Why it's crucial to choose a blood pressure monitor you can trust
Manca has been testing baby products, health gadgets and gardening power tools for almost four years, weeding out the weak and recommending the strong
Tracking your blood pressure at home is a brilliant way to stay on top of your heart health and manage hypertension, but you can only do so with an accurate device that you can use properly.
We've tested blood pressure monitors for years from popular brands including Boots, Braun, Kinetik, Omron and Withings. We've uncovered Best Buys we recommend and Don't Buys we think you should avoid because they didn't pass our accuracy assessments.
Learn what our experts found after putting arm-cuff monitors through their paces, plus what you need to know to measure your blood pressure properly.
Go to the best blood pressure monitors to see our full results and find out which ones give quick and accurate results
How accurate are blood pressure monitors?
We don't mess around when it comes to checking accuracy. For our blood pressure monitor tests, we take more than 1,300 readings using a diverse panel of men and women to see how these devices handle different arm sizes, body types and genders.
We compare all blood pressure monitors against the AAMI/ISO Universal standard and the British & Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS) criteria.
We then compare the readings to a mercury sphygmomanometer, the gold-standard device for measuring blood pressure.
This lets us see which blood pressure monitors record blood pressure accurately and which are less reliable.
Of the eight blood pressure monitors we tested, only two passed all our accuracy tests.
Four passed half of our tests, and two didn't pass any of our accuracy tests at all, so it shows how important it is to get one which will measure your stats accurately.
We also check if blood pressure monitors are easy to set up, how long it takes to get a reading and if they’re comfortable to wear or prone to annoying pinching during use.
Only Which? members get access to our full test results. Log in or join Which? to find out which devices earned our recommendation.
Can you get NHS-approved blood pressure monitors?
The simple answer is no. We contacted the Department of Health and Social Care, and it confirmed that the NHS doesn't endorse medical devices.
So if you see a blood pressure monitor that claims to be NHS-approved, you can safely assume it isn't.
Instead, look for monitors with the British & Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS) logo and CE marking. Other recognised validation marks include the British Heart Foundation or an international validation protocol.
You can also visit a pharmacy for a free blood pressure check if you would prefer someone else to take the reading. This NHS tool will help you locate pharmacies near you that offer this service.
Understanding your blood pressure readings
Inaccurate readings are dangerous if you're relying on them to warn you about medical issues, but it's also a problem if you've got an accurate monitor and can't decipher what the reading means.
The top number (systolic) is the pressure when your heart contracts, while the bottom (diastolic) is when it relaxes.
A healthy target is roughly 120/80 mmHg. Home readings under 135/85 mmHg are usually considered to be fine, although some international guidelines prefer staying below 130/80 mmHg.
If you’re consistently seeing results above 140/90 mmHg, contact your GP for advice, as that’s classed as high blood pressure and you should take action as soon as possible.
How and when to check your blood pressure
We spoke to Dr Pauline Swift, chair of Blood Pressure UK, to find out how to get the most reliable picture of your blood pressure.
She advised taking two readings a minute apart every day for a week. Your doctor will likely average these out.
Ideally, check first thing in the morning before breakfast or taking any medication, and then again before bed.
To get an accurate result:
- Sit quietly for five minutes before measuring, with your back supported, feet flat on the floor and legs uncrossed.
- Rest your arm on a table so the upper arm or wrist cuff is at heart level.
- Place the cuff on bare skin and don’t talk, move or look at your phone during the reading, as it can make your blood pressure rise.
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