Omron HEM-780 Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor with ComFit Cuff
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Customer Reviews of Omron HEM-780 Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor with ComFit Cuff
Customer Review: Best BP Monitor So Far
Summary: 5 Stars
I could tell, right out of the box, that this was a quality built unit. The manual was very clear, concise and easy to understand. I have owned several automatic BP monitors over the years. The previous BP monitors were a crap shoot when it came to getting an accurate reading. My wife would usually just give up and go back to the manual model with stethoscope as that was always reliable and accurate... But a real pain in the rear to use.
This one is by far the best of them all. It is very easy to use with consistently accurate readings, whether taken on the left or right arm. This unit also has the unique ability to detect irregular heartbeat which could be a lifesaving feature for some folks. This unit is a bit larger and heavier than the other models that I have used, but it also feels rugged and built to last. Simply put, I like everything about the Omron HEM-780.
I read one review where it was stated that the Omron HEM-780 would not inflate past 148 mmHg. The reviewer probably made this statement due to not reading the manual (This unit does not inflate more than required). Actually, the cuff will automatically inflate up to 220 mmHg (but only if needed.) The manual says that if the user's systolic pressure is expected to be more than 220 mmHg, to simply press and hold the START/STOP button until the monitor inflates 30-40 mmHg higher than your expected systolic pressure. The manual cautions, however, that inflating the cuff more than necessary may result in bruising where the cuff is applied. Also, I would advise that anyone actually having a systolic pressure of over 220 mmHg to see a cardiologist, immediately. I hope this review is helpful as this is an important subject.
Customer Review: MAYBE NOT AS ACCURATE
Summary: 3 Stars
I had written an earlier review with 5 starts anticipating that the H Model 780 would be just as good as my older Model 739.
So far, I have found this not to be true.
In the past years, I had taken the older 739 with me to various doctors' and specialists' offices to compare BP readings, and the readings were very close matches. These were matched at two specialists offices (urology and primary care) at the University of Washington Medical Center as recently as two months ago.
So, I was very surprised to see that my BP's had jumped up about 10 to 15 points on both the systolic and the diastolic. So, now I track my BP numbers as both "old machine readings" and "new machine readings." The results are quite different.
Also, in anticipation of the 780, I read praise here about the ease of the cuff use. I have found it quite the reverse. Far more difficult, and even had to telephone the Omrom help line to find out what I was doing wrong: I was not cuffing tight enough. So, I was told to "hold" the cuff down with my chin, while I cinched the velcro strap tighter and leave only a "one finger gap" between the cuff and my arm. This is far more difficult to do than with the older 739 cuff.
I have several other Omron products: the pedometer, the wrist BP reader, and I'm quite happy with them, but I have not yet figured out "what gives" with the new 780. I am 71, and have been taking my own BP and blood glucose readings for 20 years.
Min Yee, retired, former vp Microsoft, former correspondent Newsweek, and author with a "Min S. Yee page" on Amazon. now age 71.
Customer Review: Reliable, accurate and with improved features over earlier models
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my second Omron blood pressure monitor. I purchased this one as a replacement for my first one (which had been purchased at least 4 or 5 years ago) not because it failed to work, but because I had a friend who needed a monitor and I wanted the upgraded features of the HEM-780. I find Omron monitors to be easy to use, and they produce very similar results to the manual cuffs used in my doctors' offices. They also work reliably for a long time with regular use on battery power alone.
One added advantage of this model is that it fits well for people who, like me, may be too large for standard cuffs. My arm size falls just between the two cuff sizes the doctor has, making one almost too small and the other almost too large, and giving me less confidence in their readings. Sometimes they pull out both cuffs and compare. I feel more comfortable using a cuff that is sized correctly, and the range of this cuff is such that it fits me perfectly.
I like the features this model has that my old one didn't, such as detection of irregular heart rhythms and classifying of readings by morning and day/night so that morning hypertension can be identified more readily.
The one drawback of this model is that earlier models allowed for the cuff to nest in the top of the same hard plastic case that contained the screen, so while it was bulkier, it was easier to keep in one piece and required less fussing with the zippers and floppy sides of the new fabric case. I preferred the older physical design, but the new features on this model more than make up for any design-related inconvenience.
Customer Review: Well Designed, Poorly Made
Summary: 1 Stars
This brand new monitor fails to inflate the cuff about every second time I try to use it. The cause is a loss of air pressure at the unit's compressed air fitting. If I press in on that fitting, the cuff is able to inflate.
This is a type of thing I'm seeing a lot of these days. The functional design of the product seems good. The digital features are useful. On the other hand, the physical execution of this good design is very bad.
The compressed air to inflate the cuff comes from the main unit through a hose. Since any loss of air pressure would make the whole monitor malfunction, you would think the fitting where the hose connects to the body of the main unit would be sturdy, wouldn't you?
Nope. It's all plastic. And in addition there's no way to connect the fitting securely (such as screwing it on). You simply press a plastic proturbance on the end of the hose into a plastic hole in the side of the main unit. Only the plastic-to-plastic friction keeps that thing plugged in, and friction is the only thing that operates to keep the fitting air-tight.
I've never seen a compressed air fitting that wasn't made of metal! Even the ends of the valve stems on your car tires are metal. Apparently the makers of this monitor decided to save a few pennies by not paying for a metal fitting. In the absence of one, even if the product works well initially, unlike mine, as that plastic connection wears down over time inflation failures are likely to become common.
This is a product designed to be pretty and to sell well. It is not made to last.
Customer Review: Still the best
Summary: 4 Stars
The cuff on my old Omron HEM-780 got a little stretched out/loose
so I thought it would be wise to invest in another BP Monitor.. after
researching and reading the reviews I decided to get another Omron
and this model seemed like the best choice. It seems to be just as
accurate as the old model. I changed cuffs from one unit to the other
and got practically the same readings and I like the ability to have the
A and B switch for 2 people.
This unit seems a little less user friendly than the last unit.
You can either set it to take 3 readings at 3 different
intervals - 15/30/60 seconds apart and then it averages them and gives
you the averaged reading whereas I prefer to see what each individual
reading is as the first reading can sometimes be much higher OR take
the first reading, but then you have to turn the unit off to take another
reading. But all in all I am happy with this unit and it IS accurate.
My readings are sometimes extremely low (104/57) but do get higher
readings (147/69) so I am happy to know the unit is accurate for my
husband who goes to his Nephrologist and compares the readings to
what he gets when taking his pressure as soon as he comes home
from the dr's office. I would buy this unit again as I have in the
past.. no need to start hooking the unit up to my computer... I made
a grid in Word and enter the readings there.. don't need the computer
to be on to see the comparisons..