When I sold my Apple Watch earlier this year to buy a ‘dumb’ watch, I started to miss the health tracking features of Apple’s smartwatch. Fast forward a few months and I’ve been using the Oura Ring Gen 3 Horizon and it has opened my eyes to the world of smart rings. Combined with a regular watch, the Oura Ring Gen 3 Horizon gives me some of the Apple Watch’s best benefits without wearing an intrusive display on my wrist. After three weeks on my finger, I love the execution and the benefits of the product, but does that outweigh the massive elephant in the room: A monthly subscription fee?

Oura Ring Gen 3: Price and availability

The Oura Ring Gen 3 Horizon starts at $349 for the Silver or Black models and is available from Amazon and Oura’s website. Other color options include Stealth, Brushed Titanium, Rose Gold, and Gold (the version I have for review).

On top of the initial cost, Oura Rings require a membership that is free for the first month, then costs $5.99/month.

Oura Ring Gen 3: What's good?

We’ve covered most of Oura’s benefits in our review of the Oura Ring Gen 3, but this Horizon model brings a timeless look that oozes class. From the moment you try on the Oura Ring Gen 3 Horizon, you’ll notice just how nice it is to wear on your finger: It’s light, stylish, feels expensive, and most importantly doesn’t scream smart ring.

In this review, I wanted to focus on incorporating a smart ring into my daily life and as someone who has actively tried to detach from technology more and more, it seems to tick all the right boxes. With a seven-day battery life, I’ve found myself only needing to take the Oura off once every week to charge before bedtime. I’ve worn the ring in the shower, while exercising, and sleeping — for someone who has forgotten to wear their Apple Watch in the past, it’s a very welcome change.

Oura Ring Gen 3 tracks my heart rate, sleep, determines if I’m ready to tackle the day, and even tells me when I’m stressed — it’s been refreshing to have so much data at my fingertips all built-in to Oura’s excellent app. I worried that the ring would feel cumbersome and get in my way, but if anything I forget I’m wearing it completely until I glance down at my hand and see the shiny gold band.

Oura Ring Gen 3: What's not so good?

If you want to use a smart ring for weight training, I’d advise against it as the ring can feel uncomfortable in the gym. If you need to take off a ring to even do an exercise comfortably, at that point you’re probably best looking elsewhere. 

Weight training aside, the biggest issue I have with the Oura Gen 3 Horizon is the company’s decision to charge $5.99/month to use the ring in the first place. While the information in the app is incredibly vast, charging a monthly fee to use a product that is expensive to begin with doesn’t sit well with me. The Oura Gen 3 Horizon I’ve been wearing costs a whopping $499 and on top of that it’s around $70 a year to use. Add the fact that paying the monthly subscription doesn’t give you an extended warranty or any perks in that sense, and it feels like Oura is really asking for too much here. 

I love the Oura ring but I can’t recommend a product that has an internal battery that is likely to fail after a few years and a monthly subscription model that demands your hard-earned cash. Other smart rings exist without the monthly subscription cost and while they may not be as good (I have yet to try competitors), they don’t feel like an endless money pit.

Oura Ring Gen 3: Competition

Oura offers another Heritage model which is at a slightly more affordable starting at $299. Elsewhere smart rings like the Ultrahuman Ring Air have a one-time upfront cost and no subscription model.

If you’re looking for the best way to track your fitness on the best iPhones, you could also opt for an Apple Watch Series 9, although at that point it’s a smartwatch and not a smart ring.

Oura Ring Gen 3: Should you buy it?

• You want a gorgeous smart ring
• You don’t mind paying a monthly fee
• You don’t plan to do weight training

• You want a screen
• You don’t like paying monthly
• You plan to use it in the gym lifting weights

The Oura Ring Gen 3 Horizon is a gorgeous piece of tech that can be mistaken for high-end jewelry. It tracks all of the vital health information you want to know at a glance and packages it all up in a very nicely designed app. Oura, however, charges a monthly subscription fee and unfortunately, the added cost leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, especially when you’ve forked out anywhere between $349 and $549 to begin with.

The Withings Thermo is a smart thermometer that’s designed to let you quickly take readings by swiping it across your forehead, letting you store and sync readings to the companion Withings app. It’s one that can be used by multiple users, helped by the non-invasive way you take readings, with Withings claiming that its hygienic thermometer has an accuracy of +0.2C (+0.4F).

Price and availability

The Withings Thermo has been around for a while now and actually launched back in 2016. It’s pretty widely available, but you’ll find it easiest on places like Withings’ own website, the Apple Store, and retailers in the UK like Boots, Currys, and Amazon.

At $99.95/£89.95, this is certainly not a cheap smart thermometer. The price has actually dropped below the $70/£70 mark since launch and likely has something to do with the emergence of Withings’ new more feature-packed BeamO thermometer, which will launch at $249.95/(£TBC) when it goes on sale later in 2024.

Specs and features

The smarts in this thermometer lies with the array of 16 infrared sensors that sit at one end of the device. These are used to scan from the temporal artery to detect temperature changes at the forehead. Measurements are nice and quick to take and are then displayed on the built-in LED matrix display. When you set it up with the Withings app, you can use the Thermo with up to eight people, so when measurements are taken, you can scroll through users to assign the measurement to. Those readings in the Withings app will display readings and determine whether you have a fever or not.

Build and Performance

The Thermo is larger than your typical non-smart thermometer, but it does look great and there is a cap to keep the sensor covered and protected. Setting up was very straightforward and it’s nice to have the option to quickly sync readings over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to the Withings app. It’s also handy to have a good-sized display and while it’s not rechargeable, the AAA batteries it’s powered by should keep you measuring for some time. Crucially, the measurements felt accurate. As long as you correctly take the measurements and follow the instructions, the readings are reliable and you can quickly review them inside of the packed Withings app.

Competition

In terms of other smart thermometers you could grab instead, there are a few alternatives. iHealth for instance makes a no-touch forehead thermometer as well that costs less than $20/£20. You can also pick up a Kinetik ear and forehead thermometer for less, which lets you sync data to your phone making it possible to share data with a doctor. These alternatives might not look as good as the Thermo, but they do offer a cheaper route to non-invasive measurements.

Should you buy it?

You should buy it if..

• You want a nicely designed smart thermometer
• You want a smart thermometer that quickly takes measurements
• You want a thermometer that shares data to Apple Health

You shouldn’t buy it if…

• You want to use a thermometer without setting up with a phone
• You don’t need to track the temperature of multiple people
• You’re happy with a cheaper, more invasive thermometer

Verdict

The Withings Thermo does the simple job of taking your temperature in an unfussy fashion. It’s really easy to use and it takes reliable measurements very quickly, letting you view them on a big built-in display. The Withings app doesn’t hide away too many extras, but if you’re looking for a well-designed, non-invasive thermometer that’s ideal for keeping tabs on the temperature of a few people at the same time, the Thermo does deliver and it does it in a really polished manner. While its one of the best fitness accessories you can buy from the Apple Store, You just might be able to spend less and get the same results elsewhere.

The Apple Watch and Whoop are two of the most high-profile wearables you can slap on your wrist right now. On one side you have one of the best smartwatches you can buy, on the other you have a fitness band wearable that’s favored and used by some of the biggest athletes and sports teams on the planet to help make sure they’re in tip-top shape.

They might seem slightly odd ones to mention in the same sentence, but in terms of being wearables that can help you better track your health, fitness and pay good attention to your recovery time in between, there are probably more similarities than you’d think.

So if you only have the money to spend on one of them, which should you buy? We’ve tested both the latest Apple Watch and the Whoop 4.0 to give you a better sense of where the biggest differences and similarities lie to help you decide which is a better fit for you.

Apple Watch vs Whoop: Pricing

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of what these two wearables can do, we need to talk about pricing. The Apple Watch pricing varies from £219/$219 for the Watch SE to £799/$799 for the Watch Ultra 2, Apple's best Apple Watch. It’s not cheap, but there are more affordable smartwatch options in Apple’s collection.

For the Whoop, you’re going to need to pay for a subscription to get the band and access to all of the features in the Whoop companion smartphone app (iOS and Android). That costs £27/$30 for a 12-month subscription. You can also pay £229/$229 upfront for an annual membership or £384/ for a 24-month membership. There is also the option to trial it for free for one month. Bottom line, it’s expensive too.

Apple Watch vs Whoop: Design and displays

So, these are decidedly two very different-looking wearables. One is a smartwatch, the other is a more simple-looking fitness band disguised as a stylish fabric bracelet.

The Apple Watch comes in different sizes and models led by the Apple Watch SE, the Series 9 and the Ultra. It’s a blockier affair that does come with a removable strap and uses a combination of an OLED touchscreen display and physical buttons to interact with it. You also have Siri and Apple’s latest Double Tap gesture feature to use it hands-free as well.

The Whoop 4.0 comes in just one size and matches up a fabric band with a metal buckle that houses the tracking hardware. Whoop also offers those bands in a variety of looks. 

Like the Apple Watch, it’s worn on the wrist, though Whoop does offer the ability to track other parts of the body with its garment range that includes shorts and workout tops. There are also straps that let you wear it on your bicep, which can improve tracking accuracy in some scenarios. Unlike the Apple Watch, there is no screen and simply includes a battery status LED indicator that can be illuminated by tapping on the strap.

They’re both devices you can take swimming and wear in the shower with the Whoop 4.0 suitable to be submerged in water up to 10 meters depth. The Apple Watch Series 9 and SE are waterproof up to 50 meters depth, while the Ultra goes deeper up to 100 meters and is suitable for deep sea diving as well.

Apple Watch vs Whoop: Health and fitness features

This is what things really boil down to. What these two wearables can offer in terms of tracking your fitness and health.

We’ll start with the Apple Watch and it’s fair to say it does a lot here. It can track your daily steps and sleep, heart rate, including notification when heart rate is low or spiked from its usual rate. With the Watch Series 9 and Ultra, you get an ECG sensor, which can be used to detect signs of serious heart conditions like atrial fibrillation. While Apple’s latest Ultra and Series Watches launched with blood oxygen sensors, those features have been dropped (for now) due to Apple’s patent dispute with Masimo.

The Whoop isn’t considered a medical device, but does offer a rich array of sensors that can be used to offer an insight into your general wellness. It has sensors to track blood oxygen, heart rate, skin temperature and respiratory rate. Whoop compiles that sensor data in a health report to help you identify if anything is out of the ordinary. As mentioned, these aren’t medical-grade insights but as many Whoop’s have discovered, it can offer a useful and pretty reliable heads-up if you’re starting to become unwell.

When it comes to tracking your exercise, the two devices take slightly different approaches. The Apple is more traditional in that sense using sensors like accelerometers and built-in GPS to track your indoor and outdoor workouts. Apple has its own native Workout app and also has access to a rich collection of fitness apps via the Apple App Store. It also works with Apple’s Fitness+ workout app, letting you see daily activity tracking Rings close in real-time as you work out.

The Whoop 4.0 focuses on tracking your heart during workouts and includes automatic exercise recognition along with support to track outdoor workouts using your phone’s GPS. That’s because GPS isn’t included on the device itself. Whoop translates your movement into its Strain metric and that Strain score will dictate the necessary recovery needed and that does mean the Whoop tracks your sleep time. Crucially, it does it in a very accurate fashion too. With core tracking heavily reliant on heart rate, the sensor accuracy needs to be strong. We’d say accuracy is better for some workouts compared to others and definitely improves when worn on the bicep, which is a supported wearing position. 

No screen means you need to spend a lot of time in the Whoop companion app to get a sense of your strain, recovery and along with general insights. It’s quite a full-on app, so it takes time to work out which information is going to be most useful.

Apple Watch vs Whoop: Smartwatch features

How useful are these wearables when you’re not getting sweaty? Well, Apple comfortably wins that one. It’s a smartwatch and gives you one of the best smartwatch experiences available — if you’ve got one of the best iPhones. That includes payments, notifications, music features, app support, and the option of extracellular connectivity.  

What does the Whoop give you in comparison? Not a lot we’re afraid. It does work with both Android phones and iPhones, though that lack of a display means you’re getting none of the features on offer on the Apple Watch. It doesn’t even count steps. Its single redeeming smartwatch feature is having the ability to set an alarm, which can send haptic vibrations to the device to gently wake you up in the morning.

Apple Watch vs Whoop: Battery

If you’re looking for a wearable that will keep you away from the charger for longer, it’s the Whoop you want. 

Whoop promises up to 5 days battery life, which is longer than what you can expect to enjoy from the Apple Watch Series 9 (18-36 hours) or the Ultra 2 (36-72 hours).

Both use proprietary chargers, though how they’re put to charging use does differ. Apple’s charging puck sits on the rear of the watch case. The Whoop 4.0 is charged from a battery pack that clips onto the band and can store charge letting you charge it on the move as well.

Apple Watch vs Whoop: Which should you go for?

Now that you’re armed with all the key information, should you go for the Apple Watch or Whoop? These are two different wearables first and foremost, but if you want a fitness wearable that doesn’t look like a wearable and can be a useful tool for better understanding the relationship between exercise, recovery, and staying in tip-top shape, then the Whoop might be for you.

If you want some of that Whoop experience in a smartwatch form factor that’s going to be more useful outside of tracking time, then it’s the Apple Watch you want. While Apple doesn’t deliver all of those Whoop-esque insights natively, it can lean on a host of third-party apps that can give you that.

The MyZone MZ-Switch is a heart rate monitor for the type of fitness fan who likes to mix up their workouts and also likes the idea of having more freedom to move that monitor around. All while still getting accurate heart rate data when working up a sweat. It does that using two sensor technologies and gives you the option to wear it on your wrist, arm, or chest with recommendations made on where to wear it based on the exercise type.

MyZone MZ-Switch: Price and availability

The MyZone MZ-Switch was announced and launched back in March 2021 and costs $159.99/£139.50, so this is one of the most expensive heart rate monitors you can pick up. That’s more expensive than the Polar H10 and Garmin’s HRM Pro Plus heart rate monitor chest straps, which both sit above that $100/£100 price mark.

MyZone MZ-Switch: Specs and features

As mentioned, the MZ-Switch uses two sensor technologies. There’s an ECG one commonly found in chest strap monitors and an optical sensor similar to what’s found inside of heart rate tracking watches. MyZone doesn’t put both sensors to use at the same time and instead uses them where it feels it can get the best results. So it will use the ECG tracking when it’s worn on the chest and the optical sensor setup when it’s strapped to your wrist or upper arm. The sensor itself is waterproof up to 10 metres making it safe for swimming, includes storage for up to 36 hours of workout time and offers both Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity to pair it to your devices.

MyZone MZ-Switch: Build and Performance

The design of the straps used to wear the Switch on your chest, wrist, or arm all slightly differ, but ultimately are well designed to ensure they sit snug, keep the sensor secure, and ensure you get the best accuracy. MyZone usefully makes wearing recommendations based on sports and exercises to make sure you get the most reliable data. 

Stick to those recommendations and the performance is very good on the whole, but ultimately you’re going to want to wear it on your arm or chest for high-intensity workouts. If you’re wearing it on your wrist or arm, the LED light on the sensor is used to indicate the current heart rate zone based on a color code, which is a nice feature to have to gauge how hard you’re working. Connecting it to an Apple Watch was no problem at all and the promise of 3-6 months of battery life using a mix of both sensors seems to be a reliable figure based on our testing time.

MyZone MZ-Switch: Competition

The MyZone MZ-Switch is pretty unique in the fact that there is no other heart rate monitor that gives you the same flexibility in terms of wearing options. There are other brands that offer both chest strap and armband monitors and you could feasibly spend slightly similar money on two devices to get a similar experience though, you’d still need to have two devices as opposed to the all-in-one solution that MyZone offers here.

MyZone MZ-Switch: Should you buy it?

MyZone MZ-Switch: Verdict

The MyZone MZ-Switch does a really good job of catering to people who are happy to wear chest strap monitors for some classes but find it a nuisance for other workouts. It’s simple to switch to different wearing positions and the heart rate accuracy on the whole is very good, especially if you stick to MyZone’s recommendations on where to strap it on. 

There are some nice extras here like the heart rate zone indicator and battery life is solid too. It does come at a price that puts it above most other monitors. If you can stomach the cost in exchange for that versatility, you’ll get a great monitor for a range of workouts.

The Coros Heart Rate Monitor is the sports watch brand’s first attempt to branch out and make its own heart rate monitor. It’s opted to move that monitoring to the arm (specifically the bicep), for those who find chest straps uncomfortable to wear, but still want a level of accuracy that outperforms tracking heart rate from the wrist. It uses Bluetooth to connect to your Apple smartwatch and has a built-in battery, which will cover plenty of workout time before you need to grab a charger. 

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Price and availability

Coros launched its heart rate monitor armband in July 2023 priced at $79/£69, making it a cheaper buy than other armband monitors like the Polar Verity Sense ($99.95/£86.50). It is more expensive than the Wahoo Tickr Fit, however, which is available currently for $79.99/ £64.99. 

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Specs and features

Unlike chest straps the Coros heart rate monitor uses similar optical sensor technology used on smartwatches and sports watches to track your heart rate on the move. It uses a 5-LED optical sensor and four photodetectors to ensure it can generate reliable readings from your arm where there’s greater blood flow volume compared to the wrist, all while placing the sensor a little closer to your heart. It only includes Bluetooth connectivity, which from an Apple point of view is fine as this is the way you’ll pair an Apple Watch to it. That connectivity support also allows you to connect up to three Bluetooth-equipped devices at the same time just in case you want to share data to multiple bits of connected kit. 

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Build and Performance

Comfort is key here and Coros offers a strap that’s made from a mix of nylon, polyester and spandex, so you have something that’s flexible but also sits softly against the skin so it doesn’t irritate when it’s on. It’s also a monitor that’s waterproof up to 30 meters, to give it strong durability against moisture, all while offering a sensor case that’s made to be resistant to scratches. Coros doesn’t claim a level of accuracy with its armband, though we found that it performed well in our Fitness Plus workouts, particularly for HIIT-style workouts where optical sensors on watches generally falter. The battery performance is solid too, though it’s disappointing to find it uses a proprietary charging cable to power it back up. 

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Competition

There are two main rivals to the Coros heart rate monitor, which we’ve already mentioned. The Polar Verity Sense is the first, which is a smaller device albeit a pricier monitor and does offer ANT+ connectivity and onboard storage. The Wahoo Tickr includes two band sizes, though it promises less battery life than Coros’ monitor. There’s also the Scosche Rhythm 24, which includes a heart rate zone indicator, onboard memory and as well as Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity options. 

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Should you buy it?

Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Verdict

While the Coros Heart Rate Monitor isn’t the first heart rate monitor to deliver more reliable exercise heart rate data away from the chest and wrist, it’s one of the easiest to use, offers a design that’s easy to put on, and can withstand the rigors of a tough workout and delivers great accuracy even for high-intensity workouts. Yes, it doesn’t have the ANT+ connectivity that other armband monitors offer, but that’s not a major issue if you’re planning to use it mainly with Fitness Plus and other apps that will typically use Bluetooth to pair monitors to your iPhone or Watch. 

The 4iii Viiiiva is a heart rate monitor from a brand better known for its cycling power meters. That doesn’t mean this is one that can’t live away from your bike with the Bluetooth connectivity on board to let you connect it to an Apple Watch and bring it into the Apple Fitness Plus fray. There’s some connectivity extras here if you want to share data to other fitness equipment and it also offers strong battery life to keep you tracking workouts for some time.

4iiii Viiiiva: Price and availability

The 4iiii Viiiiva has been around since 2012 and is available from 4iiii’s website and from other retailers. It’s priced at $49.99/£49.99 so while not a super cheap monitor, it’s similarly priced to other chest strap-style monitors from the likes of Polar and Wahoo.

4iiii Viiiiva: Specs and features

The Viiiiva uses a pretty typical ECG sensor to track heart rate during exercise and is powered by the kind of lithium coin cell battery that shouldn’t need replacing potentially for over a year depending on how regularly you use it. 

It has an IPX7 waterproof rating, which means you can submerge it in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes, but it’s really about being durable enough to fend off sweat and rain. There are both Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity options along with an ANT+ sensor bridge that’s perhaps not going to be massively useful for Fitness Plus but is useful if you’re a Zwift fan as well.

4iiii Viiiiva: Build and Performance

It’s fair to say that the Viiiiva doesn’t feel or like the most high-grade monitor out there, but from a connectivity and performance point of view it ticks the boxes. We successfully paired it with two different Apple Watches without issue and while 4iiii doesn’t do anything particularly to improve the comfort and fit of the strap, we found it fine to use for a range of different workouts. 

While you won’t need to think about replacing the battery for a while, we did find the compartment a touch fiddly to deal with. Ultimately, this is a good-performing monitor that lacks the sleekness of other monitors but delivers where it matters.

4iiii Viiiiva: Competition

This monitor definitely sits at the cheaper end of the best heart rate monitors for iPhone and Apple Watch, competing with more established names like Polar and its H9 monitor as well as Wahoo’s Tickr X. Those two monitors have arguably more premium looks, though performance, connectivity, and battery-wise, you can expect much of the same in terms of tracking your heart rate during exercise.

4iiii Viiiiva: Should you buy it?

4iiii Viiiiva: Verdict

The 4iiii Viiiiva design doesn’t scream high grade, but ultimately it’s a strong performing heart rate monitor that can handle tracking your heart during steady and higher intensity workouts and has the necessary connectivity smarts to work with your Apple Watch. It’s got a good level of durability and while the ANT+ bridge feature isn’t going to be massively useful for most, those who spend plenty of time on their bike paired to other connected gear will. If you’re just looking for a cheap heart rate monitor that’s accurate and easy to use, this is well worth picking up.

The Wahoo Tickr X is the more premium of Wahoo’s pair of heart rate monitor chest straps, giving you the best it has to offer when it’s time to track your effort. The ECG-based Tickr X has slimmed down from the older Tickr X and still offers two options to wirelessly pair your devices too. Unlike other monitors, Wahoo includes built-in LED lights so you know it’s tracking and successfully paired up to your Apple Watch.

Wahoo Tickr X: Price and availability

The Wahoo Tickr X launched back in 2020 and while it’s no longer available directly from Wahoo’s own website, you can pick it up from other retailers including Amazon. It’s available for $80/£80 so that’s pricier than the Wahoo Tickr ($50/£39.99) and puts it closer in pricing realms to the Polar H10.

Wahoo Tickr X: Specs and features

The Tickr X uses an ECG sensor like other chest strap monitors to give you the most reliable heart rate data, whether you’re doing a HIIT class or jumping on a treadmill. It offers both Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity options, with the former the route to quickly connect it to your Apple Watch. 

Unlike most chest strap monitors, LED lights built into the sensor give you a visual indicator of when the monitor is successfully tracking your heart and is paired to your Watch. If you need to connect to multiple Bluetooth-friendly devices at the same time, the Tickr X unlocks the possibility to do that, while it offers up to 500 hours of battery life from a pretty standard coin cell battery.

Wahoo Tickr X: Build and Performance

Wahoo’s monitor is one of the slimmest chest strap monitors, which certainly improves things on the comfort front, while the integrated design with sensor and strap ensures it stays put even during more frenetic workouts. Unlike other monitors, it secures from the front, which makes it less fiddly to get on as well. It’s built to offer strong compatibility with the Apple Watch and we had no issues pairing it to the original Apple Watch Ultra, Ultra 2, and a Watch Series 8. The accuracy of the data has been very reliable on the whole, while the battery life and the ease of pairing it up with Apple’s smartwatch is a major plus to strapping it on.

Wahoo Tickr X: Competition

The Tickr X is one of the most expensive chest strap-style monitors and goes up against the likes of the Polar H10, which is a little easier to get hold of and is regarded as one of the best heart rate monitors available. There’s also the Wahoo Tickr, which sits below the $50/£50 mark and offers a similar design and accuracy to the Tickr X. It mainly misses out on the added internal memory and extra running and cycling metrics you can access when using the Tickr X with Wahoo’s own app as opposed to Apple Fitness Plus. 

Wahoo Tickr X: Should you buy it?

Wahoo Tickr X: Verdict

The Wahoo Tickr X isn’t cheap and isn’t the easiest to get hold right now, but if you can pick it up in return you’ll get a heart rate monitor chest strap with a thoughtful design that is built to be compatible with the Apple Watch, making it an easy one to add into your Fitness Plus setup. You don’t need to charge it or think about replacing the battery for a good while and additional metrics for cyclists and runners means it can be useful to strap even when you’re not jumping into one of those Apple Fitness Plus classes.

There are few things cooler than a HUD that appears in front of your face when you’re doing your exercise, and the Smart Swim 2 from Form are a very impressive realization of the concept. They’re a pair of smart goggles with a built-in AR screen, overlaying performance information while you swim — but there’s loads more to them than just a Heads-up display.

Smart Goggles that read your heart rate from your head

Ok, let’s get this out of the way nice and early — the Smart Swim 2 won’t teach you how to swim. There is an assumed competency of at least being able to stay afloat without aid, and some knowledge of at least one stroke. What they will do, however, is guide your fitness and swimming journey with a premium subscription to the Form app. That will give you training plans, workouts, and more straight to the goggles to help you refine your technique and become a better swimmer.

The app will also give you access to one of the coolest parts of the goggles for outdoor swimmers. Connect them up to your Apple Watch Ultra 2 or Series 9, and you’ll get what Form calls “Swim Straight”, a digital compass that shows you where you’re heading in open water. Open water swimmers were already mad in my book, but this feature will make it easier than ever for them to find where they need to be going. No more getting lost in a lake!

The compass is shown on the Smart Swim 2’s AR screen, which you’ll find in the left goggle lens. There, you’ll find loads of different options for information while you swim, all sorted through by clicking a button on the ‘tech pack’ that hangs off the side of the goggles — a sort of control module for accessing all the onboard features. That tech pack has been shrunk down for the new version as well, with a 15% smaller footprint on your head than the old model had.

The screen shows a number of metrics, including the distance you have swam, time spent swimming, stroke rate, split times for lap swimming, stroke count, distance per stroke, and calories burnt. One of the biggest new features of the goggles in this regard is heart rate monitoring. Where the first model needed you to connect the goggles to a separate monitor to read your heart rate, the Smart Swim 2 has a built-in heart rate monitor that checks your heart rate during a swim and displays it on the HUD. According to Form, the heart rate monitor collects all the information it needs from your temple, for an accurate and reliable reading. That means you only need the goggles, and not one of the best heart rate monitors for iPhone. All of the data read and recorded by the goggles is sent to Apple Fitness+, so that you can track your swimming progress along with the rest of your exercises for a complete picture of your fitness journey.

There are loads of comfortable fit options in the box, which let you change the nose bridge sections and the eye seals. In terms of onboard battery, the goggles will last for 12 hours on a charge, and charge up when you put them back in their charging case. When that battery runs out, you’ve still got a comfy pair of ‘dumb’ goggles as well, if you’re planning on swimming for more than 12 hours. You mad thing.

A subscription to the premium subscription is $15/month, while the goggles themselves are $249 in the US. You get two free months of premium subscription with the purchase of the goggles, but then you have to pay. They’re available to buy now from formswim.com.

More from iMore

• Apple Fitness Plus review: Should you subscribe if your free trial is over?
• How to filter workouts in Apple Fitness Plus
• Custom plans in Apple Fitness Plus are great

The Polar H9 is Polar’s cheapest heart rate monitor chest strap and uses an ECG sensor like its pricier H10 monitor to promise accurate heart rate data during workouts. The H9 connects over Bluetooth to the Apple Watch and is powered by a coin cell battery that will cover 400 hours of training time.

Polar H9: Price and availability

The Polar H9 costs $59.95/£51.50 making it one of the more affordable heart rate monitors available and costs less than the Polar H10, which sits at $89.95/£76.50. The H10 most notably adds Polar’s silicone Pro strap and the ability to store a single workout on the monitor.

You can buy the H9 directly from Polar’s website and also pick it up from retailers including Amazon. The H9 has been on sale since 2020 and if you shop around you can find it on sale for less than its $59.95/£51.50 launch price.

