Consumer Reports served as panelists for the home glucose-monitor testing. The panelists judged 13 home glucose monitors for ease of use and an outside lab checked for accuracy. "Accuracy is very important," says a Consumer Reports medical adviser, Dr. Orly Avitzur. "The problem if someone gets inaccurate or inconsistent test results is that the medication that they administer would be the wrong dose, and that could lead to either too serious a drop in blood sugar or a blood sugar that's too high, and both could lead to serious health consequences." The tests found that some of the home glucose monitors performed better than others. Top ratings went to the OneTouch UltraMini. It delivered consistent, accurate readings in about 5 seconds and it's easy to use. It costs $20, plus $1.14 for each strip. And Consumer Reports named the $9 ReliOn Ultima sold at Wal-Mart a Best Buy. It earned very good scores for consistency and accuracy, and its strips cost just 44 cents a piece. Insurance might cover the cost of a blood-glucose monitor as well as testing supplies, so it's worth checking with your insurer to see whether you've got coverage. Consumer Reports has no commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor appearing on this Web site. />
