Hungry4Fitness
- Apr 7, 2021
- 8 min read

Best Pedometers For Counting Steps

a woman wearing a pedometer and fitness tracker watch

Article Contents

Introduction

Buyer's Guide

3 Different types of pedometers

Key features

Review of the 5 best pedometers

1: Realalt 3DTriSport 3D pedometer

2: Letsfit fitness tracker and pedometer

3: TEMINICE fitness tracker and pedometer

4: HONOR fitness tracker and pedometer

5: YONMIG smart watch, fitness tracker and pedometer

FAQ

Introduction

The purpose of a pedometer is to count the number of steps you take throughout the day. Simple though this function is it can act as an effective tool to motivate and inspire you to be more active. I personally know a number of people who possess a pedometer and they’re always bragging about how many steps they’ve taken. And they relish the opportunity – any opportunity! – to convert their steps into kilometres travelled: ‘Oh, look,’ exclaims one of my pedometer-wearing compatriots, ‘I’ve walked fifteen-thousand metres today!’

For those people who are either considering or taking steps to increase their daily activity levels, a pedometer could be just the gadget to facilitate that positive lifestyle change. For not only do pedometers count your steps, but they can also stimulate self-competition by encouraging you to exceed your previous day’s step count.

In addition, most pedometers feature a ‘sedentary’ function that notifies you if you’ve remained inactive for too long. This function is designed, of course, to prompt you to move more as well as bringing about awareness of sedentarism.

Right, now that we’ve briefly considered a range of functions and benefits, we will take a look at the best pedometers available for 2021. But before we dive into the review, you’ll find a Buyer’s Guide which outlines the different types and styles of pedometers. The purpose of the Buyer’s Guide is to support you in deciding which type of pedometer will best suit your needs because, as you’ve probably already discovered, pedometers come in many different shapes and sizes.

Buyer's Guide

As with all technological gadgets nowadays there’s a steep gradation of complexity. You’ll have noticed this when you last bought a laptop or TV. There’s the box-standard entry model that performs the primary function then there’s the super-duper, all singing all dancing top of the range model that does a million and one things. And separating the two extremes is a multitude of intermediate options. So frustrating!

Pedometers are no different. A simple pedometer will perform the function of counting your steps when walking and running. However, some of the more complex models feature fitness tracking technology – such as heart rate, calorie counting and stress monitoring.

Before purchasing your pedometer you might want to deliberate over exactly which functions you think you’ll need (see list below). Once you’ve made up your mind, you’ll be able to select a pedometer more suited to your fitness requirements. To make life a little simpler, the commentary has been cut down considerably so that the review focuses primarily on the essential functions of the 5 featured pedometers.

3 Different Types of Pedometer

Clip-on pedometer

These pedometers are in many ways similar to a pager – that now archaic communicative device that pre-dates mobile phones. The clip-on pedometer is used in the way that its name implies: you would clip the pedometer to your waistband or belt. Being the most primitive type they are relatively inexpensive costing less than £20. But if all you want is to count steps and a conversion calculator then the clip-on is the perfect pedometer for you.

Wrist pedometer

The wrist pedometer typically features more functions than their clip-on counterparts. They sit somewhere between a basic pedometer and a fitness tracker. For example, a wrist pedometer, in addition to counting steps and converting them into kilometres, may also estimate calorie consumption, estimate sleep duration and feature functions like sedentary alerts and stress monitoring.

Of course, the price of a wrist pedometer is reflective of the additional functions they feature. However, even a ‘top of the range’ model costs little more than £20.

Fitness tracker pedometer

The fitness tracker pedometer performs a multitude of innovative functions which aim to provide the wearer with a comprehensive insight into their physiology. For example, in conjunction with step counting and distance conversions, the fitness tracker pedometer monitors heart rate, calorie consumption, sleep duration (some can even assess the quality of sleep), stress levels and sedentarism – that is, how long the wearer has remained in an inactive state.

Furthermore, the fitness tracker pedometer provides the wearer with an assessment of their activity levels and, if those levels fall under a proscribed range, ‘suggests’ or ‘prompts’ them to participate in more exercise.

Fitness tracker pedometers can cost anywhere between £30 and £120.

Key Features

Steps into distance calculation: surprisingly not all pedometers calculate steps into distance (usually kilometres) travelled. However, for most this is an essential feature as it provides the wearer with a comprehensible metric. All of the pedometers that feature in this review calculate steps into distance.

Calorie: the most basic pedometers count steps and not much else. But the more high-tech products count calories as well. This feature is beneficial for those who are observing a calorie-controlled diet or are participating in a weight management programme.