How to choose a Blood Glucose Meter: It's in your hands

Effective diabetes management includes regular blood glucose monitoring. A blood glucose meter allows you to take readings at specific times, such as before or after meals, which can help you and your healthcare provider make adjustments to improve blood glucose control.1 Choosing a blood glucose device with the features that matter most to you has an impact on how you live with diabetes and keeps you engaged with your treatment.2

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What to look for in a blood glucose meter?1,3,4

Before diving into specific models, think about your personal needs and lifestyle. Are you looking for a compact meter for travel? Do you need one with advanced features like smartphone compatibility? Do you have vision issues that require a device with a large display? Defining your priorities will narrow your options.

1. Check for Accuracy and Reliability

Accuracy is crucial for effective diabetes management. While all meters meet FDA12 standards, some are more precise than others. Look for meters with excellent reviews on accuracy and ensure the brand has a strong reputation. You can also ask your healthcare provider for recommendations based on reliable models they trust.

2. Evaluate Ease of Use

Not all meters are equally user-friendly. If you are new to diabetes management or have dexterity challenges, opt for a device that is easy to operate. No initial set up, intuitive screens, large buttons and quick results can make a big difference in your daily life. Your blood glucose meter should also feel comfortable in your hands for a better user experience.

3. Look for Additional Features

Modern blood glucose meters offer a variety of features that can enhance your experience.

  • Some meters use color-coded indicators to quickly show whether blood glucose levels are within, above, or below target ranges.
  • Meters that connect to apps like the CONTOUR®DIABETES app allow your results to be safely shared with your healthcare team.
  • Some devices allow you to apply more blood to the same strip if the initial sample is insufficient, helping to avoid wasted test strips, saving you money and reducing frustration.

4. Support and Warranty

Choose a meter from a brand known for good customer support. A solid warranty can also give you peace of mind if the device malfunctions or needs replacement.

Bluetooth Blood Glucose Meter: CONTOUR®PLUS BLUE13

Looking to upgrade your diabetes management routine? CONTOUR®PLUS BLUE offers accurate13 blood glucose readings and easy connectivity.

  • If your first drop of blood is not enough, you can add more to the same strip for less waste, reducing frustration.
  • This meter pairs with the CONTOUR®DIABETES app through Bluetooth® connectivity, automatically storing your blood glucose readings so you can track them in one place.
  • You can set personalized blood sugar targets and quickly spot low, in range, or high readings with color-coded indicators.
  • The app allows you to log insulin doses and carb intake, as well as set reminders for testing and medications.
  • The CONTOUR®DIABETES app is FREE to download from the Apple App and Google Play stores.

Is there a blood glucose monitor that connects to your app14

The CONTOUR®DIABETES app from Ascensia Diabetes Care enhances diabetes management by seamlessly syncing with compatible glucose meters, allowing users to track, analyze, and manage blood glucose levels effectively.

Key features:

  • Automatic Syncing: Readings transfer instantly from your Bluetooth-enabled meter to the app, eliminating the need for manual logging.
  • Personalized Target Ranges: Set custom blood glucose goals and quickly identify high, low, or in-range readings with color-coded indicators.
  • Trends & Insights: The "My Patterns" feature intelligently analyzes blood glucose results, providing personalized feedback to help improve self- management and maintain positive lifestyle changes.
  • Additional Tracking: Log events such as diet, activities, and medication, adding context to your readings. You can even add photos, notes, or voice memos.
  • Reminders & Alerts: Set reminders for testing, medication, or meal tracking, and receive alerts when test results are critically high or low.
  • Data Sharing: Easily share reports with healthcare professionals to support better diabetes management.

The CONTOUR®DIABETES app offers a user-friendly way to monitor blood glucose levels and make informed decisions for improved diabetes care.

How to Best Understand Your Blood Glucose Meter Readings

Understanding your blood sugar readings is a crucial part of managing your diabetes. Here are some key ranges to help you know what to expect:

  • Normal fasting blood sugar: 72 to 108 mg per deciliter10
  • Prediabetes fasting blood sugar: 100 to 125 mg per deciliter10
  • Diabetes indication: 126 mg per deciliter or higher on two separate occasions10
  • Oral glucose tolerance test: A two-hour reading of 200 mg per deciliter or more indicates diabetes10

An important measure is the HbA1c test, which reflects your average blood sugar over the past three months. A normal HbA1c falls between 3.5 and 5.6 percent. Levels between 5.7 and 6.4 percent suggest prediabetes, while an HbA1c above 6.5 percent generally confirms diabetes. Sometimes, an HbA1c above 7 percent may prompt adjustments in your treatment plan.10

Regarding blood glucose meters, Ascensia's CONTOUR®NEXT series is designed to measure and display blood sugar levels from as low as 20 mg per deciliter up to 600 mg per deciliter. If your blood sugar exceeds 600 mg per deciliter, the meter will display a "HI" message to indicate that the reading is beyond its measurable range.11

CONTOUR® blood glucose meters

Ascensia offers a range of devices designed to meet the needs of people living with diabetes, all highly accurate and easy to use.

