The Apple Watch is not calibrated on a cuff. It takes 30 days of cardiac data from existing optical PPG sensors, analyzes it, and gives you the probability that you have hypertension. It’s also notable that this is the first year that the Apple Watch has a true 24-hour battery life, so you can wear it while you sleep without taking it out to charge. I put it back on my Series 11 and haven’t gotten a notification yet (and hope I never do), but given that general awareness, screening, and detection of hypertension is a huge barrier to diagnosis, the Apple Watch is an important step forward.

Best BPM

The iHealth Ease is one of the cheapest blood pressure monitors you can find on the market. As a former contributor Richard Baguley says, it achieves this success with an extraordinary degree of accuracy (the device is ESH-10 approved, a widely recognized standard for the accuracy of automated blood pressure monitors).

Ease basically turns your phone into a BPM. It consists of a cuff, an air tube, and a base for your phone. The base communicates via Bluetooth with your Apple or Android device, takes the reading, and sends it to the iHealth MyVitals app, which is free and accessible to others, such as your family or doctor. Baguley says the Ease lives up to its name and is very easy to use, although it’s slower than other devices we’ve tested. There’s also a useful emergency stop button on the base for anyone who finds it uncomfortable to flick a blood pressure cuff, although with every monitor here, if it’s uncomfortable, you can remove it.

Alternative: Baguley also tried the Omron Evolv ($120)which is another stand-alone BPM that syncs with the Omron Connect app. You place the entire device on your arm to be measured. Baguley says that, unlike other devices we’ve tested, it’s a little finicky to use, and the app needs to be running to receive data from the device; others, like Withings, can keep data onboard until the app syncs.

Not FDA Approved

When I checked the Whoop MG (8/10, WIRED Recommended) in June of last year, I noticed that it was the first wearable fitness tracker I’d seen that offered blood pressure measurements. At the time, the feature was still in beta; later, Whoop chooses not to continue FDA clearance. In July, the FDA sent a warning letter of the company for selling the share without seeking clearance. Whoop continues to stand it about blood pressure. Whoop has the same disclaimers as Apple, but it is known that Apple and Aktiia have chosen to pursue FDA clearance.