Polar H9: Specs and features

Like other chest strap-style monitors the H9 uses an ECG sensor to detect the heart’s electrical activity. It can connect to compatible devices and apps using either Bluetooth or ANT+ and you can only connect to one device at a time. The sensor clips into a soft textile strap, which is machine washable, just make sure to take the sensor off first. While you can’t charge the H9, it does use a simple coin cell battery, which needs to be replaced after 400 hours of training time. It also carries a water resistant rating that makes it safe to be submerged in water up to 30 metres depth.

Polar H9: Build and Performance

While the Polar H9 doesn’t come bundled with Polar’s Pro strap, which adds extra electrodes and silicon dots to prevent slipping, it is still compatible with that Pro strap and does offer the choice of two size options to make sure you get something that sits snug enough around your chest. It paired without issue with an Apple Watch Ultra 2 and older Series 8 and while the soft strap lacks the added features you get from Polar’s Pro one, it stays put, feels comfortable to wear, and crucially captures heart rate data accurately.

Polar H9: Competition

Some of the best heart rate monitors sit around this price. The Wahoo Tickr heart rate monitor is cheaper, has built-in LED indicator lights, and also works with the Apple Watch. If you shop around you can find the Polar H10 chest strap monitor for around $10/£10 more and that will give you that more advanced strap and that extra storage. We’ve found the H10’s strap a little more comfortable in comparison though the accuracy of the data for workouts on the whole has been similar. 

Polar H9: Should you buy it?

Polar H9: Verdict

The Polar H9 is proof that you don’t have to spend lots of money to get that accurate hit of heart rate data during your Fitness Plus workouts. It pairs easily with the Apple Watch, it stays put during more energetic sessions and it’s got great battery life too. The extras you’ll get on the Polar H10 shouldn’t really matter to Fitness Plus fans, while you can always choose to upgrade to Polar’s Pro strap optionally if the soft strap doesn’t work for you. The best heart rate monitors are the ones that are simple and easy to use and effortlessly pair when you need them to. That’s exactly what the H9 gives you.

For health reasons, or for fun, you feel you need to see everything! Not just the usual BMI, or body fat %, but segmental body composition, electrodermal assessment, atrial fibrillation detection, vascular age. 

All. The. Things. 

That all comes at a steep cost! And if you have the cash, er Apple Pay… as a Type 2 diabetic and fitness nerd, I think it’s actually worth it, and I’ll tell you why.

Withings Body Scan: Price and availability

There is pretty much nothing this scale won’t do, including show you the air quality index, along with the weather. You’ll pay for the privilege, to the tune of $399.95. The scale is Flexible Spending Account (FSA) eligible though, so your health insurance provider may pick up the tab.

You can buy the Body Scan directly from Withings.com, or if you’re in the US, walk into your local Best Buy location and pick one up. I’ve seen it on Apple’s UK site as well for £349.95. Although all of the features work with the initial purchase price, if you pay for one of a couple subscriptions, Withings adds deeper dives into how your fitness and health metrics influence each other, along with something they call your Health Improvement Score. 3 months free, then- either $9.95/month or $99.50/year. The Body Scan is available in black or white.

Withings Body Scan: Ease of use

Withings' Body Scan is the most feature rich scale I’ve used so far, but despite that, set up and ease of use is on par with most of the other units I’ve reviewed, though you’ll have to accept some terms and conditions with regard to some of the measuring processes. The only thing “extra” you’re going to contend with is bending down to pick up the attached handle. Oh wait! You don’t even have to do that! If you have a space that you’re going to place the scale with some permanence, Withings includes a wall mountable handle holder in the box so you can just step on the scale and grab the handle from the wall without having to bend over to do so. 

Step on the scale with the handle in hand, make sure your feet are over the striped lines, et voila! It’s a simple process that takes around a minute and a half to complete all of the scans and tests.

To ensure you’re getting the best possible results with features which are more than just weighing yourself, like the electrodermal function, when you click on that card in the app and scroll to the bottom you can choose to do a “Guided Scan.” It tells you the optimum conditions to meet prior to taking the scan, then animations walk you through it. The app is going to require more of your time than setting up the actual scale because there is just so much to it, but if you paid this price, you’ll feel like you’re getting your money’s worth in terms of functionality and refinement.

Withings Body Scan: Build quality

Unlike most of the light, plastic-feeling scales I’ve tried, the Body Scan feels robust when you lift it out of the box. It’s heavy and feels like a product with a premium cost. That also shows up in its weight rating which outclasses most of the scales in my recent reviews, supporting users up to 440lbs. Generally, the smart scales I’ve reviewed maxed out at 400lbs.

The handlebar rests in a “holder” of sorts at the top of the scale and is attached by a woven cable which retracts when you set it back down. Everything just feels really solid. The scale comes in either white or black, with off-white or gray stripes on the deck and a glossy finish which you’ll have to wipe down from time to time because it does show footprints- if you’re a bit OCD like me. My only gripe here is that though the deck is long and accommodates my US size 11.5 feet, I wish it were wider. Standing naturally on the scale with my thighs trying not to touch as is necessary for any BIA scale, the blade of my feet and pinky toes kiss the edges. And I would NOT consider myself someone with thick thighs. You can overcome that though by wearing a lightweight pair of shorts when you weigh yourself so that your thighs aren’t touching skin-on-skin.

Rounding out the build, you get a beautiful LCD screen with an interface that places the text and icons on black like a “dark mode,” and USB C charging, which Withings says should last you a year per charge.

Withings Body Scan: Features

It feels like Withings was attempting to replace your doctor’s office visits with this scale. I’m only partially joking! The Body Scan takes measurements you’d see from other smart scales like overall body fat %, total body water %, or muscle mass farther by including an ECG which gives it the ability to detect heart arrhythmia aka AFib, and is FDA-approved so bank on this one. If it detects something “off” see a doctor right away. You’ll also get heart rate info every time you weigh yourself because of that ECG. 

The scale also includes an electrodermal sensor which evaluates your sweat gland response to electrical stimulus, and gives you a score. Why is that important? I have Type 2 and one of the issues common to that is nerve problems in your feet if you let the disease progress. Along with other ailments, this EDA score will help you keep tabs on the healthy functioning of your body’s nervous system and blood flow, which is critical to having healthy lower body appendages, and can be an indicator of health issues if the numbers start trending in the wrong direction.

Some of the scales I’ve reviewed don’t provide a visceral fat score, and for those that do, this one should be more accurate because of the handlebar. That’s important because visceral fat is different from the fat layer which sits just below your skin. Visceral fat accumulates in your abdominal cavity around your organs and the more fat you have there, the more stress you begin to place on those organs. You do NOT want to crowd out your liver, or pancreas, or intestines for that matter.

Another standout feature that you’ll actually see not only on the Body Scan but other Withings scales is Position Control Technology. When you’re weighing yourself, if you see arrows on the bottom right of the display, that means your balance is off and the measurement isn’t optimal. Lean in the opposite direction of the arrow displayed until you no longer see an arrow and you’re good to go!

In addition to these features, you’ll also get an Athlete mode so you get better readings for your activity level, pregnancy mode so the scale provides customized data for you, baby mode which allows you to weigh your baby while holding them, and an “Eyes Closed'' mode which turns off specific numbers, instead letting you focus on trends. You also have the option to put the scale into a “weight only” mode which turns off the BIA, making the scale safe for those with pacemakers.

Body Scan also includes something called Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) technology, but the charting of that feature is only active if you're in the EU. Stateside, you have Vascular Age metrics. Long story short, PWV measures the stiffness of your arteries. The Body Scan computes Pulse Wave Velocity based on a person’s age, height, and the time it takes for blood pumped from the heart to go from the aorta to the vessels in the feet. You get a speed value for that in the app if you’re in the EU. The lower the number, the better. For the Vascular Age feature, Body Scan actually uses the PWV values it records, compares them against its global database of PWV values of users of the Body Scan and Body Cardio smart scales then returns an “optimal,” “normal,” and “not optimal” value, along with an age range.

It’s important to note that other than the FDA, medically approved features like the AFib detection, BIA is about consistency more than accuracy. It’s really about seeing if your health and fitness efforts are trending in a positive direction, or if you need to make some changes. And you won’t know that if your numbers fluctuate greatly from weigh-in to weigh-in. Which is to say, don’t stress over the exact numbers, rather pay closer attention to the trends.

The most accurate body scan you can get is a DEXA scan (pictured above). I visited XEELA Fitness in Santa Monica, CA for my scan. Big shout out to DEXA Plus and XEELA for making that happen!It may cost hundreds of dollars to go to a facility and get a DEXA scan. That said, the body composition was off on some metrics by a few points, though the weight measurement was consistent and pretty accurate. My DEXA scan showed me having a BMI of 28.3, Body Scan was 28.6. DEXA total body fat % was 23.6, Body Scan was 22.1. DEXA lean mass showed 165.20, Body Scan was 164.5lb. DEXA fat mass was 51.14, Body Scan showed 45.5.

Withings Body Scan: Competition

At this price point, there are only two other options I’ve found and I’m working hard to get them into the lab for testing and comparison. One is from the manufacturer who makes the industry standard clinical BIA scale, InBody. They have a consumer version of their $11,000 smart scale which retails for $349.99. The other is from well known Japanese health and fitness brand, Tanita. The RD-545 InnerScan PRO, which also has some FDA clearances and retails for $479.99 on Amazon.

Withings Body Scan: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if...

• You want the most accurate BIA info money can buy
• You’re just a data nerd who wants all the bells and whistles
• You need to track the broadest range of cardiovascular metrics

You shouldn't buy this if...

• You’re on a budget
• You want a simple app and simple scale
• You want a scale which uses removable batteries

Verdict

Need to get a handle on your health metrics? Pick up the handle on this scale, step on the scale’s platform, and gather a plethora of health metrics. Some of which you may not have even heard of before. I’ve found it to be consistent, and a joy to use with its premium build and premium features. Withings packs a lot into the Body Scan scale, and you’re going to pay a lot to get it, though it is FSA/HSA eligible, so you may be able to purchase it using your pre-tax health insurance dollars. I highly recommend this scale, if you have the budget for it!

There are scales which do what the Index S2 does and more, for less, but they don’t support Garmin Connect. If you’re a hardcore athlete and you live by your performance metrics, and keeping everything easily accessible in one place is important, it may be worth the premium price ($149.99) to you to add this Garmin product to your high performance ecosystem.

Garmin Index S2: Price and availability

The Garmin Index S2 is available directly from Garmin.com but you can find it at more brick and mortar retailers than some of the other scales I’ve reviewed, in addition to the usual online spots. Best Buy, and Target both offer curbside pickup if you want it today but you can order online from REI, Amazon, and Walmart as well. It’s $149.99 everywhere. And, unlike some of the competition, you can purchase this scale in either black or white. 

Garmin Index S2: Ease of use

Garmin’s Index S2 is easy to use, and best of all, features Wi-Fi syncing so you don’t need your phone nearby to use it. Additionally it runs on 4 AAA batteries which Garmin says should last you roughly 9 months, so no need to fuss with finding an outlet to recharge the scale near wherever you’re keeping it. Now, you’re likely already using Garmin Connect so when you get the scale home just open the app and from the settings menu select Garmin Devices > Add Device, then follow the on-screen prompts. It’ll use Bluetooth pairing to connect with your phone, then configure the Wi-Fi connection.

Once you’ve configured it and set up things like your goals, and customized the displayed data to show what’s most important to you, they call that data “Widgets,” you’re off to the races. Step on the scale and when you see your initials, step off, then watch the screen scroll through important data points like your body water percentage, skeletal muscle mass, and body fat percentage. There are five more you can display, if you choose. A total of nine, including weight. 

The only challenge I faced here was that on more than one occasion I had to measure multiple times to get a satisfactory result. One attempt, weighing myself three times until I got a weight I knew was in line with four other scales I was testing. The Index S2 was about 5 pounds off until the fourth measurement. I said this isn’t a deal breaker because the S2 does give you the proper weight. You may have to hop on a couple times to get it and that’s something I’ve actually experienced with more than one scale.

Once the scale syncs with Garmin Connect, you can see trend graphs and more through the app. Unlike other scales you can manually input DEXA results for body fat and skeletal muscle mass to estimate future body comp metrics. As no consumer scale is as accurate as the X-Ray data DEXA machines and technicians provide.

Garmin Index S2: Build quality

Weighing in at nearly 4 and half pounds, the Index S2 has a bit of heft to it and doesn’t feel cheap. It supports users who weigh up to 400lbs which is pretty much standard for bioelectrical impedance scales. And, while there are scales on the market with larger decks, the S2 doesn’t feel small and should accommodate most users’ feet. It may be a bit narrow if your personal motto is “thick thighs save lives.” 

The display gets very bright, so even in the brightest bathrooms or vanity areas, it should be easily readable. The tempered glass platform doesn’t display footprints, or fingerprints, as easily as some of its competitors.

Garmin Index S2: Features

Probably the most important feature for those who would consider this scale is its connection with the Garmin ecosystem through the Garmin Connect app. On the scale itself you can see data points for 9 metrics, including weight, but those metrics become analytics in the app once you’re presented with multiple trend graphs, your daily measurement numbers, and your 1 day, 7 day, 4 week, and 1 year averages at-a-glance. 

The scale also has the ability to add up to 16 user profiles, with each user having the ability to sync and view their own stats in the app. And all of that data is in Garmin Connect so you can cross reference it with your workout or race data and see how you’re performing at various weights and body fat percentages, and optimize your rest, recovery, nutrition, and training accordingly. 

My only issue here is that I’d like to have seen the inclusion of fat breakdown by visceral and sub-cutaneous fat stores, as many other scales will do. But, for the intended audience, high performance fitness enthusiasts, my guess is that visceral fat is likely not too great an issue and overall body fat percentage tells them as much as they likely need to know. I have a “dad bod.” I need to know.

The most accurate body scan you can get is a DEXA scan (pictured above). I visited XEELA Fitness in Santa Monica, CA for my scan. Big shout out to DEXA Plus and XEELA for making that happen!It may cost hundreds of dollars to go to a facility and get a DEXA scan. That said, the body composition was off on some metrics by a few points, though the weight measurement was consistent and pretty accurate. My DEXA scan showed me having a BMI of 28.3, Index S2 was 28.3. DEXA total body fat % was 23.6, Index S2 was 27.3. For DEXA lean mass, and DEXA fat mass the Index S2 offers no equivalent measurements. You will get our skeletal muscle mass in pounds, bone mass and body water percentage. Maybe there's no visceral numbers because these are intended for highly active athletes and their body fat is fairly under control?

Garmin Index S2: Competition

Unless you want to stay in the Garmin ecosystem, there are other options on the market which give you more data points, for less money and aren’t as finicky as Garmin’s Index S2. Among them is Anker’s Eufy P3, which you can currently pick up on Amazon for $20 off, bringing the price down to $69.99.

That said, if you really are all about those hardcore metrics, and you have the budget for it, you’ll get a lot more out of Withings’ Body Scan scale which is also a BIA scale but has a handlebar so that you’re getting BIA current flowing through your upper and lower body, making the measurements more precise. You’ll get several more data points, as well as a segmental body analysis which shows you body fat and muscle mass by body segments. Eg, your left arm, right arm, torso, right leg, and left leg. That one will run you $399.95, but if you’re on the high end of Garmin watches, that price point is likely something you didn’t even blink at when you read it.

Garmin Index S2: Should you buy it?

You should buy it if..

• You’re invested in the Garmin ecosystem
• Apple Health sync isn’t a requirement for you
• Price isn’t a major concern for you

You shouldn’t buy it if…

• You need Apple Health sync
• You don’t feel like stepping on the scale more than once to get accurate results

Garmin Index S2: Verdict

For those in the Garmin ecosystem, this is the best choice. It syncs with Garmin Connect, so all of your fitness and health metrics are in one place. The Garmin Index S2 doesn’t sync with Apple Health but if you rely on Garmin watches and Connect, then that may be a non-issue for you. Although the weight measurement is a finicky affair, the display is very bright and easily readable and the deck feels large enough to be more than suitable for most users. Even the stallions among us.

That said, there are scales on the market like the Eufy P3 and Etekcity ESF00+ which will give you more data, for much less money. So, if you aren’t well invested in the Garmin ecosystem, you might consider looking elsewhere.

Etekcity’s ESF00+ is built like a tank, so if you’re a large human, you won’t feel like you’re about to break it. But your tummy may not be the only thing hindering you from seeing the data on the display. There’s a lot of it, and the text is small. Despite that, this is a scale that should fit the bill nicely for most people.

Etekcity ESF00+: Price and availability

I’ve seen this scale available online from quite a few retailers. Amazon, Target, Home Depot, QVC among them. The price ranges anywhere from $49.99 to $64.99. You can also pick it up directly from Etekcity.com for $59.99. It’s available only in white. I recommend looking at Amazon, Target, or Etekcity as I find that it’s often out of stock at some of the other sites which list it.

Etekcity ESF00+: Ease of use

I have to say that set up of these scales has been quite painless so far. Download the app, set up a user account, then connect the scale via bluetooth. After that, you have access to the settings to configure Wi-Fi and more. You can’t configure the data you see on the scale when you take a measurement, but you don’t really need to since it presents quite a bit on its long, vertical screen. 

The only pain point I had here is that my aging eyes had a hard time reading the body analysis info as the text for that is rather small. BMI and weight are both large enough to read easily, as is the BMI Tooltip indicator. That indicator shows up as red, yellow, or green hash lines letting you know that your BMI is “standard,” “low,” or “high.” The scale itself has a very wide deck that should accommodate all but the most gargantuan of feet, making it easy to just step on and get your measurements. 

I know that sounds silly for a scale, something whose purpose is to be stepped on but after reviewing several of these, an accommodating deck for my size 11.5 feet is a welcomed design feature. The only issue I had with regards to how easy it is to use is the odd choice of charging via microUSB cable. By now, many of us have a couple or more USB C charging cables lying around so if you lose the included cable, you’ll need to buy another instead of using what you already have. Also, it takes 3 hours to charge via microUSB.

Etekcity ESF00+: Build quality

The scale really feels like it’s going to last you quite some time. It’ll likely outlast the 1000 mAh lithium ion rechargeable battery embedded in it. It’s the heaviest of the lot that I’ve recently tested, weighing in at just over 7 pounds, so you may actually lose even more weight just shuffling it around if you don’t have a permanent location for it. The wide, nearly 15 inch deck accommodates those of us with large feet and thick thighs which is a boon as BIA scales work best when you stand with your arms not touching your sides and your legs not touching each other. A tough feat for some of us with heartier frames, on a narrow scale.

Etekcity ESF00+: Features

This bioelectric impedance analysis scale (BIA) works by sending a very small electrical current through your body, then giving you data on 12 bodily metrics. Thanks to its large deck, stepping on it to get this info is easy, and its large, vertical screen shows you 7 of those metrics on one page, all at-a-glance. Things like your body fat percentage, and your visceral fat -fat which surrounds your organs. Too much is bad! That vertical display is what sets this scale apart from others in this class, whose smaller, square displays scroll through multiple cards to display their info. 

One feature which also sets this scale apart from some of its competition is the ability to weigh your baby, while holding the baby. It’s easily done through a slide out menu option on the scale’s homescreen. The other “feature” which sets this scale apart? It’s hefty build. You definitely feel like you’re getting your money’s worth, and that this scale will last you quite some time. To help ensure you have that time, another thing which stands out amongst the competition is the inclusion of a 2 year warranty. Others I’ve reviewed have had only 1 year warranties. There are a couple points of concern in the T’s & C’s of that warranty, such as it not applying “to damages or defects exceeding the cost of the product.” Seeing as how inexpensive the scale is, that could be an issue.

The most accurate body scan you can get is a DEXA scan (pictured above). I visited XEELA Fitness in Santa Monica, CA for my scan. Big shout out to DEXA Plus and XEELA for making that happen!It may cost hundreds of dollars to go to a facility and get a DEXA scan. That said, the body composition was off on some metrics by a few points, though the weight measurement was consistent and pretty accurate. My DEXA scan showed me having a BMI of 28.3, ESF00+ was 28.3. DEXA total body fat % was 23.6, ESF00+ was 28.7. DEXA lean mass showed 165.20lbs, ESF00+ was 149.2lb. DEXA fat mass was 51.14lbs, ESF00+ doesn’t offer this metric, per se. Just subcutaneous fat % and a separate visceral fat score.

Etekcity ESF00+: Competition

There are a lot of options for you at this price point, but this is one of the best available, due to its build quality, lengthy warranty, and vertical screen. If white isn’t your jam, Anker’s Eufy P3 smart scale has a black model which has a large deck as well. Though not as wide, it is more than suitable for most people’s feet, and its display has larger, more vibrant text that I found easier to read. Currently its price falls in line because Amazon has a $20 instant coupon, bringing this $89.99 scale down to $69.99.

Etekcity ESF00+: Should you buy it?

You should buy it if..

• You’re a stallion and need a scale with a huge deck
• You want to see multiple metrics all at-a-glance
• You want a scale with an easy-to-use Apple Watch app

You shouldn’t buy it if…

• If small text is hard to read for you
• You want a scale with removable batteries

Etekcity ESF00+: Verdict

“Thick thighs save lives,” and if this is a mantra that applies to you, this smart scale with a large, wide deck will ensure you’re able to assume the proper stance: arms not touching your sides and thighs/legs not touching. Also, it’s hefty build quality will match yours and give you a satisfying feeling that it will hold up to your regular measurements for a long time to come. 

The only issue you’ll really come up against is the small text displayed on the long, vertical screen. Add a few ounces to your weight for the glasses you may need to wear to read it. If you want all this scale has to offer but want larger text, you might consider Anker’s Eufy P3 which supports weights up to 440lbs (40 more than this one) and has a display with larger, bolder text.

Much like smartphones, so many of the smart body scales are the same. Boring black or white slabs. 

Enter: RENPHO’s Elis Chroma. A “smart body scale” with an RGB deck which isn’t just pretty, it’s also functional. And while the scale does come with some caveats -they all do- I really liked the simplicity of its apps, and its bluetooth connectivity was rock solid!

RENPHO Elis Chroma: Price and availability

How much is the accessory, and where can you buy it from?

The Elis Chroma is available directly from Renpho.com, or you can buy it from Amazon. Currently it’s available only in the United States from either site. You’ll be paying $59.99 for that RGB goodness, and the 13 body measurement data points, but Amazon currently has a $10 off coupon you can use when you purchase.

RENPHO Elis Chroma: Ease of use

The Elis Chroma is quite easy to use. Initial setup via the bluetooth connected app was simple and straightforward. I had it up and running within minutes. You’ll have to create an account with RENPHO to use it, which is also how it accommodates multiple users. Everyone’s data goes to their login, which is easily tracked since it’s your phone connecting directly to the scale via bluetooth, not wifi like some other scales on the market. Once it’s set up, you can go into the app’s settings and customize the deck’s colors with more options than you’ll need, including some preset themes. 

Once you’ve gone through that, you’re ready to step on the scale and begin tracking not only weight, but changes in body composition as well. RENPHO recommends that each time you want to take a measurement, you activate and calibrate it by stepping on the scale with one foot and then stepping off, waiting for the display to read 0’s. Once you see that, step on with both feet. It measures 13 data points, including BMI, body fat percentage, muscle mass, visceral fat (the most important one) and more.

You don’t need to have the app open to take a measurement, but if you do, the app will present you with a customizable chime when the scale has completed its tasks. You can customize that chime based on if you’ve gained, or lost weight, or if your weight is unchanged. If you don’t have the app open at that time, once you do connect to the scale it will update the app with the appropriate info. If you’ve connected with Apple Health you’ll see that info updated there at that time as well.

RENPHO Elis Chroma: Build quality

The scale is light and plasticky, but when you step on it, you don’t feel or hear any creaks or other signs that it might be cheaply made. The only real drawback to the build is the size of the deck. I wear men’s US size 12 shoes and my feet barely fit, requiring me to be very intentional about how I place my feet on the scale. 

It has a USB-C port on the front edge, which doesn’t feel cheap. It does come with a charging cord which unlike some of its competitors, is NOT comedically short. Next to that you’ll see a reset button and microphone for sound activated use.

RENPHO Elis Chroma: Features

The reason you’re here is for the light show! You need to have an active connection with the scale, but when you do, you can go into the Color Management settings and play to your heart’s content. You can set the lights so that when you weigh yourself the color corresponds to the BMI reading. I left this feature off since BMI science is a bit shaky. It’s the pulsing light customizations that I loved, AND the ability to use the scale in ambient light mode. Like a night light. The downside to Ambient Light mode is that it requires the scale to be plugged in, and many people may not have an outlet right where they'd likely place a scale. 

Some smart body scales allow you to turn off the electrical current which is how the body composition analysis is done. This is important if you’re pregnant, because you don’t want that current, as miniscule as it is, to course through your baby. The manual, which you’ll likely not have read, advises that if you’re preggers, step on the scale with socks or shoes on. If it were my wife, I’d buy her some lightweight rubber bottom house slippers for this purpose. Some scales will also allow you to weigh your baby or dog while holding them but the Chroma doesn’t have this feature.

The RENPHO app connects to Apple Health, as well as a few other manufacturers' health apps.

The most accurate body scan you can get is a DEXA scan (pictured above). I visited XEELA Fitness in Santa Monica, CA for my scan. Big shout out to DEXA Plus and XEELA for making that happen! It may cost hundreds of dollars to go to a facility and get a DEXA scan. That said, the body composition was off on some metrics by a few points, though the weight measurement was consistent and pretty accurate. 

My DEXA scan showed me having a BMI of 28.3, Elis Chroma was 28.7. DEXA total body fat % was 23.6, Elis Chroma was 25.7. DEXA lean mass showed 165.20lbs, Elis Chroma was 155.6lbs. DEXA fat mass was 51.14lbs, Elis Chroma doesn’t offer this metric, per se. Just subcutaneous fat % and a separate visceral fat score.

RENPHO Elis Chroma: Competition

In terms of competition, I have yet to find another direct competitor. Meaning one which has a light up deck like the Chroma. That said, if the cuteness quotient is a non-factor for you, there are similar scales at this price point, and lower, from Etekcity, Withings, Anker Eufy, and others which work just as well and have larger decks.

For example, for the same price you can pick up Etekcity’s ESF00+ which is equipped with Bluetooth and wifi, so you don’t need to have the app open on your phone nearby everytime you want to weigh yourself. It also has a larger deck and a huge, easy to read display which shows you multiple metrics on the same screen.

RENPHO Elis Chroma: Should you buy it?

You should buy it if..

• You want something more than a plain black or white slab
• You don’t want or need a wifi connected smart scale
• You want an app experience which is simple, and easy to understand

You shouldn’t buy it if…

• You have large, or wide feet
• You’d rather have a smart scale which uses replaceable batteries and not USB-C charging

RENPHO Elis Chroma: Verdict

RENPHO’s Elis Chroma is easy to recommend for those wanting a smart scale that lights up their lives. Its color customizations add some fun to the experience of tracking your fitness progress, and they’re functional to boot! I just wish it came with a longer charging cable and that the deck was better suited for accommodating larger, wider feet.

For those with larger feet, shopping at this price point, you’re better off looking at the Etekcity ESF00+, or for a bit more, Anker’s $89.99 Eufy P3 which adds heart rate measuring, a larger deck and a larger display to see more data at-a-glance while you’re weighing yourself.

Anker has proven themselves time and again when it comes to providing value at a good price. You get a lot with the Eufy P3 smart scale: display customization, removable battery operation, a large, vibrant display, and more. There was just one thing I found irksome. Not a deal breaker, but something you should definitely be aware of.

Eufy P3: Price and availability

Normally the Eufy P3 smart scale is available direct from Anker’s Eufy website, or Amazon for $89.99, but both sites are currently offering it with an instant $30 discount. As far as I’m concerned, that makes it one of the best smart scale options at $59.99, based on its features. For the time being, it appears to be available only in the US.

