Around one in three adults in the UK experience high blood pressure, but charities estimate that a worrying half of those affected remain undiagnosed.
Left unchecked, high blood pressure can lead to a range of more serious issues, like heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, or a heart attack, so it’s important to know your risk.
The tricky thing about high blood pressure is that it rarely has any symptoms, which is why it’s often dubbed a ‘silent killer’. The only way we can know our levels are healthy is by using a simple piece of kit called a blood pressure monitor.
At-home blood pressure monitors have been available for quite some time now, but advancements in technology have made them more accessible, accurate and user-friendly in recent years. These handheld devices consist of a soft cuff that wraps around your upper arm, which inflates and deflates automatically. The cuff measures the pressure of blood flowing through your arteries and displays the reading digitally on a screen, making it easy to record your results without medical training.
How do I know if I have high blood pressure?
When you use a blood pressure monitor, it feeds you two important numbers: systolic and diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure, or the higher number on the screen, represents the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats and pumps blood out into the body.
Diastolic pressure, which is the lower number, is the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats and refills with blood. Both numbers together provide an accurate picture of the health of your blood pressure.
The charity Blood Pressure UK says that an ideal blood pressure reading is between 90/60mmHg (millimetres of mercury) and 120/80mmHg, and you’re considered to have high blood pressure if your readings are consistently above 140/90mmHg.
What should I look for in a blood pressure monitor?
When choosing a blood pressure monitor, it’s important to check that it’s validated by the British Hypertension Society (BHS), a registered society that puts these life-saving gadgets through rigorous testing to ensure their accuracy in measuring at home. All of the options on this list are BHS-approved. You’ll also want to consider the size and construction, as picking a cuff that’s too big or small for your arm circumference could lead to an inaccurate reading.
Best home blood pressure monitors at a glance:
- Best for overall: Omron M4 Intelli IT - £65, Currys
- Best for design lovers: Withings BPM Connect - £119.95, Boots
- Best for on a budget: Kinetik WBP1 Blood Pressure Monitor - £20, Argos
- Best for families: Omron Evolv - £96.75, Argos
- Best for travel: Homedics wrist blood pressure monitor - £29.99, Holland & Barrett
- Best for comfort: Omron M3 - £45, Argos
- Best for reliable design: Braun ExactFit 1 - £44.99, Superdrug
- Best for basic functionality: Omron M2 - £31.99, Superdrug
- Best for atrial fibrillation monitoring: Omron M7 - £99.99, Boots
As with any piece of home technology, ease of use is an important factor, and we’ve chosen these products based on their intuitive functionality, clear instructions and easy-to-decipher display readings. If you’re currently on a low blood pressure diet, you might also want to opt for a monitor with a memory function that stores previous readings, so you can track your blood pressure over time without the need for manual record-keeping.
Finally, some monitors operate on batteries, which are great for on-the-go, while others come with an AC adapter for continuous charge. Checking the power supply before you commit to a purchase can help with choosing a blood pressure monitor that fits seamlessly into your daily routine, so you’ll never miss a reading.
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Omron M4 Intelli IT
Best for: Overall
With its reputation for clinical accuracy, Omron comes highly recommended by cardiologists. The Japanese brand’s mid-priced M4 monitor is packed with useful features, like its irregular heartbeat detection, which helpfully flashes a small symbol when it detects arrhythmia, so you can monitor any changes to your heart health.
Handily, it pairs with the Omron Connect app so you can digitally keep a note of your readings and see your progress mapped out on a helpful data chart. But if you're not a big fan of faffing about with apps and Bluetooth, the monitor also stores up to 60 readings on its screen memory, including the date and time of each reading.
What’s also really great about this monitor is that two people in your household can use it at the same time: it has a simple flick switch to move from one person to the other, so there’s no confused button hammering here.
