Our latest tests found several blood glucose meters that offer exceptional value. All are standout choices for people with diabetes who benefit from testing. About 26 million people in the U.S. have the condition. (Learn how to prevent and treat diabetes.)
Blood glucose monitoring at home can be particularly important for those taking insulin or diabetes medication, women with gestational diabetes, and people having difficulty controlling their diabetes. (Check our Best Buy Drugs recommendations for diabetes medication.)
All of the meters can display their readings as averages, and date and time stamp the results. The Accu-Chek, FreeStyle, Bayer, and TRUEresult models can store 360 or more test results and download the readings to a computer.
The Up & Up and ReliOn models had excellent accuracy and very good repeatability scores, and the average yearly cost of their strips—assuming 4 tests a day—is $525, much less than the most expensive strips shown here, costing $1,750 a year.
Bottom line. Talk with your doctor or diabetes educator about your goals, and decide which features, price, and attributes matter the most.
This article appeared in the November 2013 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
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