Eufy P3: Ease of use

Anker’s Eufy P3 “intelligent analysis scale” is easy to set up and to use. Download the EufyLife app and create a user account. Enter the appropriate info: weight, height, birthday, etc. Once you’ve done that, install the batteries, select add device in the app and follow the directions. Set up was smooth and I was on my way taking measurements in short order. When you take measurements, you have the ability to cycle between the displayed info without needing your phone, by simply tapping the scale with your feet. One of the few scales to allow you to do so. And the screen is large, and vibrant with large text, making reading it a joy (as long as your tummy isn’t blocking your view). 

I’m a big fan of removable batteries on smart scales because I don’t have outlets in my bathrooms where I’d place a scale. This one takes 4 AAA’s. Since this scale uses both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, I don’t need my phone with me to have data synced to EufyLife, and by extension, Apple Health. I simply measure, then whenever I get to it, wherever I may be, I can launch the app and see all the metrics which were synced over Wi-Fi.

Eufy P3: Build quality

At almost four and a half pounds, the scale doesn’t feel “cheap.” It has a glossy ITO coated glass deck, so it doesn’t need exposed metal electrodes to send current through your feet, giving it a more refined, less industrial look. And the designers at Anker’s Eufy took notes on safety, including these “anti-rollover strips” on the edges for stability. The deck is large enough for those with larger than US men’s size 12 feet, and it’s rated for 440lbs, unlike some of its competitors which are only rated for 400lbs.

Eufy P3: Features

The Eufy P3 measures 16 data points, including: weight, heart rate, body fat, muscle mass, basal metabolic rate, baby weight, and pet weight. For the last two, the scale allows you to hold your baby or pet, then factors in your own weight to give you an accurate weight. It disables the electrical current when doing this, the same as it does when you put the scale into Basic Mode, if you’re pregnant or wear a pacemaker. 

The best feature on the scale itself is the nearly 4-inch display which allows you to cycle through the info presented with the simple tap of a foot. One of few scales I’ve found so far that has this feature. The text and icons on the display are large and easy to read. Touching on the EufyLife app briefly, I appreciate the ease with which you can browse and understand your data, trends over time. Giving you the ability to see and easily identify trends over a day, week, or month. Tapping on the “Me” tab at the bottom of the app’s home screen allows you to customize the scale’s display data sets, and link your scale to Apple Health, turn heart rate monitoring on, or activate Simple Mode which deactivates electrical current.

It’s important to note that BIA is about consistency more than accuracy. It’s really about seeing if your health and fitness efforts are trending in a positive direction, or if you need to make some changes. And you won’t know that if your numbers fluctuate greatly from weigh-in to weigh-in. Which is to say, don’t stress over the exact numbers, rather pay closer attention to the trends. 

The most accurate body scan you can get is a DEXA scan (pictured above). I visited XEELA Fitness in Santa Monica, CA for my scan. Big shout out to DEXA Plus and XEELA for making that happen! It may cost hundreds of dollars to go to a facility and get a DEXA scan, but the Eufy P3’s results were surprisingly close to the medical grade DEXA scanner’s. My DEXA scan showed me having a BMI of 28.3, P3 was 28.3. DEXA total body fat % was 23.6, P3 was 22.3. DEXA lean mass showed 165.20lbs, P3 was 162.9lbs. DEXA fat mass was 51.14lbs, P3 showed 46.7lbs.

Eufy P3: Competition

With its current sale, the Eufy P3 is one of the best bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) scales you can buy at $59.99. Most of the competition measures BIA the same way, through the feet, so I don’t think you’re necessarily better off going anywhere else. That is, unless you want to spend a lot more money for greatly improved segmented body composition measurement? If so, then you’ll want to look at Withings’ Body Scan… for $399.95. Yes, you read that right.

Eufy P3: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if...

• You want a scale that is easy to read during your measurements
• You want a scale that is battery operated
• You want a Wi-Fi enabled scale

You shouldn’t buy it if…

• You want a scale with USB-C charging
• You want a scale which doesn’t frequently need you to measure twice for accurate results

Eufy P3: Verdict

With the current $30 discount, Anker’s Eufy P3 “intelligent analysis scale” is a no-brainer. Many of the scales I’ve reviewed seem to work best when I take more than one measurement in the morning. I haven’t figured out why yet, but several scales have behaved this way. Its large, stable platform will be a good fit for everyone but those with Shaquille O’Neal size feet, and unless your tummy is blocking the view, the display features large, vibrant text and icons, making it easy to read during measurement. And, most important of all, its accuracy compared to a DEXA scan is very close!

So it looks like Apple is making a smart ring — but should you be paying attention? After all, surely you can get the data you need from your smartwatch. I thought something similar when I first heard of smart rings ... and then I tried one.

The first smart ring rolled onto my desk in 2017. It was the first generation of the Oura ring, and as excited as I was to (finally) hold a smart ring in my hand, I wasn’t convinced I’d like it, let alone that it would have mainstream appeal. 

At that point, I’d already been reviewing wearable tech for years, putting the latest activity trackers and sports watches to the test. But a smart ring seemed like too much of an unknown entity. 

I also knew that, at least at the time, the smart ring space, more generally, had experienced many false starts, hardware issues, and legal troubles. That’s not even considering that they’re notoriously difficult to make and convince people they need. 

Even before fitness trackers came around, people were used to strapping watches to their wrists and having some technology on their arms at all times. Sure, plenty of people wear regular rings, but not ones with any tech or mechanism inside them. 

But after spending a few weeks with the original Oura, I was a convert. I enjoyed wearing the tech on my finger instead of my wrist and found it much more comfortable generally throughout the day, but especially at night. 

I also liked wearing a tracker without a screen, which meant I wouldn’t feel as distracted when I was working. The design was so small and light that it went with everything and didn’t interfere with whatever I wore that day. 

And most importantly, the data the ring’s app presented focused on my well-being, recovery, and energy levels. It aligned more with what I was interested in rather than just basic workout data and how many steps I’d taken on any given day. 

The smart ring has come a long way

As happy as I was with the original Oura ring then, fast-forward nearly seven years, and I’m pleased to say this kind of technology has vastly improved. The Oura has had significant upgrades since its first iteration and is now on its third version.

Other competitors have also entered the space, creating smaller, lighter, thinner, easier-to-wear designs. The range of data they collect is also even more accurate, comprehensive, and beautifully presented. 

One great example is the Ultrahuman Ring Air, which I’ve just spent a month testing. This more recent experience with one of the newest rings you can buy has inspired me to share a few of my initial concerns about smart rings and what I think you need to know before you consider buying one. 

1) Get the size right, and comfort isn’t an issue

Most fitness trackers that strap to your wrist can be adjusted with a buckle or a clasp. This means you can get most of them to fit you. With smart rings, it’s a different story. Get the wrong size, and there’s no adjusting them. This is important, considering the sensors that line the inside of the ring must be very close to your skin. 

The good news is that most smart rings come in conventional ring sizes, which means you can buy a ring sizing kit or go to a local jeweller to have your ring size accurately measured. 

Most smart ring companies will also send out a free sizing kit filled with dummy rings to make you even more sure you’re ordering the right one. Although it’s worth bearing in mind these are made of plastic and won’t feel the same as the finished product – plus they’re a bit wasteful. 

Finding the right ring size is imperative, but it’s also easier than you might expect.

2) Choose your favorite style, and you won’t get bored

There aren’t a wide range of colors and finishes to choose from. But some options are available, so take a look and make sure you’re picking one you like the look of rather than going for the default choice.

One of my only criticisms of the Ultrahuman Ring Air is that it got scuffed and scratched as I tested it. I imagine this was because there was a matte black finish that, when scratched, revealed the silver ring body underneath. 

Luckily, Ultrahuman now offers a silver option, eliminating this issue. But think about which you prefer, which will suit your style, or blend in because it’s so understated. Also, consider how you’ll use the ring. If you lift weights or do a lot of intense exercises that might scuff or mark it, go with the finish that is least likely to show wear and tear.

3) Check the app regularly to get the most from your data

This may seem obvious, but without a screen telling you when you’ve hit goals, prompting you to work harder or notifying you when there’s something you should check within the app, it can be very easy to put the smart ring on and completely forget it’s there. 

There’s nothing wrong with that. If it’s working properly, it sends data to your smartphone the whole time that you can check whenever you want. But it defeats the point if you’re never looking at it. 

I don’t usually opt into push notifications on my phone, but I will with my smart ring, which is one good way to remember to check what’s happening within the app. I’ve also made a habit of looking first thing in the morning, especially at energy and recovery scores.

4) Take your smart ring off when you lift weights

One of the major reasons I scuffed and scratched my Ultrahuman Ring Air was because I used it while lifting weights. The metal of the dumbbells against the ring’s finish led to lots of damage. 

Maybe you don’t like taking off a piece of wearable tech, especially when you’re working out – that’s my stance, too. But if you want to protect it, consider removing it when doing anything that could potentially damage it. 

Yes, I’m a big fan of smart rings. But, as far as I can tell, there isn’t a material or a finish that will tick all of the boxes in terms of comfort, affordability and suitability for sensors that’s 100% scratch-proof – at least not yet. 

5) Put the recommendations into practice

Although smart rings are tiny and impressive gadgetry feats, the apps accompanying them are where all the juicy information is stored. Including recommendations about how you move, sleep and recover. 

Everyone is different, and it’s pretty difficult – and not to mention naive – to take everything an app tells you as gospel. But do consider putting some of the recommendations into practice. The way the data is presented makes it easy to see whether any of these suggested habits will have the desired effect quickly. For example, being told to try and get another hour of sleep might not be the easiest behavior change to make for everyone, but you could see your recovery and energy levels lift within a day or two. 

You don’t need to be completely governed by the data the apps present or the recommendations they make. We mustn’t let this kind of health and fitness tech dictate how we feel but instead use it to better understand our bodies. In this way, I think it can put us more in touch with what’s going on with our bodies and not less.

Apple could look to invest in new wearable technology, including a smart ring, glasses, and more.

That's according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman's latest Power On newsletter, which says that the company could reach new customers via fresh wearables.

Gurman's report suggests that a smart ring was looked into a few years ago, while recent discussions have centred around smart glasses that would act similarly to rivals from Meta while also offering built-in audio so AirPods are optional.

The ring, Gurman says, isn't in active development but has fans within Apple's campus. It'd be focused on health tracking, something already offered by the Oura Ring and other manufacturers. The key here would be offering some Apple Watch features but without notification support and, presumably, the watchOS App Store, at a lower price point that would help entice users into the oft-touted Apple ecosystem.

Gurman says the glasses are "likely still several years away" but that they are in a phase within Apple known as "technology investigation". According to the report, Apple could approach the market using AR glasses as a sort of AirPods replacement, and priced lower than the Vision Pro.

The aim would be to integrate "beefier batteries, more sensors and broader AI capabilities", Gurman says, helping power augmented reality features.

Gurman says AirPods could also see sizeable upgrades with built-in cameras, AI, and health sensors being considered for the popular product line. They could never see the light of day, but the report says that an investigation to add low-resolution cameras into small earbuds began last year.

How successful are Apple's wearables?

As noted by Gurman, wearable devices (the AirPods and Apple Watch) represent 10% of Apple's revenue these days - more than double the figure from a decade ago.

While meaningful upgrades have somewhat stalled on both counts (although we expect new AirPods Max and fourth-generation base AirPods this year), they clearly remain popular ahead of the rumored Apple Watch X.

If Apple can bring in new customers with trackers priced lower than the Apple Watch SE, it could be a great way to demonstrate the Apple ecosystem to newcomers without feasibly "stealing sales" from existing products, as Gurman puts it.

If you’re looking for the best running accessories for Apple Fitness Plus, then you’ve likely got an iPhone, iPad or Apple TV (or all of those devices) plus an Apple Watch and access to a treadmill. Now you’re on the hunt for some extras to help elevate that indoor running time.

In this guide, we’re going to help you find those add-ons that work with Apple’s subscription fitness service and key devices to make sure you’re getting the most reliable running stats, improve your running domain, and even change the way you can wear your Apple Watch when you pick up the pace.

What makes a good Fitness Plus accessory can vary, but there are definitely some standout qualities that separate a good one from a bad one. It needs to be well-designed and offer the kind of build that can handle sweatier use. It needs to be easy to use and truly enhance the experience of hammering that treadmill belt.

There are a lot of accessories out there to pick from, so in this guide, we’ve given you a good starting point for finding the best ones to add to your running-centric, Apple Fitness Plus setup, whether that’s at home or in the gym.

Quick List

Best running accessory

We think the Belkin Magnetic Fitness Mount is an ideal accessory if you like to move your running-focused Fitness Plus time around and want to make sure you always have somewhere to have your iPhone in good sight.

It’s a well-made, MagSafe-friendly mount that does its simple job in a very elegant way, letting you strap it to poles that measure 1-inch to 1.5-inch diameter and then quickly remove it when you’re done.

The magnetic approach to keeping your iPhone in place can handle the typical shakes as you pound the treadmill belt and doesn’t budge if your phone starts to vibrate with notification alerts. The rotating ball inside is a nice extra that means you can quickly rotate your phone screen 

It does come in just the one colour, but that does mean it should match most treadmill setups. You can’t remove or change the strap, so if you can’t get it strapped onto your preferred treadmill, that’s going to be a problem.

We’ve tested it on different treadmills and had no issues getting it secured in place. Crucially, our iPhone has looked like it’s going to jump out of place. It’s also small enough not to draw too much attention and means it’s not a bulky thing to carry around with you if you're doing a Fitness Plus session at your local gym.

Best for Apple Watch

This is the updated version of TwelveSouth’s strap that lets you wear your Apple Watch on your forearm or bicep and still track your running metrics including heart rate away from the wrist.

We found it a comfortable strap to wear with TwelveSouth using non-allergenic polyurethane to help make sure it can handle longer running sessions. It now works with 44mm and 45mm sizes of the Apple Watch, but that puts the Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2 off limits.

It’s easy to drop the Watch in and there’s also a cut out for the Digital Crown to make sure you can still navigate and scroll through data screens. It uses a velcro strap to keep it in place and while we’ve not issues with the fit, we do have question marks over how well the velcro will hold up over longer term use.

We’ve used it with the Apple Watch Series 6, which is one of the supported models, and the Watch did not jump about inside the strap, was still accessible and produced good running stats including real-time heart rate to make sure you’re not missing out by moving the Watch up the body.

Best for improved tracking

The Polar H10 is Polar’s most feature-packed heart rate monitor chest strap and its priciest too, but the ability to pair it over Bluetooth to compatible Apple Watches ensures you get the most accurate heart rate information from your workouts. 

That’s because the H10 swaps the optical heart rate tracking on your Watch for ECG-powered monitoring. Polar’s tracking is regarded as the gold standard for heart rate measurement and does work pretty effortlessly with Apple's smartwatch.

The strap has been designed to sit securely and uses silicone dots to make sure it doesn’t slip when you start to sweat more. It uses the kind of lithium battery many traditional watches are powered by and can hold up to 400 hours of training time before you can quite swiftly swap it out for a new one. 

We’ve used it paired to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and older Apple Watch Series 7 and had no connection issues while working out with the two in tandem. This isn’t the cheapest heart rate monitor chest strap you can get, but it’s arguably the most reliable of the bunch.

Best-fitting running headphones

Music is a big draw for taking your running workouts to Fitness Plus, so it’s good to have some headphones if you’re not blasting out playlists from your iPhone or TV speakers. The Beats Powerbeats Pro have been around for a while and they’re still around because there’s few other headphones that can touch them in terms of offering a strong, secure fit and delivering a really workout-friendly sound.

It perhaps doesn’t offer everything you’d expect from headphones at this price, like an ANC or Awareness modes or Apple’s latest chip technology. It does pack in well-integrated physical controls with Siri controls also available for the hands-free control kind.

They deliver big power and bass, which means if you go loud, then you might not miss the lack of ANC. Battery life is as big as the case you pack them into, giving you an impressive 9 hours off a single charge, which betters the new Beats Fit Pro for battery.

They stay put, sound good, and look good to help you look past some of the desirable extras it lacks and the big price you’ll need to pay to pick them up.

Best for sound

Apple’s latest truly wireless earbuds might not scream made for running but if you’ve only got room for one set of buds in your life, then these are more than up to the task.

Whether you’re pairing them up to your iPhone or Apple TV, seamless connectivity with fellow Apple devices is a big pull here. That’s not all. They sound great as well and offer an overall balanced sound profile. You want bass? You’ve got it. Need more finesse? It can deliver that too. Plus, you’ve got some of the best ANC support if you don’t want to drown out the world while you run or let them back in with the help of Apple’s new Adaptive Audio mode.

Built-in controls can often be a pain point for many headphones when it’s time to up the intensity, but the stem-based ones on the Pro 2 are more than up to the task. They also have improved durability now that they’re dust as well as sweat-resistant. The USB-C charging port replaces the Lightning one, but the battery life remains the same 6 hours with ANC in use. 

As far as passing the running test and Fitness+ test, the AirPods Pro 2 passes with flying colors.

Not all treadmills are built equally, especially when it comes to the room they leave you to place your phone when you get moving. That’s where Belkin’s fitness mount comes to your aid, making sure you can strap it onto a treadmill and always have a spot for it that handles some shakier treadmill time.

Belkin Magnetic Fitness Mount: Price and availability

The Belkin iPhone Magnetic Fitness Mount costs $34.95/£34.99 and can be picked up directly from Belkin. You can also grab it from the Apple Store and it’s available at retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

It hasn’t generally dropped in price since launch and is priced in and around what you’d expect to pay for similar mounts, though those mounts aren’t typically designed exclusively for use with gym equipment.

Belkin Magnetic Fitness Mount: Specs and features

It’s a pretty straightforward affair here with this mount. It’s designed to work with the iPhone 12 or newer iPhones and plants magnets into the main mount part to cling onto the back of your iPhone. 

Attached to that is a stretch, non-removable strap, which uses a pretty simple clasp mechanism to wrap around the bars of a treadmill. It’s designed to fit around poles that measure 1-inch to 1.5-inch in diameter. The mount hosts a ball joint inside, which means you can rotate the orientation of your phone depending on your viewing preference. It’s a mount that’s designed to handle vibrations from calls or a bumpy indoor run.

Belkin Magnetic Fitness Mount: Build and Performance

The mount is relatively sleek-looking and small enough to slip into a bag and won’t hog up space if you’re planning to use it on a treadmill in the gym. There’s just the one black version available, but that does mean you have an option that blends in with most predominantly black treadmill setups. 

The stretchy nature of the strap part means it’s got a bit of give to pull it around the front bar on a treadmill. I’ve tested on two treadmills at varying running paces and had no issues in terms of my iPhone 14 staying put. My main issue however is that sometimes the most suitable area to mount means you’re glancing down at the screen and it’s not sitting in front of you, which isn’t always ideal for following along with workouts.

Belkin Magnetic Fitness Mount: Competition

Similar mount setups are generally the fixed kind that you put on your bike and this one is really about letting you move it from place to place so it’s not dedicated to one spot. That makes it ideal if you don’t have your own treadmill and the simplicity of strapping it on and removing definitely gives it strong appeal.

Belkin Magnetic Fitness Mount: Should you buy it?

You should buy it if...

• You don’t own your own treadmill
• You have a screen-free treadmill
• You have a clear area to connect it to

You shouldn’t buy it if…

• You have your own treadmill and it has a phone holder
• You don’t have a MagSafe iPhone
• You ideally want a mount that sits in your eyeline

Belkin Magnetic Fitness Mount: Verdict

The Belkin Magnetic Fitness Mount is a really simple and well-built accessory that ensures you always have somewhere to put your phone if you’re taking your Fitness+ time to another space. It securely holds an iPhone place even when you pick up the pace and the strap should work well with most treadmill setups. 

The rotational ball to adjust the viewing angle is a nice touch if you’re battling with glare and it’s small and light enough to chuck in a pocket too. Just keep in mind that positioning it might mean you’re going to have to look down at your screen, which does slightly interfere with the experience of following a workout on your iPhone when running.

Does the Whoop 4.0 fitness tracker always appear on your social media feed? The unobtrusive fabric band is all the rage at the moment, appearing on the wrists of some of the world’s most famous athletes, including Patrick Mahomes and Lebron James.

If you’ve been seeing the Whoop 4.0 tracker everywhere and wanted to give it a try, the device is at its lowest-ever price for Cyber Monday. Usually $30 a month, you can pick up a Whoop 4.0 with a 12-month subscription for $199 at Amazon. That’s $161 off or 5 months free, the perfect time to try this alternative to the Apple Watch.

Apple Watch Cyber Monday deals

• Amazon – Up to $70 off Apple Watch SE
• Best Buy – Save a quarter on the Apple Watch SE
• Target – Big deals on tons of Apple Watch SE

Be like the best with this Whoop 4.0 Cyber Monday deal

• Smartwatch deals: Best Buy | Walmart | Amazon | Samsung | Dell
  
• Fitness tracker deals: Best Buy | Walmart | Amazon | Dell

The Whoop 4.0 is a fitness tracker for people who want a distraction-free health tracker with in-depth information on your health. It’s an alternative to the best Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and interestingly, it is endorsed by some of the world’s most renowned adventurers like Free Solo’s Alex Honnold.

With the wristband, you get in-depth biometric data to find all the information you need about your body. One of Whoop’s ambassadors is Kansas City Chief’s quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, and the company has very informative data of his practice sessions from previous NFL seasons to show just what Whoop is capable of. The best example of the tracker's capabilities, however, is the precise heart rate monitor in Mahomes’ game-winning final drive versus the Buffalo Bills in the 2022 NFL Playoffs (a big football game for those that don’t follow sport).

Why Whoop?

So, some of the world’s best athletes use the Whoop 4.0, but why should you care, and why should you give your hard-earned cash up this Cyber Monday for one of these fitness trackers?

For some people, the Apple Watch can be far too distracting for its own good. With all the functionality we’ve come to expect in a smartwatch, there really is no other fitness tracker that is as complete as the Apple Watch, but it’s not for everyone. 

The Whoop 4.0 is gaining huge popularity because the wristband’s information is solely accessible through the Whoop app, which is available for iOS and Android, giving you a distraction-free experience. The lack of display also means the Whoop has a much better battery life than any Apple Watch today, lasting up to five days. You can also charge the Whoop 4.0 while it's on your wrist, thanks to a neat portable charging module.

As for the features of the Whoop 4.0, expect to get all the data you need to make healthy life choices and feel better than ever before. The Whoop fitness tracker delivers “over 99% heart rate and HRV tracking accuracy and gold-standard sleep tracking, making it one of the most powerful, most accurate, and most wearable human performance tools you can buy.”

The Whoop 4.0 doesn’t track steps. It wants you to look at the data and assess the information at your fingertips to make better life choices and live healthier by doing so. So whether you play football or basketball regularly, or are just at the start of your fitness journey, this Cyber Monday deal could be the game-changer you’ve been waiting for.

Do you find the Apple Watch distracting but still want a fitness tracker? The immensely popular Oura Ring is on sale for Black Friday at Best Buy, and it's the most discrete fitness tracker you'll ever find.

Available in multiple finishes, including black, silver, gold, and rose gold, you'll find up to $70 off the Oura Ring Gen 3.

The Oura sits around your finger, tracking your resting heart rate, blood oxygen, daily steps, and sleep. The best bit? It's a beautiful ring that will stand out as a piece of jewelry rather than a piece of tech.

• Fitness tracker deals: Best Buy | Walmart | Amazon | Dell

The Oura ring is a fascinating fitness tracker that blends the tech world with style in a way that not even the Apple Watch can. The Oura gets up to seven days of battery life and is made from titanium, like the iPhone 15 Pro, so it'll withstand the test of time.

If you're interested in trying a different kind of fitness tracker, then Black Friday is the perfect time to give the Oura a go. If you'd rather opt for an Apple Watch this Black Friday, the best Black Friday Apple Watch deals will give you big discounts on the best smartwatch on the planet. So whether you're looking for a watch or a ring this Black Friday, there's a deal for you.

After a quieter year in terms of Apple Watch upgrades, we can't blame you for glancing around at other fitness tracker options on the market — especially when there's a Black Friday deal as big as this one.

Garmin's highly-rated Enduro 2 is less smartwatch, more fitness tracker, but it operates in a similar space to the Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2 — albeit at an even higher MSRP of $1099.99.

Not today, though — Amazon has snipped $300 off the price tag, bringing this powerful GPS-tracking running watch for $799.

Where to find the best fitness tracker Black Friday deals

• Amazon — Apple, Samsung, Garmin and others discounted
• Best Buy — Garmin Models as low as $199.99
• Walmart — New and renewed stock discounted across multiple brands

Garmin Enduro 2 is $300 off

•  Fitness tracker deals: Best Buy | Walmart | Amazon | Dell 

As a longtime Apple Watch user, currently wearing a first-gen Ultra, I've often looked jealously at the Garmin Enduro 2's solar glass feature that gives it over a month of battery life (a month!). 

It's seen as the pinnacle of the Garmin range, and this deal certainly helps offset that colossal cost, too, making it a little closer to the Fenix and Forerunner ranges.

The Ultrahuman Ring Air is one of only several smart rings on the market at the moment. Its main rival is the Oura (Gen 3) ring, which has been incredibly popular in recent years, garnering a lot of media and celebrity attention. 

The Ultrahuman Ring Air is packed with sensors to track data about your health, fitness and sleep. It does this well, feeding back information via an insightful app that allows you to see trends, progress and even recommendations. 

The main difference between this smart ring and the best fitness trackers is there’s a key focus on sleep and energy levels – great news for anyone who leads an active lifestyle and wants more guidance about rest and recovery.

Design-wise, it’s incredibly light at only 2.4g to 3.6g (depending on your size) and comfortable to wear 24/7. The only downside is its nice-looking matte black finish did get a little scratched during testing.

It’s tricky to recommend a device that’s so different from others. There’s no way of knowing whether you’ll like the design of a smart ring and its lack of a screen. But we did enjoy using this smart ring during our testing and think it’s a fresh new take on tracking. Keep reading for our full Ultrahuman Ring Air review.

Ultrahuman Ring Air: Price and availability

The Ultrahuman Ring Air smart ring is priced at $349 / £280 / about AU$537 and was released in June, 2023. The Ultrahuman Ring Air is available both from the Ultrahuman website and Amazon in most major markets.

At this price, it’s more expensive than simple fitness trackers that collect lots of data, but look basic and fit onto your wrist, like the Fitbit Inspire 3, which costs $99.95 / £84.99 / AU$177. Then again, it’s cheaper than more advanced wearables that collect a similar amount of data, but bring you a super bright screen and the best tracking you can find right now, like the Apple Watch Series 8 at $399 / £419 / AU$629.

The Ultrahuman Ring Air’s main rival is the Oura (Gen 3) Ring, which is currently priced at $299 / about £230 / AU$420. The difference is that the Oura includes a six-month Oura membership. That’s good at the start, but needs to be renewed, meaning you pay $5.99 / about £4.50 / AU$8 each month in order to keep up your subscription and get premium features. 

So the Ultrahuman Ring Air is hard to directly compare to any product – both in terms of features and price – but it does offer a lot of data collection for the price. It’s particularly appealing if you’ve been tempted by the Oura ring but don’t want to subscribe to anything else – we get it, subscription fatigue is real.

Ultrahuman Ring Air: Features

The stars of the show here are all of the sensors packed into the Ultrahuman Ring Air. They collect all sorts of data about you and your body, including movement, skin temperature, and heart rate. This information is delivered to the app, which then interprets it to tell you your steps, calories burned, time asleep, sleep quality, heart rate variability, and more – with even more on the way, according to Ultrahuman.

If that sounds like a lot of data, you’re right. We only recommend the Ultrahuman Ring Air if you’re going to actively dig into these stats. Having said that, the app does interpret much of this information for you, presenting you with easy-to-read movement, sleep, and recovery scores on the main dashboard if you only have time for a quick glance. 