The cuff velcro is pleasingly strong, and the material is fitted with Omron's signature ‘intelli wrap’ stiff insert that helps the band stay firmly in place. When considering value for money, functionality and ease of use, the M4 came out on top for us as the best overall buy in this category.
Buy now £65.00, Currys
Withings BPM Connect
Best for: design lovers
The Withings BPM Connect is easily the best-looking blood pressure monitor on this list. The minimalist design stands out from the crowd and feels more like a sleek fitness wearable than a piece of clunky hospital kit.
Unlike most blood pressure monitors that require batteries, the BPM connect is fully rechargeable using a micro USB cable, which makes it really handy to travel with. Usability is also straightforward, displaying the key numbers you need using circular LED lights.
The armband pairs nicely with a Health Mate app, which not only records your readings but also tracks trends over time, giving you valuable insights into your health. And when it's time to share your measurements with your doctor, the app makes it super simple to do so.
The one downside we found is the cuff itself: the monitor is attached to the armband fabric which doesn’t have the stickiest velcro, so it’s a bit of a faff to get the band secured in the right place. Once you've got the hang of it though, this monitor is simple to use daily, as pairing it with your phone is a one-time task. As long as your phone is on the same Wi-Fi network, you can just press a button to take a measurement whenever you need to.
Buy now £119.95, Boots
Kinetik WBP1 Blood Pressure Monitor
Best for: on a budget
Created in association with St John Ambulance, the Kinetik WBP1 is an inexpensive bit of kit. Pleasingly, a portion of the sales from these monitors goes to supporting the life-saving work of the first aid charity, which includes training and emergency first-aid assistance.
The waterproof cuff itself is really simple to slip on and features a helpful diagram to guide you in aligning the monitor with the main arteries on your left arm. Great for those with visual impairments, the large LCD display screen presents readings in easily visible, large numbers, showing both your blood pressure and pulse data. It also has an in-built memory function, storing up to 90 readings for long-term health tracking with your GP.
Overall, this monitor is straightforward to use and one of the most cost-friendly options on the market. However, keep in mind that you'll need to buy four AAA batteries to use it too.
Buy now £20.00, Argos
Omron Evolv
Best for: families
The Evolv is another design-conscious option that does away with tubes and wires. The black cuff and display screen are much more visually appealing than other options on this list, but unlike the all-in-one Withings, it has Omron’s trademark Intelli Wrap cuff that helps the band to feel secure on the arm.
The Omron Evolv offers a host of impressive features to enhance your blood pressure monitoring experience. Firstly, it has a body movement sensor that can pick up any changes that might throw off your reading, and there’s a larger capacity to store results - up to 100 this time. The Evolv also includes standard irregular heartbeat detection and has its newer atrial fibrillation detection tech included too.
The USP here though is its ability to accommodate an unlimited number of users when connected to the Omron Connect app, allowing the whole family to access and use it by setting up individual profiles.
Unfortunately, the only drawback is its screen: while the on-cuff display is backlit, it can still be a bit difficult to read. Nevertheless, its advanced features and comfortable design make it a standout choice.
Buy now £96.75, Argos
Homedics wrist blood pressure monitor
Best for: travel
Compact and portable, this cheap and cheerful monitor is a great investment for people who like to travel a lot. Unlike traditional monitors with separate cuffs and tubes, this device is a single, watch-like gadget that sits comfortably on the wrist instead of the upper arm. To get an accurate reading, you’ll want to make sure the screen is facing your inner wrist though, and not outward like a regular watch.
With irregular heartbeat detection, 60 reading memory and the 2 AAA batteries needed included, this monitor covers everything you need without breaking the bank. It also uses a handy traffic light system to record your data, so you can easily see if your blood pressure is normal (green), getting high (yellow), or in the severe (red) at a glance.
Although the screen is fairly small, the numbers are displayed large and clear, and are much easier to read than a typical digital watch. But if your eyesight isn't great, you might want to opt for a larger monitor from our list.
