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Which brand has the cheapest strips? How much I should be paying for them?

S

Silver567

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Hello There!
As per title... I'm looking for the brand that has the cheapest strips to buy in the UK... Also, how much I should expect to pay for a machine? I don't have diabetes but my weight and food choices are heading me to that direction, hence I now decided to take better care of my health before it gets too late. Thanks in advance for all the help and info.
Have a great day!
 
I find that the Tee2 from Spirit healthcare whilst not the cheapest is one of the more accurate meters

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/tee2

The strip price for T2's (no VAT) is £9.99 so you might have to pay more.. (20%)

There are a few other meters with cheaper strips but on testing I've found them to be less accurate for me.
 
I use this, which is one of the cheapest, to give you an idea of cost. Some manufacturers will give away the meter but it is ongoing use of strips that is the real expense.
 
I use the Tee2 as well, but the meter with the cheapest strips is the Gluco Navii. https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/. https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/gluconavii-blood-sugar-meter-glucose-monitor-starter-kit/

There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips. Buying a pack of 10 boxes of strips using the discount code works out at £5.68.

The SD Codefree from Home Health has similarly priced strips, but is rumoured to be being discontinued at some point.

The Tee2+ also has relatively cheap strips, (although they have recently gone up in price): https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/products/copy-of-copy-of-tee2-blood-glucose-meter with the strips found here: https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/products/copy-of-tee2-test-strips I got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order the meter and 10 boxes of strips and they threw the meter in for free. Phone number 0800 8815423. I daresay Home Health would do the same.

Also from Spirit Healthcare, with more expensive strips than the Tee2+ is their Caresens Dual. This can be used for testing ketones too (strips for that very expensive). https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual

Don’t forget to check the box (or mention on the phone) to say you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

(Edited to update links for the Tee2)
 
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I've just got a free aviva performa from aviva and paid £12 for 50 strips from Amazon. I've always found aviva to be accurate.
 
Silver567 said:
Hi, please could you share how you got it for free? Thanks
Click to expand...

Hi,

Think of meters like printers? One can pick them up cheap or even issued by the company for gratis.
Where these companies realy make the money with returning custom, is the ink cartriges. Sorry, the strips.

Sometimes, A little "creativity" when applying for the offer can help..?
 
Silver567 said:
Hi, please could you share how you got it for free? Thanks
Click to expand...

I just rang them because I wanted a new one as my other one is old and I wanted to go through the options, they offered me a free one, I didn't even hint!
 
Which brand has the cheapest strips? How much I should be paying for them?
Click to expand...
Move to Australia as a permanent resident, and you will get free meters form most of the major manufacturers.
Join the NDSS and you will get subsides strips (and pump parts if needed), I pay $1.20 instead of $65.00 for 100 strips as I have a concession card. Or pay around $6.50 without the card.
 
The pricing is interesting information for those in Australia but I think moving there from the UK where @Silver567 is based is perhaps a bit extreme just to get cheaper strips

Some interesting information in this thread though, I use a GlucoRX Nexus (https://www.glucorx.co.uk/shop/glucorx-nexus-test-strips/) which with no VAT, and discount for subscribe and save works out at £10.25 which clearly isn't the cheapest but isn't far off the Tee2. Unfortunately the postage they use pushes the price up quite a bit. But is definitely cheaper than going through Amazon.

I'm going to look into the navii myself though once I can understand reviews. Cheapest isn't always best of course but it just highlights how much strips factor in and why those who are prescribed can end up having machines changed to help save the NHS money
 
Just to chime in.

While I understand some need accuracy, all meters have a built in variance margin of error.

I too worried early on when using codefree meter after hearing reports

In the end I kept using it
While it MIGHT have been "out'
I seriously doubt it was mission critical and I kept using it to good effect .

Never had any wild unexpected spikes.

Dropped it, and it broke ...

Called home health and person I spoke to offered the meter Navii for free.

Personally prefer it

Requires a much smaller sample of blood so far fewer errors where the sample has been too small.

In fact quite rare to get errors, now I think of it

For me it's the Speedo in a car.

The timings maybe out compared to calibrated speed warning signs at the side of the road, by a mile or so.

I just build that in to my expectations.

For me I don't need formula 1 split time differentials.

It does what it says on the tin.
"Gives me a guide to how certain foods affect my BG levels "

That's it

Sure others may see it differently
I'm just putting it out there for consideration.

Viva la difference
 
 
I totally agree my experience with codefree and Navvii are the same I also find Home Health customer service very helpful
Carol
 
GlucoRX. Not the most technologically advanced meter in the world, but it seems to be reasonably accurate and it was free. Strips are £9.50 for 100 from my local chemist.
 
KennyA said:
GlucoRX. Not the most technologically advanced meter in the world, but it seems to be reasonably accurate and it was free. Strips are £9.50 for 100 from my local chemist.
Click to expand...
Are you sure that's not for 50?
 
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