There’s no screen here (obviously), so you will need to open the app for everything you need. We found there were some days when we forgot to do this. But on days when you want to dive deeper, you can click on this information and you’re presented with trending graphs over time. This is really interesting to comb through a few weeks into wearing the ring.

Whether you like the lack of a screen or not will be totally down to personal preference. We actually welcomed the distraction-free experience of having no screen on our wrists after years of wearing a smartwatch or tracker.

All of that data doesn’t have to live in the app, either. Ultrahuman offers a bunch of integrations back and forth with your other health and fitness apps. Until recently, the Ultrahuman Ring Air did not sync all data to Apple Health. But thankfully, in a recent update, you now get all of your data visible through Apple Health – good news for all iPhone owners.

Ultrahuman Ring Air: Design

The design of a smart ring isn’t easy to get right, but the Ultrahuman Ring Air is as close to perfect as we can imagine. For starters, it’s incredibly light at only 2.4 to 3.6 g, depending on the size you go for. This means it feels almost like you’re not wearing anything on your finger – even at night when we’re prone to getting stressed out by standard wrist-bound trackers. 

Size-wise, you’ll get a kit before ordering your ring filled with plastic, dummy rings. This will help you get it spot-on, although it is based on standard ring sizing so if you’d rather save on plastic and packaging you can just get your finger measured. And speaking of fingers, you can wear it on any one, but we found it most comfortable on our left index finger.

The Ultrahuman Ring Air has a matte black finish, which looks incredibly cool when you first get it out of the box. Fast-forward a few weeks of testing and (as you can see from the photos) it’s got a fair few scratches. This isn’t a deal-breaker and there’s something nice about the glinting silver, but some people might find it offputting. Ultrahuman tells us a new silver shade will be available soon, which should combat the scratching problem and give people another option. 

The ring itself has a water resistance rating up to 100 meters, which means you don’t have to worry about taking it off to shower or swim. This is good news, because we’ve found in the past that if we have to remove an all-day tracker we greatly increase the chances we’ll simply forget about it. 

Ultrahuman Ring Air: Ease of use

A smart ring is an interesting proposition but as soon as we heard about this kind of tech, we were worried. If it’s designed to be worn 24/7 in a range of scenarios it’s going to need to be light, comfortable and either nice-looking or totally unobtrusive, right? Luckily, the Ultrahuman Ring Air ticks all of those boxes. It’s so light and comfortable we genuinely forgot we were wearing it often – but don’t worry, it stays secure enough not to fall off without being noticed. 

The app is really nicely designed. Which is important considering it presents you with a lot of data. We’re wary about recommending this ring to anyone who doesn’t genuinely enjoy combing through health and fitness data. But that doesn’t mean anything presented in the app is particularly complex – especially once you’ve got the hang of how everything works.

But the best testament to how this ring works is we really did learn things from the insights and made changes accordingly – especially to the times of day we exercised and to our sleep routines. Whether that proactive approach continues after the initial first few weeks of testing remains to be seen, but it certainly proves that health and fitness tech doesn’t always just overwhelm us with data – it can be genuinely useful and lead to behavior change, which is the whole point, right?

Ultrahuman Ring Air: Competition

There aren’t many other smart rings on the market at the moment. They’re also not all created equal. For example, some smart rings are only like the Ultrahuman Ring Air in design. Look closer and several aren’t fitted with sensors at all but instead have an NFC chip, allowing you to pay for things or open smart locks with your fingertips. As cool as this sounds, it’s a completely different proposition to the Ultrahuman Ring Air, so do your homework before you buy.

The smart ring you can buy right now that’s closest in design and features to the Ultrahuman Ring Air is the Oura (Gen 3) ring. This also tracks key data, has a great app and focuses on sleep, rest and recovery. The major difference is that the full range of features offered by the Oura (Gen 3) ring are currently only available on a subscription model. This might suit some people and make it more affordable, but if you like the idea of owning your tech outright, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is a better bet. 

The only other major competition worth mentioning is the huge range of smartwatches and fitness trackers that have been available to buy for years. Plenty of those devices will deliver the same kind of data and some will even provide the same solid recommendations. But the key difference is they often come with screens and are worn on your wrist. If, for whatever reason, you’re not keen on that design then the Ultrahuman Ring Air could be a good alternative. 

Should you buy the Ultrahuman Ring Air?

Ultrahuman Ring Air: Verdict

The Ultrahuman Ring Air is packed with advanced smart sensors, like a PPG sensor to monitor circulation, and a skin temperature sensor. It uses this data to make genuinely useful recommendations about your health, fitness and sleep, with a particular focus on rest and recovery. 

It’s incredibly light and comfortable to wear – even at night – but it’s prone to scratches, a shame considering it has such a nice matte finish. It’s hard to recommend a device that’s so different to other tracking tech. It’s also expensive, which makes it risky. But if you have a big budget and you’re looking for a fresh way to track all-important health data, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is for you.

Apple has applied for a patent that relates to a new type of tracker that could be similar to an AirTag but that attaches to a person's body or clothes.

However, where an AirTag is designed to monitor an item's location, this new type of tracker would instead provide health and activity data instead.

The patent was originally filed in 2020, but it's taken until this week for it to be made public. Previously it was registered under Apple employees' names to avoid detection, but it's now listed as one of Apple's patent applications.

Monitor everything

The new patent was spotted by Patently Apple and could be used to monitor things like posture, sun exposure, and more. Fall detection and motion tracking could also be present, opening the door to multiple different use cases.

"Apple describes an iPhone that could communicate with wearable tags that may be placed on different parts of a user’s body or clothing and may be used for one or more health-related functions such as posture monitoring, sun exposure monitoring, physical therapy, running assistance, fall detection, fitness/activity tracking, motion tracking, medical applications, biometric applications, personal training, and other functions," the Patently Apple report notes.

If much of that sounds familiar it's because the Apple Watch already does some of those things, although an accessory similar to an AirTag would allow people to wear their own watch (or none at all) while still collecting the kinds of information mentioned above.

As always, however, it's important to remember that Apple patents all kinds of ideas and it isn't uncommon for them to stay at the patent stage rather than turn into a shipping product. That might be the case here, but the prospect of being able to attach a sensor to our clothes and have it monitor our health does sound compelling — especially if the price makes such accessories a more approachable option than the Apple Watch.

If you're looking for a smartwatch that'll work with your iPhone, it's likely you've narrowed your options down to something from Apple or something from Garmin. Apple, of course, brings slick design and Apple-only features to the table, as well as some exercise and activity tracking. Garmin devices, designed more for the active user, are often more rugged and have batteries that, in some cases, could last you as long as a month. Some of these prices may just sway you the way of the Garmin - here are some of the best prices in the Amazon Prime Early Access Sale.

Track all the activities with a Garmin deal

The Garmin family of smartwatches are some of the best options if you want something that's not the best Apple Watch. If you really want an Apple Watch, however, make sure you're keeping track of the best Apple Watch deals and sales. This Amazon Prime Early Access Sale is also running for the next couple days, and we'll be tracking all the best deals. Want to have a look at them all yourself? Head on over to Amazon.

I exist in a very small window of comfortable temperatures. I am frequently either too hot, or too cold, and therefore, was excited to try Embr Labs Wave 2. Wave 2 is a wearable thermoregulating wristband. It's designed to deliver cozy, warm, or refreshing, cool, thermal waves directly to your wrist to regulate body temperature. It's specifically designed for people suffering from hot flashes but can also benefit those that want to add a little coolness or heat when the situation calls for it. Does it work? Read on to find out!

Wave 2: Price and availability

Embr Labs Wave 2 is currently available on Amazon and the Embr Labs site for $299. It comes with the Wave 2 wristband, charging dock, and USB-A to USB-C charging cable.

Wave 2: What's good

The Wave 2 is designed to be worn on the inside of the wrist, about an inch below the heel of your palm, with the buttons facing your elbow. You'll want to play around with sliding it up and down a bit to find your sweet spot or the part of your wrist that's richest with thermoreceptors. Thermoreceptors are small nerve endings that sense temperature and relay that message to your brain; the inside of your wrist is full of them.

The Wave 2 warms or cools this temperature-sensitive spot of thermoreceptors. Embr Labs claims that applying temperature to the inner wrist sends a feel-good message to your brain to provide overall relief throughout your entire body. They say you can expect to find an increased sense of relief using your Wave 2 over time and recommend using it for at least two weeks to allow your body to fully adjust. I've been using my Wave for one week.

Play around with wearing this wristband on both wrists. I've found it most effective when I wear it on my right side. It delivers intermittent cool or warm thermal waves to keep the mind alert to these varying temperature changes. Thermal waves harness the power of temperature sensations to improve how you feel physically and emotionally.

The controls and the Embr Wave 2 app are straightforward and easy to use. There are only two buttons on the Wave 2 wristband itself. The left side is preset to cold, and the right side, warm. You'll see an LED light in the center that turns blue during a cooling session and red during a warming session. You can adjust warm and cool temperatures on a scale of one to five. The default cool setting is three, and the default warm setting is two.

You can adjust session presets within the app, and unless you choose otherwise, default cooling and warming sessions are both 10 minutes. You can choose session lengths ranging between three minutes to nine hours. Nine hours would cover the entire night if you wanted to do an all-night cooling or warming session. The app tracks your history and provides summaries of your Wave 2 usage. For example, it told me I needed Wave most between 1-2 p.m. this week.

You can find sessions to address comfort, hot flashes, stress, and sleep. I'm not currently experiencing hot flashes, so I can't speak to its effectiveness in addressing those symptoms. However, I can speak to its ability to assist with comfort, stress, and sleep. I struggle with anxiety, and as I mentioned before, I'm frequently too hot or too cold. I've found the warming waves to be the most effective for my body.

When I'm feeling anxious, turning a warming session on soothes my nerves and calms my anxiety — much like the effect of drinking a warm cup of tea. I like the temperature of the room I sleep in to err on the colder side, but that's so I can comfortably snuggle under my down comforter — I like to feel cozy while I sleep. Warming sensations put me at ease. I love turning on the fall asleep-warm session on my Wave 2 while I drift off to dreamland. It makes me feel safe and secure while I settle in for some ZZZ's. I really wanted the cold waves to cool me down in hot environments, but they don't quite do it for me — more on that in the section below.

The battery life is great. You get 15 hours on a full charge and it takes two hours to get to 100%. It boasts an attractive design and comes in two colors: black and rose gold (pictured). It's fully adjustable to fit a wide range of wrist sizes. My husband, mom, and dad have all worn it comfortably. Embr Labs even sells replacement bands in different materials if you want to mix up the feel and aesthetic.

Wave 2: What's not good

Wave 2 is very pricey at just under $300. For this kind of price tag, I feel like it should be multifunctional. As it's designed to be worn on the inside of your wrist, a heart rate monitor seems like an easy add, and it would be nice if it told the time as well. I know the best fitness trackers and smartwatches like Apple Watch Series 7 pack a lot of advanced tech into small compartments. I feel like Wave 2 could follow suit and offer more.

I do like the aesthetic of the wristband, but I find the metal band uncomfortable, and the body too bulky to sleep in. Embr Labs does make comfort bands made of nylon with Velcro closures, which sounds much better for sleeping, so at least they offer some alternatives.

Another issue I have with the Wave 2 has to do with the cold waves, as briefly mentioned earlier. They're refreshing and do cool my wrists effectively, but not my entire body. I've tested Wave 2 cooling waves while dining out on a hot patio in 90-degree heat, after a hot outdoor workout, and while sunbathing. The cooling sessions do provide a little refreshment, but not enough to combat extreme outdoor heat. I can see how it might work differently for a hot flash though, which is what Wave 2 is primarily designed for.

Wave 2: Competition

The Cooling Cuff is a thermoregulating wristband marketed toward athletes. It only cools though; the warming features of the Wave 2 are not an option on this device. It's a lot less expensive than Wave 2 but doesn't use any fancy tech. It just uses tiny re-freezable ice packs. The science behind both is the same in the sense that you're targeting that area on the inside of your wrist that's rich with thermoreceptors to cool down the entire body.

The Hot Flash Cooling Bracelet by Sharper Image is another wearable wristband designed to combat hot flashes. It only cools and does not deliver warmth, plus the design is similarly large and bulky, like the Wave 2. It does not look nearly as sleek or fashionable though, nor can it do as much as Wave 2. It is $100 less, but between the two, I'd spring for the Wave.

Wave 2: Should you buy it?

• You're suffering from hot flashes
• You want instant temperature relief
• You're having sleep issues

• You're on a budget
• You want a multifunctional wristband
• You want something very low-profile

You should try this if you're suffering from hot flashes. Wave 2 is specifically designed to provide instant relief from hot flashes, however, it can also help with stress relief, comfort, and sleep. You shouldn't buy this if you're on a budget, want something multifunctional, or low-profile on your wrist. Wave 2 is pricey, it only warms and cools, and it features a stylish design, but it's not low-profile.

Wave 2 is an intriguing concept. The warm waves are most effective for my body and have helped ease my anxiety and put me to sleep. The cooling sessions do deliver a refreshing blast to the wrist, but not enough to cool my entire body down in high temperatures. I love the look of Wave 2, but if you're planning on wearing it all through the night, I recommend purchasing a comfort band, as the mesh metal band it comes with isn't very comfortable to sleep in.

I wish Wave 2 offered more features like a heart rate monitor and watch to warrant the high price tag. I enjoyed testing this product, but I'm not sure I'd shell out $300 for it. They do offer a 30-day risk-free trial. If it doesn't work for you, they'll give you a full refund. It's important to note that this product is primarily designed to provide relief for hot flashes which I'm not currently experiencing. If this applies to you, there are rave reviews on Amazon. Considering the risk-free trial, it's worth checking out to see if it works for your body.

Life can get hectic and stressful, and navigating existence throughout the pandemic has proven itself to be particularly anxiety-provoking. I think it's safe to say that we're all interested in stressing less and sleeping more. That's the promise Cove — a wellness headset — makes, encouraging users to wear it for two short 20-minute sessions per day. I've been testing Cove for the past two months and have noticed some positive changes in my mental health and sleep. There are some design and software issues, but overall, if you can expense it, this device is worth checking out.

Cove: Price and availability

Cove is currently available for purchase on Amazon and Cove's site for $349. It's typically $490, but the sale price of $349 is valid through March 31, 2022. Your purchase comes with the Cove wearable, protective case, and charging cable.

Cove: Less anxiety, more focus, better sleep

I struggle with intense anxiety and have a lot of issues falling asleep at night because of my racing mind. Everything on my never-ending to-do list seems to hit me hardest right before I go to bed. That said — I was eager to give Cove a try because who doesn't want to stress less and sleep better? I was skeptical at first, but after a few months of consistent use, I'm a fan. Aside from a few design flaws that would be an easy fix in a second-generation device, I'm happy with my results.

Cove is simple to use and wear. It wraps behind the head and hooks over the ears. Pro tip: be sure to clear all hair and other obstructions out of the way, so the pads behind the ears can rest directly on your skin and Cove can work its magic. The band behind the head is easily adjustable to fit all head sizes. You want the device to fit snugly.

How does it work? Cove activates the part of your brain that regulates anxiety. It uses gentle vibrations to trigger your body's response to affective touch — one of the many sensations your skin naturally identifies. Through certain nerve fibers, your skin then sends signals to the insular cortex, a part of your brain that processes emotion. Supposedly, your brain responds by making you feel a deep sense of calm, which leads to reduced stress and better sleep.

Cove is intuitive to use and easy to pair. The app is free, simple, and straightforward. It logs all your data and sessions so you can view trends over time and get a full dated history of your session notes. When you set up your user profile, you can schedule session reminders, as well as stress and sleep check-ins. To make the most out of purchasing this device, I highly recommend doing both daily check-ins and taking notes on your emotional state after each session. The app will prompt you to do this. This really helps you to see if, when, and how Cove has made a difference in your day-to-day.

You can control the intensity of Cove's vibration via the app or on the device itself. You're supposed to start with a low vibration and increase intensity as needed (if at all). Remember that stronger isn't better and that vibrations should be barely perceptible. I keep mine at level three or four. Turning it up higher starts to make a very audible, annoying buzzing sound. My advice: keep it low.

While you're in a session, you can do pretty much whatever you want. In the morning, I typically wear mine while I'm sipping my coffee gearing up for the day, walking my dog, or working on my laptop. In the evenings, I'll wear it while I'm relaxing, watching television, or reading a book. I recommend throwing in a screen-free, activity-free session every now and then for ultimate relaxation and focus.

Cove recommends two 20-minute sessions a day for best results. The app says some users notice a difference after their first session, but that it typically takes two solid weeks of consistent use to start noticing a change. This was the case for me as I didn't notice anything for about two weeks. My initial results were subtle. After two weeks, I started to sleep longer and have extremely vivid dreams. After a month, I felt sharper and more focused, had less stress and anxiety, and it was easier for me to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

This isn't a cure-all. I still struggle with anxiety, but Cove has made a substantial difference. My anxiety can get crippling. Having Cove help mitigate that has been a total game-changer.

Cove: Buggy, short battery, not cozy

Cove is extremely pricey. Even with the sale promotion going on right now, it's going to cost you. I have found the device to be helpful but feel the $100 to $200 range would be more appropriate for what it is. It would certainly make it more accessible to a larger audience. I should note that Cove does offer free returns within 45 days of delivery for a full refund or replacement.

This is the first-generation model of Cove, and I'm hoping they come out with a second because there are some serious design flaws. For starters, for a de-stressing device, it's not very comfortable to wear. Having a cushioned back band and softer ear hooks would be nice and would make the experience feel more relaxing. Also, forget about wearing it with glasses. It does not work — I have tried. The combination is extremely uncomfortable.

The battery life on Cove is horrible. There are no other words to describe it. I can get away with two 20-minute sessions max on a full charge. Therefore, I must constantly charge it, which I am not a fan of. Improved battery life would be a major upgrade.

Lastly but most importantly, my Cove does not always operate as intended. Sometimes it disconnects itself from the app randomly. It occasionally makes sporadic, harsh buzzing sounds that I find anxiety-provoking. It often starts a session normally where the vibrations are barely perceptible, then finishes with louder, more aggressive vibrations, even though I have not adjusted the levels personally. One time, it started making a loud screaming sound and would not stop, even when I powered it off. I had to turn it off, then back on, then off again to get it to stop. In a nutshell — the software seems buggy and could use some major improvements.

Cove: Competition

Muse S

Muse S is a personal meditation and sleep assistant. It makes meditation easy by giving the wearer real-time feedback on your mind and body to help you recognize calm and stay in the zone. Meditation with Muse helps relieve stress, as well as improve sleep and mental performance. The objective of these wearables is similar, but they function differently. Wearing Cove is a more passive experience while using Muse S is more interactive.

URGOnight

URGOnight is a headband that claims more restful sleep after 20-minute sessions, three times a week. You will be guided step by step through personalized experiences, adapting the difficulty levels in real-time depending on your progress. Its companion app helps you view trends and track progress over time. Sleep is the main priority with this sleep training headband, rather than the improved focus, less stress and anxiety, and better sleep objectives of Cove.

Cove: Should you buy it?

• You suffer from anxiety
• You have trouble focusing
• You have issues falling and staying asleep

• You're on a budget
• You're looking for a health and fitness tracker
• You want perfect performance

You should buy this if you suffer from anxiety, have trouble focusing, and have issues with falling and staying asleep. In trial studies, 90% of subjects reported reduced stress and improved sleep after using Cove. EEG and MRI studies performed by Feelmore Labs and validated by neuroscientists have demonstrated that Cove is able to modulate a deep part of the brain controlling emotional response: the insula. This leads to a greater sense of calm and well-being, and less stress and anxiety, which in turn leads to better sleep.

You should not buy this if you're on a budget, you're looking for a health and fitness tracker, or you want perfect performance. Cove sessions help mitigate anxiety and improve sleep, that's it. It does not function as one of your best fitness trackers would. Cove is brand new, and there are definitely software issues that could use major improvements. Do not expect perfect performance every time you use this device.

Cove is a wearable I have found helpful with mitigating my anxiety and improving sleep quality. I feel calmer, more focused, and less stressed overall. I can fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer when I consistently use this device. There are some design and software issues that could use major improvements. I look forward to seeing what's next from this company. If Cove is within budget, it's worth checking out to see if it works for you.

Apple Fitness Plus offers fitness classes in multiple exercise modalities so you can get a boutique fitness class feel from the comfort of home or wherever you take the app. Some classes require no props at all, while others require additional accessories like rowing machines, dumbbells, or exercise mats. Using a mat that provides support and cushion while you move is essential to a great experience. These are the best mats to use with Apple Fitness Plus.

Which mat is for you?

Apple Fitness Plus offers a lot of classes that require an exercise mat, so it's a good idea to invest in one that works for you. We love the Manduka PRO and eKOlite mats because they're Apple's direct recommendations and come from a highly reputable company. They're on the pricier end, but will last for life, and are worth every penny.

If you're looking for something more budget friendly with extra cushion, the BalanceFrom GoCloud mat will deliver one inch of superior joint support. Or maybe you need an extra-large workout space? Gorilla Mats Premium Large Mat has got you covered.

Whatever your exercise needs may be, the perfect mat for you and your workout routine is right here on this list of best mats for Apple Fitness Plus.

Apple Fitness Plus might have a ton of workouts that don't require much equipment, but adding even a single pair of dumbbells to your setup could really transform your workouts and make your fitness regimen even more effective. 

Apple has plenty of strength workouts on Apple Fitness Plus that involve using a pair of dumbbells to burn calories, add muscle, and improve your overall fitness. For every workout, Apple will suggest using either a light or heavy set of dumbbells, making workouts more accessible to people of different skill and fitness levels. With that in mind, we've tracked down some of the best dumbbells for Apple Fitness Plus so that you too can enjoy all the benefits of strength training, perhaps for the first time!

Back to the top ^

Q&A

Sometime last year, I discovered a little smart wearable called the Oura Smart Ring. However, unlike most smart wearables on the market, this one goes right on your finger, rather than on your wrist like many other devices out there, such as the best Apple Watch. I was drawn to this because I don't necessarily like wearing a watch to bed, and a ring seems much less intrusive and more comfortable — I pretty much forget I'm even wearing it.

I had reviewed the second-generation Oura Smart Ring and praised its features at the time. However, I was not aware that the company had already been developing the next generation of the Oura Smart Ring, which came out around the start of the last holiday season. This new version of the ring touts even more sensors without increasing the overall size. New sensors allow it to measure your blood oxygen (SpO2) levels, 24/7 daytime heart rate (previously it was only at night), workout heart rate, restorative time, Period Prediction, improved temperature sensing, and so much more. The companion app is also getting beefed up with new content, women's and reproductive health, and improved sleep algorithms.

However, there has been a bit of controversy with the new Oura Smart Ring, as most of the new features won't be available until sometime later this year. And the app has moved from being a free companion app to a monthly subscription model. Despite the rocky rollout, I can't imagine going about my daily life without my Oura Smart Ring — it's one of my most essential health trackers.

Oura Ring Gen 3: Price and availability

The third generation Oura Ring is currently only available directly from Oura's website. While the previous iteration came in two styles (Heritage and Balance), the new Oura Ring is only available in the Heritage style. You can get it in four different finishes: silver, black, stealth, and gold. The silver and black colors are $299, while the stealth and gold options are $399.

Since the Oura Ring requires precise sizing, you'll need to get a free sizing kit when you purchase. Each new Oura Ring purchase also comes with a 6-month Oura membership for the app. Afterwards, the membership costs $5.99 per month. Should you decide to cancel the membership, you can still continue to use the Oura app, but you will be restricted to just the basics in terms of data — advanced features and data will be locked.

Oura Ring Gen 3: Tiny and nonintrusive with valuable health insights

For the most part, the third-generation Oura Ring does everything that the previous iteration did. This includes sleep tracking with sleep stage details (REM, light, deep sleep), nap tracking, body temperature sensing, activity tracking, and syncing with Apple Health workouts. And if you're still using the second generation Oura Ring, then you can continue to use the app without a membership fee — you'll just be limited to the type of data accessible in the app. In fact, the new Oura Ring looks indistinguishable from the previous version on the surface, as it is still made from lightweight titanium, comes in the same colors, and retains the same size. But once you look at the inside of the ring, you'll see that it is equipped with several new sensors, including three LEDs (green, red, and infrared).

As I covered the Oura app in my second generation review, I won't go too much into detail about it. But the app basically gives you a Readiness score based on your Sleep and Activity data from the previous day. When you drill down into these two areas, you can see things like resting heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), body temperature, respiratory rate, REM/light/deep sleep, sleep efficiency, restfulness, and more. If you're doing good in an area, it will be blue, but if something needs your attention, then it'll be red.

One of my issues with the previous version of the Oura Ring was the fact that it would not measure your heart rate during the day — only at night while you slept. The new Oura Ring fixes this issue, as it now has 24/7 heart rate monitoring. If you don't do a live rate check in the app, the Oura Ring will take measurements every five minutes to conserve battery life. Additionally, the Oura Ring can now measure Restorative Time with your heart rate data, which is considered relaxation time during the day that helps you recover from stress and strain. I enjoyed having this information available to me, as it is nice to see when I was able to "relax."

While not all new features are ready from the get-go, there are some that are available now, along with the continuous heart rate monitoring I just mentioned. Namely, Period Prediction for women and guided relaxation sessions. The Period Prediction is a little off for me right now as I'm still readjusting from childbirth, but it's nice to see this as a feature (after all, females are half the population). Guided sessions include exercises for meditation, breathing techniques, and even sleep sounds, so if those are useful to you, then they're included with your Oura membership.

I did notice better body temperature sensing with this new version, as the ring told me that my temperature was 1.2-degrees above my normal baseline (at least two weeks of continuous wear are needed to establish a baseline) when I was at the peak of my sickness. Oh, and Rest Mode will kick in if it detects that something is off, such as a low Readiness score or higher than normal body temperature. You can still activate Rest Mode manually as well if you need a break.

Another good thing about the Oura Ring is the battery life. If you just use an Apple Watch, then you know you need to charge that everyday, or every other day at the latest. It's just not great for battery life compared to other wearables on the market. The Oura Ring, however, is pretty good with battery life. After 80 minutes on the included charging stand, the Oura Ring has a full charge and will last around five full days (mileage may vary depending on usage). While the previous generation would last between 6-7 days on a single charge, the third generation Oura Ring still impresses with battery, considering that it has more sensors packed in without an increase in size. I usually go between four to five days before throwing it on the charger while I'm in the shower. With the previous ring, Oura recommended keeping the charge level between 20-80% at all times, which is a practice that I've carried over to the new ring as well.

Oura Ring Gen 3: A rush to launch and the switch to monthly subscription

The biggest issue with the Oura Ring Gen 3 is the fact that it shipped without all features being ready. Since the major selling points for this new ring include SpO2 monitoring, workout heart rate, and improved sleep algorithms, it feels a little deceptive to ship the product without said features included. According to the Oura website, workout heart rate is coming "early 2022," while SpO2 monitoring just says "2022."

When I originally got the new ring in early November 2021, the app did not even have the guided sessions or period tracking, so at least those are available at the time of writing. Some other members of the media also got in the beta for the workout heart rate, but from what I'm seeing, it's very limited, as it will initially just support running, walking, and cycling. Still, not having all of a product's features available from the start does leave a sour taste in the mouth, and this has been a common complaint within the Oura community.

The other big letdown is the switch to a subscription-based model for accessing your Oura data in the app. One of the big benefits of having an Oura Ring before was the one-time cost of purchasing the ring, and then being able to access and view your health data insights without additional cost. This gave Oura a big leg-up over some of the competition, like Whoop and Fitbit. Now, if you're using a Gen 3 Oura Ring, it will cost $5.99 a month to access this data. I personally continue to enjoy the data that Oura provides me, so I don't mind the cost, but I know this will be a deterrent for others. At least Oura gives you six months of membership for free for you to determine if it's worth it to you — if not, then you can cancel the membership and just have access to the basic data like before.