Buy now £29.99, Holland & Barrett
Omron M3 Comfort
Best for: comfort
The Omron M3 Comfort is a popular heart rate monitor with online shoppers. What sets it apart from other monitors, including cheaper Omron models, is its Intelli Wrap arm cuff. This semi-rigid cuff design helps reduce false readings, which are often caused by technology not being positioned correctly. If you’re new to home testing, there's also a handy green light on the device to confirm proper cuff placement.
The display is clear and easy to read, making it simple for even the most tech-phobic person to monitor their heart rate. It can store readings for up to two users, which is handy for sharing the device with a family member or partner. Plus, it can detect irregular heartbeats too, and Omron says it’s suitable for pregnant women and people with diabetes.
Setting up the device is fairly straightforward - just input the date and time you want, and then hit the start button to inflate the cuff. The device automatically saves up to 60 readings, so you don't need to record them manually.
That said, one thing that could be improved is having a colour-based system on the screen for a quicker interpretation of blood pressure levels. Overall though, the Omron M3 is a decent, user-friendly choice.
Buy now £45.00, Argos
Braun ExactFit 1
Best for: reliable design
Known for its beautifully efficient small electric goods, Braun has extended its craftsmanship to upper arm blood pressure monitors with its Exactfit product. In typical style for the German brand, timeless ease of use is the selling point here - using this device is a breeze with its one-button operation, providing quick and clear results with just a touch. The extra-large display makes reading your blood pressure readings effortless, even for those with poor eyesight.
Reviews online praise this heart rate monitor for its unwavering accuracy, however, bear in mind that it’s missing some of the key features from other monitors on this list. It doesn’t have an irregular heartbeat monitor and there are no colour-coded insights. Also, if you want to pair it with the Braun Healthy Heart app, you’ll need to input the data manually.
Overall, this device does exactly what it says on the tin, offering reliability, simplicity, and comfort, all in one package.
Buy now £44.99, Superdrug
Omron M2
Best for: basic functionality
The Omron M2 serves as Omron's entry into the budget-friendly blood pressure monitor market. For a cost-effective price, you get Omron’s signature Intellisense technology for an accurate measurement, as well as irregular heartbeat detection and wrap instructions printed on the cuff for convenience.
However, as it’s a more affordable option, it lacks connectivity to the Omron app, meaning you’ll need to manually record your readings with a paper and pen. Also, it doesn't include Omron's intelligent wrap cuff, which may make it more difficult to secure to the arm. While the monitor itself is fairly compact, the digital screen is relatively small too, which could pose readability issues for some users.
All that being said, the Omron M2 is a reliable and straightforward choice if you’re prioritising affordability and ease of use over advanced features. If you're simply looking to check your blood pressure without the need for extra bells and whistles, this monitor is a solid option.
Buy now £31.99, Superdrug
Omron M7
Best for: atrial fibrillation monitoring
The Omron M7 Intelli IT blood pressure monitor is a game-changer for people who want to keep an eye on undetected atrial fibrillation, as well as their blood pressure. With its near-accurate AFib detection function, you can easily keep an eye on any changes to your heart health.
In AFib mode, the device takes three blood pressure readings and calculates the average, providing a realistic picture of your morning and evening blood pressure trends over time. If irregular heartbeats are detected on multiple occasions, the AFib indicator flashes up, alerting you to a potential finding - though, of course, it's not a clinical diagnosis, so you’ll need to then consult your doctor.
Like other previous Omron models, the M7 Intelli IT can automatically transfer blood pressure readings to your smartphone via Bluetooth, allowing users to track their progress over time using the Omron Connect app. You can even integrate it with Alexa for easy access to your latest blood pressure readings.
Our only gripe with this product is the size of the monitor for the hefty price tag. As wearable tech generally gets smaller, the Omron M7 is easily the largest blood pressure monitor on this list. Plus, its reliance on batteries may be a drawback for some users, as it could be more convenient to have a charger instead.
Buy now £99.99, Boots
