How to Compare a Heart Rate Monitor & Digital Watch

Several manufacturers produce heart-rate training monitors and digital watches, each with different styles and functions. It helps to know the range of what's available--and what you need--before making a purchase.

Functions

• Know what functions are most important to you. Any heart rate monitor and digital watch should give a clear real-time reading of your heart rate. But some monitors can also record your workout, calculate how many calories you have burned, measure body-fat percentages and tell you your target heart-rate range. The monitor's display should be large enough for you to read without stopping your workout, and backlit if you tend to exercise in low-light conditions.

Transmitter Types

• Look for a heart rate monitor and watch set whose transmitter meets your needs for accuracy. Those worn around the chest generally provide more accurate readings than the type that read the pulse from two fingers placed on the watch, though the pulse-type may be more comfortable. If you work out at a gym or in another public space, you'll likely want a coded transmitter--the code prevents your signals from interacting with someone else's, causing inaccurate readings on your digital watch. A non-coded transmitter will suffice if you will be working out alone and no one else with a heart rate monitor will be around you .

Cost

• Weigh the cost of a heart rate monitor and digital watch. The more added features, the higher the cost. As of September 2010, a basic monitor and watch cost around $125, but if you want all the features available, you might spend up to $300 on the set.