During my testing of the Oura Ring Gen 3, I noticed that it didn't seem to detect naps as well as my previous ring did. With my Gen 2 ring, I feel that it detected my naps most of the time, even if it just marked them as "Rest" rather than an actual "Nap" (your body needs to fall into at least one sleep stage in 15 minutes). However, with the Gen 3 ring, I don't seem to get a lot of logged naps when I did indeed take a nap (I'm a new parent after all). I'm not sure why this is, but it's a little disappointing. But when a nap is detected, it will boost your Sleep and Readiness score for the day, just as it did before. Another change is anything that is considered "Rest" is now under "Restorative Time" under the heart rate section.

Lastly, there's no doubt about it — Oura Ring is expensive, and even more so if you take the monthly subscription into consideration. However, Oura Ring is one of the only smart rings on the market right now, so if you want a wearable that doesn't go on your wrist, then this is one to consider.

And personally, while I haven't had to contact customer support for any issues, this area seems to be a hit or miss among users, as demonstrated by the /r/ouraring reddit community. Some have had no problems while others seem to be left hanging without any followup to their inquiry — just a word of caution.

Oura Ring Gen 3: Competition

While wearables have certainly taken off in the past decade, they've mostly remained on your wrist and not finger. At the moment, Oura does not really have much competition, aside from maybe the BodiMetrics CIRCUL Sleep and Fitness Ring, but that may certainly be changing soon.

This year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas will feature the debut of a company called Movano, which will be introducing its first product, the Movano Ring. The upcoming Movano Ring will track sleep and activity metrics, and is currently working on getting FDA clearance for things like monitoring body temperature and other vitals.

Another one to keep an eye on is Circular, which began as a crowdfunded project on Kickstarter and Indiegogo and will be available for pre-order soon. Circular looks more similar to Oura than Movano, and while it has similar features, it also has extras like a smart and silent alarm clock, alert notifications, and more.

Oura Ring Gen 3: Should you buy it?

• You want a wearable that doesn't go on your wrist
• You value health insights like sleep stages
• You like wearables that don't need daily charging

• You want all features available from the start
• You don't want a monthly subscription
• You are on a budget

If you're in the market for a new kind of wearable that isn't just another smartwatch that goes on your wrist, then the Oura Ring is one to consider. The ring form is less intrusive, as it's made with a durable and lightweight titanium, and it's waterproof up to 100 meters. It charges quickly and can last for several days before needing a recharge. For a tiny wearable, it can provide you with a lot of valuable insights into your overall health and well being, including detailed sleep and activity metrics, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, Period Prediction for women, Rest Mode when you're sick, and more.

However, as much as I love my Oura Ring Gen 3, there's no denying the fact that it is fairly pricey, especially when not all of the advertised features are available immediately. Hopefully, workout heart rate tracking and SpO2 monitoring come sooner rather than later, as well as more supported workouts for the heart rate tracking. And while I'm not a fan of the subscription model that the company has now shifted towards, I find the data the Oura Ring gives me to be valuable enough to warrant the cost. However, if you choose not to subscribe, you can still use the Oura Ring, but you'll just be limited to more basic data.

SOLE Fitness makes a variety of high-quality at-home fitness equipment machines, including the elliptical machine I've been testing. An elliptical machine is a cardio machine with handles you push and pull and foot pedals that move in a circular motion for a smooth, no-impact, full-body cardio workout. STUDIO is an at-home fitness studio app on your best iPhone that includes over 3,000 instructor-led classes that work with a number of fitness machines or with no equipment at all.

The two companies have partnered to create a smart fitness experience that helps you meet your goals without leaving your house. Tons of classes led by a variety of instructors, leaderboards where you compete with other users, and rewards may help motivate you to work harder and sweat more.

SOLE Elliptical machine and STUDIO app: Price and availability

The SOLE E25 Elliptical machine can be purchased at Amazon, Dick's Sporting Goods, or directly from SOLE Fitness. It retails for $1,800 but is currently selling for $1,300 at Amazon or $1,000 at Dick's and SOLE. Optional assembly fees are extra.

The STUDIO app is free to download. SOLE machine owners get a month's free trial subscription. After that, the subscription costs $20 per month or $200 per year.

SOLE Elliptical machine and STUDIO app: What's good

Overall, the experience of using the SOLE E25 Elliptical machine and the STUDIO app together has been pretty great. The machine itself is of even better quality than the elliptical machine that kept me going through quarantine. The app connects directly to both the machine itself via Bluetooth and your heart monitor (or Apple Watch). While you can use an Apple Watch to measure your heart rate, using a separate heart monitor gives you a more frequent reading. Once you're all connected, choose any of the on-demand classes and fire it up! The instructor will tell you what level to set your machine to and how hard you should be pushing it. Some classes include off-machine weight-lifting segments as well. Popular music plays in the background for that extra boost.

As you work out, you'll see your metrics on your iPhone screen and competitors at the bottom of the screen. Since the classes aren't live, the competitors you see are people who have taken the class before. Your heart rate is measured against these other folks at the same point in the class. With your heart rate, you earn Fitcoins, which you collect and can eventually trade in for real-life rewards and merchandise. Heart rate is used to earn Fitcoins rather than the number of miles, for example, because it's a good equalizer between beginners and advanced fitness enthusiasts.

While the leaderboards are set up as a competition between you and other users, you can also chat and connect with other users within the app. After taking a class, you can post your workout. People can react to your post and cheer you on. You can form a "tribe" within the app which makes a large community feel smaller.

You can connect the STUDIO app to a number of SOLE fitness machines in addition to the elliptical, such as treadmills, bikes, and rowing machines. There are also a number of classes you can take without any machine, such as yoga, sculpt, boxing, stretching, meditation, strength, and even outdoor workouts. New classes are added every week.

The SOLE E25 Elliptical machine has a heavy-duty steel frame backed by a lifetime warranty, 20 resistance levels, 20 incline levels, physical therapist-designed pedals, 20-pound flywheel and high gear ratio for a smooth workout, Bluetooth audio speakers, USB charging port, and two different "shelves" where you can place your iPhone and iPad. You can, of course, use the elliptical machine without the app. There are pulse monitors in the stationary handles if you don't want to use a heart rate monitor or Apple Watch.

SOLE Elliptical machine and STUDIO app: What's not good

Because the app connects to both the machine and either your Apple Watch or a heart rate monitor (but not both at once), it took me a bit of trial and error to figure out which was the best way to connect. I found what worked best for me was connecting a heart rate monitor and the elliptical machine to the app, and starting a Workout on my Apple Watch at the same time. That way I get full credit for my workout in both the STUDIO app and in the Apple Fitness app. All my metrics show up on the STUDIO app screen and I can earn Fitcoins and compete on the leaderboards.

If I connect the Apple Watch to the STUDIO app rather than the heart rate monitor, I am unable to start a Workout on my Apple Watch and I don't get full credit in Apple Fitness. Personally, I'd prefer not to have to use a separate heart rate monitor since I do have that Apple Watch which measures my heart rate just fine (albeit every 10 seconds compared to the heart rate monitor measuring it every second.)

The price is going to be prohibitive for some, with the SOLE machine itself costing about a grand and the STUDIO subscription costing another $20/month or $200/year. It adds up. Still, it's cheaper than many gym memberships and it's certainly convenient to work out at home. It's worth noting that the machine is rated for users up to 350 pounds.

SOLE Elliptical machine and STUDIO app: Competition

Peloton was the first competitor that came to mind. Peloton offers a number of advantages such as live classes for more of a community feel. However, Peloton has only two kinds of machine options, bike or treadmill, though there are plenty of off-machine workouts from which to choose. Peloton machines cost well over twice as much as the SOLE machines, and the Peloton subscriptions start at about double the cost of the STUDIO app.

Apple Fitness Plus offers tons of fitness classes of all kinds (though not for the elliptical machine) and superb integration with the Apple Watch. Pricewise, it's about half the cost of the STUDIO subscription or less since it's included in the Premier Apple One subscription. However, it lacks the competition/community. You're only competing with yourself.

SOLE Elliptical machine and STUDIO app: Should you buy it?

• You want a no-impact cardio workout
• You want a fitness community to compete with and motivate you
• You want tons of on-demand instructor-led classes with new ones added weekly

• You prefer live classes at home or at a gym
• You're on a tight budget
• You're over 350 pounds

The SOLE Elliptical machine and STUDIO app are great for anyone looking for a no-impact cardio workout, instructor-led classes, and a fitness community to keep you motivated as you work out at home. However, it's not for the tightest budgets or anyone over 350 pounds. If you're looking for live classes like Peloton's, or you'd rather go to the gym, then this combo isn't for you.

The partnership between SOLE and STUDIO offers a mid-priced solution for people looking to get fit with instructor-led classes at home. The SOLE E25 Elliptical machine is a high-quality no-impact full-body cardio machine. The STUDIO app is an "at-home boutique fitness studio" with thousands of on-demand classes. Using the two together with a heart rate monitor allows you to connect with and compete with other users and earn Fitcoins which can be traded in for real-life rewards.

My nephew hates to brush his teeth. He just sort of chews on his brush for a minute and then scrapes his tongue to get the toothpaste flavor out of his mouth (and that's with bubblegum flavor). My nephew does, however, love playing video games. If there were some way to incorporate the two ... oh wait. There is.

There are stories your kids can follow, apps that they can use to keep track of how long they've been at it, games that reward kids with cool prizes for proper brushing, and smart toothbrushes that even use augmented reality to make brushing an adventure.

If your little ones (or maybe yourself) hates to brush their teeth, maybe it's time to get some help from tech.

• Story time for teeth
• Apps and games that make brushing fun
• Toothbrushes that turn oral hygiene into an adventure

Story time for teeth

Never underestimate the power of a good story. If your little one is struggling with fears and anxieties about brushing their teeth, identifying with a familiar character going through a similar experience can be a great esteem booster.

No one wants to be ostracized for having stinky breath. Bronty learns how fresh breath can help make it much easier to make new friends.

• $3.99 - Download now

When Jon forgets to brush his teeth, Correy the toothbrush decides to have an adventure all his own. It's fun. It's gross. It'll teach your kids the importance of taking care of their teeth.

• $2.99 - Download now

Your kids will probably identify with this book. It's all about a little boy that hates to brush his teeth. Sprinkle a little magic into the tooth brushing mix and you might find that there's more to brushing than toothpaste.

• $2.99 - Download now

Apps and games that make brushing fun

As you're teaching your children the importance of following a specific routine, it's easy for them to get bored or distracted. Two minutes to a child seems like two hours. You can help them by making that two minutes a lot of fun.

Disney has the most identifiable characters and is probably the most likely to get your little one motivated to brush their teeth. The Magic Timer unlocks little cartoons, fun digital stickers, and more when you brush your teeth for two minutes twice per day. If you use a Disney character Oral-B toothbrush, you can unlock even more characters from the Disney kingdom.

• Free - Download now

Set the disco ball spinning and let your little ones drop the beat with this simple, but effective timer app. For two minutes, music will play while your child brushes their teeth. In addition to twice-daily brushing, you can set reminders to change your toothbrush every three months, floss after brushing, and go to the dentist every six months. You can set an age range to provide additional dental hygiene information based on age.

• Free - Download now

Toothbrushes that turn oral hygiene into an adventure

If you really want to invest in your children's oral hygiene, a kid-friendly smart toothbrush is hard to beat. Whether it lets parents know when kids are brushing, gives little ones a reason to brush, or is just a fun twist on a boring daily personal chore, smart toothbrushes are nothing to spit at.

Philips makes some of the best HomeKit connected smart home devices, so why shouldn't they participate in the oral hygiene department, too? With the Sonicare for Kids, your little one can interact with a dedicated app that connects to the toothbrush via Bluetooth. The app tracks the brushing activities, like how long, how often, and how well kids brush their teeth. There are friendly examples of the best way to reach the difficult back teeth, and bonus progress rewards for proper brushing. The Sonicare for Kids costs $39.99 and comes with eight customized handle stickers for a variety of fun.

• See at Amazon
• $50 at Best Buy

At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, we learned about Kolibree's Magik toothbrush, which incorporates augmented reality with the activities of brushing your teeth. Using the front-facing camera on your smartphone or tablet, kids can pretend to be a deep sea diver or a princess. You can fight monsters with a couple of good strokes across the teeth. There is also a parent's connected app that allows you to sync up with the phone or tablet your little one is using, which lets you know when your child has brushed their teeth and for how long. This tracking data can help you keep watch on your younglings habits and give a little push when they need it.

It's not out yet, but it should be available later this year for about $30, and the companion app is free.

See at Kolibree

Brushing for two minutes straight is important, but not if your little one just brushes the same four teeth the entire time. Grush promises to track exactly where your child is brushing within their mouth, awarding points for getting to those hard-to-reach spots. This is all done using a fun app, connected via Bluetooth. Your kids' brushing activities are also stored in the cloud so you can check in with their daily brushing and offer gentle reminders to keep up the good work.

If your little one is just getting started with this crazy tooth brushing thing, Grush might be just the right smart toothbrush to help them learn how to get to all of the teeth, not just the easy ones up front.

See at Amazon

How do you get your kids to brush?

Do you use technology, whether it's an app, a smart toothbrush, or a digital book to help encourage your kids to brush their teeth? Put your helpful ideas in the comments.

When it comes to fitness trackers, big names like Fitbit, Garmin, and even Apple Watch have a real grip on the market. While the best Fitbit trackers cost a lot of money, as does Apple Watch, there are alternatives out there for those who want to... spend a little less.

What's the cheapest fitness tracker?

If you're looking to try a fitness tracker for the first time, you can try a cheap one first and, if you like it, upgrade to a more expensive one later. But which cheap tracker is the best bang for your fitness buck? Here are our favorites!

• Wesoo K1 Fitness Watch
• FitOn
• LEMFO Fitness Tracker
• X-CHENG Fitness Tracker

Wesoo K1 fitness watch

For only $30, the Wesoo K1 offers lots of features that you'll find on higher-end fitness trackers for a fraction of the price.

Counting calories, steps per day, and distance traveled are all par for the course on any fitness tracker, but the addition of automatic sleep monitoring, silent vibrating alarms, and sedentary alerts makes the $30 price tag even sweeter.

One of the coolest features of the Wesoo K1 is its ability to charge without a cable. That's right when you take the Wesoo K1 out of the band, there's a built-in USB end on the tracker so you just have to plug it into your computer, wall outlet, or even a power bank to charge it.

You can buy the Wesoo K1 fitness watch with an extra band that either purple or blue.

See at Amazon

FitOn

FitOn is a relatively ambitious Kickstarter campaign, that looks promising and has already reached its funding goal.

On top of tracking all your important fitness metrics — steps per day, calories burned, distance, traveled, etc. — FitOn is promising a IP68 water resistance rating meaning you can swim with this tracker on all you want without damaging it.

The FitOn promo video also describes an oxygen meter that's meant to help you gauge your blood oxygen levels during intense workouts or swims. Using this data with the included heart rate monitor will give you a better statistics when it comes to your personal training.

Now since this is a Kickstarter campaign there is a little bit of risk in backing it up; however, it's already over its funding goal so that risk should be limited. You can back this campaign and receive a FitOn when they start shipping for only $49.

See at Kickstarter

LEMFO fitness tracker

If you're going to be wearing something on your wrist all day, why not make it stand out a little? The LEMFO fitness tracker has a bold design that will is bound to get noticed while packing in important fitness tracker features.

The automatic sleep monitoring will kick in when you decide to lay your weary head down for a rest, and the active heart rate monitor will help you track your pulse through even the most intense workouts.

The LEMFO fitness tracker has an IP67 rating, meaning you can take it for a quick swim or out in the rain with no problem and even supports message and call notifications to keep you up to date.

For only $35, LEMFO fitness tracker is a great way to see if you enjoy using a fitness tracker or not.

See at Amazon

X-CHENG fitness tracker

If you like the idea of having a fitness tracker that embraces the smart side of things, the X-CHENG fitness tracker may be your best bet.

While it's big display and bold design may not be your style, the X-CHENG fitness tracker checks all the boxes. IP67 water resistance rating, automatic sleep monitoring, heart rate monitor, calorie counter, step counter, and all the other essential fitness tracking abilities are present.

Not only can this thing receive your calls and texts, it also can hook up to your Facebook, Twitter, and other social apps and send all your important notifications right to your wrist! Plus, even with the huge display, the battery should still last you a whole week between charges, meaning you don't have to worry about it dying in the middle of your workouts as often.

You can pick up the X-CHENG fitness tracker for $45.

See at Amazon

Don't trust these unrecognizable brands?

If you don't mind spending a little more money for a brand name you can trust, companies like Fitbit, Xiaomi, Jawbone, and Misfit have some pretty great trackers for under $50.

Best fitness trackers for $50 or less

Do you have any suggestions?

Do you know of any fitness trackers that nobody has heard about? We want to hear from you. Leave us a comment down below!

What better gift to give your friends and family this holiday season, than the gift of health and fitness? Quarantining has become a way of life and we've all been scrambling to come up with ways to stay healthy and fit at home. Whether you're looking for something brand new to spice up home exercise routines or you're looking for the latest and greatest when it comes to purifying your home, we've found the perfect gift for you and yours in our holiday health and fitness gift guide.

Give the gift of health and fitness

At a time where we're all stuck at home more than usual, staying healthy is paramount. What better gift to give than the gift of health and fitness this year? All of the products that made this cut have been tried, tested, and proven to be the best of the best.

Give the gift of connected fitness with The MYX Plus, so the lucky recipient can fully immerse themselves in a boutique studio experience in the comfort of their own home. Or the gift of a pocket masseur, the Addsfit Mini Massage Gun delivers excellent trigger point therapy to get rid of pesky knots and melt stress and tension away. You can never go wrong with Apple products, the new Apple Watch 6 or the Air Pods Pro will bring a smile to anyone's face. Whoever you're shopping for this season, we've found the perfect gift for them in this holiday health and fitness guide.

The best treadmills for Apple Fitness Plus have to work with your Apple Watch. It's a dealbreaker, otherwise, you're buying one that's not fit for purpose.

These need to work with your Apple Watch to track your cardio, so the goals you've set can be met with every workout. Yes, some treadmills test your budget, but if you're serious about getting into shape, they can be a great investment in the long run (sorry). 

It's worth mentioning again, that it's imperative that the one you choose, works with the best Apple Watch wearables, including the one you use every day on your wrist. With this in mind, we've trawled through the team's expert knowledge and experience with treadmills and listed a few that will help you get into better shape for the future.

While I'm not a professional marathon runner or bodybuilder or anything like that, I have been trying to get more active in my life lately. Especially since my job involves sitting behind a computer for most of the day, typing away, physical exercise has never been more important.

Even though I have one of the best Apple Watches, and it does a great job of tracking my workouts, it does so much more than that too. I mean, I get notifications and alerts, I use it for timers and alarms, track my sleep with watchOS 7, and even a phone call now and then. So as you can imagine, the battery on it can drain pretty quickly, especially when you factor in workout tracking with continuous heart rate monitoring.

That's why you should consider a separate external heart rate monitor, such as the Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband. This is the updated version of the original Rhythm+ that former iMore Managing Editor, Serenity Caldwell, tested out a few years ago, and it doesn't disappoint.

Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband: Price and availability

The Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband comes in three colors: Black, Blue, and Gray. You can find it online at Amazon, Target, and directly from Scosche for $80.

Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband: It's comfortable and highly accurate

The Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband is my first standalone heart rate monitor. As someone who has solely relied on the Apple Watch for fitness tracking for a few years now, I like having an alternative that is just as accurate, if not more so.

The strap itself is soft and stretchy while also being adjustable in the middle, so you should have no problems getting it on your upper forearm or even your triceps or biceps. Precise measurements are 40 cm/15.75 inches maximum and 17 cm/6.7 inches minimum. To make things even more convenient, the strap uses a plastic hook that attaches to a small metal pole on the sensor pod itself, so it's super easy to remove the strap and throw it in the washer now and then — don't want to deal with that stinky sweat smell after all those intense workouts, after all.

As far as the heart rate monitor itself, it's encased in a lightweight plastic pod. When you wear it, you will barely notice that it's there, which is a lot better than a chest strap-style heart rate monitor. The Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband uses optical green and yellow LEDs that measure blood flow for a highly accurate reading regardless of skin tone. There is also a built-in accelerometer that further provides hyper-accurate measurements, which is useful for those who are running on varied terrain.

During my testing, I found the Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband to be just as accurate as my Apple Watch Series 5 that I use every day. I did notice some discrepancies, but it was only off by one or two points usually. That's because the Apple Watch does not update as frequently as the Rhythm+2.0.

To turn the Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband on, you need to press the Multi-Function button in the center of the plastic sensor casing (it's hard to miss with the "S" logo). You can directly pair it with your best iPhone, and your heart rate data will be continuously logged in the Health app. You can even link the Rhythm+2.0 with popular third-party apps like Strava or use ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart connections to pair it with sports watches, bike computers, and connected fitness equipment, like Peloton and Garmin. So whether you're an amateur like me who wants to get a little more active or someone training for their next marathon, the Rhythm+2.0 can cover it all.

I've been using the Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband for about a week now with my under-desk elliptical and daily walks. The most impressive thing about it is the long-lasting battery life that can last around 24-hours on a single full charge. In fact, I opened it up and started using it without even charging it up fully, as it already came holding a charge. After a few days with about two hours of workout time, it has around 50% battery left, which is impressive. Compared to the first-generation Rhythm+, you're getting 3x the battery life. The Rhythm+2.0 also shares the same charging cradle as the Rhythm24, which is also on our list of best external heart rate monitors for iPhone and Apple Watch. It shouldn't take more than two hours to get the Rhythm+2.0 fully charged again.

There is a standalone app in the form of Scosche Rhythm Sync, but it doesn't do very much. In fact, if you want to see a live read of your current heart rate and what zone your stats are in, the app will tell you. But you aren't able to record any workouts from the Rhythm Sync app — you need to rely on third parties like Strava for that. The Rhythm Sync app also informs you of the current battery level, and if there are any firmware updates for the monitor, you can update it from the app.

Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband: No way to tell remaining battery life without the app

My biggest issue with the Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband is that you can't tell how much battery life remains on it without the Rhythm Sync app. I'm not sure if this is different with compatible fitness equipment since I don't own any, so I use the Rhythm+2.0 with the Strava app on my iPhone 12 Pro. But from my testing, the only way I can tell how much battery life I have left is by opening up the barebones Rhythm Sync app. It's just another step, and I honestly wish there was some way to indicate the remaining battery from the LED light on the plastic pod. Maybe in the next version.

I also wish that the Rhythm+2.0 just integrated with the Apple Workouts app, which I primarily use. But it doesn't seem to be compatible, even though it sends your heart rate data directly to the Health app. I had to dig up the Strava app to start logging my elliptical workouts and walks with the Rhythm+2.0, which, again, is just another thing to do for someone who has primarily relied on the Apple Watch.

And while you can have an unlimited number of connections with the Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband, it can only be actively paired to one at a time. This means you can't have it actively paired to one device via Bluetooth Smart and another device simultaneously, such as an Apple TV set up with a sports watch.

Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband: Competition

The biggest competing product for the Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband is definitely the latest Apple Watch Series 6. As I've mentioned, the Rhythm+2.0 is just as accurate as the Apple Watch, if not more so. However, the Apple Watch can do so much more than monitor your heart rate — it can track all of your workouts, measure blood oxygen levels, ECG, and more. However, it also costs more, and the battery won't last as long as the Rhythm+2.0 considering that it does more than just heart rate.

Scosche also has the Rhythm24, which is another heart rate monitor armband. It uses optical yellow and green sensors like the Rhythm+2.0 to accurately measure heart rate across all skin tones. It also has 24-hour battery life and the same connection types as the Rhythm+2.0 (Bluetooth Smart or ANT+). However, the biggest difference is that it has battery indicator LEDs on the front, which solves one of the issues I have with the Rhythm+2.0. If you prefer that as well, then the Rhythm24 is a better option to consider.

Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband: Should you buy it?

• You want a dedicated heart rate monitor that's comfortable to wear (not a chest strap)
• You do more rigorous workouts (strength training, etc.) that Apple Watch doesn't handle well enough
• You want an HR monitor with a lot of compatibility

• You don't want a separate heart rate monitor device
• You are satisfied with the HR monitoring of the Apple Watch
• You don't do any intense workouts

If you are someone who does more intense workouts or needs to train for a marathon, or even if you just want a better look at your heart rate while exercising, then the Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband is a good choice. Since it's an armband and not a chest strap, it is much easier and more comfortable to wear, especially since it is stretchy, adjustable, and flexible. It also has an IP68 rating, so it's water and sweatproof, making it a great choice for heavy workouts. And the 24-hour battery life means that you can use this for several workout sessions before having to worry about charging it back up, which is nice. And since it is a dedicated heart rate monitor, it updates your heart rate much more frequently than even an Apple Watch, making it slightly more accurate.

Considering that the Scosche Rhythm+2.0 Heart Rate Monitor Armband is only $80 normally, it's a pretty great value for those who want a dedicated heart rate monitor for their exercise routine. It is compatible with a wide variety of different apps, sports watches, connected fitness equipment, and bike computers, so it's easy to incorporate into your routine, no matter what it is.

However, if you must have battery indicator LEDs on the monitor itself, I would suggest taking a look at the Rhythm24 instead. Otherwise, you'll need to use the Rhythm Sync app to check that for the Rhythm+2.0, which is also $20 cheaper than the Rhythm24.

Battery life on both fitness trackers and smartwatches gets better with each passing year. Case in point is the Withings Move, which promises 18 months of operation before the included CR2430 button cell needs to be replaced. The advanced activity tracker has been designed for simplicity. In doing so, it looks like a traditional analog watch. Inside, it keeps tracks of walks, runs, sleep, swimming, and more. With the HealthKit-compatible Health Mate app, you can view your trends and improvements over time.

The Withings Move is offered in five colors. You'll also be able to custom design your wearable device by selecting from different dials, cases, activity hands, and wrist bands.

Certain activities can affect the battery life of your fitness tracker. If you want to extend battery life to its fullest, you can turn off GPS tracking (if your tracker offers it). Other activities that can affect battery life are using sensors, such as heart rate sensors, often. Using a backlight often will certainly cut down on battery life, so to extend battery life, turn off the backlight. You can also experiment with your Bluetooth or WiFi settings to see what works best.

The Garmin Vivofit 4 and Moov 3D also include replaceable batteries with long battery life. The Garmin includes a CR2 coin cell battery that lasts up to one year, while the Moov 3D offers a CR123A battery that runs for up to six months.

If you're looking for a fitness tracker with a rechargeable battery, consider the Fitbit Charge 4 (one week between charges), the Withings Steel HR Sport (25 days), or the Wyze Band Activity Tracker (10 days).

There's a lot happening within the connected fitness world right now, and we're seeing more and more products and programs popping up that are associated with this space. The pandemic has forced many fitness studios and gyms to close, giving most of us a serious incentive to find new ways to work out at home. I've spent a lot of time trying and researching the best connected fitness equipment, and there's a lot of great programs available today.

I recently tried the Vitruvian V-form trainer, which is a connected strength training machine. Vitruvian's technology works in tandem with you and the Vitruvian app to deliver the perfect weight load in every rep. It's an effective, efficient workout, and an excellent way to strength train at home.

Vitruvian V-form review: Price and availability

Hailing from Australia, the Vitruvian V-form is a brand-new connected fitness strength training program that was officially released in 2020. It's available on the Vitruvian Form site for $2,200. Currently, they're offering free Premium Vitruvian App subscriptions until July 2021. If you're interested in the V-form program, I'd recommend taking advantage of this deal while you can!

A Premium Vitruvian app subscription grants access to a huge and ever-growing library of exercises searchable by muscle group and accessory type, classes led by leading trainers, and technique tutorials with certified coaches. You'll also have the ability to build unlimited customized workouts, earn points, and compete with friends and Vitruvian users worldwide. The app will track and store fine-grain performance data for an incredible motivational experience.

