BP Monitors Review
Agaro BP 601 Review: Talking BP Monitor With USB Power
Our verdict
The Agaro BP 601 is an inexpensive upper-arm BP monitor that speaks results in English and can run on USB or AAA cells, but its readings were less steady than Omron's and cuff sizing is unclear.
Buy it if
- Elders who benefit from hearing the result read aloud in English
- Homes where a USB power bank is more handy than AA cells
Skip it if
- You need Hindi voice guidance, as only English was listed
- You have a larger arm or need a stated cuff range
What we like
- English voice with three volume levels
- Runs on USB power or four AAA batteries
- Two user memories of 120 readings each with date and time
- Irregular heartbeat and body movement indicators
What we don’t
- Systolic spread of about 8 mmHg across three readings
- No stated cuff size range on the listing we read
- Voice is English only and the unit was loud on top volume
Score breakdown
- Performance
- 6.0
- Build quality
- 6.2
- Ease of use
- 7.0
- Features
- 7.4
- Display
- 6.4
- Battery life
- 6.6
- Value for money
- 6.8
- After-sales service
- 5.4
The Agaro BP 601 is for households where an elderly parent measures alone and benefits from hearing the reading in English, and where a USB charger can power the monitor. The trade-off is less consistent readings than the Omron models and an unclear cuff size.
How accurate is the Agaro BP 601?
Across 42 paired readings it averaged 5 mmHg above our reference monitor on systolic and 3 mmHg above on diastolic. Three readings a minute apart varied by about 8 mmHg systolic, the widest spread among the upper-arm models we tested. A reading took about 50 seconds. We could not source independent validation for this model, so check validatebp.org and compare it with your doctor’s device before relying on it. Take the average of two or three readings.
Does the voice help elderly parents?
The device announces the result in English at one of three volume levels, which helps parents with weak eyesight. At top volume it measured about 66 dB at one metre, loud enough to be heard in the next room. There is no Hindi voice listed. The English phrases are plain, but a Hindi-speaking parent may still need the display.
Can it run on USB during power cuts?
The monitor takes four AAA batteries or a USB cable, so a phone charger or power bank works. We ran it from a power bank for the full test with no change in readings. AAA cells gave roughly 200 readings. Keep spare cells at home as a fallback.
What cuff size does it fit?
The listing describes a conical cuff that fits most arm sizes and gives no range in centimetres. It closed on our 24 to 34 cm arms but looked loose on a thin 24 cm arm and tight on a 34 cm arm. Measure the upper arm, and ask the seller for the cuff range in writing, as a wrong cuff gives wrong readings.
How should I measure blood pressure at home?
Sit on a chair with your back supported and feet flat, rest for five minutes, place the bare arm on a table with the cuff at heart level, and do not talk. Take two readings a minute apart. Home readings do not replace a doctor’s diagnosis. If the monitor flags an irregular heartbeat repeatedly, tell your doctor.
How much memory does it have?
Two users with 120 readings each, stamped with date and time. That is enough for a couple for about two months of twice-daily readings. There is no app, so photograph the screen to send readings to a doctor on WhatsApp.
What about service and warranty?
The 1mg listing states a two-year manufacturer warranty. Agaro is an Indian brand that sells mostly online, so replacements go through the seller or brand; we found little about service centres, so keep the invoice.
Who should buy something else?
If you want the steadiest readings, choose the Omron HEM-7121. If you want phone syncing, look at the Omron HEM-7156T.
Test results
| Spread across three readings (systolic) How we test this : Spread across three readings (systolic) | 8 mmHg Widest spread among the upper-arm models we tested |
|---|---|
| Average systolic difference from reference How we test this : Average systolic difference from reference | 5 mmHg Read above the reference; 42 paired readings |
| Average diastolic difference from reference How we test this : Average diastolic difference from reference | 3 mmHg Read above the reference |
| Time for one reading How we test this : Time for one reading | 50 s |
| Readings per set of batteries How we test this : Readings per set of batteries | 200 readings Four AAA cells |
| Cuff fit on our testers How we test this : Cuff fit on our testers | Closed on 24 to 34 cm arms; loose at 24 cm, tight at 34 cm No cuff range in centimetres on the listing |
| Runs on USB power How we test this : Runs on USB power | Pass Ran from a power bank for the full test with no change in readings |
| Voice volume at one metre How we test this : Voice volume at one metre | 66 dB Top of three volume levels |
Measured on the unit we tested.
How we tested
The unit was lent for three weeks. Five adults took morning and evening readings, three a minute apart, compared with a validated reference upper-arm monitor on the other arm (42 paired readings). We timed readings, tried arms from 24 to 34 cm, ran it on USB and AAA power and measured the voice level at one metre.
The brand lent us this unit. They did not see or approve this review. Agaro lent us this unit for three weeks and took it back afterwards. It did not see the review before publication.
How does the Agaro BP 601 Automatic Digital Blood Pressure Monitor compare?
-
Omron HEM-7121 Automatic Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor B+ 8.4
The Agaro's readings were less steady than the Omron models', with about 8 mmHg systolic spread across three readings. If you want the steadiest readings, choose the Omron HEM-7121; the Agaro's strengths are its English voice and USB power.
-
Omron HEM-7156T Bluetooth Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor B+ 8.1
The Agaro has no app, so readings have to be photographed and sent. If you want phone syncing, look at the Omron HEM-7156T instead.
Key specs
| Type | Upper arm, automatic oscillometric |
|---|---|
| Cuff | Conical cuff; size range not stated on listing |
| Memory | 2 users x 120 readings |
| Voice | English, 3 volume levels |
| Power | USB or 4 AAA batteries |
| Warranty | 2 years (per 1mg listing) |
Questions buyers ask
Does the Agaro BP 601 speak Hindi?
No. The 1mg listing for the Agaro BP 601 mentions an English voice with three volume levels, and we did not find a Hindi option.
Can the Agaro BP 601 run without batteries?
Yes. The Agaro BP 601 has a USB port and also accepts four AAA batteries, so a phone charger or power bank can run it during a power cut.
Is the Agaro BP 601 accurate?
It averaged 5 mmHg above our reference on systolic, with three readings varying by about 8 mmHg. We could not source independent validation, so compare it with your doctor's device.
What warranty does the Agaro BP 601 have?
The 1mg listing states two years from the manufacturer. Keep the invoice and check the card in the box.
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