When you insert your fingertip into a pulse oximeter, it uses two non-invasive LED lights—one red to measure deoxygenated blood and the other infrared to measure oxygenated blood. To calculate the oxygen saturation percentage, a photodetector reads the light absorption from these two beams of differing wavelengths. Reflectance probes measure blood oxygen levels with an emitter and sensor that are placed side by side on a flat body surface with underlying bone (such as the forehead). Because blood oxygen readings can fluctuate widely in response to movement, and because we did not have a medical grade pulse oximeter to compare results with, we decided we did not have the resources to give a valid accuracy rating. Instead, we determined each device’s “reading consistency”. We took recorded each reading and took the standard deviation of the four readings to determine the reading consistency. Eleanor Weaver is a Commercial Content Writer for titles such as Yours, What's The Best and Mother&Baby. Dias D, Paulo Silva Cunha J. Wearable Health Devices-vital sign monitoring, systems and technologies. Sensors (Basel). 2018;18(8).

The pulse bar along the bottom of the screen is handy, and your SpO2 reading will be displayed in large, easy-to-read font. This model also measures perfusion index (strength of blood flow).

The Best Pulse Oximeters for Seniors of 2023

Center for Devices, Radiological Health. Pulse Oximeter Accuracy and Limitations. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed 08/09/2021. According to Kroll, home-based pulse oximeters only measure your pulse oxygenation and heart rate, while hospital systems can provide a printout of your readings. We consulted with Dr. Sheikh, who advised that any device with a standard deviation of 10 or less would be considered consistent. Devices with standard deviations greater than 10 did not make our list.

The average oxygen saturation level for healthy individuals is between 95% and 100%, although people with chronic lung conditions may have a reading below 95%. A reading below 90% is considered a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment by a medical professional. MacIntyre NR. Tissue hypoxia: implications for the respiratory clinician. Respir Care. 2014;59(10):1590-1596.

Will you be claiming the VAT back?

Chiang L-K. Overnight pulse oximetry for obstructive sleep apnea screening among patients with snoring in primary care setting: Clinical case report. Family Med Prim Care. 2018;7(5):1086-1089 11.