7 Best Glucose Meters That Make Managing Diabetes a Tiny Bit Easier

Anyone that checks their blood sugar regularly can tell you that the right glucose monitor can make all the difference. Whether you’re prediabetic, Type 2, or Type 1, or have another type of blood sugar issue, more than accuracy, the best glucometers offer a variety of features that help make managing blood sugars a bit easier.

For many in the U.S., health insurance plays a large role in what blood sugar meter you can use. Though, people with any type of diabetes can tell you it’s the test strips that get really expensive. “The best glucometer really varies from one person to the next,” explains Deena Adimoolam, M.D., endocrinologist and obesity specialist. “For those people who are not tech-savvy, it’s best to avoid complicated glucometers as it’s easy to get lost with all the different functionalities—a simple glucometer that checks fingersticks and records values might be the best option in this case.”

Noticeably left off of this list are Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs), as these differ from glucose monitors. Continuous glucose monitors offer continuous readings (and are worn 24 hours a day) and are used often in addition to glucose monitors as a way for diabetics to incur fewer finger sticks. This helps for a more real-time and holistic view of someone’s blood sugar. Most CGMs still require some fingersticks, and in my experience as a type 1 diabetic who wears a CGM and uses a glucose meter, a glucometer is still needed as a backup (and to double-check the CGM’s accuracy).

So, to help you find the best glucometer available (or even help you choose the best option from the ones covered by your insurance provider), we’re sharing glucose monitors worth considering.

How we chose

We tested countless glucometers, we also spoke with Dr. Adimooolam, Brian Fertig, M.D., F.A.C.E., founder and president of the Diabetes & Osteoporosis Center in Piscataway, N.J., chair of the Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology at Hackensack Meridian Health, JFK University Medical Center, and author of Metabolism & Medicine, and poured through countless online reviews to help you find the best glucose meter available.

Our top picks