As its predecessor, the original Ascensia Breeze meter, the Breeze two is essentially set apart from other such devices by the internal storage of the test strips. It, too utilizes a ten test disc that is loaded prior to testing. This eliminates the need to obtain and insert a separate strip for every test. It’ a ten shooter. And, as I implied in the review of the first meter, this was a surprisingly handy advantage, as I only had to find and insert the test materials once every two or three days instead of several times per day.. The Breeze 2, also looks like the Breeze, and functions in the same easy manner, but there are significant differences between the two. First the general features that are common to both.
Of greatest significance, the Breeze 2 displayed the same high degree of accuracy that I found in the Breeze. I cannot emphasize too much the little appreciated fact that many of the popular meters on the market are dangerously inaccurate. Both meters come with a normal control solution allowing the user to test its general accuracy and calibrate it if it is off. Both meters also have the advantage of automatically adjusting to the test strip so that they do not have to be reset for every different batch of strips.
Despite requiring a very small sample of blood, 0.3 microliters, the accuracy and reliability of the measurements is impressively high. (Note: 0.3 microliters is, indeed, a small sample, but it is also somewhat misleading because that is the amount actually drawn into the test strip. The sample from which this is drawn, of course, is somewhat larger, but that is true of any sample size in any meter and the amount needed is still impressively small. Ultimately, this allows sampling from sites other than the finger tip, sites that are less sensitive. However, samples from different sites are not directly comparable because the circulation of glucose in the blood is slower in places with less vasculature. Therefore, the procedure for sampling from sites other than the fingertip is different and more limited, rendering this a usually impractical procedure. Even so, the small sample makes the measurement easier and potentially less painful whether or not you use alternative sites.
The Breeze 2 is the same general shape as the Breeze, but slightly smaller. Nevertheless, the size is still easy to manipulate by diabetic people with arthritis or impaired feeling in their fingers, both relatively common occurrences. The meter is made ready for testing by the same mechanism of pulling the bottom piece down, and then pushing it back in place. However, the Breeze 2 contains more flexible and sophisticated features that many diabetic persons will find useful.
The front of this meter presents only two obvious buttons. There is an “on/off” button on the left side of the meter (although the meter will turn itself off after three minutes) and there is a “release button” at the top of the meter that removes the used strip to be discarded. However, there is a trapdoor on the lower third of the face of the meter that conceals five control buttons. This door can be opened by a small “tab” on the right. Underneath are buttons to set up the meter and to recall previous results, 420 of which can be stored in the meter. The previous results can be averaged over different periods of time, one day, one week, two weeks, or one month. They can also be transmitted to a computer for further analysis. This capability is a step beyond the abilities of the preceding Breeze meter, and is helpful to careful diabetic patients and their physicians. There is one other meter on the market that is substantially beyond this capability (The One-Touch Ultra Smart). This meter can actually correlate and analyze glucose levels with respect to meals, medications, illness, exercise, and time. Nevertheless, most users will find the ability of the Breeze 2 adequate to meet their usual needs.
Despite the broadened sophistication and capacities of the Breeze 2, it retains the compelling ease of use of its predecessor. In fact, it has a feature that increases convenience over this previous meter; it produces results in much less time. The documents claim that results are available in five seconds, and this is true, if you wait one second to start counting, but that is a very minor issue and it is still far better than the 30 seconds (plus the same delay) of its predecessor, the Breeze Meter. This speed is comparable to the best of the other good meters on the market.
As an overall evaluation, of the many glucometers I have personally tested and the others whose characteristics I know, this is one of the two best available. I, personally, still prefer the amazing calculations possible with the “One Touch Ultrasmart Blood Glucose Monitoring System” (to be formal). The two meters are of comparable accuracy, and both simple and convenient to use, so that either is a good choice. The Breeze 2, however, is the more convenient of the two, owing to its ten strip disc and, to be perfectly honest, my preference for the sophistication of the Ultrasmart is rather academic, because I am too lazy, as a user, to avail myself of this wonderful calculating capacity most of the time.
It should be noted that Bayer will provide this excellent meter to users free of cost if the user had never been provided with another free Bayer meter. Although this is a wonderful program that is helpful, of course it reflects the fact that the profit is made on the sale of the supplies, particularly the test strips, which are not interchangeable between manufacturers and only sometimes within product lines. With respect to this issue, the Breeze 2 is advertised as being able to use the discs for the Breeze, but the Breeze cannot utilize the discs designed for the Breeze 2. I did not test this claim, but have no reason to doubt it.
Bayer has an entire line of meters. These differ from each other on various features; all are acceptable. They will give the consumer any one of these — once. Although Bayer has a “what meter is right for you” questionnaire on its internet site, I see no reason to consider any one other than the Breeze 2. The combination of features and convenience provides a good package. And regardless of why Bayer will provide the meter free of charge, I recommend that any diabetic patient who self monitors, consider accepting this gift. Despite the fact that I am satisfied with the use of my own “Ultrasmart” meter, I have obtained the Breeze 2 and use it frequently, particularly when I am not at home and want a convenient and accurate meter to carry with me. I suppose that both Bayer and I are satisfied with this arrangement.