Vitruvian V-form review: Smart, effective, easy to use

Let's talk about how the Vitruvian V-form works. It uses a unique algorithm based on your personal profile to load the correct amount of weight for every rep you do. It's designed to push you, so be prepared to be challenged in every workout. You start by pairing the machine with your app by scanning the QR code on the side of the V-form. Once your machine is connected, select the class that you want to take. I highly recommend watching the Getting Started tutorial before you jump into your first workout, so you really understand how the machine works.

During each class, you'll see your reps and your force or weight displayed on screen. The machine begins by measuring your range of motion during the first three reps of each exercise. You can see your range of motion via the bar displayed on the left side of the screen. Do your best to move through your full range of motion in every rep so the machine can adjust the correct weight load accordingly.

When you hold and pause at the top of your range of motion, the machine knows to increase your weight load, and when you hold and pause at the bottom of your range of motion, the machine decreases the weight load. You want to make sure you're working in a comfortable range so you can hit the top and bottom of your range in every rep. If the machine increases your weight load to the point where you cannot hit the top of your range of motion, it will sense that you're struggling, and will decrease your weight load so you can complete the rep.

This system is designed to increase your weight load after every rep to help you grow stronger. It's an efficient and effective program. The Vitruvian V-form trainer can generate weight loads ranging from 11 pounds to 400 pounds. This should be more than enough weight for most people, but if you're a heavy lifter, it's important to note that Vitruvian weight feels much heavier than static weight, as you have no momentum at all to help you through those extra-heavy reps.

There are 100+ exercises to choose from within the Vitruvian app, and they add to this library frequently. Classes range from 10 to 30-minutes and there are tons of different kinds of workouts to choose from. A few examples of class titles include Upper Body Gains, HIIT, Powerlifting, Back and Biceps, and Balanced Body. I love the variety and the emphasis on strategic muscle groups in each class.

For those that are brand new to strength training and this type of movement, the Vitruvian app also offers lots of tutorials. Tutorials cover everything from How to do a Knee Up to How to do a Suitcase Dealift. If it's an exercise covered in class, there's a tutorial for it. If you're unfamiliar with an exercise, watch the tutorial so you can ensure proper form and prevent injury.

The Vitruvian app is very easy to use and has paired seamlessly with my V-form machine. When you open the app, your activity, classes, workout, profile, and device tabs are displayed from left to right at the bottom of the screen. Your Activity tab shows your recent personal best, your workouts over the last seven days, your weekly, monthly, and yearly progress, and you're complete exercise history.

The Classes tab is where you'll find all of your classes and tutorials. The Workout tab is really cool because you can create your own workouts. You have an enormous catalog of exercises to choose from, so you can really tailor your exercise session to your needs. The Profile tab shows your total workouts, total weight lifted, and total time spent working out. You can also see your recent personal best and how many points you've earned this month.

My favorite component of this tab is the muscle groups pie chart. This shows you (in percentages) where you've been focusing your strength training attention and will give you suggestions on where you could spend more time. For example, in my last workout, I worked my legs 48% of the time, and shoulders 26%. It mentioned that I didn't spent much time on my chest and arms and suggested a few exercises that would target those muscle groups specifically. You can also see the community leaderboards reflected in the Profile tab for the day, week, and month. If you're a leaderboard kind of person and are motivated by a sense of community, the Vitruvian V-form trainer is a great fit for you.

The last tab is the Device tab. This is where all of your settings reside. It's fun because the V-form trainer is equipped with lights that flash and change color while you're working out. This brings a fun party vibe to your strength training sessions. You get to pick your device color scheme too! There are five different color combinations to choose from, one being Stealth, which keeps the lights off if they're just not your thing. The Vitruvian V-form trainer is also equipped with wheels for easy movability. It's flat, fairly compact, and easy to store. I like to slide mine under my bed when it's not in use.

Vitruvian V-form review: Heavy, no music, production value could improve

Ok, let's talk about the not so great things. The Vitruvian V-form trainer is extremely heavy. It's easily over 100 pounds. It does have wheels for movability, but it still requires serious physical strength to move it from point A to point B. It's not so much of a hassle moving it around the house, but if you're temporarily relocating it, or moving it permanently after it's out of box for example, it requires some power to move it, lift it, and roll it.

Take note that there is no music in the V-form classes or tutorials. I was very surprised by this as music is a major driving force behind most fitness classes. It's definitely an aspect I like to have every time I work out, so I really missed it while I was taking Vitruvian classes. I suppose you could play your own music in the background via a separate speaker, but you'd have to turn it down low enough to hear the instructor and getting the separate levels right might be challenging.

The production value of the V-form classes leaves something to be desired. The trainers are all individually great, and they have good energy. However, they're situated in front of an all-white background, and there's nothing else aside from them and the V-form trainer. Plus, there's no music whatsoever. Music would be a welcome addition, and so would a more interesting background. When comparing it to some of the other top connected fitness apps, like Peloton, there's definitely a noticeable difference, and room for improvement when it comes to overall production value.

Vitruvian V-form review: Competition

MYX Fitness

MYX Fitness is another connected fitness program that works in tandem with the affiliated MYX app to store all of your performance data and keep you motivated towards your fitness goals. It's different than Vitruvian V-form because its program emphasizes indoor cycling on top of cross-training in fitness modalities like Pilates, barre, yoga, sculpt, HIIT, mobility, and meditation. I have tried both and feel that MYX is much more all-encompassing. It offers classes in multiple fitness modalities opposed to just strength classes. Plus, it comes in at a lower price point. You get everything you need to create your own home gym with The MYX Plus for $1499.

Tonal

Tonal is very similar to Vitruvian V-form in the sense that it's a connected strength training machine. You affix Tonal to your wall, and it uses a patented digital weight system to make thousands of calculations a second to deliver a smooth weight lifting experience using magnets and electricity. It can deliver up to 200 pounds of resistance, which is a lot less than the V-form's 400 pounds. The V-form definitely wins when it comes to weight load. Tonal is also much more expensive. It starts at $2995.

Vitruvian V-form review: Should you buy it?

• You're looking for a connected strength trainer
• You're interested in smart weight loading
• You love community and an easy to use app

• You think you're going to move it around a lot
• You want music in class
• You want high production value

You should buy this if you're looking for a connected strength training program specifically. Vitruvian offers over a hundred strength classes and tutorials, and the V-form library is growing all of the time. The algorithm they use, on top of smart weight loading, provides a very effective, efficient strength training workout. The Vitruvian app is user-friendly and offers helpful insights and suggestions to help you reach your fitness goals. A Vitruvian Premium subscription enables you to compete with friends and users worldwide. Remember, you can subscribe to Vitruvian Premium for free until July 2021.

I would not recommend this if you're envisioning moving it around a lot. It is extremely heavy. Be aware that there is no background music in the Vitruvian classes or tutorials. This is something, that I personally, really missed. The production value also leaves something to be desired.

Vitruvian V-form is a great connected strength training machine. The smart weight loading is what this program is based on, and ensures the perfect weight load in every rep. It challenges and pushes you in each exercise to help you grow stronger and meet your fitness goals. Vitruvian Premium offers leaderboards and the ability to compete with friends and users around the globe.

Take note that it is extremely heavy but does have wheels for short distance moves. The production value is lacking a bit, and there is no music in the classes or tutorials. Overall, I think it's a great machine in itself. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a connected strength training program, that wouldn't miss having music drive their workouts.

Even when you work remotely, getting some exercise at home is super important — especially if you find you can't get to the gym regularly. Just slap on your best Apple Watch and start progressing on your rings every day. With so many resources and apps to help you find a workout routine, it's easy to find something that uses no equipment, some equipment, or lots of equipment. Regardless of what workout routine you want to implement while you work from home, there are bound to be some items that you could use to get your sweat on.

Find a routine that works for you

Not everyone can do the same workout and get results when they exercise at home, which is why it's important to find a routine that works for you. Whether it's through fitness apps or just your own knowledge, there are lots of different tools you can use at home to get a good workout.

A good yoga mat is the most useful workout tool for most people, so picking up a BalanceFrom GoYoga All-Purpose Mat is a great choice. You don't have to do yoga to make use of it since plenty of home exercises like squats, push-ups, planks, and more can make use of a good yoga mat.

If you have the money, the Sunny Health and Fitness stationary bike is a great compact bike that will help you burn many calories whenever you want. Biking is a wonderful form of exercise and is very easy on your knees, so biking is a great option if you have bad knees. Alternatively, if you already have a bike, the Sportneer bike trainer stand is an easy (and cheaper) way to ride inside.

The UREVO 2-in-1 Treadmill is called a "two in one" treadmill because it serves two different purposes. You can use it under a standing desk, such as the Flexispot adjustable desk, and walk while you work. You can also use it on its own, without a desk. It has a moveable bar that folds down for under-desk use and pulls up when you use the treadmill on its own.

Like many of you, I do a lot of working from home at my computer. These days I hardly leave the house at all. That doesn't mean I want to remain in a chair all day, no matter how comfortable it is. I like to change up positions and it's important for me to stay active. The UREVO treadmill has been a great addition to my home office. In fact, I'm writing this entire review as I walk at a slow and easy 1.4 miles per hour.

Get more active

UREVO 2-in-1 Treadmill: What I like

I find the UREVO 2-in1 Treadmill makes it easy to just move more throughout the day. Being cooped up indoors nearly all day, every day in the long cold winter, it's easy to go from desk to couch to bed and not much more than that. I do work out regularly but have been struggling to stay active throughout the day. Since I've gotten the UREVO treadmill, I've been logging more steps in my day. It's just so easy. I stick it under my desk for a portion of my workday and/or I hop on for a bit while I'm taking a computer break.

The UREVO treadmill comes fully assembled (thank goodness). It has a bar that pulls up for use as a regular treadmill and folds down for use under a standing desk. It's pretty flat with the bar down, and can be stored under a bed or perhaps a sofa when not in use. There are wheels underneath the front end of the treadmill so you can move it easily.

The bar has treadmill controls on it, plus a slot to place your iPhone if you want to watch videos while you walk. The treadmill does come with a remote control to use when you have the bar folded down. Both work just fine. The shock-absorbing running belt is 16.9 inches wide and 42.5 inches long.

With the bar down, you can use it under your desk at up to 3.8 miles per hour. You can run up to 7.6 miles per hour with the bar up, though I'm not a runner, so I have not tested it extensively at high speeds. It has a 2.5 horsepower motor. An LED display on the front of the treadmill helps you track your speed, calories, time, and distance.

It's not the gym

UREVO 2-in-1 Treadmill: What I don't like

This is not a treadmill like the one you'd find in a gym. First of all, the weight limit is 265 pounds. There is no incline feature at all, which is a feature you'd expect from a serious treadmill. The bar is sturdy enough but it does wiggle a bit. Also note that the power button is underneath the treadmill, in the upper right-hand corner. For some reason that took me forever to find.

The competition

The FluidStance Balance Board is a non-mechanical option for incorporating some motion into your workday. Just staying upright and balanced on this board engages your core muscles as you work at your standing desk.

If you're looking for a real treadmill, NordicTrack is a popular option. Run or walk on this fully-featured treadmill, but it's not what you'd use under a desk.

UREVO 2-in-1 Treadmill: Should you buy

You want to be more active

Whether you use this on its own or under your desk, you'll easily be able to log more steps without leaving the house.

You want to walk while you work at your standing desk

Set it for a low speed and you can walk while you work, which I'm doing as I write this review.

You don't want to devote a whole room to a treadmill

You won't need a dedicated home gym for the UREVO treadmill. It's fairly compact, plus with the bar folded down, you can quickly roll it under a bed or couch when not in use.

You want a treadmill like the one you use at the gym

You won't find as many features, nor it is as heavy-duty as treadmills you find at the gym.

You want to walk or run on an incline

Nope, no incline feature here.

You're a larger person

As a woman of very average height and weight, this treadmill is very comfortable for me, but it might not be for everyone. The walking/running belt is a relatively small 16.9-by-42.5 inches — if you're very tall it might not be ideal. Plus, the weight limit is 265 pounds.

The UREVO 2-in-1 Treadmill is a great product for the person who is looking to incorporate more activity into their workday, or just wants a simple home treadmill that doesn't take up too much space. I've logged a lot of steps using it both under my standing desk and on its own. It's not a gym-level treadmill, it doesn't have an incline feature, nor will it accommodate larger people.

I keep the UREVO 2-in-1 Treadmill in my home office. Sometimes I place it under my desk and walk slowly while I work, as I'm doing right now. Otherwise, I keep it near my desk and just do a quick 10 or 20-minute walk when I want to stretch my legs or take a phone call or computer break. It's really great for both purposes. If I were training for a marathon, however, I'd probably get more of a full-featured, heavy-duty treadmill. But for just getting more steps in every day, this treadmill has been fantastic.

I've put a lot of research into finding the best connected fitness equipment available on the market today and FightCamp is one of my favorites overall. FightCamp is a boxing and kick boxing program designed for total body fitness. It blends body punches, defensive moves, plyometric sprints, and body-weight exercises to build ever-changing combinations that will keep your mind engaged and your body guessing. You'll train with some of the top boxers in the business and there are hundreds of different workouts, drills, and tutorials to choose from. You'll get real-time performance stats as you work out and can compete against yourself or see how you stack up against others on the FightCamp leaderboards. I'd recommend this program to individuals and families who absolutely love boxing and kick boxing.

FightCamp Review: What I like

FightCamp Personal comes with all of the necessary equipment you'll need to box and kick box like a pro. You'll receive an extra-large, heavy, durable workout mat that measures eight feet by four feet, and a circular mat designed to keep your punching bag firmly in place. You'll get the FightCamp free-standing bag and base, and you'll receive FightCamp quick wraps, premium boxing gloves (in a size of your choice), and punch trackers so you can monitor and record all of your performance stats.

After you get your gear, you'll want to charge your FightCamp punch trackers right away. While they're charging, download the FightCamp app (available for iOS only) and create a user profile. Once your punch trackers are fully charged, just tap them to wake them up and connect them to your profile in the FightCamp app. One should flash red and one should flash blue. The red flashing punch tracker goes in the right-handed, red quick wrap, and the blue flashing punch tracker goes in the left-handed, blue quick wrap.

FightCamp found and paired with my punch trackers right away. I didn't have any pairing issues and the good news is you should only have to pair them once. These punch trackers are how you track and record all of your performance metrics. You'll want to make sure they're connected to the app and you should use them every time you do a FightCamp workout so you can ensure you're getting the most out of every session.

From there, go into the app and click the three little dots that say more at the bottom of the screen. Under support, you'll see a lightning bolt symbol that says Getting Started next to it. Click that to go through a FightCamp intro workout so you can familiarize yourself with basic moves. Click the Understanding the Live Screen video so you understand what all of the live screen metrics mean during your workouts. Watch Using the Punch Trackers to see how to activate, charge, connect, and put your trackers to sleep.

I highly recommend watching all three of the Getting Started video tutorials or you're going to feel very lost. Especially, if you're brand new to boxing. Also, I want to note that they do not send you a paper user manual with the equipment, just a quick start guide. The full FightCamp user manual can be found on the website or in the app in the same more section as the aforementioned tutorial videos. Once you've got the tutorials under your belt, you're ready to start boxing.

FightCamp offers hundreds of different boxing and kick boxing workouts, drills, and tutorials to choose from. Workouts are categorized into three levels: open (all levels), intermediate, and advanced. If you're brand new to boxing (like me), FightCamp recommends you start your journey with The Prospect Path. This series of workouts and tutorials will teach you boxing techniques and skills, while also challenging you physically. If you're an experienced boxer, you should start with FightCamp's Contender Path, which is a series of workouts designed to challenge even the most experienced boxers.

I'm brand new to boxing so I'm on The Prospect Path and let me tell you, the workout is no joke. It is a true full body workout and it can get intense, so be prepared to sweat. I like to do quick 15 to 20-minute, four round sessions. I'm still working my way up towards longer, eight round workouts. The instructors I've trained with have all been great and they each have their own unique voice and style. The music is also awesome. I'm big on great tunes as they are the primary, motivating force driving my workouts.

You can select which genre of music you want to listen to prior to jumping into a workout, which is an excellent feature. FightCamp's music stations include electronic/dance, rock, top 40, 2000's pop, pop remixes, throwback hip-hop (my personal favorite), today's hip-hop, 80's hip-hop, and house beats. This way, you can pick the vibe before you work out and it's guaranteed that you're going to love the playlist.

What makes FightCamp a top contender in the connected fitness game is the punch tracker technology it utilizes. Your punch trackers are how you track and record all of your performance metrics, so you'll absolutely want to use them every time you do a workout. The app actually won't let you proceed with a workout if you're trackers aren't connected. I highly recommend connecting the FightCamp app to your Apple TV or to your TV with an HDMI adaptor so you can watch class on a big screen. It is virtually impossible to follow along on a tiny iPhone screen.

I use screen mirroring to connect the FightCamp app with my Apple TV and it works well. Once you choose a workout, you'll see several different real-time metrics displayed on-screen. In the upper left-hand corner, you'll see a timer that represents how much time is left in the round, interval, or rest. Below that, you'll see your current round, and how many rounds are left in the workout. The upper right-hand corner of the screen shows your punch goal. Your punch goal represents the minimum punch count your trainer wants you to throw in the round.

You'll also see your punch count. That keeps track of how many punches you have thrown during the workout. Next to that is your punch rate, or how many punches you're able to throw in a minute. You'll also see your punch output. This score represents how much effort you are putting into your punching intervals. When you choose a specific workout you also choose a workout mode, i.e. you choose who you are competing against.

You can choose to compete against the FightCamp average where you benchmark yourself against the average FightCamp user's performance. You can choose to compete against an opponent where you compete privately against another player's past workout performance. You can compete against yourself where you try to beat your previous high score for that specific workout. Or you can go solo, where it's just you and your awesomeness. Each workout has a leaderboard where you can see how you stack up against other FightCamp users. If you're a fan of friendly competition and motivation, you will love looking at the leaderboards.

FightCamp review: What I don't like

FightCamp was very difficult for me to set up. First of all, it's huge. It has a very large footprint (four feet by eight feet), so be prepared to set aside some substantial space for all of this equipment. Second of all, the base must be filled with 230 to 250 pounds of sand or water. In one of the getting started tutorials, the trainer mentions how easy it is to move and store the bag. It's not. It is extremely heavy and very difficult to move once full.

I did not have a bunch of sand on hand to fill the base with, so I went the water route. We don't have a hose or hose hookup at our house, so I had to fill it via my kitchen sink which was not an easy task. It also took an extraordinarily long time. Once the base was full, I had to have my husband help me move it with a dolly to the center of our living room where I wanted it. You must set it up where you can easily view a TV screen as it's a piece of connected fitness equipment.

It took an exceptional amount of elbow grease on both of our parts to fill and move it. Additionally, once it's full, you have to flip four flaps on the bag itself over the lip of the base and attach it firmly with Velcro straps. This was not easy either. The whole process took over an hour from start to finish.

FightCamp only works with iOS — sorry Android users. It's also modality specific to boxing and kick boxing alone. Many other connected fitness systems include multiple exercise modalities for cross-training purposes. FightCamp only offers boxing and kick boxing workouts. You'll want to make sure you really love the workout before purchasing this equipment as it is expensive and modality specific.

The competition

FitXR

FitXR is a boxing and dancing fitness game designed for Oculus Quest. It's obviously different than FightCamp because it's meant for virtual reality, but the boxing workout itself is very similar. You're boxing your way into shape with both. FitXR is a must if you love boxing, VR, and you have an Oculus. It's also much less expensive than FightCamp. However, if you're looking for a real-life training experience, FightCamp can't be beat.

Liteboxer

Liteboxer is another at-home connected boxing fitness system. It has a slightly smaller footprint, and the setup is different. Instead of punching a bag, you're punching a shield that lights up. The goal is to punch the flashing lights on the shield to the beat. You'll get real-time stats and track progress on a performance dashboard. Liteboxer uses your phone or tablet to measure power, track calories, and display your point totals while building strength and endurance. FightCamp is less expensive and delivers a more true-to-life training experience.

FightCamp review: Should you buy

You love boxing and kick boxing

FightCamp offers hundreds of boxing and kick boxing workouts, drills, and tutorials, but is modality specific.

You love friendly competition and community

FightCamp uses punch tracker technology and leaderboards so you can see how you stack up against the growing FightCamp community.

You have an iOS device

FightCamp is only compatible with iOS.

You don't have a lot of space

FightCamp has a very large footprint. It needs an eight by four-foot space in view of a TV.

You don't like boxing or kick boxing

FightCamp only offers boxing and kick boxing workouts.

You're an Android user

FightCamp works with iOS devices only.

FightCamp is a great connected fitness program if you love boxing and kick boxing. It comes with all of the durable, high-quality gear necessary to set up your own training ring at home. The instructors are top notch and the music is on point. There are hundreds of workouts to choose from and the punch tracker technology takes this system to the next level. Keep in mind that FightCamp is only compatible with iOS and that this program is modality specific to boxing and kick boxing alone. Make sure that you have a solid eight by four-foot space in view of a television or iOS compatible device to set everything up.

I've had the pleasure of testing and reviewing some of the best massage guns on the market. I'm a huge advocate of massage therapy. I think using a massage gun daily is an excellent practice for everyone — whether you're someone who works on the computer all day long or you're a professional athlete. Using a massage gun on a regular basis can help alleviate stress and tension, promoting better mental and physical health, aid in muscle performance and rehabilitation, reduce the risk of injury, reduce inflammation, increase blood and lymphatic flow, and activate the nervous system.

I love the Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun because it features heated percussion therapy. It comes with five interchangeable massage heads, one of which can be heated. Heat on top of vibrational therapy is a winning combination. It feels absolutely divine on sore, stiff muscles. I can literally feel the pain and tension melt away. I'd highly recommend this massage gun to anyone looking to elevate their massage practice with a little heat.

Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun: What I like

What sets the Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun apart from all the others is the heated massage head. This little attachment has truly been lifechanging and has become my all-time favorite massage head to use. It can heat to temperatures ranging from 107 to 118-degrees Fahrenheit and it feels absolutely incredible. Any massage enthusiast knows that adding heat to massage therapy is a great combination.

Heated massage improves blood circulation, helps relax sore and stiff muscles, and relieves pain. It also helps me immensely with stress relief and anxiety. If you have a tendency to get deep seeded knots that simply won't go away, hold the heated head over the knot for one minute straight and feel your knot completely dissolve. I love using this heated head all over my body, but my favorite spots to target are the neck, shoulders, booty, legs, and feet.

The Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun comes with five interchangeable massage heads (including the heated head). It comes with a large, round ball head designed to improve recovery and reduce muscle soreness with gentle oblique impact. This is a great head to use on bulk muscle groups, sensitive areas, and individuals that tend to be more sensitive overall. The flat head is for muscles and areas that need a little more help — it stimulates deep-tissue release.

The U-shaped head is designed for your spine. It loosens up tough back tissue and improves flexibility. It feels wonderful on your neck! The bullet head looks wicked, but its abilities are amazing. It's designed to specifically target problem areas and deep knots for deep tissue therapy and release. You can kiss deep seated pain and hard to reach knots goodbye when you utilize the bullet head.

The Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun features five different speed options. These speed levels allow you to choose the right intensity for a particular muscle group or trigger point. Level one operates at 1600 percussions per minute, level two at 2000, level three is 2400, level four is at 2800, and level five has 3200. When it comes to massage guns, I'm an advanced practitioner at this point, but I still like to hang out at levels one or two. Levels three through five get really intense for me. I advise you to always start at level one and work your way up to those higher levels.

The Lifepro FusionX's handle is rubber and texturized, making it super easy to grip and maneuver. It's very simple to use. There's an on/off switch on the bottom of the handle and a power and heat button on the butt of the gun. The power button allows you to toggle through all the speed settings, and LCD lights let you know what speed level you're on. The heat button lights up on either side to let you know the device is warming up. The rechargeable battery delivers up to five hours of work time.

Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun: What I don't like

The Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun is pricier than some of the other massage guns I've reviewed. However, in this case, you're paying extra for the heated head which is more than worth the additional cost in my opinion. I don't like that you have to wait a full 10 minutes for the heated head to warm up, though. I tend to be impatient and want immediate heat; ten minutes isn't long, but when you're eager for heated massage therapy, it can feel long. I wish the heating process was speedier.

Also, please note that this massage gun is not designed for more than 20 minutes of continuous use. After each 20-minute session, the Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun needs a 10-minute break to cool down and prevent overheating. This is a letdown. I would love to be able to use the heated attachment for longer sessions, say 30 to 45 minutes. I wish it could operate for longer periods of time safely without needing a cooldown session.

The competition

Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun

I recently reviewed the Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun which is awesome because it's 100% waterproof. This is a massage gun you can fully submerge in the bath, jacuzzi, or spa to get the added benefit of heated massage therapy. It's less expensive than the Lifepro FusionX, but it's not as powerful and the percussion rhythms it delivers can be inconsistent. If you're looking for something that is waterproof, the Geneinno GT-1 is the way to go. If you're looking for heated massage therapy out of the water, the Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun is the right choice.

Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun

I've also reviewed the Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun, which is my go-to gun if I'm looking for the ultimate in deep amplitude and power. It delivers up to 15 millimeters of amplitude and packs an extremely powerful punch. Like the FusionX, it comes with five interchangeable massage heads but does not include a heated option. If you want an extra heavy hitter, the Opove M3 Pro is the right massage tool for you. If you want the option of heated massage therapy, the LifePro FusionX is the way to go!

Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun: Should you buy

You want heated massage therapy

The Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun comes with one heated massage head. It can heat to temperatures between 107 to 118-degrees Fahrenheit.

You want multiple massage heads

This massage gun comes with five interchangeable massage heads.

You want something that's easy to use and easy to grip

The Lifepro FusionX is extremely easy to use and features a rubber, texturized grip for easy maneuvering.

You're on a budget

This massage gun is on the pricier side, but you're paying for that heated massage head.

You're impatient with the heating process

The Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun takes a full 10 minutes to heat up.

You want more than 20 minutes of continuous use

This massage gun cannot operate for longer than 20 minutes and needs at least a 10-minute cooldown in between sessions.

The Lifepro FusionX Massage Gun is a powerful massage therapy tool that features a heated massage head. If you love heated massage, and you love massage guns, this is your new best friend. It comes with five interchangeable massage heads (one heated), and features five speed options, easy operation, and an easy to grip handle. I highly recommend this massage gun to anyone looking to turn up the heat for heated massage therapy.

Water is the source of life, and access to clean water with the best filtered water bottles all of the time is essential to our health and survival. If you've ever been sick from drinking water that wasn't clean, chances are good that you never want to repeat the experience. If you're one of the lucky ones that has never been ill from drinking dirty water, trust me, you'll want to keep it that way. Sometimes it's difficult to drink clean water on-the-go, or while traveling or camping, which is why UVC purifying water bottles were created (thank goodness).

I tried the Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle and this bottle is a gem. It uses UVC light to purify your water efficiently and effectively. It's convenient and perfect for travel, camping, or keeping on your bedside table so you don't have to run to the Brita in the middle of the night. It features six beautiful colors, two cleaning modes, and is eco-friendly and sustainable. Give yourself the gift of pure water anytime, anywhere with the Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle.

Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle review: What I like

I love that the Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle cleans water quickly and efficiently on-the-go. It's convenient, easy to use, and perfect for travel. Kiyo uses UVC technology to purify drinking water, eradicating up to 99.99% of bacteria (hooray). I'm big on saving the planet and reducing my carbon footprint whenever and wherever I can. Kiyo enables me to ditch wasteful plastic water bottles, making it sustainable and eco-friendly. I have pristine water at my fingertips anytime, anywhere, and that's a beautiful thing.

If you love to travel, camp out, and go on adventures, and the Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle is the perfect companion. Sometimes, it's difficult to ensure our drinking water is pure unless it comes from a plastic bottle, especially in the midst of the pandemic. With Kiyo, you'll have peace of mind knowing that the water you're drinking is squeaky clean with the swipe of a finger.

