I've been testing my blood glucose 10 or more times a day since 1980 and I've lost count of how many different meters I've used. Sadly while tests take much less time today than forty years ago the accuracy of the results has not improved much at all! While there may well be technical obstacles preventing greater accuracy it's hard to figure out why useability features have also lagged behind. This meter in particular is a PITA to use! The menu system is poorly designed and requires far too many key presses for even a rudimentary look at past results. The carrying case that comes with the meter is simply pathetic! Take the meter out of the small pocket and place it on the meter case and it slips all over the place! I eventually got some sticky sided velcro and attached the female velcro to the case and the male velcro to the back of the meter, this keeps the meter in place while testing. The meter summaries are useless. Customer support is simply terrible! I had a meter problem a few months ago and wound up spending more than 15 minutes on the phone with Bayer answering an endless list of questions that had no bearing whatever on the problem I was having. Given that I spend thousands of dollars a year on test strips (which are hideously overpriced!) I would expect Bayer would be willing to replace a faulty meter without anymore than a few quickly answered questions. All in all a large company like Bayer should be able to do much better than this. Read more

I was supposed to receive the unit that’s in the box. The contour next. I received the contour next ez.... it’s a bigger unit that looks so outdated and does it light up. Which is the main reason why I purchased it. I already threw away the box so I’m pretty frustrated. Read more

I bought this only because I inadvertently ordered the strips for it, when I meant to order the standard Contour strips. These "Next" strips do not work with the old style Contour.Finally came to use it today - too late to return it.There are NO pluses when compared to the older ContourMinuses:Firmware has to be "set up" before you can use it.Demands too much information every time you use it, to build a multi-axis log that is much more easily done with paper and pencil.Slower to boot up than the old Contour.Small characters on screen difficult to read.And the worst "feature" is that it requires a significantly larger blood sample.I have re-ordered the correct strips for my "old" Contour and will switch back to it as soon as the "Next" strips are gone. Can't afford to just throw 'em all out, but as soon as the "Next" strips are gone this thing goes to the landfill. Read more

Since my 6 year old Contour batteries are low, and Contour Next strips are cheaper, I figured I would upgrade to the Contour Next. The meter is also a little more sophisticated. Unfortunately the Contour Next kept giving readings that are 15 to 40 points higher than the Contour. A few occasions in the past I have used the Contour immediately before or after a lab test, and it would give numbers that differ by one or two. It also generally matched my intuition of the numbers expected. This meant I trusted the Contour.*Every* single side by side comparison has the Contour Next giving higher numbers, well outside my history or expectations. This could happen, so it is what happens next that matters. I had a long phone call with their support, doing diagnostic mode, more tests, giving out readings etc, before they sent me a control solution. On receiving the control solution, I did a test that was high but within the (rather larger) acceptable range. This morning I got very high blood test results before and after breakfast (no different than prior breakfasts), and so tried the control solution again. It read high (shock!) and outside range. Another over half an hour call with their support, including doing things with the control solution not in the instructions (eg squeeze out 3 separate drops and use the last one), being hung up upon, and two blood test results 20 minutes apart with very different numbers and I was done with this product.I am now returning it back to Bayer (not the original seller). Maybe I got a bad meter (self diagnostics said okay) or bad strips (they didn't ask the lot number again), but the friction and huge amounts of time dealing with support make for an unpleasant experience.Edit 2016: Bayer were adamant that (all) meters are allowed something like a 15% variance 95% of the time, and that the meter was correct because the control solution came within range. ie there was nothing wrong, even if the meter isn't useful or as accurate as an older one was for me in practise. They decided to send me complete replacements (ie replacement meter, test strips and control solution) providing I returned this unit I was having trouble with. I did a test using all three meters with the results in the photo. The test was done on a large drop of blood on the same finger at the same time (each a second or two apart) in a random order. The old purple Contour shows 126 while the problem unit (backlight off) shows 141 and the replacement unit shows 128. This amounts to the problem unit being 11% more than the other two. No wonder I was skeptical. Read more

I hate this monitor. Consumer review said it was great no testing or setting up needed. I bought it and extra strips and now I don’t even use it. You have to start with a solution and testing strips. You have to know how to set it up and it is complicated and unreliable in the readings. I plan to just throw it away. Buyers beware Read more

I wanted to like this meter but it just isn't consistent. I have a Freestyle Lite that is one of the best meters for low blood glucose readings but the strips are expensive. So I switched thinking that I wouldn't see much of a difference...WRONG. This meter tells me my glucose is an 86 when I feel a bit low. So I check with the Freestyle...69. A 17 point difference. That just isn't acceptable for me. I gave this meter a chance for over a month but it's destined for the trash. Maybe the meter works better for high blood glucose, but I rarely have readings over 90, so I think I will stick to a meter that seems more exact to my symptoms. Read more

Very easy to set up and use. Favorite feature is the ability to add more blood if you come up a little short on the first prick Does not error off like most others Read more