Heart rate monitors are an easy way to read and record someone’s heart rate without involving any complex medical equipment. It is certainly fascinating considering the amount of wrist tied heart rate monitors that are available in the market.

There are many key benefits of owning a heart rate monitor, but we have listed the top two features down here:

• Awareness: An HRM keeps you aware of your oscillating heartbeat when performing various activities. This can help you determine the state of your cardiovascular health by submitting the ECG data to a doctor.
• A personal Coach: Your HRM can help you scale up or down on your intensities while you work out. You can read trough ECG data and analyze if you are pushing yourself too much or if you can put in extra work without any harm.

But, the heart rate monitor was not always very multifunctional and has had its own share of turbulences. Here is something interesting about the journey of the heart rate monitor.

Up until early 2010, tech giant POLAR was the only company to provide a dedicated heart rate monitoring machine for personal and professional use. Their heart rate monitoring system was very complex and did very poorly on providing a user-friendly metric, many competitors slowly started making their stride in the field of HRM manufacturing extending it into Fitbits and Apple watches.

List of Top Heart Rate Monitors in 2020

Heart rate monitoring system is a device that gives immediate feedback on the heart rate while you are exercising or doing any kind of activity. Technology has gradually improved and we are now able to read and record a person’s heartbeat through smartwatches and other strap based devices. We have put together a list of gadgets that will help you get a detailed idea about your heart rate. They are some of the best heart rates monitors in 2020.

We have considered six factors for deciding the devices that went into this list of best heart monitors for 2020.

• Strap Size 
• Connectivity
• Battery life
• Memory
• Price
• Native app support

Based on the above factors, here’s the list of best heart rate monitors in 2020:

Polar H10:

Polar has been the market leader of the HRM market for a long time. The polar H10 is a product that is inspired by the greatness of the company history. It is a heart rate monitoring chest strap that is used in activities where a band may seem uneasy.

It has a heart rate monitor app for iPhone and Android with built-in memory to store a maximum of 1 training session. Polar H10 can be connected to your mobile phone through Bluetooth technology. With H10’s extended battery life of 400 hours, it is a device that can be used for extreme athletic practices as well as casual use.

Fitbit Inspire HR:

Fitbit is a company that has been revolutionising the health and smartwatch industry with its own version of HRM’s called a ‘Fitbit’. The Fitbit Inspire HR is a minimalistic smartwatch that records your heartbeat and displays it on a back-lit touchscreen.  This can be connected to your smartphone with a dedicated heart rate monitor app via Bluetooth.

Apart from a conventional smartwatch based HRM, the Fitbit Inspire HR also records your daily energy expenditure, steps taken, sleep patterns and sleep stages. It is your best bet of buying an HRM with premium features at a nominal price.

Fitbit Versa

Fitbit Versa is more like the elder brother of Fitbit Inspire HR. This device is a highly functional smartwatch that acts way more than just as a heart rate monitor band. It has all the functionality of the Fitbit inspire HR as well as useful additions like a bigger screen, inbuilt Alexa, Spotify and other useful apps. This premium smartwatch has a battery life of more than 6+ days and a dedicated heart rate monitor app for iPhone and Android. Be wary though, as with these awesome features comes a heavy price tag.

Apple watch series 5:

The king of all smartwatches is here to rule to Heart Rate monitor machine segment. This is a watch fitted with a highly accurate HRM that can be connected to a dedicated app on your IOS device, But here is the best part, the HRM is just an add-on to this wonderful piece of technology. It allows you to call people, control apps, play music and tell the time in a hundred different digital watch faces.

Apple Watch Series 5 has an inbuilt ECG app that gives you instant feedback on your heart rate to keep you informed while working out. As an added feature, it also helps women keep track of their menstrual cycles.

Polar OH1+:

The polar OH1+ is one of the best fitness heart rate monitor band that can be worn on your hand. It is very useful in athletic activities to where a chest strap or a watch type HRM may be detrimental to functionality. Polar OH1+ is very compact and has its dedicated app for IOS and android. This device can work as a standalone recording data in its inbuilt memory. But connecting it to its native app seemed the best way to record your data.

The most important feature of OH1+ is its waterproof capabilities that extend its use for swimming and high-intensity functions. When in the pool, you can remove the device from its band and fix it onto your swimming goggles. It can very easily record your heartbeat from your temples with high accuracy.

As you might have become aware by now that a heart rate monitor can not only help you determine your cardiovascular health but also act as your personal coach. So, why waste time, buy the best heart rate monitor according to your needs now!