  • The CONTOUR®NEXT GEN5 blood glucose monitoring system is designed for ease of use. Colored lights (smartLIGHTTM) help identify whether the blood glucose reading is within (green), above (yellow), or below (red) your target range. Second-Chance® Sampling allows you to apply more blood to the same test strip within 60 seconds, making it easy to perform a reading even in imperfect conditions. Scientifically proven, CONTOUR®NEXT GEN has accuracy that exceeds industry standards by nearly 3x.6*+7
  • The CONTOUR®NEXT ONE8 blood glucose monitoring system is compact and mobile for convenient, on-the-go use, with smartLIGHTTM, Second-Chance® Sampling technology, and CONTOUR®DIABETES app connectivity.
  • The CONTOUR®NEXT EZ9 blood glucose monitoring system is among our simplest meters. With minimal setup, it is an excellent choice for those who prefer a straightforward approach to blood glucose monitoring.

Explore purchasing options for all Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems

Explore purchasing options for all Blood Glucose Test Strips

Explore purchasing options for all CONTOUR®NEXT Bundles

Explore purchasing options for all Complementary Diabetes Products

Explore purchasing options for KETOSTIX® and Other Diabetes Testing Supplies

References:

*Minimum accuracy requirements of ISO15197: 2013 Section 6.3 standard require ≥95% of the measured values to fall within ±0.83 mmol/L at glucose concentrations <5.5 mmol/L or within ±15% ≥5.5 mmol/L of the referenced method.

*An ad hoc analysis demonstrated that 95% of the results were within the error range ±0.3 mmol/L or ±5.3% of the laboratory reference values for glucose concentrations <5.5 mmol/L or ≥5.5 mmol/L, respectively.

  1. Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee; Berard LD, Siemens R, Woo V. Monitoring glycemic control. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42 Suppl 1:S47-S53. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.007. PMID: 29650111.
  2. Al Hayek A, Alwin Robert A, Al Dawish M. Patient satisfaction and clinical efficacy of novel blood glucose meters featuring color range indicators in patients with type 2 diabetes: a prospective study. Cureus. 2020;12(10):e11195. doi: 10.7759/cureus.11195. PMID: 33269126; PMCID: PMC7704060.
  3. Diabetes Canada. Managing your blood sugar. Diabetes Canada website. Available from https://www.diabetes.ca/resources/tools--resources/managing-your-blood-sugar. Published 2025. Accessed January 9, 2025.
  4. Diabetes Care Community. Home blood glucose meters: which one do I choose? Diabetes Care Community website. Available from https://www.diabetescarecommunity.ca/living-well-with- diabetes-articles/monitoring/monitoring-blood-glucose/home-blood-glucose-meters-which-one-do-i-choose/. Published 2025. Accessed January 9, 2025.
  5. CONTOUR®NEXT GEN BGMS User Guide, Rev. 11/24.
  6. Pleus S et al (2022) User Performance Evaluation and System Accuracy Assessment of Four Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems With Color Coding of Measurement Results. J Diab Sci and Technol;1-9.
  7. International Organization for Standardization. In vitro diagnostic test systems - requirements for blood-glucose monitoring systems for self-testing in managing diabetes mellitus (ISO 15197). International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2013.
  8. CONTOUR®NEXT One Blood Glucose Monitoring System User Guide, Rev. 03/21.
  9. CONTOUR®NEXT EZ BGMS User Guide, Rev. 11/24
  10. Mathew TK, Zubair M, Tadi P. Blood Glucose Monitoring. [Updated 2023 Apr 23]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555976
  11. CONTOUR®NEXT ONE Blood Glucose Monitoring System User Guide, Rev. 01/17.
  12. Special 510(k) Substantial Equivalence Determination Decision Summary (2019) FDA Access Data. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf19/K191286.pdf (Accessed: 17 March 2025).
  13. CONTOUR®PLUS BLUE Blood Glucose Monitoring System User Guide, Rev. 03/24.
  14. CONTOUR®DIABETES App User Guide, Rev. 03/25.