Accu-Chek Guide Glucose Meter and No-Spill Test Strips Review
A basic medical product can be a step outside the box and offer something unique for people with diabetes.
That’s the case with the Accu-Chek Guide glucose meter from Roche Diabetes Care. It offers some great practical features to make carrying and using test strips easier. The product also offers improved lighting to use the fingerstick meter in the dark, and an onboard dosing calculator to help you figure out how much insulin you need.
The Accu-Chek Guide and its innovative features show the company willingness to listen and get creative.
The Accu-Chek products are made by a company in Indiana. Accu-Chek products have been in the diabetes space for a long time. They make the Accu-Chek Spirit pumps.
“The Accu-Chek Guide meter is one of the newest fingerstick meters in this company’s line of products.”
Since then, Roche has discontinued many other models, including the Accu-Chek Aviva meters and test strips that are being phased out completely by the end of 2022.
Now, people will need to switch to either the Accu-Chek Guide — or another less-featured version known as the Accu-Chek Guide Me — and use those specific strips, as the Guide has become the company’s preferred brand.
Pros
- The Accu-Chek digital platform is connected to a mobile app using a wireless technology.
- The calculator is used to determine the amount ofinsulin.
- Solid accuracy and long battery life.
- The test strip has a large blood drop area.
- It is easy to use at night or in dark places.
- The spill-resistant container makes test strips more convenient and less messy than traditional test strip vials.
- An automatic strip ejection for easy disposal of used strips is included.
Cons
- doesn’t connect to share data with other diabetes devices like continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) or insulin pumps
- Not compatible with third-party digital platforms.
- Pricing can be a problem.
“The Accu-Chek Guide meter has a lot of features. The simpler Accu-Chek Guide Me version has a larger, easy-to-read display but doesn’t have all the same features as the brand’s software platform.”
The Accu-Chek Guide has some product specifications.
- Dimensions: 3.2 x 1.9 x 0.8 inches
- Weight: 49 grams (with batteries)
Spill-resistant test strip vial
The company developed a slimmer version of the traditional round design for test strips. It makes it easy to pop out a single strip at a time. You can tip the entire vial upside down without the strips falling onto the floor.
The spill-prevention mechanism is called a strip channel and it is a set of grooves where the strips fit into.
It is the first time any meter manufacturer has ever seen the annoyance of dealing with loose strips tumbling out and provided a solution, and it is pretty huge. The company has a practicality and convenience in mind.
I could shake this vial repeatedly and only a single strip would come out at a time, after years of trying to not spill or lose expensive test strips. Magic!
Friendly in the dark
The Accu-Chek Guide has a feature that automatically lights up the test strip port when you insert a strip.
You can just hit the OK/On button to turn on the light and it will stay on until you apply the blood sample. The Accu-Chek Guide has a bright backlight.
This is a great feature for anyone who needs to test in a dark room or a place with low light. The port light is bright enough to help test.
Battery life
“The Accu-Chek Guide meter uses two coin-cell batteries. It is designed so that the port light won’t drain the battery life. The battery life will last for about 750 tests, and up to 2,000 tests with an unpaired meter to a phone.”
Bigger blood drop area
The company says that the strip is two to four times larger than the other brand name strips. The Accu-Chek Guide strip has a bright yellow edge where you can deposit your blood.
The strips show icons for blood drop locations. This is helpful because some test strips have different designs with the blood going directly on the top while others collect samples on the edge.
Strip ejector
The test strip will come out of the slot if you push a button on the side of the meter. This helps to dispose of used strips more easily. The chance of blood rubbing off when removing the strips from the meter is lowered by this.
You can put the strip into a trash basket once you have checked your blood sugar.
Better accuracy
It is not all about making strips easier to carry. The Accu-Chek Guide meter and strips are more accurate than any of their predecessors according to the company.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, clinical results submitted to regulators show that with the lowest glucose readings below 75 mg/dL, Accu-Chek Guide hits an accuracy of 100%. The results are within the +/-10% accuracy standard, and two-thirds are within roughly 5 mg/dL points.
The results are all within the 20% accuracy standard and the majority of them are within the 10% accuracy standard.
According to research by the Diabetes Technology Society, Accu-Chek meters are among the highest compliance with accuracy standards, ranging from 95 to 98% depending on the model. However, the Accu-Chek Guide wasn’t included in this research.
Glucose patterns, insulin dosing calculator
The Accu-Chek Guide can help people better recognize high and low blood sugar trends. The percentage of low and high levels in the morning, midday, evening, and overnight is shown on the meter and in the mobile app.
The app has an option to determine how muchinsulin you need based on the current reading and carb count information that you enter.
The feature of the bolus wizard is built into the mobile app- connected meter and may be an excellent addition for anyone not using aninsulin pump.
A
The number is easy to see in the big bold text on the Accu-Chek Guide.
You can see the time and date above the result. You can enter comments below the result if you want to know if a meal or exercise is affecting the result or if you have a high or low blood sugar.
Blood sugar levels 101
Keeping the levels of the blood sugar in check is the goal for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Sometimes people use diabetes medication based on their needs. Many factors affect the levels of blood sugar.
Everyone has their own needs and the target level for the blood sugar may be different.
The 2022 standards from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) advise that the typical blood sugar range for (nonpregnant) adults with diabetes are:
- Before meals, between 80 and 130 grams per deciles.
- It is lower than 180 s/dL within a few hours after eating.
Ranges vary for children younger than 18 years, older adults, and those with chronic medical conditions or gestational diabetes.
The second Low Energy meter is from Roche Diabetes Care. The Accu-Chek Aviva Connect meter was discontinued. The Accu-Chek Guide meter can be used with the Accu-Chek Connect mobile app. The pair allows you to have your readings sent to your phone.
It’s important to know that the Accu-Chek Guide only communicates with the Connect mobile app, Roche Diabetes Care’s mySugr app, and the Accu-Chek 360˚ Diabetes management software.
“It doesn’t allow for third-party digital platforms to connect to the current version of the Diabetes Management System. The Accu-Chek Guide Me version does not connect with the company’s Accu-Chek 360 Diabetes management software.”
“The Accu-Chek Guide and the Accu-Chek Guide Me products are usually $30 on the company’s website. The one-time cost is only for the unit itself. You have to purchase the test strips.”
There are 25, 50, and 100 Accu-Chek Guide test strips. The strips are sold in most US drugstores.
The cost can be as low as $16 for 25 and as high as $50 for a 100 count. Accu-Chek is on the higher end of competitors in terms of strips cost.
Where to buy the Accu-Chek Guide
You can get a subscription to get the number of test strips you need delivered regularly.
You can buy or subscribe to the Accu-Chek Guide program here. Roche Diabetes Care also offers a SimplePay savings program to help people in need afford the meter and strips at a discounted price, either online or from a local pharmacy.
Check with your health insurance plan for coverage details for the Accu-Chek Guide meters. Buying these products directly or over the counter at retail prices may be more economical than buying them from your insurance plan.
The Accu-Chek Guide gets high marks from people who have used it. It gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.
The spill-resistant test strips are an oft-mention highlight for many people, who describe not having to worry about spilling or losing their test strips, especially if it is late at night, in a dark room or in a cramped space.
The strips may be inserted wrong or the meter may not connect via the wireless protocol they were intended to use.
I had great experiences using the Accu-Chek Guide. The company took to heart the issue of people with diabetes and came up with a novel solution, a test strip container. The meter has additional lighting options and a display that is easy to read.
The Accu-Chek Guide is one of many meters that are available. There are a variety of name brands that you can find at drugstores and pharmacy.
Here is an overview of the options that are available.
| Product | Manufacturer | Meters | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accu-Chek | Roche Diabetes Care | Accu-Chek Guide, Guide Me | • easy to use traditional meters • Guide includes spill-resistant strip container • links to Minimed 770G insulin pump system |
| Contour | Ascensia Diabetes Care | Contour Next, Contour Next ONE, Contour Next EZ | • easy to use traditional meters • design may be vertical or horizontal to display results • designs differ, with varying sizes, features, displays • uses different test strips depending on meter type |
| OneTouch | LifeScan | Verio Reflect, Verio Flex, OneTouch Ultra | • easy to use traditional meters • designs differ, with varying sizes, features, displays • uses different test strips depending on meter type |
| Generic meters | variety of options | includes CVS Health Advanced, True Metrix, ReliOn | • many meters praised as lower cost while also retaining accuracy and quality |
Continuous glucose monitors (CGM)
You may also consider a more advanced technology known as a CGM.
These are not the same as a fingerstick meter that checks your blood sugar levels with a small drop of blood. They provide continuous readings. The current devices include the Eversense by Ascensia Diabetes Care.
It is important to consider what is most important to you in your diabetes management and how those may work for you.
If you have any questions about your diabetes care team, please speak to them.
How long does an Accu-Chek meter last?
“The Accu-Chek Guide meter uses two coin-cell batteries. It is designed so that the port light won’t drain the battery life. The battery life will last for about 750 tests, and up to 2,000 tests with an unpaired meter to a phone.”
Which Accu-Chek meter is the most accurate?
One of the most accurate brands is Accu-Chek.
The Accu-Chek Guide uses what it calls the advanced 10/10 accuracy rule. About 95% of measured glucose results should fall within 10 mg/dL of a lab reference value for blood glucose concentrations below 100 mg/dL.
A 2017 summary of the Blood Glucose Surveillance Program by the Diabetes Technology Society revealed other Accu-Chek meters were two of the small number that met accuracy standards.
Are Accu-Chek meters 100% accurate?
“There is no fingerstick meter that is 100% accurate. They don’t have the same level of accuracy from a blood drop as a lab-drawn test will.”
The Accu-Chek meters are considered to be some of the most accurate on the market. The Accu-Chek Guide was approved by regulators because it measured within 98% of lab results.
The Accu-Chek Guide is a practical and easy-to-use fingerstick meter option from a well-known, trusted brand. It has features that help improve the experience of checking blood sugar and carrying test strips. The features consider the real-world experiences that people deal with when managing diabetes.
The Accu-Chek Guide product is different from other products due to the design improvements.
