The best blood pressure monitor is the one that actually gets used. If your doctor has asked for a week of morning and evening readings, or you are buying for a parent who will be taking them alone, a monitor with fewer buttons, a clearer screen and a cuff that goes on easily makes all the difference.
Simple does not have to mean less accurate. Every monitor below is on the US or UK list of clinically validated devices, and every card links to that listing so you can check it. We then chose the ones whose design makes them easiest to live with.
The short version
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Simplest no-frills monitor
A&D Medical UA-651 Blood Pressure MonitorA&D Medical UA-651 Blood Pressure MonitorA big screen and a button. No app, nothing to set up. Full review
$28.79 on Amazon Amazon Price as of Oct 31, 11:09 AM UTC Amazon UK -
Simplest of all
Omron M2 Basic Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor (HEM-7120-E)One button and a clear screen. Put on the cuff, press, read. Full review
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Easiest cuff to put on
OMRON Evolv Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure MonitorOMRON Evolv Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure MonitorOne piece with no tube: the whole monitor wraps around the arm. Full review
$59.99 on Amazon Amazon Price as of Oct 31, 11:09 AM UTC Amazon UK -
Easiest one-handed cuff
OMRON Bronze Blood Pressure Monitor (BP5150)A D-ring cuff that is easy to put on with one hand. Full review
$46.37 on Amazon Amazon Price as of Oct 31, 11:09 AM UTC -
Best for getting the cuff right
A&D Medical UA-767F Multi-User Blood Pressure MonitorWarns you on screen when the cuff is not on properly. Full review
$48.59 on Amazon Amazon Price as of Oct 31, 11:09 AM UTC
Each pick shows only in the country where it passed both of our checks, so what you see depends on where you are reading from.
What makes a monitor easy to use
There is no official “easy to use” standard, so here is what we looked for, and why.
- One button, or close to it. The British Heart Foundation describes a home reading as pressing the on button, then the start button, and letting the cuff inflate and deflate by itself. The fewer steps beyond that, the better.
- A large, clear screen. You need to read two numbers and write them down. Small or crowded displays make that harder.
- A cuff that is easy to put on correctly. A D-ring cuff, or a one-piece design with no tube, is easier to fit with one hand.
- No app required. Blood Pressure UK says all you need to measure your blood pressure correctly is a validated monitor and a pen and paper to record your readings, and that extra features can be helpful but are not necessary. An app is a bonus for some people and a barrier for others.
Two things matter more than any of these, and they apply to every monitor.
It must be validated, and validated for the person using it. The AHA recommends an automatic, upper-arm cuff monitor that has been validated, and says that when choosing one for a senior, a person who is pregnant or a child, you should make sure it is validated for them. Wrist and finger monitors are not recommended. In the US, validated models are on the Validated Device Listing at validatebp.org; in the UK, on the British and Irish Hypertension Society list.
The cuff must fit. A cuff of the wrong size gives a wrong reading. The AMA’s guide is to measure around the middle of the upper arm, halfway between the shoulder and the elbow. The BHF adds that the cuff should wrap snugly, with just enough space to slide two fingers underneath. Most picks below fit arms from 22 to 42 cm, but two have a smaller cuff in some boxes, so measure before you buy.
The picks
A&D Medical UA-651 Blood Pressure Monitor
A plain, well-made monitor from a company that also makes clinic equipment, validated on both lists. No app, no extras: a big screen and a button.
- Model
- UA-651
- Cuff
- 22 to 42 cm (US box), 22 to 32 cm (UK box)
- Memory
- 60 readings (US listing), 30 (UK listing)
- Connectivity
- None
- Warranty
- 5 years (UK listing)
The proof: validatebp.org (US) BIHS (UK)
Best for
People who want an accurate reading and nothing else, at a budget price.
Worth knowing
The cuff in the box differs by country: wide range (22 to 42 cm) in the US, but only 22 to 32 cm in the UK, which will not fit larger arms.
The UA-651 is a plain monitor on both validation lists: a big screen and a button, with no app and no Bluetooth to pair. A&D Medical also makes clinic equipment. Check the cuff in your country’s box before you buy. In the US it comes with the wide-range cuff, which fits most adults; in the UK it comes with a 22 to 32 cm cuff, which will not fit larger arms.
Omron M2 Basic Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor (HEM-7120-E)
The simplest validated monitor on Amazon UK, and one of the best loved by buyers. One button, a clear screen and an indicator for an irregular heartbeat.
- Model
- HEM-7120-E
- Cuff
- Medium, 22 to 32 cm
- Memory
- Last reading only
- Connectivity
- None
- Power
- 4 AA batteries
The proof: BIHS (UK)
Best for
Someone who wants the easiest possible monitor, often an older relative.
Worth knowing
It remembers only the last reading, and the cuff fits 22 to 32 cm. Another model, the HEM-7116-E, is also sold as "M2 Basic"; check for HEM-7120-E.
