OmronBP785 10 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor, Black/white

I've been taking my BP for 42 years and this is, by far, the best monitor I've owned. Once you have it set up the way you want it, you just slide the cuff over your arm, push one button, and it does the rest. It is so easy that I find myself taking my BP more often. I have it set to take three readings in a row. That sounds like it will take a long time, but it doesn't. Well under three minutes because the cuff only inflates as much as it needs to based on readings it is taking while inflating. That means it also doesn't have to deflate as much. Long story short--the fastest, most accurate reading I can imagine. Accurate for many reasons including the dual sensors. If a reading doesn't pass all it's checks, the cuff automatically takes another reading. This has happened maybe five times out of 200 readings and, usually, it is my error that triggered the bad reading (e.g., I moved my arm while the cuff was operating). With my previous cuff (that was ranked in the top three by consumer reports), if the cuff did not inflate enough, it would sense that on the way *down* and you would then get a second inflation. I hated that. You're trying to be calm and the machine is essentially telling you, "Oops, your BP must be higher than I expected." No one needs that. Another cuff I had would beep as soon as it started deflating. I guess this was to warn you to stay still, but it was annoying. I don't need to be annoyed when I'm taking my BP. Worse than that, however, was another cuff that would beep softly every time it sensed a pulse. I can't think of any reason for that except for the fact that the engineer who designed it probably never took his own BP and thought the beep would be cool. All of this is to say that this cuff does what it does in such a relaxed way that you hardly even know something is happening. I even went through a period where I thought I could tell when the cuff was inflating higher than normal (which would mean that it was sensing a high BP on the way up). Well, many more times than not, I got a low reading even though I thought it was going to be high. I finally concluded that it was impossible to predict my BP based on how the cuff pressure felt because the cuff is so incredibly comfortable. In other words, I was trying to pay attention to something that was just to subtle to notice. While it would have been stupid for me to keep trying, I suppose it would have been possible to predict a high BP with a lot of practice. I just chose to give up and be thankful that this cuff seems to operate much better than if I had designed it myself. I'd love to rate it six stars, but I can't. I read through most of the other reviews on Amazon before buying this. Clearly, it is not everyone's cup of tea. Some people seem to want a simpler device and/or more intuitive functions. I also hate reading manuals and I had to read the manual to get this monitor set up. That's unusual for me, so I can definitely see why people are complaining about that. Still, the only solution would be to either build it with a small computer inside so you could set it up using a wizard or interface it with the user's computer so that a wizard could be used. I'm sure something like that will happen someday. Until then, and this is coming from someone who absolutely HATES reading manuals, the extra 10 minutes it takes to find the answers you need in the manual seem to me to be well worth the effort. If this device seems like it might be your cup of tea, give it a try. Also, I've talked with some retailers since I purchased this and they tell me that Omron, like other manufacturers of similar devices, don't have the best quality control. If your monitor doesn't seem to work right when you get it, maybe you just had some bad luck. Before you trash this monitor all over the internet, maybe you should first return your defective monitor and try another one. Reading some of the negative reviews, it is only obvious that some people are rating their luck more than they are rating this device. If you get two defective monitors in a row, maybe you have something interesting to report. Until then, please don't waste our time and yours by telling us, for example, that the monitor gives too many error readings. If you read the other reviews, you'll quickly learn that this is happening pretty much only with you. That means that either you purchased a defective product or your arm is somehow defective. I'm only half-joking about the later point. At various points in my career, I had to take BPs on patients day after day. Some people, for a lot of different reasons, aren't easy to get an accurate reading off of and require special attention. It could very well be that if you are one of these people, what this monitor is really telling you with all those errors is that you probably shouldn't be letting a machine take your BP. You'll either need to get a traditional cuff, and learn how to use it on a person like you, or you will have to find someone who is skilled at using a traditional cuff. I hope this review is helpful. I tried to approach it from a slightly different perspective than others have because I think most of the other reviews are right on target. No sense duplicating what they have already said.

We needed a replacement for our blood pressure monitor. Our doctor recommended this model.

I feel a little silly reviewing this product, it doesn't seem something you rave about...a blood pressure monitor.I have an older monitor I bought on the cheap that worked well except it took batteries. And it ATE those suckers!That was the old one...it was good but ate batteries.This is the new one (the one I am reviewing).I was looking for one that I could plug into the wall or use batteries in a pinch. What I got was a unit that had features I didn't even know I wanted!So this unit can either run from the wall plug or batteries, just like I was looking for.It does Systolic/Diastolic/Heart rate readings and is supposed to tell if you have an arrhythmia. I don't have an arrhythmia so I don't know if irregular heart beat monitor works but it will show a little symbol should it detect the problem.The read out is lighted numbers instead of a calculator-like black lcd. It is much easier to see/read, and I like it.It has a really nice cuff, both a harder part to hold it on your arm while fastening and soft part with velcro on it. It goes on easier than the soft cuff alone AND the unit will tell you if you put it on properly.This is supposed to do two readings each time, but either it is seamless or I am using it wrong. (I think it uses two sensors so it is seamless.)Additionally, you can set it up to take three readings in a row and averaging the readings.It stores many more readings than I have needed to use, and a switch for two different people's readings.Read the instructions on how to set it up or you won't get as much out of this unit as you can. The manual is excellent and was very helpful to me in many ways.It will help you take your heart rate properly as well as set up.You would be surprised how important it is not to eat, drink or move around right before taking a reading. I also found out you should sit quietly for 5 minutes before readings, have good posture and have the cuff level with your heart during the reading. I have found that nurses/doctors don't always follow these procedures, so pay attention to that.And if you are one to have "white coat syndrome" like I am (my bp is normal at home, pre-hypertensive at the doctors) make sure you take a week of readings to your physical.I can't tell you how pleased I am with this unit. I would buy it again if I needed.

Good

quite expensive in the omron range,but a good product.