[mooncat]

I got a freebie a couple of days ago, and I am one happy camper, comparing the Presto to the OneTouch Ultras I've been using.

Pros:
Teeny amount of blood needed.
Blood sucks/zips into test strip easily,
Seems quite accurate.
Small and feather-light.
Seems faster on results than the Ultras too, though that could just be my imagination.
Test strips can be found online $20-22 for 50, $42 for 100.
Has software and dowload cables available and seems to offer the same basic charts and averages as the Ultras.

Cons:
You can't just walk into any pharmacy and get the test strips. You can get them at *some* Wal-Marts, not all. Some Wal-Marts will order them for you. [This may not seem like a big deal if you live in an area with tons of Wal-Marts, but there is exactly one within 10 miles of me, the rest of them are almost 20 miles from me.] My local CVS can order them for me. You can order them online at several places, including Amazon.com. I must say that Agametrix customer service was extremely helpful in finding me nearby places to get strips.

Compared to the Ultras - OMG - I hardly have to use any blood, absolutely NO chance of not having enough - and the test doesn't start until the strip is full, so in the very unlikely event you didn't have enough blood you could just stick yourself again and fill up the strip. And noooo sticking-together strips either, hehehe! The case is smaller than my UltraSmart and may be the same size or even a tiny bit smaller than the Ultra-Mini case.

Another con - but maybe it isn't really - the Presto and the Jazz, their new one, use different test strips, so if you wanted one at home and one with you, they'd both have to be the same type of meter unless money was no object.

I am so happy with the Presto that I immediately started thinking about the Jazz, but as far as I can tell by looking on the Wavesense/Agametrix website, there is virtually no difference between the Presto and the Jazz as far as what they do, how they do it and the basic information they give you, i.e. I see no advantage in having the Jazz other than that it is newer. Also, the test strips for the Jazz seem to cost twice as much as the Presto strips - and the ONLY place you can get the Jazz strips is from Wavesense Direct or one other online store (which is basically the same thing, as even if you order from Direct, the strips are shipped from the other company's website). I had thought I would be willing to go the extra PITA mile for the Jazz, but now I think I'd be just as happy with two Prestos. I can't think of any reason why they created the Jazz, unless it was to collect extra $$ on the more expensive test strips. It may have one or two little 'extras' the Presto doesn't have, but certainly nothing that caught my attention as being worth bothering about. They market the Prestos to the Medicare or uninsured patients and the Jazz to those with insurance. I could have Jazz supplies covered by my insurance, but I don't see a reason at this point to use the Jazz over the Presto.

I've got to say, though, that after using it for two days, I'm ready to give up on the Ultras and become a Presto Girl.

[genie86333]

Ooh, doesn't start until the strip is full? I *like* that option. Would make it more likely that I'd be able to test on my other hand (since the whole reason I don't is that I'm clumsy & end up smearing the blood & not getting enough on the strip & wasting it with that hand.)

Where'd you get it for free?

[mooncat]

Originally Posted by genie86333

Ooh, doesn't start until the strip is full? I *like* that option. Would make it more likely that I'd be able to test on my other hand (since the whole reason I don't is that I'm clumsy & end up smearing the blood & not getting enough on the strip & wasting it with that hand.)

Where'd you get it for free?

Coupons at the Diabetes Expo - free with doctor's prescription - BUT I actually got it from Wavesense. I emailed them asking where I could get their test strips, and I ended up emailing back and forth with the same helpful customer service rep a few times, and the last time she emailed me "I've just sent you a free meter"(!) which I received in something like 3-4 days. The Wavesense/Agametrix people are always at the Diabetes expos. But there are also cheap/free offers at several places online, if you buy a box of 50 test strips. Google Amazon, and google "wavesense presto test strips" and you should find them. They're affordable because they're marketed to people who have to pay themselves.

[mosaic]

Just got my Wavesense Jazz. Will post a more thorough review later, but I have to say I echo all of the comments made above about the Presto.

And the complaint about scarcity/cost of the test strips is valid. Why the heck did Agametrix not make it so the Jazz uses the same strips as the Presto?! As a meter, I am LOVING the Jazz. But paying $80 per 100 strips from the ONE supplier is inconvenient... especially since I live near TWO Wal-Marts that sell Presto strips for half the price.

I'm paying out-of-pocket too... so Wavesense is lucky I really sold myself on the Jazz and its reporting features instead of deciding based on my wallet *grin*

[jjen777]

The strips are still cheaper than the One Touch Ultra strips. Or at least compared to market prices here for the Ultra strips. Twenty to thirty dollars cheaper. The only plus to the Jazz is the Bluetooth ability, which would be nice if someone has a laptop/desktop that is Bluetooth capable, or pays a couple bucks for a cheap Bluetooth dongle to upload all the data from their meter. Just depends on whether you upload everything and like geeky gadgets.

[cyberus]

It seems to be a trend ... the true track system was waaay cheaper on strips, now they are moving to a new system and new meter ... and the strips are more expensive