The M2 Basic is about as simple as a validated monitor gets: put on the cuff, press the one button, read the number. There is nothing to set up, which makes it a natural choice for an older relative. The trade-off is memory: it keeps only the last reading, so keep a notebook and pen beside it. Its cuff fits 22 to 32 cm. When you buy, check for the model number HEM-7120-E, the one on the BIHS list, since another model is also sold as “M2 Basic”.
OMRON Evolv Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor
A one-piece monitor with no tube: the cuff and the monitor are a single unit that wraps around your arm. It is validated on both the US and UK lists, and both note that it is also validated for use in pregnancy.
- Models
- BP7000 (US), HEM-7600T-E (UK)
- Cuff
- Built in, fits 22 to 42 cm (8.7 to 16.5 in)
- Memory
- 100 readings (US listing)
- Connectivity
- Bluetooth to the OMRON connect app
- Power
- 4 AAA batteries
The proof: validatebp.org (US) BIHS (UK)
Best for
A compact, validated monitor that travels well and syncs to your phone.
Worth knowing
The built-in cuff fits arms of 22 to 42 cm only and cannot be swapped, so check your arm size first.
The Evolv has no separate cuff and no tube. The whole monitor is the cuff, and it wraps around your upper arm in one piece, which makes it easy to put on correctly. It is validated on both the US and UK lists. The built-in cuff fits arms from 22 to 42 cm and cannot be swapped, so measure first. It has Bluetooth for the OMRON connect app, and the US model also stores 100 readings on the device.
OMRON Bronze Blood Pressure Monitor (BP5150)
OMRON’s entry-level upper-arm monitor, and the most popular of its US range with buyers. A D-ring cuff that is easy to put on one-handed, and Bluetooth syncing.
- Model
- BP5150
- Cuff
- D-ring, fits 9 to 17 in (22 to 42 cm)
- Memory
- 14 readings
- Connectivity
- Bluetooth to the OMRON connect app
- Power
- 4 AA batteries
The proof: validatebp.org (US)
Best for
A first validated monitor from the best-known brand, with an app.
Worth knowing
It stores only 14 readings on the device, so you will rely on the app to keep a longer history.
The Bronze is OMRON’s entry-level US monitor, with a D-ring cuff that is easy to put on with one hand and fits 22 to 42 cm. That helps if you are measuring yourself or live alone. It only keeps 14 readings on the device, so either write each one down or use the app for a longer record.
A&D Medical UA-767F Multi-User Blood Pressure Monitor
The multi-user version of A&D’s validated monitor: four people get their own memory, and the screen warns you if the cuff is not on properly.
- Model
- UA-767F
- Cuff
- Wide range, 22 to 42 cm
- Memory
- 4 users, 60 readings each
- Extras
- Cuff-fit alert
- Power
- Batteries; AC adapter sold separately
The proof: validatebp.org (US)
Best for
Households where three or four people check their blood pressure.
Worth knowing
No Bluetooth. If you want readings in an app, you type them in yourself.
A badly fitted cuff is one of the most common causes of a misleading reading, and the UA-767F tells you on screen when the cuff is not on properly. That is a real help for someone measuring on their own. It also has four separate user memories, so it suits a couple or household better than someone who only wants the bare minimum. There is no Bluetooth: readings stay on the monitor or in your notebook.
Setting it up for someone else
If you are buying for a parent or relative, a little help at the start goes a long way.
- Measure their arm first, using the AMA method above, and choose a monitor with a cuff that fits.
- Take the monitor to their next appointment. The AHA suggests having a healthcare professional check that it is being used correctly and gives the same results as the equipment in the office, then bringing it back about once a year.
- Write the routine on a card and keep it with the monitor. The AHA’s version: no smoking, caffeine or exercise for 30 minutes before; empty the bladder; sit quietly for five minutes without talking; arm resting on a table at heart level; cuff on bare skin, just above the bend of the elbow. Take two readings one minute apart and write both down. The BHF adds: sit upright with your back against the chair and your feet flat on the floor.
- Leave a notebook beside it. Blood Pressure UK says not to worry about one-off high readings, since it is normal for numbers to vary, but to contact the GP or practice nurse if there is a consistent rise. A written log makes that easy to spot.
What the numbers mean is a question for their doctor, not for a chart. Our guide to home blood pressure readings explains how the AHA and NHS describe them, including the readings that need urgent help.
What did not make this list
All of these are validated, but are less simple to use:
- The Withings BPM Connect logs readings to your phone automatically over Wi-Fi, which is handy once it is running, but it needs setting up first, and it holds only eight readings without the app.
- The iHealth Track is a good, validated monitor, but it is built around its phone app.
- The OMRON Platinum has two user memories, an AFib flag and Bluetooth: more features, and more to learn.
You can find all three in our full guide to the best home blood pressure monitors. Wrist monitors are left out entirely, because the AHA does not recommend them.
An easy monitor is one that is validated, fits the arm, and is simple enough to use twice a day without thinking about it. Get those right, and the readings will be worth taking to the doctor.