Glucose Meter Buying Guide

Meter Terms to Know

• Coding: The meter must be calibrated with each new container of test strips. Typically, you need to insert a small plastic key from the strip container into the meter. Compare the code number that appears on the meter with the strip container code number to make sure they match.

• Test time: The time it takes to see the blood glucose level result after the blood drop is applied.

• Microliter: Volume measurement for blood drop. Today's meters require very small sample sizes.

• Averages: The average on your meter may look very different from the estimated average blood glucose number you receive with your A1C lab result. That's because the A1C looks at all your highs and lows over 2-3 months. The meter average is likely to differ, depending on how frequently you test.

Note: Meter manufacturers typically provide customer support and test strips for older meters. The nationally distributed models featured are the newest on store shelves.