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Independently
& Honestly Road Testing Names
of meters on this page are those used in Australia. Accu-chek Integra Accu-chek Go Accu-chek Performa Care-Sens Freestyle Mini Papillon Sensocard Sensocard Plus Talking Meter Optium Xceed Optium 
Please note: Prices can vary enormously and quickly between states/countries and over time. Please check with your local chemist or NDSS outlet for their current costings. And ask around about special promotions. OPTIUM
XCEED by
Abbott Medisense Size: 75 x 55 x 15mm Advantages: Backlight! A bright green glow turns on with a separate button, handy for the cinema or so you don’t wake your partner in the night. The strips are kept fresh in foil wrapping, which double as excellent toothpicks. The super speedy 5 second test time doesn’t keep you waiting. The memory holds a huge 450 tests which you can upload to PC with Precision Link software v2.5. Medisense will replace the 3V lithium battery free on a yearly basis. Disadvantages: The carry case is dysfunctional with flaps and straps everywhere you don’t need them. The data cable uses a 9 pin serial port which many laptops don’t have. Verdict:
Love it! More info: www.medisense.com.au/xceed/info.html OPTIUM
by
Abbott/Medisense Cost: $59 - $140. Advantages: New strips available since September '05 drop the test time to 5 seconds immediately - nothing to do but insert the new strip! The machine is brother of the Precision and operates much like it. It is functionally more advanced as it stores more tests and includes time, date etc. Other functions include average of last few tests. I like the ability to test ketones with a 5-second test and a numerical result. Used this during a recent illness and was very reassuring. The 5-second test and very small blood drop (great in winter) are also big winners. Disadvantages: Upon opening the box the biggest disappointment was the increased size of the carry case. It is now quite cumbersome, although the machine for all its new gadgets is not really much bigger. Despite reading the instruction books over there is no where that actually tells me that when I want to do a ketone test and have been doing glucose I have to recalibrate the machine and then vice versa. It clearly states when changing boxes or batches to recalibrate and I can only assume this means for changing between testing glucose and ketones. Other than that it really is simple to use. My only other criticism it says in the instruction book that you need to wait 10-12 minutes before testing if you move to a warmer or cooler climate. If you are not aware of this you could have an inaccurate reading as you do a test racing for the tram running out of an airconditioned building. Would you use it?: This is one fantastic little companion to diabetes care. The ability to test ketones and have a number to hold onto sells this machine all on its own. The improvements such as timed tests and the old favourites like 5-second test and very small blood drop make this machine great. Road tested by Karen What are Ketones again? Click here to find out. More info: www.abbottdiabetescare.com.au ACCUCHEK
INTEGRA
by Roche Price: Approx. $89 Advantages: only 1.5ul of blood is required to start a test. The test strip is ejected (hopefully into the bin) at the touch of a button. The strips/meter don’t require calibration as the drum has this automated. The pricker provided is the Softclix which is gentle on the finger. The meter is powered by two AAA batteries which are available everywhere. Data can be uploaded to a PC via the infrared port and you don’t need to buy software - $25 gives you access to an online program, Diabetes Assistant. Disadvantages: the Integra is large and chunky (2.5cm thick) and the button to open the hatch to the drum has a bad habit of being tripped in my handbag. The meter’s beeps are very loud (but can be turned off). Road Tested by Magali More info: www.rochediagnostics.com.au/accu-chek ACCUCHEK
GO
by Roche Price: Approx. $59 - $89 Size: 95 x 45 x 20mm Advantages: 5 second tests! How did we ever survive 2 whole minutes in the 80s!? The speed was the definite winner for me but other meters have now caught up in that regard. The capillary fill function menas the strip sucks up the blood instead of you having to blot it on. This is quite handy when you're struggling to squeeze enough out of a blue finger on a cold London morning! (And this is also part of the alternate site testing idea.) Callibration is very simple - you just swap over a plastic plug/card thing in the side of the machine each time you start a new container of strips. The meter is very lightweight though sturdy and durable. Disadvantages: The canister of strips is chunky and annoying to carry around - it pretty much doubles the volume of my testing equipment. Silver foil on other meters' strips may be annoying to open but at least you could sneak a few into your handbag without having to take the whole container. The beep was very loud but can be turned off. I don't routinely download results but the software for this machine is the same as other Accu-Chek's and very affordable compared to other companies. (Though it would be nice if it was free!). Road tested by Kate Another
opinion... More info: www.rochediagnostics.com.au/accu-chek CARE-SENS
by I-Sens Advantages: It's small and nicely rounded. It looks a lot like a phone; I tell people that it is my back up mobile when I am being Incognito Diabetic Girl. The dual test ports - one at each end - allow for versatility when you want to test in awkward places (like leaving it in your handbag). The absolutely best feature of this little gem is the very tiny sample required to test. It uses 0.5ul which is about as big as a full stop - so you only need to set your Phaser to stun (i.e. set your lancer on the gentlest setting). It takes a neat and speedy 5 seconds. By the time I've wiped the microscopic blood sample on the sensor strip and sucked my finger, the test result is ready. Customer service from the manufacturer has been amazing. Disadvantages:
The case is huge! Then despite
its vast bulkiness, you can't fit a Novopen into it very well and there's
nowhere for extra needles and insulin cartridges. The lancing device
is also gigantic and can be brutal even on the lowest setting. But easy
fixed - I carry my CareSens in a small pencil case and use a lancer
from another meter. The test strips come in a small but strangely bulky
plastic container with a cap which is hard to remove when hypo. I'm
carrying my strips in a very small snap lock bag - a bit fidgety to
get out but it greatly reduces the size of the stuff I need to carry.
