Staying on track with your goals on the keto diet becomes easier with the right tools. One of the most useful forms of feedback is the ketone meter. A ketone meter measures ketone levels in your blood or breath to determine whether you are or aren’t in ketosis.
Blood ketone meters detect beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), the most prevalent ketone body that circulates through your bloodstream. Breath ketone meters, on the other hand, detect acetone (Ace), which is the third and least abundant ketone body (1).
Testing for the presence of ketones is beneficial especially if you’re just starting a keto diet, although you can also rely on keto flu symptoms like fatigue, headache, muscle cramps, bad breath, and weight loss.
Best Ketone Meter on the Market
Below is a list of the best ketone meters available in the market today. These ketone meters vary based on price, convenience, ease of use, and design. You can find them on Amazon or Walmart.
Note: We’ve kept our focus on blood and breath testing in this article, and have not included urine testing which requires test strips (not meters).
1. Keto-Mojo Ketone Testing Kit
Keto-Mojo is the best ketone meter in Amazon with a 4.5 star rating. Recommended by experts in the keto community like Diet Doctor, this testing kit includes a bluetooth monitor, smartphone app, glucose and ketone testing strips, and a travel case.
Pros:
- One device gets both your blood ketone and glucose readings
- FDA-approved
- Can also be used by individuals with diabetes
- Easy to set up and connecting with the app is simple
- Keto-Mojo has a website with tons of helpful resources
Cons:
- Some users have complained about inconsistent results
- Not available for purchase outside the US
- This ketone blood test device isn’t the most affordable
Price: $44.99 at Keto-Mojo
2. BKT Keto Starter Kit
The Best Ketone Test blood meter measures both your ketone and glucose levels. Having personally used this meter, we like that it’s highly accurate and has plenty of features that make you appreciate ketone testing and the effects of certain foods on your body, so you can better stick to a low-carb lifestyle.
Pros:
- One device checks blood ketones and blood glucose
- Has a Bluetooth that connects to your phone and feeds all your data
- Strip ejector to maintain hygiene after using (so you don’t touch the blood on the strip)
- Big LCD monitor for high visibility and with backlight for dark environments
- Painless and automatic pricking — a huge plus for us
- Customer support is highly responsive and very helpful
- Ships worldwide
Cons:
- A bit challenging to set-up if you’ve never used a blood meter before (so make sure to read the manual)
- We were not able to add notes to the app even after several times of clicking the “Add notes” form
Price: $59.99 at Best Ketone Test
3. Ketoscan Mini Breath Ketone Meter
The Ketoscan breath ketone meter is a convenient and non-invasive way to monitor your ketone (acetone) levels. Simply blow into the device to get a result within 3 seconds. According to the website, this breath sensor is more sensitive than others out there which increases reading accuracy.
Pros:
- Features a highly sensitive acetone sensor
- Suitable for long-term use
- Includes an all-in-one app (you can track calories, take photos of your food, etc.)
- FDA Class 1
Cons:
- Some users have reported getting inconsistent results
Price: $149.99 at Amazon
4. KetoHC Ketone Breath Meter
The KetoHC breath meter is another handy tool that you can use at home or on-the-go. Backed by a 1-year warranty and shipped from the US, it includes 6 extra mouthpieces so that you and your loved ones doing keto can also test for ketosis.
Pros:
- User-friendly LCD display that shows your ketone reading
- The website provides customer support in case of any questions
- Comes with extra mouthpieces that are washable
- Quick and easy to use in just 3 steps
Cons:
- Unfortunately, it does not include batteries in the package contrary to customer expectations
Price: $38.75 at Amazon
5. KetoCoach Blood Ketone Meter
This blood ketone meter in Walmart has a 4.2 star rating. A lot of users find KetoCoach to be more accurate and affordable compared to other ketone meters. Keto experts like Dr. Ryan Lowery and Dave Asprey highly recommend it. What does the kit include? A ketone meter, 10 individually-wrapped strips, a lancing device, 10 lancets, and a sticker.
Pros:
- The initial cost of purchasing the kit is reasonable
- Requires only a tiny blood sample (0.8 microliters)
- Features a user-friendly display
- They have real coaches like Dr. Jaime Seeman and Danny Vega to help support your journey via their Fastcoach app
Cons:
- Some users have complained that the strips can be buggy
Price: $49.95 at Walmart
6. KetoSens Ketone Monitoring System
This ketone monitoring kit has everything you need to test your blood ketone levels conveniently. We liked its black color and large display that makes reading ketones comfortable for anyone. It also comes with bluetooth connectivity and a SmartLog software where you can track your ketone and glucose levels, and even share your data with your loved ones or healthcare provider.
Pros:
- FDA-approved
- Requires only a tiny blood sample (0.5 microliters)
- A lot of users have vouched for the accuracy of this device
- Features a large negative LCD for clear and easy reading
- Gets you results within 8 seconds only
Cons:
- The refill test strips can be pricey
Price: $30.99-$34.99 at Amazon
7. KetoGuru β Ketone Monitoring System
While it’s true that there are already plenty of ketone meters on the market, KetoGuru is still worth a try. This beginner-friendly ketone testing tool features a one-touch analyzer that will show you results in seconds. It has a long battery life too — it allows you to test 1,800 times.
Pros:
- Small and portable, easy to carry wherever you go
- Stores up to 600 test results
- Provides a quick reading within seconds
Cons:
- Some customers mentioned on Amazon that they’re no longer able to buy additional test strips, saying that they’re out of stock
Price: Check availability on Amazon
8. KETONIX Breath Ketone Analyzer
Unlike other breath ketone analyzers, KETONIX comes in a pen-shaped form. You can choose from two models – Basic and Professional. This product on Amazon, however, is the Basic model, yet it already features bluetooth communication and includes an app, quick guide, extra mouthpiece, and pouch.
Pros:
- No calibration is required
- Users can choose their preferred language on the KETONIX app
- The app shows you a graph of your ketone levels over time
- Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee
- Small and lightweight
Cons:
- Setting up may be intimidating for some people
- Charging the device takes time
Price: $129-$179 at KETONIX
9. Precision Xtra Blood Glucose & Ketone Monitoring System
If you need to monitor not just your blood ketone levels but also your glucose levels, then we recommend Precision Xtra. This device is especially helpful among those with diabetes who need to closely monitor their health in an accurate way. It shuts off automatically after 1 minute when you’re done testing.
Pros:
- No coding is required
- A beginner-friendly and family-friendly kit for keto dieters
- Requires only 0.6 microliters of blood
- Features a large display with backlight for easy reading
Cons:
- The test strips tend to be pricey
Price: $29.16 at Walmart
10. Nova Max Plus Glucose and Ketone Testing Meter
This glucose and ketone meter in Walmart provides fast results — 5 seconds for glucose results and 10 seconds for ketone results. What makes it stand out is that it requires only a 0.3 microliter sample size. Plus, it has a long battery life as it is able to handle 1,000 tests.
Pros:
- The lancing device allows for alternative testing sites
- Prevents false high readings due to maltose
- Requires a much smaller blood sample compared with other blood ketone meters on the market
- Suitable for people with diabetes
Cons:
- It has a small memory — up to 400 results only
- Not FDA approved
Price: $18.17 at Walmart
Conclusion
With testing devices like blood and breath ketone meters at your disposal, you’ll know for sure whether or not you’re doing the keto diet right.
It’s for you to decide if you’ll be going for blood testing, which some people find uncomfortable to do. Yet, it gives you a more accurate picture of ketosis. Testing the breath for ketones is less accurate, but it does provide a lot of convenience since you can test anytime and anywhere.
Hopefully, this ketone meter roundup helps you make the right choice. Always make sure to check the device’s warranty, ease of use, quality, and real user reviews if you have any doubts about the product.
References:
- L Laffel. Ketone bodies: a review of physiology, pathophysiology and application of monitoring to diabetes. 1999 November-December
