Panasonic EW3109W Portable Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor White/Grey

In short, the Panasonic EW3109W upper arm blood pressure cuff is accurate, provides reproducible results, fast, comfortable, easy to use and inexpensive.It measures BP differently that any other device I have used. Other devices first inflate the cuff above the estimated systolic BP (the upper number) and THEN listen for sounds from the arterial blood vessels. If a sound is heard, it means that there is insufficient inflation of the cuff and the cuff pressure is further increased. Once the pressure is above the systolic BP the device slowly deflates the cuff while first listening for the blood to begin flowing (it makes a 'swishing' sound); this is the systolic BP. The pressure is further lowered until no sound is heard. This is the diastolic or bottom BP number. This takes time, excessive arm pressure and can be uncomfortable for may people.In contrast, the EW3109W listens to the arterial blood vessel sound while INFLATING the cuff. In this manner, the diastolic BP is heard first. The pressure continues to increase in the cuff until no sound is heard, indicating the systolic BP. Then the pressure in the cuff is rapidly lowered and the measurement is complete. Thus, only one inflation/deflation cycle is required and the inflation pressure is NEVER significantly above the systolic pressure. The measurement is fast since the pressure and blood vessel sounds only need to be measured once. The short cycle with cuff pressure never significantly in excess of your BP. This is what makes using the device comfortable.As a 'heart' patient, accuracy and repeatability are very important. As for the accuracy, I have tested the device against my own conventional/manual BP cuff. Further, I have taken the device to be compared to my physicians measurements. In both cases, there was a very close correlation. As for the repeatability, I typically take my BP 3 times over a 5 min. period. The measurements are always very similar.Like all automatic BP devices, the EW3109W is easy to use. Unlike other devices, the EW3109W is inexpensive!(FYI, I have been a medical device researcher and developer for over 30 years)

SIX STARS!!!! This is, by far and away, the best, the most accurate, the easiest-to-use blood pressure monitor out there!! Why anyone would ever buy another kind, I'll never know.Last November, I was rushed by ambulance to the ER with a blood pressure that, by paramedics' measurement, was "high stroke level." After five days of "playing around" with all different blood pressure meds in the hospital, I finally was released with four-times-a-day pills and a promise to take my own blood pressure every four hours. Oh dear, how was I to do that without a monitor?So "my brother, the doctor" (yes, he's a real doctor!) and I looked through every monitor on the Amazon website (and there are a LOT!), and this Panasonic EW3109W Portable Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor is the one we decided upon. It had great reviews and great ratings and was within my price range. But, to be safe, we also chose a more expensive Omron monitor as well. Both arrived two short days later and, compared to my brother's "real doctor" cuff, this Panasonic was right on accurate! The Omron was not (and was returned). In addition, the preshaped cone cuff was easy for me to put on my upper arm and didn't hurt at all when expanded. In 28 seconds, it inflates to full capacity and back down again, measuring both cystolic and diastolic accurately. It stores the most recent 90 readings, and it blinks when either the cystolic or diastolic number is too high or too low. The size is only 8 inches in length, and it even comes with a handy dandy soft cloth carrying case. Just roll up the monitor inside the cuff, and they both fit easily into the case. I pack it whenever I travel, and it weighs almost nothing!I don't know all the proper technical terms and I won't go into the minute details (yes, that makes you happy, right??)...but I do know it works perfectly and easily for this old gal to take her own blood pressure!! Thankfully, it's only once a day now! Thank you, Panasonic, for the best blood pressure monitor ever!!!

Besides accuracy, the biggest problem I have with BP monitors is that they measure by inflating the cuff - usually to 140mmHg - and go down from there. If your BP is high, then it inflates to ~200mmHg for a higher BP reading. What this ends up doing is causing undue discomfort to the patient. And if you have thin skin, you are at risk for skin damage, bleeding, bruising, etc. This monitor completely fixes this problem by taking your blood pressure in an ascending fashion instead of descending. So while it's pumping up, it's listening for your diastolic and systolic sounds, and it doesn't pump up higher than it needs to. Truly, this is the best portable BP monitor I've ever seen and used. The geniuses at Panasonic really deserve a nod for this technique. It's going to save a lot of undue discomfort for many people. I honestly will never buy another brand.

It worked very well for 6 months. I didn't have to change the batteries during that time, either, which is amazing. Now, even with new batteries, it starts to inflate, and I hear the little motor rev up, but it feels like the cuff can't hold the air anymore or something, and then the unit just shows the E (error).I suspect if I had a hard case for it it might have last longer, perhaps. I often brought it with me when traveling.While it worked, the measurements were very accurate, and I appreciated the unique method it used to avoid over-inflating the cuff. It made the frequent measurements I needed to make a little more comfortable.Advice for getting accurate readings: The positioning of the cuff is very important. If the tubing isn't lined up just right on your arm, it will be inaccurate. The illustration on the cuff is useful, and you can google some images of where the brachial artery is on your arm. Also, it must be on bare skin, even a thin sleeve will distort the measurement.This was all fine by me until it up and stopped working after 6 months.

This blood pressure monitor has worked well for me, giving me an accurate reading, and easy to use. Another major brand was a disappointment, giving wildly different readings each time and very unreliable. I would highly recommend this Panasonic monitor.

Very good item and easy to use. Only gripe though, it didn't come with it's own power cable so you could plug it in power outlets. But it did come with batteries :-P

Compared with my doctors, and this is fairly inaccurate.

Works good and is easy to use

I've owned this monitor for about two months and am completely satisfied with its operation. My only small quibble is that I wish it was easier to buy an AC adapter to go with it.