The Bayer Contour USB Blood Glucose Meter was recently released to the market with much fanfare and excitement. As glucose meters go, it is truly a site to behold. Not that any meter has to be, but this one is very sleek and attractive.

It is very small and has many of the advanced features you have come to expect from meters that come in much larger packages.

Nevertheless, is it right for you?

The Contour USB has come under fire since its release for some of these very attractive features. Let's look at the good and the bad and see if the meter is worth it.

Bayer Contour USB Meter - Key Advantages

Contour USB
Blood Glucose Meter

It is always good to start with the positives and this meter has some great positives.

1. Small Size: The Contour USB is small and convenient. In fact, it is the smallest meter currently on the market.
2. Color Display and Icons: Very clear and nice color display. The Icons for programming are intuitive and easy to follow. The screen is easy to read in low light.
3. USB Data Download: This is a great feature. You just plug the meter into your USB port on your computer and download the testing data to the monitoring software.
4. Rechargeable Battery: When you plug the Contour USB into your computer's USB port it recharges the battery. Optional wall charger is available.
5. Illuminated Strip Port: There is a light to at the test strip port which helps you see where the strip goes.

Contour USB Meter - Key Disadvantages

With the good, sometimes come the bad. The chief complaint associated with the Contour USB has been centered on its software. The company literature claims that it is compatible with Windows 7 and Snow Leopard operating system from Apple. In practice, this does not appear to be the case.

In fact, some users report that Bayer tech support itself states that it is not compatible with the latest Microsoft and Apple operating systems. This is a fairly big inconvenience.

Additionally, the meter does not allow a data download to non Bayer management software. Many users like to use third party online software so that they and/or their doctor can access results remotely.

Test Strip Compatibility

The meter uses the Bayer Contour Test Strips. You can see the latest prices at our Diabetic Test Strip Price Comparison page.

Bottom Line

The Contour USB is a great choice, if you do not use the latest operating systems or third party monitoring software. It is small, has great features and is very easy to use. We just love the USB capabilities.

We do think Bayer really missed an opportunity here, by releasing the meter and claiming certain operating system capabilities prior to actually working out all of the bugs.