Testing uric acid levels at home is the first step towards lowering your body's uric acid level. For this comparison, we tested the leading uric acid monitoring systems on the market. To achieve the most accurate results, we did five back-to-back tests for each monitor using the same control solution, under sterile laboratory conditions.
It is important to keep in mind that these testers are designed for home testing, in the sub-$200 range, so some variance between tests is to be expected. Laboratory testing machines that perform medical blood work cost more than $100,000, so the same level of accuracy cannot be expected from personal handheld testers. We consider a range of 0.5-1.0 mg/dL to be acceptable for this device class.
In this comparison, we tested the EasyTouch Uric Acid Monitoring System, the EasyLife Test Kit, the UASure II Uric Acid Meter, the eBuricacid Test Kit, the UriTouch Uric Acid Meter, and the CareTouch Uric Acid Monitoring System. Below, we discuss the accuracy of each meter, as well as the potential advantages and disadvantages of each.
UASure II Results |
|
| Test 1 | 5.5 |
| Test 2 | 5.5 |
| Test 3 | 5.4 |
| Test 4 | 5.6 |
| Test 5 | 5.3 |
Variance |
0.3 |
This is UASure's second-generation uric acid meter. This product's accuracy is about the same as the outgoing model that we tested a few years ago, and it retains our top spot. This came as no surprise, because this manufacturer has been a leader in uric acid testing for more than 22 years. A variance of 0.3 is very good, so we have no trouble recommending this monitoring system.
EasyTouch Results |
|
| Test 1 | 4.9 |
| Test 2 | 5.8 |
| Test 3 | 5.2 |
| Test 4 | 6.1 |
| Test 5 | 5.2 |
| Variance (Lower is Better) |
1.2 |
The advantage of this system is that it can test for cholesterol or glucose as well. Unfortunately, in our testing it has not been as accurate as the first-place UASure meter. This makes sense, as many all-in-one testers tend to compromise accuracy for the ability to perform different kinds of tests. If you have a need to test cholesterol or glucose, we would recommend dedicated meters to perform each type of test. Doing so would probably cost about the same as this all-in-one (each separate tester costs between $50-$60), but separate testers would be more accurate. While the EasyTouch is an acceptable option, there are better alternatives available.
This system was the cheapest, but did not provide adequate results. For our five tests, we received the following test values:
EasyLife Results |
|
| Test 1 | 5.1 |
| Test 2 | 6.3 |
| Test 3 | 7.2 |
| Test 4 | 5.2 |
| Test 5 | 7.0 |
| Variance (Lower is Better) |
2.1 |
These tests have a variance of 2.1 mg/dL, which we believe is too much fluctuation. If you are on a tight budget, then this meter certainly is the cheapest meter for measuring uric acid that we have seen. However, since this meter gives results of 5.1 - 7.0 for the same control sample, it is impossible to know if you are in the "safe" uric acid range if you receive similar results. Based on its low accuracy, we simply cannot recommend this meter.
We had some difficulty setting up this meter for the first time, but once we put everything together, it seemed to work as expected. For our five tests, we received the following test values:
UriTouch Results |
|
| Test 1 | 5.2 |
| Test 2 | 4.3 |
| Test 3 | 8.3 |
| Test 4 | 7.1 |
| Test 5 | 8.5 |
| Variance (Lower is Better) |
4.2 |
These tests have a variance of 4.2 mg/dL, which is quite large. The highest reading during these tests was about double the lowest reading. We liked the overall look of the meter, but the accuracy proved somewhat lacking.
As far as we can tell, this device is a clone of the above UriTouch meter. For our five tests, we received the following test values:
eBuricacid Results |
|
| Test 1 | 6.7 |
| Test 2 | 5.1 |
| Test 3 | 8.6 |
| Test 4 | 7.2 |
| Test 5 | 4.2 |
| Variance (Lower is Better) |
4.4 |
With a variance of 4.4, this test kit is definitely lacking in the accuracy department. It's the second most expensive test kit that we tested, while providing results that are near the bottom of the list.
Of all the meters we tested, this one provided the least accurate results. Our tests yielded the following values:
CareTouch Results |
|
| Test 1 | 4.2 |
| Test 2 | 5.9 |
| Test 3 | 10.6 |
| Test 4 | 4.8 |
| Test 5 | 8.7 |
| Variance (Lower is Better) |
6.4 |
Prior to conducting any testing, we had high hopes for this meter. The outer packaging looks contemporary and inviting. The results, however, were disappointing. With a variance of 6.4 mg/dL, it is impossible to get even a general idea of uric acid levels using this device. With much better options on the market, we recommend steering clear of the CareTouch monitoring systems at this time.
Learn more about the Dangers of High Uric Acid