Before using your Kiyo, remove the cap and set it aside. Wash the bottle with soap and warm water. You must charge the UVC cap before it can start purifying. There's a small charging port on the side of the cap. The Monos emblem on top of the bottle will glow red when your Kiyo is plugged in and charging and will turn off when it's fully charged. If the UVC cap battery is low, the Monos emblem will blink red.

The Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle features two, easy-to-use cleaning modes. Swipe or tap the Monos emblem on the top of the bottle once for a quick clean, and twice for a deep clean. The Monos sensor on the top of the Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle is very sensitive. When I first opened this, I thought you had to press firmly on it like a button for it to start the cleaning process. I was wrong. It only requires the softest of taps or a gentle swipe.

The Monos emblem will glow blue when it's in Quick Clean mode, and the purification process takes one minute total. It's recommended that you use Quick Clean mode if you're getting water from a trusted, portable source. For extra purification and peace of mind, use Deep Clean mode. The Monos emblem will glow green when it's deep cleaning, and that purification process takes a total of three minutes.

Monos, the manufacturer, recommends that you give the Kiyo bottle a few gentle shakes while your water is being purified to ensure it's all cleaned evenly by the UVC light. When the Monos emblem light turns off, the purification cycle is complete, and you can enjoy delicious, clean water. The Kiyo purified water tastes great! Very similar to the Brita purified drinking water I enjoy at home. The Kiyo has been a godsend while flying. I can pull water from the drinking fountain or the sink in the restroom, and rest assured knowing I can purify it and drink it safely on the plane.

I haven't had the opportunity yet, but the Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle is a definite must have on trips or adventures where I don't have easy access to clean drinking water. One of my favorite things to do with my Kiyo is keep it on my bedside table at night. I get really dehydrated when I sleep and often wake up for drinks of water. Kiyo has enabled me to avoid making frequent, groggy trips to the kitchen for purified water in the middle of the night. Instead, I fill it up from my en suite bathroom sink and do a quick clean. It's easy to get fresh tasting water right way, so I can get back to dreamland quickly.

Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle review: What I don't like

The Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle is pricey, but you're paying for the designer name and the zen-like aesthetic. The Kiyo bottle comes in six gorgeous colors: Castle Rock, Graphite, Blue Hour, Salt Spring (the one I have), Meadow, and Tuscan Sun. A note from the designer says, "with gentle curves and a stone-like texture, the design of Kiyo is reminiscent of smooth pebbles from a riverbed – their edges softened over time by the flow of rushing water." It really is lovely and soothing to look at.

Unlike some of Kiyo's top competitors, it does not have an automatic self-cleaning mode. However, the UVC sanitation process can take place when the bottle is empty which seems like exactly the same thing to me – sans the automatic bit. If you want to UVC clean your empty bottle, simply tap or swipe the Monos emblem on the cap once for a quick clean, or twice for a deep clean. Keep in mind that the Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle cannot go in the dishwasher; not even the base. All parts must be gently cleaned by hand with warm water and soap. Also, the UVC cap is splash proof, but cannot be completely submerged underwater, so clean carefully. The charging port always must be closed while cleaning.

The competition

UVBrite Self-cleaning Water-purifying Bottle

Like the Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle, the UVBrite Self-cleaning Water-purifying Bottle is outfitted with a UVC cap to purify your water and reduce microbes up to 99.99%. It's equipped with a safety lock to prevent accidental exposure to UVC light and this light cannot be activated once the cap is removed. It's made of food-grade, stainless steel making it durable for long-term use.

It features two sterilizing modes like the Kiyo. Pressing the touch sensor once activates normal sterilizing mode and twice activates blitz mode. Unlike the Kiyo, it also has an intelligent self-cleaning function which switches on every six hours to ensure that the bottle is always sanitized. This bottle is much less expensive than the Kiyo, but it's not as aesthetically pleasing. It comes in two basic colors: black and cyan.

CrazyCap 2.0 UV Water Purifier

This UVC sterilizing water bottle also features a UVC cap to purify your water chemically free. It also has a convenient self-cleaning feature that activates every four hours to stop bacteria and mold from breeding to keep your bottle mold free and odorless. It features two cleaning modes, two taps for a quick clean that will purify your water in 60 seconds, and five taps to completely purify your water in two minutes.

It's crafted of stainless steel with a vacuum, double-walled construction. It will keep drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. This bottle comes in four colors, but I prefer the aesthetic of the Kiyo. I also don't like that you have to tap it five times for blitz cleaning mode. Why five? I prefer the simplicity of Kiyo.

Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle review: Should you buy

You want an effective, efficient way to clean your water on-the-go

The Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle removes 99.99% of bacteria from your water quickly and efficently. It features two cleaning modes: Quick Clean takes 60 seconds and Deep Clean takes three minutes.

You want something sustainable

The Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle can clean water anytime, anywhere — removing the need for wasteful, plastic water bottles.

You love to adventure and travel

The Kiyo is the perfect adventure and travel companion. It provides access to pristine, pure drinking water wherever you are.

You're looking for a budget option

The Kiyo is pricey. You're paying for a designer brand and a lovely aesthetic.

You want an automatic self-cleaning mode

The Kiyo does not have an automatic self-cleaning mode. You can UVC clean the empty bottle with the tap or swipe of a finger however, it just won't clean automatically.

You want something dishwasher safe

The Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle is hand wash only.

The Kiyo Purifying Water Bottle is an aesthetically beautiful, UVC purifying, sustainable water bottle. It provides fast, clean water on-the-go. It's a convenient companion while traveling, camping, adventuring, or simply hanging out at home. It features two cleaning modes: Quick Clean (60 seconds) and Deep Clean (three minutes) and will kill 99.99% of bacteria for pristine water at your fingertips wherever you are. It is pricey, but the convenience and aesthetic of this product make it worth it. Also, keep in mind that it must be gently washed by hand and to never submerge the UVC cap underwater.

Being well rested is a must if you're looking to put your best foot forward in all that you do. Lack of sleep greatly effects your mood, ability to focus and operate, memory and overall health. If you want to get anything done, a good night's rest is the best way to start. Meditation has been proven to reduce stress, control anxiety, promote emotional health, enhance self-awareness, lengthen attention span, reduce age-related memory loss, improve sleep, and even help control pain.

That being said, I think all of us could greatly benefit from better sleep and a consistent meditation practice. I often have a really difficult time shutting my brain off at night and a consistent, seated meditation practice is something I've tried, but have never succeeded in. Muse S, the brain sensing headband, has helped me monitor and track my sleep as well as find a meditation practice that works for me. It's comfortable and easy to use. I'd recommend this product to anyone interested in meditation, getting better sleep, and improving their overall mental and physical health.

Muse S review: What I like

Well let's start with the obvious, I love that Muse S is a sleep and meditation assistant. I suffer from bad anxiety and I've found that getting better sleep and a consistent meditation practice helps immensely. I love to practice and teach yoga and consider yoga to be a sort of moving meditation. However, I've never been able to develop a consistent seated meditation practice. Muse S has made seated (or non-moving) meditation more accessible to me than ever before.

There are tons of different meditations to choose from. Muse offers different medication exercises in six categories: mind meditation, heart meditation, body meditation, breath meditation, guided meditation, and timed meditation. They also add to their meditation library all of the time. For example, I just did a new self-care, guided meditation on Being Kind to Yourself, which is so important!

You're able to track and measure your meditation progress. After each session, you'll see how you responded to your meditation with simple and easy to understand post-session reporting. Muse will break down your session into three categories: Muse Points, Recoveries, and Birds. Muse Points are awarded for every second you meditate in a neutral and calm state. You receive one point per second spent in neutral and three points per second spent in calm.

Recoveries from active to neutral represent effort spent noticing your distractions – this helps with the ability to focus. Birds are awarded when you've been calm for a long time within the session. They are delightful to hear, but sometimes they can be distracting. I'll get so excited about a bird chiming in, that my brain starts going haywire. Then I just have to focus on calming my mind, recovering, and coming back to my calm state.

Before you begin a meditation exercise, the Muse app will give you specific meditation instructions pertaining to that exercise. You can choose a session length from anywhere between five to 45 minutes. I'm definitely a meditation beginner and am still on five to 10-minute meditations. Anything beyond that, and I start to get fidgety. I recommend starting with five minutes and working your way up. The more consistent you are, the longer you'll be able to meditate.

Performing these simple meditations every day has provided wonderful stress relief and has really helped curb my anxiety. I also find that I have more energy throughout my day and get better sleep if I meditate. I love that Muse offers so much variety within their meditation exercises. Whether you're into soundscapes or guided meditations, anyone and everyone can find a meditation practice that works for them within Muse's extensive library.

I love that the Muse S headband itself is soft, adjustable, and extremely comfortable to wear. It monitors your brain activity and tailors the meditation or sleep exercise you choose specifically to you. The headband connects to the Muse app via Bluetooth. The headband has six sensors located on the inside of the band that monitor your heart, mind, body, and breath. Before you begin a sleep or meditation exercise, make sure that your headband is charged and connected.

The headband will perform an automatic sensor check to make sure that everything is connected and good to go before your exercise starts. Because Muse S is a sleep tracker, it's designed to be worn to bed. It really is super comfy to sleep in — I hardly even notice that it's there. You'll want to fit it snuggly to your head before bed. If you're a wild sleeper, it can shift out of place while you're snoozing, but I move around a lot while I sleep, and mine stays in place well enough to give me accurate readings throughout the night.

I love the sleep tracking aspect of this device. I've always been so curious about my sleep patterns. Muse S uses EEG-powered sleep tracking to deliver insights on how long you spend in each sleep stage and position, your heart rate throughout the night, and your stillness percentage. Muse puts all of these insights on a timeline within your app and will give you an overall sleep score out of 100 for that particular night. An average sleep score is 75, so anything above that is considered restful, and anything below indicates that you could use more shut eye.

Muse S has a plethora of offerings to put you to sleep. You can choose from soundscapes (my personal favorite) or guidances (which are also great). There are a bunch of different categories and guided sleep meditations to choose from within these two umbrella categories. Soundscapes include categories such as underwater, stillness, soothing piano, and sound bath, and guidances include options like Still the Spinning Mind, Lavender Field Journey, and At the End of the Rainbow.

I've done both soundscape and guidance sleep exercises, and all have been wonderful. Once you choose your sleep exercise, it acts as a catalyst to put you to sleep faster (and deeper) and begin your sleep monitoring. I also love that you don't have to leave the app open on your phone. You can choose your sleep meditation, put your iPhone to sleep, and the sleep exercise will continue to play.

Muse S features a 10-hour battery life which is impressive as is, but I think mine has lasted even longer. I think mine has been able to go almost 12 hours without needing a charge. With a battery life like this, you can safely monitor a full night's rest without worrying about it running out of battery and not being able to record your sleep stats.

Muse S review: What I don't like

The truth of the matter is that the Muse S is very pricey, but it's hard to put a price on your overall mental and physical health am I right? Ok, so this unit is expensive, but it's a high-tech piece of equipment that monitors your brainwaves. I do feel it's a little overpriced, but it is an excellent sleep and meditation assistant. If you're interested in meditating and want better rest, I've found it to be very effective and a worthy investment.

Another bummer about this device being a headband is that it can slide out of place. Not while you're meditating (obviously), because you're supposed to be still; but certainly, while you sleep. I will say that I am a crazy sleeper – just ask my husband, and Muse S has managed to hold on tight while I'm catching Z's. At least enough to deliver accurate and consistent sleep tracking. If it does shift out of place, there will be flat lines in your data where it wasn't connected or it shifted, but overall, it monitors your sleep throughout the night quite well.

The competition

The URGOnight is similar to the Muse S in the sense that it's an EEG-powered sleep trainer. It monitors your brainwaves and tracks your sleep habits to ultimately help you get better rest. It's a little different though, because it's solely a sleep trainer, not a meditation assistant, and the URGOnight headband is not designed to be worn all night — only while you're training. The URGOnight training sessions are all capped at 20 minutes and there is a countdown of 12 hours after each session before you can do another.

You choose the theme of your session and URGO night will provide a number of different visual and audio cues (via the app) to monitor your SMR brainwaves. It's very pricey, but has been proven to be effective in achieving better sleep. I would pick the Muse S over the URGOnight because it's significantly less expensive and it's both a meditation and sleep assistant - more bang for your buck! Ultimately, it depends on what your personal goals and preferences are when it comes to choosing one of these products.

If you're someone who is not interested in meditation assistance, and doesn't want to wear an EEG tracking headband all night long, the URGOnight is the right choice for you. It features short 20 minute sleep training sessions to help you achieve better rest. If you're someone that's interested in both meditation and sleep tracking, the Muse S is the way to go. It comes at a lower price point and you can pick session lengths between five and 45 minutes. It features an enormous library of all different kinds of exercises.

Muse S review: Should you buy

You're curious about meditation, but don't know where to start

Muse S makes meditation accessible to everyone! The Muse app offers tons of different meditation exercises within six categories: mind meditation, heart meditation, body meditation, breath meditation, guided meditation, and timed meditation. These exercises are timed between five and 45 minutes and because Muse S is monitoring your brainwaves, they are tailored specifically for you. It's a great tool to find a personalized meditation practice that works best for you.

You want to monitor your sleep

Muse S paired with the affiliated Muse app will deliver EEG-powered sleep tracking insights including sleep stage visualization, sleep position and stillness tracking, your heart rate throughout the night, and a personalized sleep efficiency score. Muse S helps you understand and track how well you sleep and recharge so you can refocus during the day and recover each night.

You want lots of variety

The Muse library offers a plethora of different sleep and meditation exercises within an impressive number of categories - all tailored specifically to you.

You're on a budget

Muse S is very expensive. However, if you're interested in meditating and getting better sleep, it's a sound investment.

You're a particularly wild sleeper

If you're a crazy, gymnastics in bed kind of sleeper, you run the risk of the headband sliding out of place and not being able to effectively monitor your sleep.

Muse S is a highly effective sleep and meditation assistant. It monitors your mind, heart, body, and breath to tailor your sleep and meditation exercises specifically to you. It has excellent battery life and is comfortable to wear all night long. The Muse app offers an impressive amount of sleep and meditation exercises taught by renowned experts, and they're adding to its library all of the time. On the downside, it's pricey and it can slide out of place while you snooze, but like I said before, it's tough to put a price on your overall mental and physical well-being. I'd highly recommend this product to anyone interested in meditation, sleep monitoring, and improving their overall mental and physical health.

Gaming is often associated with being sedentary, but new fitness trends and equipment are allowing us to game our way to excellent physical health (like Ring Fit Adventure on Nintendo Switch, for example). Have you ever wanted to game your way to perfect abs? Well, now you can with Stealth! This is a fun and accessible way to game your core. Paired with the Stealth app, Stealth offers a variety of games, challenges, and a worldwide community so you can achieve the core of your dreams and have a lot of fun while you're doing it.

Stealth review: What I like

I love playing games, so naturally I was super intrigued to try a workout that enables me to game my way to the perfect core. Stealth definitely delivers and is a fun, accessible way to achieve the abs of your dreams. Once you purchase Stealth, you'll want to download the affiliated Stealth app so you can start playing games. Once the app is downloaded, you'll create your personal profile and then you can jump right into playing. The free membership allows access to four different games: Galaxy Adventure, Speed Gliding, Color Chase, and Space Escape.

These four free games are simple to play and fun. All you need is a smartphone. You pick your game, place it on the Stealth board, and off you go to gaming your perfect abs. My favorite games are Color Chase and Space Escape, but all of them bring a little something different to the table. The Stealth app keeps tracks of your stats so you can see your streaks, best time, total time, best score, total score, and best game. There's also a pretty prevalent online community and day, week, month, year, and all-time leaderboards so you can see how you stack up next to other Stealth users. The Stealth community has thousands of members worldwide.

I like that you can join and create challenges on the Stealth app. There are three different types of challenges: Endurance, Countdown, and Accumulated. Endurance is when time counts up. Countdown will have time counting down from a preset time, but time can increase daily. Accumulated is where a player must complete the required time daily, otherwise they will be removed from the challenge. This is a fun way to compete with family, friends, or other Stealth users giving you added incentive and extra motivation to game your core.

Stealth is an extremely effective exercise because it requires you to hold your body in the plank position while you use it. Planking is one of the most effective core exercises you can do, and you can expect to see quick results if you commit to planking every day. Plank strengthens all of your major abdominal muscles yes, but did you know it also strengthens your shoulders, chest, neck, glutes, quadriceps, and back muscles? That's right, plank is a power pose!

When it comes to great abs, planking with Stealth is a surefire way to get there. Plank is great because it works all four muscle groups in the stomach. It targets your rectus abdominis (six-pack abs), transverse abdominis (deep core stabilizing muscles), and the internal and external obliques (side abs). I love Stealth because you're gaming your way through long plank holds. It encourages extra-long holds and endurance so you can game your way to the perfect abs and have a lot of fun while you tone your physique.

Stealth review: What I don't like

You get four free games when you purchase Stealth and download the Stealth app. If you want to access any of the premium games, you need to purchase the Stealth Premium membership. It only costs $25 a year and your membership unlocks all of the premium games, grants access to premium member challenges, and delivers exclusive premium member content.

It's not a huge expenditure, but I wish more free games were available. There are 13 additional premium games if you purchase a Stealth membership. I like to ball my hands into fists and balance on the surface of the board instead. Plus, balancing on top of the board intensifies the plank position.

Also, be weary of your fingers if you're someone who likes to grip the outer edges of the board. Stealth's dynamic motion system will have you twisting, turning, and rotating 360-degrees, but if you tilt the board too far to the side, you run the risk of crushing your fingers between the board and the floor. When your full body weight is behind this motion, it really, really hurts. I highly recommend avoiding gripping the edge of the board for this reason.

Stealth review: Should you buy

You're a gamer

If you love games, you'll love gaming your core with Stealth. You can access four games for free and unlock 13 additional premium games if you purchase an annual membership.

You want great abs

Stealth requires you to hold your body in plank position for extended periods of time. This is one of the best core and total body exercises you can do. Plank strengthens and tones the abs, arms, shoulders, low back, glutes, legs, and calves. Building a strong core is the foundation of physical fitness.

You've got a smartphone

Stealth is designed to accomodate smartphones of all sizes including Ultra, Plus, and Pro Max sizes.

You hate plank pose

The whole idea of Stealth is to game your way to stronger muscles by holding plank position for extended periods of time.

You don't have a smartphone

You'll need a smartphone to download and access the Stealth app where you can play games and keep track of your stats.

You're in your second or third trimester of pregnancy

While you can do planks while you're pregnant, it's important to be cleared by your doctor first. Planking can cause excessive intra-adominal pressure, which can cause damage and strain to the deep core, including your pelvic floor. Most pregnant women are advised to do modified plank work or to hold off in their second and third trimesters.

Stealth is a fun, effective and easy way to game your core. Working with this system daily will strengthen and tone your abs, arms, shoulders, low back, glutes, legs, and calves. The Stealth app is easy to navigate, features four free games, and there's a large online community where you can compete, create, and join challenges with friends, family, and other Stealth users. You can also check up on the day, week, month, year, and all-time leaderboards so you can see how you stack up against other Stealth users. On the downside, you only get four free games. To unlock the 13 additional premium games, you must purchase a membership for $25 a year. Also, watch out for your fingers. Avoid or be extra cautious when gripping the edges of the board so your fingers don't get crushed between the board and the floor.

The world of connected fitness equipment has blown up this year. Many gyms and studios have shut down in the pandemic, and a lot more of us are working from home. Naturally, we want to be able to work out at home as well. There are a lot of things to consider when deciding which piece of connected fitness equipment is best for you, such as modality, price point, and additional membership costs. For me, I like to switch my workouts up, so I appreciate the option of different exercise modalities within one system.

That's why I've been using MYX Plus. MYX Plus is a full-body exercise system that includes a stationary Star Trac bike, bike stabilizing mat, extra-large floor mat, foam roller, set of free weights and kettlebell (in increments of your choice), resistance band, and a Polar OH1 Heart Rate Monitor. It's a great option for anyone looking to bring the studio experience home with them.

The bike, The equipment, The app

The MYX Plus review: What I like

The bike

There are a lot of things I like about the MYX Plus system, but one of my favorite components is the swivel 22-inch interactive touchscreen. This system was designed so you could transfer seamlessly from the bike to the floor, and the swivel screen enables you to do exactly that. You can swivel the screen 360-degrees and angle it up and down vertically for convenient adjustments while riding out of the saddle, or sweating it out on the floor.

The bike itself is a commercial-grade cycle by Star Trac. It offers four-way adjustments. You can adjust the height of the saddle and handlebars and move the saddle and the handlebars forward and backward for a personalized fit. It comes with two convenient water bottle holders located on the handlebars, and versatile pedals that offer shoe cages on one side and toe clips on the other. I'm an indoor cycling instructor and a strong advocate of clipping in. It's the best way to get the most out of every rotation. The MYX Plus toe clips are SPD compatible.

The MYX bike's footprint is compact and doesn't take up a lot of space. It measures 54-inches long by 21-inches wide by 47-inches tall. MYX recommends setting up a space that measures four feet by six feet, so you have ample space to ride and move. The MYX bike comes in two colors: natural white or deep charcoal, so you can pick the color that suits your space best. I went with white, and I love it! The bike looks absolutely stunning in my bedroom. I was really concerned about putting a workout system in my room because I was afraid of throwing off the feng shui, but I'm happy to report that it suits the space and looks great.

The bike features quality construction. It's durable, rust-proof (amazing), and hypoallergenic. It uses a mechanical-friction braking system and a 41-pound flywheel to keep your ride super smooth. MYX offers free delivery and assembly, which is an enormous plus! Most connected fitness competitors do not. The delivery service did a great job arranging my delivery and setting up my equipment. The screen that came with my bike initially was damaged, so I contacted MYX customer service to let them know, and they overnighted me a new screen that arrived the next morning. They were super attentive and resolved my problem immediately – that's an A+ for MYX customer service!

The equipment

I love that purchasing the MYX Plus comes with all of the necessary equipment to create your own little home gym. It includes a bike stabilizing mat, which is just a touch longer and wider than the bike itself. An extra-large workout mat designed for cross-training, yoga, meditation, barre, Pilates, dance cardio, and strength workouts. A set of dumbbell pairs plus a kettlebell in increments of your choice. You can choose from light: three, six, and nine-pound dumbbells plus a 15-pound kettlebell, medium: six, nine, and 12-pound dumbbells plus a 20-pound kettlebell, or heavy: nine, 12, and 15-pound dumbbells plus a 25-pound kettlebell. I went with light, and it's perfect for me. If you're not sure which weight set is right for you, MYX has a step by step guide on how to choose on their website.

It also comes with a resistance band for your strength training workouts and a foam roller so you can roll out and rehabilitate your muscles after you exercise. Most importantly, the MYX Plus includes a Polar OH1 heart rate monitor. This is paramount because MYX Fitness focuses on personalized heart-based training. The Polar OH1 helps you keep tabs on your heart rate zones and is extremely accurate when it comes to calculating your overall calorie burn. If you're serious about tracking the calories you burn while you work out, monitoring your heart rate is, hands down, the best way to do it.

The app

The MYX Fitness membership costs an additional $29 per month (lower than top competitors). This membership grants access to a large library of virtual classes that feature many different fitness modalities. Once you have your MYX Plus, download the MYX Fitness app to create your profile and get well acquainted. MYX will ask you to add your gender, height, birthday, and weight. You'll also choose your personal fitness level, the number of days you want to work out with MYX, and your typical stress level. You can follow a few tutorials that guide you through things like your bike setup, heart rate zones, how to pair Bluetooth headphones, and how to use your heart rate monitor if you need help. Additional tutorials are available for pre and postnatal training, which is really cool!

After you've created your profile, MYX will ask you to complete your MYX Assessment Ride. This is the foundation of the entire MYX training system, so it's a very important step. Your MYX assessment identifies your benchmark heart rate zones so you can track your progress and heart health over time. MYX uses a patented algorithm that produces a unique score to determine your personal fitness level called your MYX Mark. It uses your MYX Mark to customize your workouts – making each sweat session as effective and efficient as possible. MYX recommends that you take the assessment ride every six weeks so you can track your progress and watch your heart health improve over time.

Once you're all set up and have logged into your MYX profile on your touchscreen, you're ready to rock! The MYX app is easy to use. It's clean and straightforward. You can choose from various classes, including cycling (obviously), barre, Pilates, yoga, HIIT, strength training, and cross-training classes. You can also choose from various mindful classes that include meditation, yoga, and general stretching. The app also gives you the option to schedule your workouts, which is a great way to hold yourself accountable.

Once you choose the class you want to take, you have the option of pairing your Bluetooth headphones and your heart rate monitor. Pairing these devices has always been really easy for me; MYX picks them up right away. MYX strongly recommends pairing your heart rate monitor every time you work out to get the most out of your session and to track and record your stats. You also have the option to play the class out loud via the speakers located on the back of the tablet if you choose.

One of my favorite features in the MYX app is the ability to adjust the volume of the instructor and the music separately. There are times where I really want to jam out, so I'll turn the music all the way up and the instructor all the way down. There are other times where I really need to concentrate on what the instructor is saying, so I'll bump the instructor way up and turn the music down. This is a unique and excellent feature. I've never had this capability in any other fitness app I've used. You can also pause your workouts instead of completely ending the workout altogether if you need to use the bathroom or take care of a distressed baby (me often).

I've really enjoyed MYX's offering of classes, and they're adding to their library all of the time. There are tons of great instructors to choose from, and the playlists are fire! The music is excellent in general, and a lot of the rides feature different themes like 80's Hits, 90's Hip Hop, Disco, and Country, to name a few. You can also choose from different kinds of rides like rhythm rides where you ride to the beat, HIIT rides where you concentrate on timed intervals, and endurance rides designed to, you guessed it, boost your endurance.

If you're trying to search for a particular class, you can filter your search according to instructor, duration, level (they offer levels one through three), and type. You can take classes ranging from five to 60 minutes. Some of my absolute favorite MYX classes are the scenic rides! I've been able to ride like a local on the road to Hana in Hawaii, and bike my way through faraway, exotic places like Northern Italy, Costa Rica, Patagonia, and New Zealand. These scenic rides are truly awesome and provide fully immersive, amazing views of places around the globe. They're also accompanied by killer playlists, and you can adjust the volume of the music and the ambient noise separately.

A few other amazing features within the app include streaming the news so you can keep an eye on top headlines while you squeeze in a workout. Mat Chats, an original interview series with industry and subject-matter experts hosted by MYX coaches; and Coach Diaries, intimate interviews with the MYX coaches who share personal stories about their real lives to strengthen the bond between coaches and members. MYX also just started releasing their collection of influencer workouts titled In The MYX, where you can take classes with guest all-star instructors.

Membership, no leaderboard, brand new

The MYX Plus review: What I don't like

Like most connected fitness systems, you must purchase your MYX Membership at an additional cost on top of your MYX Plus. It's a month to month membership that costs $29 a month, and you can cancel at any time. Like I mentioned when I delved deep into the inner workings of the app, the membership gives you access to all MYX classes, Mat Chats, Coach Diaries, and the new In the MYX series. Even though the membership is an additional fee each month, it's still less expensive than the memberships of some top competitors like Peloton or Echelon.

MYX's training system concentrates on heart-based, one on one training. Meaning, you're not competing against others while you ride, and there's no leaderboard nor sense of community. This is totally a personal preference thing. If you are motivated by competition and your fit community, choosing a program with leaderboards and a community-driven atmosphere is your best bet. If you're looking for a customized, personal training system, MYX reigns supreme.

MYX Plus entered the mix on January 7th, 2020 making it a brand-new name in the connected fitness game. That being said, MYX is still building its online virtual library. There are many different classes to choose from, but there are no live class offerings, and the MYX virtual library is smaller than some of its top competitors'. However, MYX is adding new content to their virtual library all of the time and currently hosts plenty of classes to keep you sweating steadily.

