Options considered: 40
Country:
Last updated: November 2024
Ranking criteria: features and functionality, ease of use, durability and quality, battery life
Buyer's remorse summary: the most common issues that customers have with their Pulse Oximeters are typically related to , Accuracy concerns , Fit and comfort and Display readability . Battery life
We compiled the list of the most popular Pulse Oximeters of 2024 that have received the fewest complaints in these categories.
No time to read? Just looking for #1 recommendation?
As usual, this month we aggregated dozens of popular Pulse Oximeters in the Philippines and ranked them based on features and functionality, ease of use, durability and quality, battery life. According to this November's formal ranking, pulse oximeters by Indoplas are the most prominent ones, followed by yongrow and Letsview .
We made a price chart of the top selling Pulse Oximeters (see below). Budget options start at ₱43, going up ₱1430. The most popular option is priced at ₱778, which is on the pricier side.
₱43 | ₱258 | ₱1430 |
Meta-rankings combine expert endorsements.
ReviewFinder's formal aggregated ranking is a combination of our meta-rankings and consumer score.
Meta-rankings are a combination of all expert reviews we can find on the Internet. When present, meta-rankings are the strongest ranking signal (we trust experts more than consumers).
Consumer score is calculated from customer reviews.
Not all categories have enough expert endorsements online - in such cases we use consumer score weighted by historical brand prominence in the niche (brands that historically specialize in a certain category get a slight bump in that category rankings). Consumer score is a normalized 0-10 score based on customer reviews.
Recently we removed price form our rankings - it no longer affects recommendations. Whether to go budget or premium is consumer's choice, not ours.
As can be seen below, top ranked pulse oximeters in the Philippines start at roughly ₱43 and go up to ₱1430. Median price is ₱258.
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₱43 | ₱1430 |
More detailed price comparison chart is above.
Pulse oximeter is a device primarily for the measurement of the blood oxygen level (oxygen saturation) at the time of use. It essentially determines how well oxygen is distributed in your body, majorly to the peripheral parts (the arms and legs).In simpler words, the pulse oximeter is used for pulse oximetry.
The pulse oximeter, invented about 40 years ago, was first made as a lightweight and portable ear oxygen meter. Nowadays, the pulse oximetry test can still be done via the ear. It is a good alternative to the finger in some circumstances.
This device measures oxygen levels. However, it can do more depending on the type. It calculates the blood pressure and heart (pulse) rate of the individual. With these other characteristics in the picture, medical professionals can assess the current (cardiopulmonary) health status of their patients.
People mostly get to use this device on hospital appointments. Now, there are pulse oximeters that can be used at home. They are called 'at-home' pulse oximeters. This development allows anyone to observe their health stats.
Some of the at-home pulse oximeters are smartphone compatible. Hence, measurements can be collated to form a chart. Charts can be daily, weekly, or monthly depending on the user. If the individual has an agreement with a doctor to send in the charts, the application automatically does the work. That is if it has been set to do so.
All of these types can work well in hospitals and at home. The choice of which to go for has to be based on other modalities like preference, functionality, budget, etc.
For emphasis, pulse oximeter specifically provides oxygen level results from the arterial blood because it is this blood that flows to other parts of the body from the heart. So it estimates the percentage of oxygen in the arteries (blood vessels). The arterial oxygen is the oxygen present on every hemoglobin molecule in the body.
Pulse oximeter calculates the pulse rate alongside the oxygen level. For some oximeters, you can also get your blood pressure reading as we stated earlier.
You should expect the following measurement ranges from a pulse oximeter.
With the increase in demand for pulse oximetry universally, there is a higher production of low-cost pulse oximeters. Questions have been raised because a lot of these cheap oximeters are not validated.
The findings of different surveys conducted showed that many inexpensive pulse oximeters give inaccurate readings. However, a few of the cheaper ones were accurate. The best pulse oximeter to get if you are on a budget is the fingertip type.
Remember that we said the pulse oximetry is a non-invasive test? So, none of the pulse oximeters get inside the body. There are different ways for different types.
For the Fingertip Pulse Oximeter, all you have to do is clip it to the end of your finger or toe. The pulse oximeter continues from there and takes the readings. Note, the results are better with no movement. The test is also more accurate without nail polish.
The Wrist Pulse Oximeter is wrapped around the wrist. For those that come with a finger clip, the sensor is clipped on to the finger. The ones with finger clips are more effective because the signal strength is better.
The Handheld Pulse Oximeter has three separate components. The rectangular device: control and electronics, the sensor: attached to the body, and the cable: connects the sensor to the device. This oximeter can be used with an ear sensor since the sensors can be changed. so people with Reynaud's syndrome have this option.
For the Tabletop Pulse Oximeter, it can sit on a flat surface comfortably. It is also easy to use when on motion. The tabletop device operates much like the handheld pulse oximeter.
Many people have learned to use the index finger. But from recent research, it was observed that more accurate results are gotten from the middle (third) finger of the dominant hand. The thumb of that same hand follows suit.
It's the accuracy that matters in this test. So we advise that you use the suggested fingers. If you still want the index finger, it is ok. The difference is not much.
Initially, the pulse oximeter worked with light in the red and green wavelength. The sensor was changed eventually to the red and infrared wavelength. This is what we still use today. The mechanism of action is based on light.
So the pulse oximeter sends light beams into the blood. Then the photodetector of the oximeter’s sensor is responsible for measuring the quantity of light absorbed by the hemoglobin and blood cells. Hemoglobins(with oxygen) absorb more of infrared while blood cells(without oxygen) take in more of the red light.
The sensor, with the light measured, determines the oxygenation level.
A. Pulse Oximeters are Multipurpose.
By now, we all know the pulse oximeter is well known for its use to check blood oxygenation levels. Apart from the fact the pulse oximeter can be used to check blood oxygen level, it measures other vitals. These other vitalsare added advantages of the pulse oximeter.
What are these vitals? Blood pressure and heart rate. For pulse rates, people tend to measure this manually and this method is prone to errors. If you have the pulse oximeter, you get to see your pulse rate on the device. Furthermore, you can get a pulse oximeter that can read blood pressure instead of spending extra to get a sphygmomanometer
B. Pulse Oximeters are Portable.
Every kind of pulse oximeter is made in a small concise form. They are therefore portable and can be easily transported from place to place. This means that they can be used anywhere at any time.
C. Pulse Oximeters are relevant in this COVID-19 pandemic.
Coronavirus is believed to attack the cardiovascular system. It's almost automatic to expect shortness of breath accompanying the infection. Shortness of breath has even been proven to be a symptom of this deadly virus. There would be lower blood oxygen levels due to the inability of a victim to breathe well. That is why pulse oximeter is one of the first aid requirements for COVID 19.
With the widespread of the virus, people are now adding the pulse oximeter to their home medicine kit. A pulse oximeter would help you to keep an eye on your oxygen level and heart rate hence, know when a doctor’s intervention would be necessary.
From their usage, they don't have any negative effect on anyone. The problem comes ifresults gotten from the oximeter are inaccurate. It poses risks of propr care and appropriate treatment. This in turn has adverse effects. That is why the accuracy of a pulse oximeter is compulsory.
Yes, they can! As we mentioned earlier, there are designs suitable for home use. It is up to you to decide if you want one in your home or not.
It can be challenging to get a good pulse oximeter since we have some unreliable ones around. From research and reviews, we would recommend the following: