A friend of mine was looking at buying an elasticated tubular bandage and an EcoTemp Digital thermometer from an online site and since I wanted to buy an easy handheld ECG monitor we decided to split the delivery costs.

I was looking at ECG electrodes for monitor and batteries as well as ECG monitors and found that that according to many reviews, the portable ECG machines can be just as useful as the larger ones, depending on your requirements. An ECG monitor is a medical device for recording the electrical activities of the heart from electrodes placed on the skin in specific locations. To get a complete picture of the activities, some ECG uses 12 leads, six limb leads and six precordial leads. For home use, a two-lead system is sufficient and they can be used to take readings at different locations.

When you want to buy a portable ECG home machine (EKG), you should not base your decision on prices and brand names only. You can discover some high quality units at significantly reduced prices but you need to determine your own needs first, such as required features, affordability, and budget.

There are many types of home ECG/EKG monitors for sale on the market, from tens of thousands to a few hundred pounds. The more expensive ones are used mostly in hospitals and major medical clinics. They are part of a comprehensive system for monitoring a patient's vital signs. For a high quality portable EKG home monitor, prices start at under £150.

ECG monitors do not directly show the actual functioning and movement of the heart; an ECG measures the electrical activities which give good indications of a heart's performance. It is common for a normal heart to have abnormal ECG readings.

Accuracy and reliability: The primary purpose of ECG is to measure your heart's electrical activities. The key selection criterion is to find one that produce accurate results within its operating range consistently and reliability. ECG monitors generally use similar mechanisms for reading data and differ in material used and manufacturing.

If you need an accurate reading, you should validate your ECG monitor by comparing it with others, such as those in your doctor's office or medical clinics. Most units can take a reading within a minute or two.

Portability and size: Since you want to take measurements within a moment's notice, you do not want to lug it around. All portable personal EKG monitors are compact and similar to the size of a small blood pressure monitor.

Ease of use: Most monitors are simple to use and this should not be a factor. Some monitors place one electrode against the left bare chest, which may cause some inconvenience.

At the end of the day, as with all medical equipment, you need to see which features are the most important for you and then base your decision on this, even though price is often a deciding factor too. This applies for an easy handheld ECG monitor as well as other things.