How accurate is your home blood pressure monitor

It is a good practice to monitor your blood pressure at home but how accurate is your machine? 

I did some research and found this article from Harvard Health that provides some information on how to get more accurate readings from blood monitors at home: Some home blood pressure monitors aren't accurate.

They advice that, "the best device for most people is a device with an automatically inflating arm cuff and large digital readout for easy reading. To get the most accurate blood pressure readings at home, follow these steps:

• Avoid caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, and don’t smoke, during the 30 minutes before the test.
• Sit quietly for five minutes with your back supported and feet on the floor.
• When making the measurement, support your arm so your elbow is at the level of your heart.
• Push your sleeves out of the way and wrap the cuff over bare skin.
• Measure your blood pressure according to the machine’s instructions. Leave the deflated cuff in place, wait a minute, then take a second reading. If the readings are close, average them. If not, repeat again and average the three readings.
• Don’t be too concerned if a reading is high. Relax for a few minutes and try again.
• Keep a record of your blood pressure readings and the time of day they are made."

pearlie