rest for five minutes and do not walk, talk or yell. Also, avoid smoking, drinking caffeine and exercising 30 minutes prior to measuring your blood pressure.
Use the right cuff size. When you place the cuff against your skin, Bhatt stresses the importance of using the proper cuff size for you when taking your blood pressure. Dr. Merle Myerson, our medical reviewer and a cardiologist in Cooperstown, New York, says that the inflatable portion of the cuff should be able to fit around 75 percent to 100 percent of the distance around your arm. The bottom of your cuff should sit just above your elbow. Wearing the wrong cuff size may lead to inaccurate readings because a compromised fit can limit the device's ability to obtain an accurate reading.
Sit up straight. Having proper posture while taking your blood pressure is essential. The best practice generally is to keep both feet flat on the floor and your back straight. When you attach the cuff to your arm, you can also place that arm on a flat surface at heart level. Or you can use a pillow to prop up that arm.
Take more than one reading. Bhatt says the best practice for at-home blood pressure monitoring is to take two readings one minute apart and record both. For simplicity, she recommends a device that connects to an app to ensure no readings are lost when you bring the data to your doctor. But you can also track readings by hand if you prefer.
Be consistent with timing. For the most accurate picture of your baseline blood pressure, try to take your readings around the same time each day.
Check in with your health care provider. If you have any questions about how to use your device, how it fits, or what your readings may mean, don’t keep them to yourself. Bhatt recommends bringing your at-home blood pressure monitor with you to your next medical appointment. “The team can make sure the cuff fits, [that your] technique is correct and that the home device readings align with the office reading,” she says. And if you have any questions about your results, you can ask your provider during your appointment.

Survey highlight

In our 2025 survey of 300 adults ages 50 and older who had regularly used a blood pressure monitor at home, nearly 79 percent said they share their data with a doctor or other medical professional.

Omron blood pressure monitor symbols explained

The Omron 3 series relies on blinking symbols to indicate device actions. For example, if your device is transferring your blood pressure reading to the app — if you decide to use this tool — you’ll see the Bluetooth symbol light up on your monitor screen. And if you see the word “off” next to the Bluetooth symbol, that means the function is disabled. (See the symbol marked “B,” shown below.) Furthermore, a heart icon appears on the screen if the device is monitoring your heartbeat.

You can view the diagram and its guide below to learn more about what the symbols on the Omron 3 Series mean.

A diagram and guide of the display and symbols on the Omron 3 Series

Courtesy of Omron

Does Medicare cover Omron 3 Series?

Original Medicare doesn’t typically cover blood pressure monitors. Some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans offer expanded coverage or wellness benefits that include home blood pressure monitors, says Dr. Rana Afifi, a vascular surgeon and associate professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. However, terms vary among plans and can change from year to year. So, if you’re wondering if you have coverage, you can check with your plan for specifics.

Does Medicaid cover the Omron 3 Series?

If you’re enrolled in Medicaid, your coverage depends on where you live. As of 2026, Medicaid programs in 41 states and the District of Columbia cover blood pressure monitors, and more than half of these states will reimburse physicians for the time spent calibrating the device and showing you how to use it. You can check your Medicaid program to see what it covers.

Does private insurance cover the Omron 3 Series?

Private insurance may cover the Omron 3 Series, depending on your plan. Typically, private insurance plans only cover monitors and other durable medical equipment if you have a prescription.

You can contact your insurance provider to learn whether your plan covers a blood pressure monitor. Since some insurance providers also offer free or discounted resources and devices, you can also ask your insurer if they have any of these programs and whether you might be eligible.

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Ways to pay for the Omron 3 Series

You may be able to use a health reimbursement account (HRA), flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) if you have one. These tax-advantaged accounts are designed to help you pay for qualified out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by insurance.

To save money, you can look for sales at major retailers that sell the Omron 3 Series, such as Amazon, CVS, Target and Walmart. Just taking some time to shop around can be an easy way to save on its $59.99 retail price. We’ve seen the sales price of this monitor drop by almost half, depending on the retailer.

FDA authorization and third-party validation for the Omron 3 Series

The Omron 3 Series blood pressure monitor is authorized by the FDA. For a blood pressure monitor to be authorized by the FDA, it must receive a 510(k) Premarket Notification. That means Omron Healthcare submitted the device to the FDA, and the administration deemed the Omron 3 Series safe and effective.

This device also has AMA validation, meaning the Omron 3 Series has been tested and approved in accordance with standardized protocols established by an independent committee of experts. To check whether the FDA authorizes a blood pressure monitor, enter the device’s name in the FDA’s 510(k) database. The AMA validates devices and shares the results at validatebp.org.

Is the Omron 3 Series right for you?

It depends. If you’re seeking a wallet-friendly and straightforward device that simply measures your blood pressure and shows your pulse, this device could be a fit. For example, tester Daria said it’s a top choice for the basics, and she’d recommend it to an older adult who isn’t focused on in-depth, long-term tracking. However, if you’re seeking a device that can store many past readings, or if you want basic tracking, this device may not be for you. In testing, Daria gave this device just a fair rating for tracking, since it can store unlimited readings on the app, but can only store 14 readings on the device itself. Meanwhile, the CONNEQT Pulse, a more expensive blood pressure monitor that earned the designation of “most comprehensive data” on our list, stores unlimited readings on the device itself.

FAQs

Is the Omron 3 Series blood pressure monitor accurate?

Yes, the Omron 3 Series is an accurate blood pressure monitor, based on our testing. The device is validated by the American Medical Association and authorized by the Food and Drug Administration.

Where do you buy Omron blood pressure monitors?

You can buy Omron blood pressure monitors from retailers such as Amazon, CVS, Target or Walmart. The company website lists the retail price of the Omron 3 Series at $59.99. But pricing may vary by retailer, and you may be able to find this device on sale.

How do you use the Omron 3 Series blood pressure monitor?

The Omron 3 Series is easy to use, according to our tester. To get the most accurate reading, rest for 5 minutes and avoid activities such as smoking and exercise for 30 minutes before taking your blood pressure. When you’re ready to start, sit with your legs uncrossed, your feet flat on the floor and your back supported. Place the arm cuff on one arm and position it at the same level as your heart, resting comfortably on a surface like a table or a pillow. Then press the start/stop button on the device to begin taking a measurement. Avoid talking while the device is measuring. When the measurement is completed, your readings will appear on the screen. You can read the results and write them down if you desire. Then you can remove the arm cuff and press the start/stop button to turn off the monitor.

Questions or feedback? Email us at AARPSmartPicks@aarp.org.

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