Gifting smart health/fitness devices can be really thoughtful but it can also be tough to figure out what to pick. Below we’ve got a roundup of some of the best smart health/fitness devices from the top smart scales, a self-cleaning water bottle, metabolic analyzer, as well as advice if you’re thinking about gifting a smartwatch.
The first smart health/fitness devices featured below range from great smart scale options, a blood pressure monitor, self-cleaning/purifying water bottle, to a pocket-sized metabolic analyzer. And all of them minus the smart water bottle are compatible with iPhone and Apple Health.
If you’re considering gifting a wearable, we’ll cover tips to help you decide whether a smartwatch or basic fitness band is best. As well as diving into how Apple Watch compares with Garmin/Suunto, and Google’s Wear OS.
Best smart health/fitness devices for 2021
Withings Smart Scales
I’ve been using Withings Smart Scales for eight years and they’ve been super reliable and useful. The reason I recommend going for Withings over other brands is the company has a great track record, solid iOS app with Apple Health integration, and a durable and slick build quality.
Withings Body Smart Scale
For those just getting started on a health/fitness journey, the Body Withings Smart Scale is a good fit. It features weight and BMI, auto-syncing with the iOS app/Apple Health, and recognizes up to 8 different users. It usually goes for around $60 but is on sale for the holidays.
Body+ Smart Scale and Body Cardio
If you’re shopping for someone who is further along in their fitness journey, the Withings Body+ Smart Scale adds body composition measurements. That includes fat, muscle, and bone mass, as well as water percentage. Body+ goes for around $99 but is also discounted for the holidays.
If you want to go for the most capable model, the Withings Body Cardio offers all of the features of Body+ like full body composition and adds in heart rate monitoring and vascular age. It usually sells for around $150.
Withings Blood Pressure Monitor
The Withings BPM Connect smart blood pressure monitor offers a wireless experience, rechargeable battery that lasts for up to 6 months, it’s FDA cleared as medically accurate, and you can easily send results to your doctor.
Since it works with the Withings iOS Health Mate app like the smart scale above, you get Apple Health integration and can see all your health data in one place.
The Withings BPM Connect retails for $99 but is on sale for the holidays.
Lumen metabolic analyzer
This is a great gift for those that already have all the smart health/fitness devices you can think of. While fitness enthusiasts may be the most likely to appreciate a metabolic analyzer, Lumen is easy for anyone to use to lose weight, build muscle, or maintain weight.
I did a full review of Lumen and think it’s a really innovative device that offers useful and actionable data. It’s a pocket-sized metabolic analyzer that can tell you if you’re burning fat or carbs based on your breath. From there, the Lumen app gives meal planning/macro recommendations to meet your specific weight loss or fitness goals.
Another focus of Lumen is helping you build metabolic flexibility. Research shows there are a wide variety of health benefits to that including better sleep, stronger immune system, more consistent blood sugar levels, improved workout performance, and more.
Lumen is normally priced at $299 for a year but is going for $259 during the holidays.
Larq Smart Water Bottle
The Larq Bottle PureVis solves two problems with its smart cap keeping the bottle clean and making sure you always have clean water no matter where you’re filling it up.
The cap does that thanks to an integrated UV-C LED light that removes 99.9999% of bio-contaminants both from your water and the bottle. You can activate it with a button but it also self-cleans automatically every 2 hours.
The Larq PurVis is also double-wall vacuum insulated to keep your cold drinks icy for up to 24 hours and hot drinks at temperature for up to 12.
This smart water bottle makes an awesome gift by taking the hassle out of cleaning cumbersome bottles as well as ensuring your loved ones always have clean water.
The Larq PurVis normally goes for $95 but is on sale from 15-30% off for the holidays. Larq also makes the Movement PurVis (no double-wall insulation) that goes from $78.
Apple Watch, Wear OS, Garmin, fitness bands compared
If you’re considering gifting a smartwatch or fitness band for the holidays, here are some quick tips:
Apple Watch
- Lots of functionality (e.g. Messages, Maps, email, fitness tracking, heart rate monitoring, ECG, much much more
- Fully integrated with iPhone
- Single-day battery life (rated for 18 hours can be more or less depending on use)
- Many finishes to choose from especially when considering Apple Watch bands/straps
- Solid for general and some specific fitness tracking, not as ideal for marathons, ultra runners, and other multi-day fitness events
- Price: Usually $219 and up
Be sure to check out our comparison here for more on the differences between Apple Watch models:
Garmin and Suunto
If you’re looking for a gift for an endurance athlete or someone who values dedicated GPS, a Suunto or Garmin smartwatch may be the best fit.
- Full smartwatches from these companies often include battery life of 7 days or more
- Dedicated GPS for tracking workouts, bikes, runs, etc. without cellular data or an iPhone in your pocket
- Ideal for marathons, ultra runners, triathletes, and other endurance athletes
- Durable build quality
- Often run on Google’s Wear OS
Wear OS
If the person you’re gifting is an Android user, it will probably be best to go for Wear OS (or a band-style fitness tracker).
- Very wide selection of styles
- Made to work with Android smartphones
- Wide range of price points
Check out our sister site 9to5Google’s roundups of best Wear OS smartwatches:
Band-style fitness trackers
These are a good option if you’re looking for something more affordable and basic in overall functionality.
- Slim profile
- Usually include step and activity tracking, some include sleep tracking
- Overall less functionally than Apple Watch or other smartwatches
- Often 7 days+ battery life
- Most are $100 or less
Smart health/fitness devices wrap-up
Hopefully, you’ve now got some great ideas on what you’d like to gift the person (or people) who could use a smart health/fitness device. For more ideas, check out all of our 2021 holiday gift guides.
More 9to5Mac 2021 Holiday Gift Guides
- 9to5Mac Gift Guide: The best MagSafe accessories for iPhone 12 and iPhone 13
- Audio Gift Guide: Top picks for the music lovers in your life
- 9to5Mac Gift Guide: Must-have Apple accessories for your devices
- 9to5Mac Gift Guide: Beats Studio Buds vs. Beats Fit Pro vs. Powerbeats Pro
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