The
dual ports could lead to misread results such as a 2.5 being read as
a 5.2. Again, a problem easily solved - I put a cute diamante sticker
on the top of the display window. More info: www.lifebioscience.com.au/caresens.htm SENSOCARD
by Point of Care Diagnostics Cost: Retail approx. $79 Advantages: What really surprised me about both of these monitors is how slim they are being the ”flattest” of any of the currently available meters. It is a bit larger in height and length than some of its competitors. The company has paid great attention to detail and the Sensocard comes with all the features you’d expect including only needing a tiny blood sample (0.5ul), a test memory of 500 with 7,14 and 28 day averages and the 5 second test time is not too shabby. It also comes with a lifetime warranty and is simple to use. I particularly like that the strips come in a small, neat canister which does away with the hassle and mess of the individually wrapped strips but isn’t as bulky to carry around as the other canisters. The finger pricker that comes with the machine is also good, I’d rate it right up there with the softclix in terms of comfort and it has variable depth settings. I understand that there is also software to upload results to your PC. The lancets are also cheaper than for other prickers. Disadvantages: The only thing that I thought let this meter down was the size of the case which is big and cumbersome. This could be much better designed as the meter is small and skinny and the strips are also small but put them in the case and you lose all those advantages. Verdict: A good meter with great features. Just find yourself a better carry-case and you’ll be set. Road tested by Mel More info: www.pocd.com.au SENSOCARD
PLUS TALKING by Point of Care Diagnostics
More info: www.pocd.com.au FREESTYLE
PAPILLON MINI
by Abbott Diabetes Care
Left to right: On a pump, reading glasses, iPod mini, Kate's tiny hand, a normal-sized hand. Cost: Retails approx. $69 Advantages:
Disadvantages: Sometimes the strips don't work. You can apply a pint of blood and nothing. Probably happens about once a week. Not the end of the world but a pain the ass, and I am always wondering if this is one of the lame strips. Also the lancet device is weak sauce to say the least. Accu-chek Softclix still is the best. Verdict: Overall the features are like so many others, size is it's big feature. Sometimes my husband holds it in his palm while I test, it looks really funny sitting in his large hand. I would recommend to all my friends who like to carry those cute little small purses. That is if I had ANY friends with the D. Road tested by Vayia More info: www.abbottdiabetescare.com.au ACCU-CHEK PERFORMA MINI by Roche Diagnostics 
The Accu-Chek Performa is the latest product from the Roche line of glucose meters. It incorporates the latest technologies and its reliable and easy to use. Cost: $69 from Diabetes Australia. Size: 94 x 53 x 22 mm Advantages:
The strips come in a canister with a hinge which make it very convenient as there is no need to fiddle with foils or lids. The meter also comes with the highly regarded Softclix, by far the best lancet device around these days. Disadvantages: No backlight, not that I really use it that much, but is the only thing I could really miss. The meter and case are also a little big bigger than the Xceed, but still very manageable. Verdict: I was very happy with my Optium Xceed before getting this one, but now that I have used the Performa, I'm completely hooked to it. Road tested by Henry This page reviewed 9 February, 2008 More info: http://www.accu-chek.com.au/
Go to Road tests of finger pricking devices
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The Integra is the second meter in Australia to contain it’s testing
strips. The drum has 17 strips with the number remaining visible through
an external window - so you don’t get caught short. The drum is handy
for when you are in a hurry - just grab your meter + poker and go –
no fiddling with foil wrappers or dropping containers that let strips
fly all over the room. 
The Go comes snazzily disguised as a mobile phone. It doesn't really
look like one up close but I have many times had it mistaken for one
by unsuspecting acquaintances. The big sell on this meter was "
This is the first meter from a new small company to enter the diabetes
market. There is also a computer uplink available on request. 
Point of Care diagnostics
are a new entrant on the diabetes market. They sell the Sensocard blood
glucose monitor and the Sensocard Plus TALKING blood glucose monitor.
Cost:
