The 5 Best Heart Rate Monitors

Having a heart rate monitor is important for exercising, but it can also be a fashion statement. They can help to make sure you are in your fat-burning heart rate zone since you are putting all the effort of working out, yet you want to be sure you are not overworking your body. Overworking your body can not only cause fatigue but could cause injuries as well. Wearing a heart rate monitor when you workout can help ensure that you are not overworking your body and are getting the most you can out of your work out. There are so many options to choose from when it comes to a heart rate monitor, so we have put together a list of the 5 best heart rate monitors.

Garmin HRM-Dual

This heart rate monitor is washable and can last up to 3.5 years giving it our Best Overall Award.

Best Overall

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The Garmin HRM-Dual is a standard heart rate monitor with updated technology to it. The strap is soft and adjustable, so you would not have to worry about the strap annoying you for your entire workout. By removing the heart rate component, you can throw the strap in with your laundry which makes it super easy and convenient.

How it works is the heart rate monitor tracks your heart rate in real time while you are wearing it and transports the data through bluetooth technology. You can train anywhere with this heart rate monitor and would not need to worry about it. This heart rate monitor should be durable as well as it states it can last up to 3.5 years. That is a lot of workouts and monitoring your heart rate.

Pros:

It is durable
It is comfortable to wear
Transmits in real time over bluetooth to other devices

Cons:

Does not show your heart rate on the actual heart rate monitor component
It may become inconvenient to put a strap on
The strap may need to be washed often depending on your workouts and amount of sweat

Polar F1 Heart Rate Monitor

This heart rate monitor is similar to the Garmin HRM-Dual in the fact that you will need to wear the strap around your chest for it to get your heart rate, except it comes with a watch to wear that will help you track your heart rate in real time. The watch features a large and easy to read display, so it is perfect for anyone at any age. It also has a manual heart rate target zone that helps you predict where your heart rate needs to be to encourage better workouts. The watch shows a summary of your latest workout making it easy to remember what was accomplished on your last workout.

Pros:

Great system to monitor your heart rate
Well designed products since it is from the Polar brand
Great value to get multiple items included within purchase

Cons:

Does not have a lot of functionalities on the watch component
An expensive price tag
Batteries may not last long

LetsFit Watch – Fitness Tracker, Activity Tracker, and Heart Rate Monitor

LetsFit Watch - Fitness Tracker, Activity Tracker, and Heart Rate Monitor

The LetsFit Watch comes with several capabilities in addition to being a heart rate monitor including being waterproof.

Most Features

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The LetsFit Watch has several capabilities including a watch display, music control, stress training, monitors steps, calories burned, sleep quality, and tracks your heart rate. It also has some smartwatch functions that you can view calls, texts, and social media notifications directly on your wrist, while being a fraction of the cost of a typical smartwatch.

The watch comes in several color options to choose from including black, navy, teal, pink, and a few more. It is also waterproof, so feel free to get your swim workout in with the LetsFit Watch on your wrist.

Pros:

It is waterproof
So many capabilities
Great price tag for what it is able to do

Cons:

Requires a newer smartphone to be compatible with the watch
Your phone has to be turned on for the watch to work properly
May not be long lasting

Polar H10 Heart Rate Monitor

The Polar H10 Heart Rate Monitor is versatile, comes with many color options, and can communicate by bluetooth with several types of devices including a Peloton spin bike or treadmill.

Best High End

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This heart rate monitor guarantees high accuracy rate, but comes with an expensive price tag. It is compatible with several different types of smartwatches and cardio equipment, including Pelotons. You can also have it paired with bluetooth to several different items at once, for example a smartwatch and a piece of cardio equipment as you are working out.

The chest strap is comfortable and has grips on it, to be sure you have wide range of motion without needing to constantly fidget with the strap as you workout. The strap has several color options to choose from including the standard black, grey, orange, and turquoise.

Pros:

Compatible with smartwatches and cardio equipment
Guarantees high accuracy
Several color options for band

Cons:

An expensive price tag
It may become inconvenient to put a strap on
The strap may need to be washed often depending on your workouts and amount of sweat

LETSCOM Watch – Fitness Tracker, Activity Tracker, and Heart Rate Monitor

LETSCOM Watch - Fitness Tracker, Activity Tracker, and Heart Rate Monitor

Best on a budget, the LETSCOM Watch comes in several color options with smartwatch-like capabilities.

Best on a Budget

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The LETSCOM Watch has several capabilities including a watch display, connects to the GPS on your cell phone, pedometer, calories burned, sleep quality, and tracks your heart rate. It also has some smartwatch functions that you can view calls, texts, calendar reminders, and social media notifications directly on your wrist.

It is great on a budget being a fraction of the price of normal smartwatches. The watch comes in several color options to choose from including black, red, turquoise, pink, purple, and more. It is also waterproof, so feel free to get your swim workout in with the LETSCOM Watch on your wrist. One charge of the LETSCOM Watch gives you up to 7 days of working time.

Pros:

It is waterproof
Comes in a variety of colors to choose from
Great price tag for having so many smartwatch-like capabilities

Cons:

May not be 100% accurate with all taken measurements
Requires a newer smartphone to be compatible with the watch
May not be long lasting

Frequently Asked Questions

What are heart rate monitors?

Heart rate monitors provide feedback on your heart rate so you can evaluate how hard you are working out and make adjustments to ensure you are getting the most out of your workout. The goal of each workout should be to ensure you are in your target heart rate zone for the maximum impact. There are different online tools to assist you in calculating what your target heart rate zone should be to assist you.

Is having a heart rate monitor important?

Having a heart rate monitor is very important if you are working out. When exercising you should be wanting to get the most out of it as possible, because you could be sitting on the couch watching television. But you are not and since you are working out, you want to be sure you are getting the full and maximum impact of your time exercising.

Should I buy a heart rate monitor?

If you workout or exercise, even somewhat regularly, and want to be sure you are meeting your target heart rate zone to feel and see the impact of the workout, you should definitely buy a heart rate monitor. We recommend evaluating what would be best for you and your workoutsto find the perfect heart rate monitor for you.