Walking 10,000 steps a day can have a big positive impact on your overall health and fitness – but trying to keep count in your head just isn’t practical. The answer, of course, is a pedometer.
But which should you choose? Pedometers come in all shapes and sizes, and modern designs offer all manner of clever features in addition to basic step-tracking. Here’s our pick of the best pedometers and fitness trackers to suit every budget and lifestyle – but first, let’s dive into the key questions you need to ask when you’re looking to buy a pedometer.
How to buy the best pedometer for you
First, ask yourself whether a basic step-counter is right for you, or whether you want a more feature-packed fitness tracker. Such devices typically include capabilities such as sports and sleep tracking, along with heart-rate monitoring. They can also upload the data they record to apps and websites, so you can monitor your progress over time. But if you just want to keep track of your walking habits, a simple pedometer is your ideal companion.
What key features should I look out for?
One important thing to check is the battery life, and what kind of battery it uses. Almost all basic pedometers will have a replaceable battery that lasts for several months; fitness trackers tend to have a rechargeable battery that will usually only last a week at most before a top-up is needed.
What types of pedometer are there?
Fitness trackers tend to be worn on the wrist, and there are plenty of pedometers that use a similar design – but if you want to save that space for something more stylish, you can also find pedometers that can be clipped onto your belt, or put in a pocket or even your bag. Just make sure you always have it with you or you’ll miss out on some steps.
How much do I need to spend?
The simplest devices that simply count your steps can be bought for less than £10; even the best basic pedometers won’t cost more than £20. Once you go above that, you’re into the realm of fitness trackers. There are some quite capable budget trackers available for under £30, and around the £50 mark you’ll start to find sophisticated devices that track sports automatically and, importantly, look good.
Push the budget a little higher and you’ll find smart devices that can automatically adjust your step goal to take account of your sporting activity. Brands like Fitbit also offer step-based challenges via a partner app: for example, your daily steps can count towards completing a virtual trek around Yosemite National Park, and you can compete with friends to see who can log the highest step count.
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The best pedometers you can buy in 2018
1. Pingko Walking Pedometer: Best-value pedometer
Price: £10 | Buy now from Amazon
As simple as it gets, this pedometer can be clipped wherever feels comfortable for you, or tucked inside a pocket or a bag. Your step count is displayed on the large, clear screen, and you also get an estimate of how many calories you’ve burned and the distance you’ve covered in miles or kilometres. The replaceable AG13 battery (included) should last you several months, as the Pingko pedometer automatically powers itself down if you don’t move for a minute. Just be aware that the Pingko doesn’t link to an app, so if you want to track your step count over time you’ll need to write it down manually.
2. Omron Walking Style IV Step Counter: Best pedometer under £20
Price: £20 | Buy now from Amazon
This basic-looking pedometer has one very clever feature: it can differentiate between regular steps and aerobic walking, where you set a brisker pace and reap greater benefits to your cardiovascular fitness. It also tracks your distance covered and calories burned, and stores the results for seven days – although there’s no facility for uploading this data to an app.
The pedometer also features an action mode, which allows you to record specific walking or running sessions. Start it up and it’ll keep track of the steps taken, calories burnt and distance travelled during the workout. The Omron can be slipped in a pocket or bag and has a clip to attach it to a belt, with a replaceable CR2032 battery that will last several months.
3. Xiaomi Mi Band 2: Best pedometer under £30
Price: £24 | Buy now from Amazon
It’s barely more expensive than a basic pedometer, and as light as a feather – but this fitness tracker packs in a great range of features. Set a step target and you’ll get a notification when you hit this daily goal, and by syncing the Xiaomi Mi Band 2 with its companion app you can easily track your step tallies over time.
Along with steps, the Mi Band 2 will also track calories and distance covered, as well as monitoring your sleep quality and taking occasional heart-rate measurements. The accuracy of the heart-rate and sleep tracking might not be flawless, but the step tracking is spot on. Battery life clocks in at an excellent 20 days or so before you’ll need to recharge.
![Image of Xiaomi Mi Band 2 Fitness Activity Tracker Smart Bracelet Heart Rate Monitor Bluetooth 4.0 Pedometer Sleep Monitor Sport Wristband Smartwatch IP67 Waterproof for Android and IOS [Global Version]](http://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41TIQ6oLaRL._SL160_.jpg "Xiaomi Mi Band 2 Fitness Activity Tracker Smart Bracelet Heart Rate Monitor Bluetooth 4.0 Pedometer Sleep Monitor Sport Wristband Smartwatch IP67 Waterproof for Android and IOS [Global Version]")
4. Fitbit Flex 2: Best pedometer under £50
Price: £50 | Buy now from Amazon
Fitbit remains the king of the step-tracking game, and the Flex 2 is the company’s best entry-level tracker. Along with steps, distance and calories burned, it records your active minutes and hourly activity to give a clear picture of how active, or otherwise, you’ve been on any given day.
It’s also waterproof, and tracks sports automatically – head out for a run and your activity will be recorded and synced to the superb Fitbit app without you needing to press a button. If you don’t like wearing the wristband, the tracker itself can also be removed from the band and worn in a pendant, or even slipped in your pocket. The only downside is the relatively short battery life: you’ll need to recharge it every five days or so.
5. Misfit Ray: Most stylish pedometer
Price: £50 | Buy now from Amazon
Everything is easy with the Misfit Ray. Slip it on your wrist or in your pocket, or wear it on a pendant, and it will automatically track all your activity and sleep. Tasteful LEDs indicate how close you are to your step target, so you can easily check on your progress throughout the day, and the unit vibrates when you get there. And there’s no need to worry about plugging it in every week: the Ray has a replaceable battery that will last six months.
What’s more, the Ray is one of the few trackers that’s stylish enough to wear in its own right or next to a watch, which gives it an edge over the more sporty designs out there: the tracker tube comes in several different finishes, and you can swap out the bands for leather or silicone straps.
6. Garmin Vivofit 4: Best pedometer for battery life
Price: £70 | Buy now from Amazon
This excellent fitness tracker has a small but clear screen and a mammoth one-year battery life (after which you simply need to pop in a fresh battery). It tracks your steps, and marks you hitting your daily target with a mini on-screen celebration – and it can also automatically adjust your step target over time, so if you’re cruising to 10,000 steps each day the challenge will be increased, and if you’re struggling to reach your goal it will be reduced a little to help you stay motivated and provide an attainable goal.
The Vivofit 4 also tracks sports like running automatically and will highlight long walks as a distinct activity in the excellent partner app, Garmin Connect. It’s also waterproof, so should you so desire you can wear it non-stop for the entire year its battery lasts. The only thing it lacks is a built-in heart-rate monitor.
7. Fitbit Alta HR: Best pedometer under £100
Price: £99.99 | Buy now from Amazon
With 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, all the everyday activity stats you could ever want, and automatic sports and sleep tracking, the Fitbit Alta HR is just about the perfect fitness tracker – and it’s all wrapped up in one of the most stylish designs you’ll find in the wearable market.
It’s ably supported by Fitbit’s superb smartphone app, within which you can sign up for step challenges like walking the New York Marathon, with your daily step tally moving you along the course. You can also compete with all your friends that have Fitbits – and there will be plenty of them – to see who can log the most steps each week.