The competition

Peloton

It's hard to think about connected fitness without thinking about Peloton, the pioneer. Peloton is an excellent and reputable brand. What puts the MYX Plus above Peloton, in my opinion, is all of the extras and additional equipment you get along with the bike for $1499. The entire MYX Plus system costs significantly less than the Peloton bike alone. The OG Peloton Bike starts at $1895. The new Peloton Bike Plus (featuring a new swivel screen) starts at $2495. All additional equipment like shoes, weights, resistance bands, and foam rollers, will cost you extra. The Peloton membership is more expensive at $39 a month than the MYX Fitness membership, which costs $29 a month. The MYX Plus bike also has a slightly smaller footprint. If you're looking for the most affordable, accessible, all-encompassing system, the MYX Plus is definitely the way to go!

NordicTrack S22i

The NordicTrack S22i is another worthy competitor. The cool thing about this connected commercial cycle is that it comes with a one-year iFit membership, so there is no additional cost each month for those first 12 months. The S22i's screen also swivels, which allows for easy transitions from the bike to the floor. However, the S22i is still more expensive than the MYX Plus at $1999. A set of three-pound dumbbells are included in that price, but any extras you want on top of that will come at an additional cost. After your free year of iFit expires, you'll pay either $396 a year for a family plan, $39 a month for a monthly family plan, or $180 a year for an individual plan. MYX Plus wins again as the most affordable total body system.

The MYX Plus review: Should you buy

You want all necessary equipment included in one price

The MYX Plus includes all of the equipment you need to set up your own home gym under one price. You'll get a connected bike, bike mat, extra-large floor mat, resistance band, six-piece dumbbell set (in increments of your choice), kettlebell (in increments of your choice), Polar OH1 heart rate monitor, and a foam roller for $1499. Plus, free delivery and setup!

You want the option of shoe cages and toe clips

The MYX Plus bike features shoe cages on one side of the pedal and SPD compatible toe clips on the other. It also comes with SPD clips to affix to your spinning shoes.

You're looking for an affordable full-body system

The MYX Plus is the most affordable, total body connected fitness system I've found on the market today.

You don't want to pay for a monthly membership

The MYX Fitness membership costs $29 a month for access to all of their virtual content. If you opt-out of the membership, the bike touchscreen cannot be used for anything else.

You want leaderboards and community

MYX fitness concentrates on heart-based, one on one training. You do not compete against others, there are no leaderboards, and there's no online community.

The MYX Plus is the best accessible, affordable, total body system on the market today. It includes everything you need to set up your own little home gym. You'll get a commercial-grade bike, bike stabilizing mat, extra-large floor mat, six-piece dumbbell set, kettlebell, Polar OH1 heart rate monitor, resistance band, and a foam roller all under one price. The MYX Fitness monthly membership is also more affordable than its top competitors, making it a slam dunk when it comes to the best connected fitness equipment. I highly recommend this system to anyone and everyone looking for a high-quality, total body system to work out with at home.

Take your trigger point therapy to new heights in the water with the Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun. This 100% waterproof massage gun can be used in the jacuzzi, pool, bathtub, hot spring, steam room or anywhere wet! It delivers 14 millimeters of powerful amplitude wet or dry and comes with six interchangeable massage heads to cover the entire body. I'd recommend this product to anyone looking for an aquatic massage therapy device.

Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun review: What I like

Well let's start with the obvious, my favorite thing about the Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun is that it's 100% waterproof! It's safe to use in the jacuzzi, bath, shower or hot spring where you get the added benefit of heat on top of your trigger point therapy session. I love using this thing in the jacuzzi. It provides heated stress and tension relief that is just heavenly. I highly recommend using this gun in a heated water source.

The Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun is very powerful and provides up to 14 millimeters of amplitude. This is more than your average massage gun which typically deliver 10 to 12 millimeters of amplitude. It operates at six different speed settings for varying amounts of pressure and vibration. It uses a brushless motor to go deep into those hard to reach places, providing sweet relief for stiff and aching muscles. Using a massage gun daily is also great for rehabilitation, injury prevention, and athletic performance. With the Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun, you bring aquatic physical therapy into the mix.

The massage heads are very easy to insert and remove; simply twist and pull to remove a massage head and twist and press to insert one. The spherical head is great for large muscle groups like the arms, back, thighs, booty, and calves. The air cushion massage head provides a nice buffer and reduces vibration. It's great for sensitive individuals and areas on the body.

The bullet massage head is perfect for deep tissue relief. Be careful with this one because it's especially sharp. I would only advise using it on speed settings one and two. The golden fingers massage head replicates finger kneading and feels great on the shoulders, joints, palms, and feet. The Y-shaped massage head feels wonderful on the neck, spine, and Achilles tendon. The flat head is designed for relaxation therapy across the entire body.

Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun review: What I don't like

I love that the Geneinno GT-1 massage gun is waterproof, but I don't like that the user manual doesn't say it's waterproof anywhere except for the cover. It also does not talk about operating this gun in the water at all. Nor does it cover what kinds of bodies of water you can take it in safely. The website says you can "take it into the bathroom, hot spring, swimming pool etc.," and that it "can be cleared with fresh water easily," but doesn't mention anything about the ocean, and none of this is covered in the manual.

The user manual also doesn't talk about charging safety protocol. It's definitely counter intuitive to take electronics into the water and neither the user manual nor website mentions anything about letting it dry for a certain period of time before attempting to plug it into the wall to charge it. The charging port definitely intakes water if you fully submerge this gun, so I would imagine you need to make sure it's completely dry before connecting it to a power source. This is definitely something the user manual should and needs to cover.

I don't like that four out of the six massage heads included with the Geneinno GT-1 Massage Gun are made of a cheap feeling plastic. I get that the heads need to be waterproof, but these heads don't feel durable or great on the body as you massage. I wish they were made of higher quality materials.

I've also noticed that the percussion this gun delivers is inconsistent. It feels like the motor is frequently stalling, creating off beat rhythm patterns when you use it. This isn't great in a therapeutic sense and takes away from the relaxation aspect of using this device. I'm not sure if this is a flaw in the gun I have or if it's a design flaw across the board.

The competition

The Sportneer Elite D9 Massage Gun is another great massage gun I've tried. It's not waterproof, so the Geneinno GT-1 wins there, but it's a similar size and weight and comes with six different massage heads. The Sportneer massage heads feel more durable and are made of higher quality materials in my opinion. It also comes with two chrome capped massage heads designed specifically for use with oil.

The TaoTronics Massage Gun is one of the best massage guns. It's a full-sized gun, so it's similar in size and weight. The TaoTronics massage gun features extra-long work time of up to 10 hours of continuous use, whereas the Geneinno offers five to six hours of work time. However, the TaoTronics massage gun is not waterproof, so if you're looking for a waterproof device, the Geneinno GT-1 is the way to go!

Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun review: Should you buy

You want a waterproof massage tool

The Geneinno GT-1 Massage Gun is 100% waterproof.

You're looking for power

This massage gun delivers up to 14 millimeters of amplitude.

You like mulitple massage head options

The Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun comes with six different interchangeable massage heads to target different areas that cover the entire body.

You want a carrying case

The Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun does not come with a carrying case. It does come with a drawstring bag, but the bag is not big enough to carry the gun, the charging cable, and all of the massage heads at once. It has just enough room to carry the massage gun and one massage head.

You're looking for metal or chrome brushed massage heads

The massage heads that work with this gun are made of plastic.

You want consistent percussion

The percussion patterns the Geneinno GT-1 delivers are not always consistent.

The Geneinno GT-1 Waterproof Massage Gun is a great therapy device for the water. It offers 14 millimeters of amplitude and features six different massage heads for different areas on the body. This gun can be completely submerged in the jacuzzi, bathtub, shower, or pool. Take note that the user manual doesn't talk about underwater operation or maintenance at all, so I'd recommend checking out their website for more information. Overall, I think it's a really cool concept. I wish the massage heads were made out of higher quality material and that it delivered consistent percussion, but other than that, It's a neat and unique device.

If you're an athlete, chances are high that you've met a massage gun before. Massage guns are relatively new to the fitness scene. The first massage gun was invented in 2008. Since then, they've rapidly gained in popularity and are widely available and used by many. Some of the many benefits of massage gun therapy include sports performance, injury prevention and recovery, rehabilitation, sore and stiff muscle relief, increasing blood and lymphatic flow, activating the nervous system, breaking up scar tissue, and enhancing range of motion.

I tried the Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun and boy is it a heavy hitter. It is one of the most powerful massage guns I've ever used. It can deliver up to 15 millimeters of amplitude, which is deeper than your average massage gun. I'd recommend the Opove M3 Pro Max to athletes or anyone looking for an extra powerful punch. Opove is offering iMore's readers an 8% discount if you use the code Nicolette8 at check out.

Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun review: What I like

The Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun features a super sleek, all-black design and comes in an equally slick black carrying case that keeps each individual piece perfectly organized and protected. I love how light it is. It's much lighter than other massage guns I've used of a similar size and weighs just over two pounds.

It's super powerful. Whereas most massage guns of this size deliver up to 11 millimeters of amplitude, the M3 Pro Max delivers up to 15 millimeters of amplitude. When we're talking about penetrating into muscle, that's a lot! If you're an athlete or someone that loves an extra powerful touch, this is the massage gun for you. Kiss those deep knots you haven't been able to reach goodbye with this powerful piece of equipment.

The Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun features two different modes, manual and auto mode. Manual mode allows you to adjust the speed manually. There are four different speed settings and they're all incredibly powerful. I prefer level one, and levels two through four should only be used by advanced professionals or individuals familiar with the equipment and its capabilities.

Auto mode features four different settings. Setting one is wake-up mode, setting two is massage mode, setting three is sport mode, and setting four is max mode. The settings increase in intensity as you count up, so start at setting one and work your way up slowly. I use as massage gun every day and max mode is still way too intense for me.

The Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun comes with five interchangeable massage heads to target different parts of the body. The round ball massage head is great for large muscle groups and overall massage therapy. The round rubber head provides some cushioned protection and is great for massaging the neck, bony areas, and more sensitive individuals in general. The U-shaped massage head is perfect for the neck, spine, and Achilles. And the flat head is for bulk muscle groups, while the bullet head is for deep trigger point therapy. I recommend only using the bullet head on level one unless you're an experienced user.

This gun comes with a handy trigger point therapy for myofascial release guide. Myofascial release is an alternative medicine therapy that's useful for treating skeletal muscle immobility and pain by relaxing contracted muscles, improving blood, oxygen, and lymphatic circulation, and stimulating the stretch reflex in muscles. This guide outlines specific trigger points covering the entire body and gives instructions on how long to apply and sustain pressure with your massage gun for myofascial release. This is a helpful guide to have and a great bonus inclusion with this set.

Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun review: What I don't like

The Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun is very pricey. It has a much higher price point than other models of a similar size I'm familiar with, but it also has the highest amplitude of 15 millimeters. You're paying extra for power with this heavy hitting piece of equipment. I think this gun is priced a little higher than if should be for what it is.

It's also pretty loud compared to other brands I've tried. It gets especially loud when you're using it on the higher speed settings — I wish it was quieter. Using it would wake up a sleeping baby and the sound it makes on those higher settings is not relaxing at all. It's not something I would use in a meditative therapy session. The battery life is pretty short in comparison to other massage guns as well, as you only get up to four hours on a single charge.

The competition

The TaoTronics Massage Gun is similar in size and weight as the Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun. However, it features ultra-long work time of up to 10 hours of continuous use versus Opove's four hours. The TaoTronics massage gun is also less expensive and comes with six interchangeable massage heads versus Opove's five. The Opove is more powerful and delivers up to 15 millimeters of amplitude versus the TaoTronic's 12 millimeters. If you're looking for power, the Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun is the way to go.

The Rooftree R20 Massage Gun is also a similar size and weight. It comes with three interchangeable massage heads versus Opove's five. What sets the Rooftree R20 apart is its real metal massage heads. These feel great on the skin, enhance performance and percussion, and are more durable than massage heads made of plastic (like Opove's). The Rooftree massage gun features a work time of up to eight hours, which is twice the time of the Opove, however it only delivers 10 millimeters of amplitude versus Opove's 15 millimeters. Again, if you're looking for the more powerful massage gun, Opove is the way to go.

To sum up the competition, the TaoTronics Massage Gun offers the longest work time, comes at the lowest price point, and comes with six interchangeable massage heads making it the best value overall. The Rooftree R20 only comes with three massage heads, but they're real metal heads. The metal massage heads are designed for direct skin contact, feel wonderful, and provide better performance and percussion. The Opove M3 Pro Max is the top contender when it comes to power and amplitude, but it's also the most expensive and has the shortest battery life. If you prefer a stronger touch and want the heavy hitter, the Opove M3 Pro Max massage gun is your best bet.

Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun review: Should you buy

You want deep amplitude

The Opove M3 Pro Max massage gun delivers up to 15 millimeters of amplitude.

You want something light

Despite it's full size, the M3 Pro Max is incredibly light and weighs just over two pounds; making it super easy to maneuver and operate.

You're a trigger point therapy novice

The Opove M3 Pro Max comes with a handy trigger point therapy guide that displays different trigger points across the entire body and instructs you on how to address them.

Price is an issue

The Opove M3 Pro Max is on the pricier side, but remember you're paying for that powerful deep amplitude.

You're looking for quiet operation

This massage gun gets very loud when used on the higher speed settings and the sound it creates is not soothing.

You want long continuous work time

The Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun offers up to four hours of continuous use on a single charge.

The Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun is an incredibly powerful rehabilitation tool and can deliver up to 15 millimeters of amplitude. It features a sleek, ergonomic design and carrying case, four speed settings, auto and manual modes, and five interchangeable massage heads. You'll get four hours of working time on a single charge. It will auto shutoff after 15-minutes of continuous use to prevent the device from overheating.

A 30-minute break is recommended between hour long sessions. It's a pricey model, but you're paying for power. It can also get loud, so consider the atmosphere you'll be using it in most before purchasing. I'd highly recommend the Opove M3 Pro Max Massage Gun to athletes, people that prefer a stronger touch, or anyone that would benefit from an extra powerful rehabilitation tool. Remember that Opove is offering an 8% discount to iMore's readers when you use the code Nicolette8 at check out.

The possibilities are truly endless with the training tool BlazePod. These little, light up, LED pods can be used for reflex, agility, and strength training, as well as decision making and cognitive exercises. Paired with the BlazePod app you'll get access to tons of different kinds of workouts tailored specifically to you according to your preferences.

Additionally, when you get well acquainted with the pods and their capabilities, you can set up exercises of your own. There are literally endless combinations and exercises you can do with BlazePod. I've had a lot of fun messing around with these things and have challenged both my body and mind in the process. I would highly recommend BlazePod to anyone and everyone looking for a high-tech physical and cognitive training tool.

BlazePod review: What I like

There are so many different kinds of exercises you can do with BlazePod that sometimes it gets a bit overwhelming. Let's start with the setup. Before you begin with BlazePod you'll want to fully charge your pods. They look beautiful while they charge and softly light up the entire time. I watched my stack of pods charge in the dark and saw each pod change from slowly glowing red, to green indicating that the charge was complete.

While your pods are charging, download the BlazePod app so you can sync your pods to your smart device. Once you've downloaded the app, BlazePod will ask you to set up a profile. You'll add your name, your preferred nickname, your height, weight, gender, and your preferred default pod color (which is fun) – I went with red, my power color. My app recognized my pods right away and I haven't had any syncing issues since I unboxed them. Once your profile is complete and you're connected to your pods, you can start training.

There are a ton of different activities to choose from. You can choose activities from categories like athletics, basketball, bodyweight sports, children's fitness, general fitness, martial arts, motor sports, neurological therapy, physical tests, physiotherapy, racquet sports, soccer, and the list goes on — remember I told you the possibilities were endless. Each umbrella category hosts a ton of different exercises beneath it.

Some of my personal favorites are reflex and cognitive exercises as I'm trying to keep my brain sharp, and who couldn't benefit from faster reflexes? You also have the opportunity to create your own exercises, which is really fun! These pods have not only had positive results for world class athletes, physical therapists, coaches, and people who want to improve their overall fitness — they've also positively impacted child development, people who suffer from Alzheimer's, and individuals recovering from brain injuries, which is truly amazing.

As someone who played team sports growing up, BlazePod would be invaluable to coaches across the board with coaching at all levels. I could also see these being incredibly helpful to personal trainers in one on one sessions, physical therapists, and athletes or fitness enthusiasts who just want to up their game.

These pods are extremely durable meaning you can whack them and kick them really hard; they are smash-proof. They're also weatherproof and can be used indoors or outdoors, rain or shine. The pods themselves feature eight bright LED colors: red, orange, yellow, green, aqua, blue, purple, and pink. BlazePod has a large 40-meter device to pod range so you don't have to worry about training with them in wide open spaces. The pods come with a convenient and protective carrying case and will give you five hours of work time on a full charge.

BlazePod review: What I don't like

BlazePod is pricey, but it's high-quality, high-tech, weatherproof, and smash-proof. Plus, the app literally gives you thousands and thousands of options to choose from when it comes to training capabilities, so I think it's well worth the investment. It really is a total body and mind high-tech training system.

The BlazePod app also takes some serious getting used to. There are so many options that it can get really overwhelming and tricky to navigate. My advice is to start with the pre-existing exercises and to get really well acquainted with the pods and their capabilities before you start trying to create your own exercises. There's a steep learning curve with getting to know this equipment, but it is worth your time — trust me. They're so cool once you're well acquainted.

BlazePod: Should you buy

You want to improve your speed and agility

These are excellent speed, agility, and cognitive training tools. You'll track your progress and your reaction times in the app.

You're a coach or a personal trainer

You can take your team or your client's training to the next level with this invaluable tool.

You're a tech junkie and an athlete

When it comes to high-tech physical and cognitive training, BlazePod is the best of the best.

You're on a budget

These pods are pricey but worth saving for.

You're not tech savvy

The app can get overwhelming and tricky to navigate if you're not tech savvy and well acquainted.

BlazePod is a LED total mind body training system. It poses a myriad of wonderful physical and cognitive health benefits. This would be an excellent purchase for fitness enthusiasts, coaches, athletes, people recovering from brain injuries, kids, those suffering from Alzheimer's, or anyone looking for a high-tech speed, agility, and strength training tool.

Life can be stressful, and I think like we're all feeling it more than usual this year. Something that I've found incredibly helpful for my physical and mental wellbeing is massage therapy. The pandemic has forced many spas to temporarily close and massage therapists to pause, but I've found that you can give yourself some excellent massage therapy with a massage gun at home (or anywhere).

I've always loved trigger point therapy. I frequently get pesky knots that are really hard to reach and work out. Massage guns are an effective way to dissolve those muscle knots yourself. I tried the RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun, and have found it to be a great, travel-friendly, little masseur. It comes with four different massage heads to pinpoint different muscle groups and is perfect for trigger point therapy on-the-go.

RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun review: What I like

Mini massage guns are incredibly travel friendly and easy to carry with you wherever you go. I truly bring a massage gun with me everywhere and it's always a hit! This mini massage gun comes in three different colors to choose from: black, pink, and my personal favorite, red.

The coolest thing about the RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun is that it comes with four interchangeable massage heads. This is a lot more than your average mini massage gun. Each head is designed to target a different part of the body. The ball head is for larger muscle groups like the hips, thighs, arms, back, and it feels incredible on the booty. The bullet head is great for penetrating deep into those pesky knots and impacting deep tissue; plus, it feels amazing on hands and feet. The flat head is great for bulk muscle groups, and the U-shaped head is perfect for the neck.

The RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun features a brushless motor with Silent Force Technology for quiet operation and up to five hours of working battery life. It can penetrate up to six millimeters into muscle tissue. I'm always concerned that mini massage guns won't be as effective as their larger counterparts, but the RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun is packing some serious heat and can deliver a powerful punch. It operates at four different speed levels and I like to use all of them for various reasons.

If I'm massaging a particularly sensitive area, I'll hang out at speeds one and two, but if I'm really trying to penetrate deeply, I'll ramp it up to levels three and four. I love to use the higher levels on relatively tough areas like the bottoms of my feet. I highly recommend giving yourself at least 15 minutes of daily massage gun therapy and it's important to remember to always include your feet! Your feet carry you all day long and deserve some daily tender love and care.

RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun review: What I don't like

I was super bummed to find out that the RecoverFun Mini Massage Massage Gun did not come with a compact carrying case. It comes with a drawstring bag instead. Most massage guns come with a carrying case specifically designed just for them that has a neatly organized spot for the gun, charger, and each massage head. I worry that the individual pieces of the RecoverFun Mini could get damaged in a drawstring bag — it's not very protective.

The bag becomes bulky and awkward when you put every piece of this set inside of it, so I'd much prefer a protective carrying case. Plus, they're easier to pack! I don't like that the handle on the RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun is super thick. Because it's a mini, I expected a slimmer, easier to grip handle. It's also pretty heavy for its size. I suppose the weight and thickness of it makes it extra durable.

The competition

Addsfit Mini Massage Gun

I own the Addsfit Mini Massage Gun, which is a similar size and designed with the same concept in mind: being travel friendly. The Addsfit Mini is smaller, lighter, and easier for me to maneuver than the RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun. It also comes with it's own compact carrying case which makes it super travel friendly and easier to pack and carry around. However, the RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun comes with four different massage heads whereas the Addsfit Mini only comes with two, which is a big plus. The RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun is also less expensive and would be the better pick if you're on a budget or you want the versatility of more massage heads.

LifePro DYNA Mini Massage Gun

The LifePro DYNA Mini Massage Gun is also a mini massage gun, but it's slightly heavier than the RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun which weighs one pound versus DYNA's one and half pounds. Both of these minis come with four interchangeable heads, but the LifePro DYNA Mini comes with a compact carrying case that neatly organizes each piece. However, the RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun is less expensive, so it's definitely the way to go if you're wanting to go easier on your wallet.

RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun review: Should you buy

You're looking for a travel friendly option

This is a mini massage gun and is much smaller and lighter than your average massage gun. It's the perfect size for traveling and can fit into luggage of any size as well as a larger purse or bag.

You love color choices

The RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun comes in three fun colors to choose from: black, pink, and red.

You want a mini with multiple massage heads

The RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun comes with four interchangeable massage heads to target the entire body for specialized trigger point therapy.

You want a compact carrying case

The RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun comes with a drawstring bag, not a carrying case.

You have really small hands

This massage gun has a thick handle which may be tough to hold and maneuver for small hands.

The RecoverFun Mini Massage Gun is a great, travel friendly option. It comes with four interchangeable massage heads and you can choose from three fun colors to suit your personal vibe. I love that it's small yet powerful and that it has a five hour working battery life. It doesn't come with its own carrying case though, and it's heavier and thicker than you might think, but that should make it extra durable over time.

I bet the record-breaking wildfire season and the worldwide pandemic we've experienced this year has you thinking about all of the ways you can keep your family safe and healthy. Investing in an air purifier is a great way to do exactly that. I live in Los Angeles and unfortunately, the city of angels has been hit hard by both COVID-19 and wildfires. I've placed an air purifier in almost every room of our home and couldn't be happier with that decision. Not only have they helped immensely with the heavy wildfire smoke we've experienced, they have helped us breathe easy and kept our air clean and germ free.

I recently tried the Okaysou AirMax 8L Air Purifier and think it's an excellent air purifier at a great value. It can cover spaces up to 800-square feet so it's perfect for large rooms. It uses a true HEPA filter amongst a five-stage filtration system to get rid of all unwanted airborne particles and keep the air you breathe at home fresh and clean.

Okaysou AirMax8L Air Purifier: What I like

I love that the Okaysou AirMax8L uses a five-stage filtration system. When you unbox this item, you must remove the panel on the back and unwrap two filters from their plastic wrap. Yup, I said two filters. One of the filters is called an ULTRA-filter and consists of a pre-filter, true HEPA filter, and an antimicrobial filter. The pre-filter captures large particles such as pet dander, household dust and pollen. The HEPA filter removes 99.97% of particles as small as 0.25 microns, and the antimicrobial filter inhibits various bacteria with a sterilization rate that can reach up to 99.9%.

The second filter is called a DUO-filter and consists of an activated carbon filter and a cold catalyst filter. The activated carbon filter absorbs volatile organic compounds and removes toxic substances such as formaldehyde and other unwanted odors. The cold catalyst filter captures and decomposes things like ammonia, VOCs, hydrogen etc. This is a pretty hefty purifying system and it seems to be working well in our home. Okaysou says these filters can last up to eight months depending on use. There's a convenient filter replacement indicator that will light up when it's time to change the filter.

It can circulate air up to one and a half times per hour in a room that is 800-square feet, three times per hour in 500-square feet, and 5 times per hour in a room that's 320-square feet. I have three different brands of air purifiers in our home and this one covers the most space. We have a large open kitchen, dining, living room floor plan and this air purifier does a great job in that wide-open space.

The Okaysou AirMax8L Air Purifier has a child-lock which is an enormous plus if you're a parent. My 16-month old daughter absolutely loves to press the buttons, it's one of her favorite past times. Being able to lock her out and protect my settings from her tiny hands is a must have feature for me. The Okaysou AirMax8L has a sleep mode that will drop the fan speed down to level one so you can get some peaceful rest. This purifier has three fan speeds total. I prefer a little white noise while I sleep and can comfortably sleep next to this air purifier on fan speeds one and two. Level three is definitely very audible. It also has a one, two, four, and eight-hour timer.

Okaysou AirMax8L Air Purifier: What I don't like

After reviewing the TaoTronics TT-AP003, I'm a front facing filter girl for life. I don't like that the filter on the Okaysou AirMax8L Air Purifier is located on the back. They suggest that you pull it 18-inches away from the wall and that it has at least 18-inches of clearance on both sides, so this definitely has to sit towards the middle of the room. You, your kids, and your pets are much more likely to trip over the cord if it's in the middle of the room. I wish all air purifiers without 360-degree filtration had front facing filters so you could easily slide them up against the wall.

The Okaysou AirMax8L Air purifier is also lacking an air quality indicator and an auto mode. These features aren't necessities, but they are nice to have, and are commonly seen on air purifiers this size.

The competition

I've tested and reviewed a lot of air purifers and the TaoTronics TT-AP003 Air Purifier is my favorite because of it's front facing filter. It just makes much more sense to me to have the filter located on the front so you can slide the purifier up against the wall. I don't think anyone really wants a massive air purifier floating in the center of their living room. However, the TaoTronics TT-AP003 only covers spaces up to 370-square feet, which is much, much less than the Okaysou's AirMax8L, which covers up to 800-square feet. The Okaysou is a similar size, but it's less expensive, making it an excellent value.

The HathaSpace Smart Air Purifier is close in size to the Okaysou AirMax8L, but hosts a lot more features. It features an auto mode and a smart air quality sensor that detects pollutants in your air, making adjustments to the fan speed in real-time. A digital display on the unit shows your air quality level so you always know what you're breathing. If you're looking for a feature heavy purifier, this is a great choice, but if you're on a budget, the Okaysou AirMax8L is the way to go.

Okaysou AirMax8L Air Purifier: Should you buy

You're on a budget, but don't want to sacrifice quality

The Okaysou AirMax8L Air Purifier is an excellent product and is designed for larger rooms up to 800-square feet. What it lacks in features, it makes up for in price. It's a great value and does a wonderful job at cleaning the air, which is exactly what it's supposed to do.

You want a five-stage filtration system

Most air purifiers on the market feature either a three-stage filtration system or a five-stage filtration system. This is the least expensive air purifier that I've seen that features a five-stage filtration system to keep your air super clean and germ free.

You need a child-lock

This is a must have feature if you live with tiny humans.

You're looking for a feature heavy air purifier

The Okaysou AirMax8L Air Purifier is not feature heavy. It lacks an air quality indicator and an auto mode, but does have a child-lock, sleep mode, and timer.

You want a front facing filter

The filter on this air purifier is located on the back of the machine and therefore, it will need to be positioned at least 18-inches away from the wall and needs at least 18-inches of clearance on each side.

The Okaysou AirMax8L is an excellent, no-frills air purifier, and it comes at a great value. I love that it uses a five-stage filtration system and that it has a child-lock and timer. I'd recommend this air purifier to anyone looking for an affordable option designed for larger rooms up to 800-square feet.