Omron HEM-6232T

I was after a small wrist-type blood pressure (BP) monitor for an impending trip as I felt my upper arm BP monitor was too big and unwieldy. As my trusty upper arm monitor (from memory it was a $38 or $48 special buy from Aldi) had not missed a beat for more than 10 years, I started out looking for something in a similar price band. There were lots available from brick-and-mortar chemists as well as online stores /Amazon/eBay etcstarting from around the $40 mark. After lots of research online, I ended up buying one at the more expensive end - RRP is $298.95, but it can be discounted to around the $160-170 mark inclusive of delivery OR marked up with a high premium over the RRP from so-called “approved” medical supply stores.

I am very happy with it, pros so far are: - Very compact - Large screen with large fonts - Easy to use with arm positioning and cuff wrapping sensors - Bluetooth and Omron Connect App with automatic syncing to Apple Health - 3 year manufacturers warranty plus an additional 3 years if you register the device online with Omron Australia

The only con so far that I have experienced is the “digging” I had to do to sync with Apple Health. A quick start guide would have been helpful.

The details: First off, it is small with the included clamshell case fitting in my palm (I wear a small / size 7 glove). In terms of accuracy and technology, the OMRON is recommended according to[Content Removed] In use, measurements are in line with my trusty upper arm monitor.

Besides the compact form factor I was after, it is very easy to use. The soft cuff with Velcro wraps and unwraps easily, and it has both a height sensor to ensure your wrist is positioned at heart height, and a cuff wrap sensor that makes sure the cuff is wrapped tightly to produce accurate results.

When using, I look at the large screen with large type (a win for old eyes!) and adjust my arm position till I see the blue heart, then the white circle with OK - once I see both, I know I’m good to go. If the black cuff circle shows, I tap the off button, re-wrap the cuff and try again. After a few days, arm height positioning and cuff wrapping was on auto-pilot and measuring BP was very easy and fast.

The other huge plus for me was the OMRON Connect App and Bluetooth which syncs with Apple Health on my iPhone I.e. my BP data is backed up twice on the OMRON and the Apple clouds. You do need to register an account with Omron, which is well worth it in my opinion as the Omron Connect App offers a BP diary in which you can jot notes.

TIP: To sync your data with another App eg Apple Health, tap the Contents tab at the bottom of the Omron Connect App home page, then the ? In a circle at the top right of the Contents page and read “How to link with Healthcare app” for Apple or “How to link with other app” for others.