How We Research, Test and Review Home Health Monitoring Products

Home health monitoring devices, like blood pressure monitors, glucose monitors and pulse oximeters, can be an important part of aging with agency. Whether the data is transmitted electronically to a physician for monitoring or you’re monitoring on your own, knowledge is not only power — it’s safety. 

Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, or hypertension, according to the American Heart Association. That number rises significantly as we age. By our 70s, more than 80 percent of us will have hypertension. 

While conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes are common, they’re treatable and easy to monitor at home with the right devices.

These products aren’t diagnostic. You should see your doctor for a formal diagnosis and treatment or monitoring plan. But if you’re ready to purchase a monitoring device to use at home, we can help.

Here’s how we vet and test home health monitoring devices:

1. Research the marketplace. In addition to reviewing what products are offered, we ask experts: What devices are popular and why? Who has the latest technology? Which products have rave reviews (and are they legitimate)? 
2. Purchase and test each one in our lab. We assess features like battery life, ease of use and data storage.
3. Recruit independent testers ages 50-plus to try out each product. Do testers like the look and feel? How long does it take them to set up and use? Are the instructions intuitive?
4. Explore the customer service experience. We contact manufacturers to find out whether customers can get help when needed, whether returns are easy and other key information.

Products that ace these assessments make it onto our lists of the best home health monitoring devices:

Features and functionality

• Types of detection and to what degree
• Battery type and life
• App capabilities

User experience

• Data storage and sharing
• Usage per device
• Ease of use and understanding results
• Test accuracy

Brand policies

• Warranties
• Returns
• Support options

Affordability

• Price
• Shipping
• Discounts
• Availability

Customer support

• Types of support offered
• Hours of support availability