Customer Reviews

Microlife PF 100 Peak Flow Meter for Spirometry with FEV1

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This meter is really nice. It also has optional software and a USB cable available and / or a small printer available from the manufacturer. Amazon's price is competitive.

Without the software the machine takes your peak value from your trials and bases the zone system on this value.

With the software you can set a known peak flow reading (PEF). The meter automatically calculates whether subsequent readings are in the "green", "yellow" or "red" zone. Syncing the device with the software the first time was a bit tricky. You set a patient number for each unit which isstored internally. I eventually got it. Subsequent readings are automatic. Plug it in and it reads and plots both Peak and FEV1 values. The software would be especially convenient for a physician's office as it recognizes each unit and plots tracks the data for multiple devces. Plug a device in, the software recognises the owner and plots the data for them. You assign a patient number to each unit in the software and upload it to the unit. Next time you plug in the unit analysis and plotting is automatic. Easy.

FEV1 is an indicator of obstruction. As I understand it one should be able to expell the vast bulk of the air from one's lungs in one second (FEV1). If one were to know the total amount of air one could expel one would have a measure of vital capacity, VC. The ratio of FEV1 to VC, (FEV1/VC), is a primary indicator of obstruction. Values above 75%, as I understand it, are not so obstructive. Increasingly smaller values indicate increasing obstruction. In short, one can tell lots from this little brief case or purse sized meter.

For about $100 you can get print outs via the optional printer, or if you have your own computer, via the USB link and software. If you have lung trouble that requires monitoring you should get this or a similar device. It works great. If you fall into that category and are modestly computer literate you might well invest in the software too. A manual unit can cost upwards of $20. This is a better value.

I've been using a peak flow meter for years and this gives better and more information than any I've used. I also bought the Peak Flow/FEV1 Analyzer Software with USB Cable that works with it and it gives beautiful graphs and excellent information to pass on to my physician. Even without the software, though, the Spritometer has a memory and makes it much easier for me to keep track of my fluctuations.

This is my first Peak Flow Meter. I liked the design and features amazon listed and thought I would try it out. Everything about it holds true, its small enough to toss in a purse or bag, and easy enough to take out and use at any time. It stores your readings which is quite handy. Great device for anyone who wishes to monitor there peak flow rate.

On a seperate note for allergies and peak flows:

For anyone with allergies, this is a nice product as well. I have a latex allegy and a peak flow reader was recommened to me by my allergist. When using it after say, going into a store, I can tell if there were any hidden latex allergins that were not visable. Balloons and such are visable, however perhaps a bunch of ballons were there a few minutes before I set foot in the store. I would not know, but my asthma would kick in. Sometimes its delayed But the peak flow meter would give me a lower reading byt about 15%. So I would know in advance and be able to prepare for a possible reaction, etc. Just an example for anyone out there with similar allergies. Its a great way to check for possible attacks and being small and light, this peak flow is recommended!

Before I bought this peak flow meter, I had the Piko-1 meter, and there is really no comparison between the two; the Microlife definitely blows out its best competitor (the Piko-1).

Although this peak flow meter costs a bit more money, it's well worth it because you'll have a peak flow meter for life. Yes, the Piko-1 meter does store ratings, shows you wear your peak flows are, and is digital, but the mouthpiece is angled, making it difficult to achieve an accurate reading. The straight vertical angle of this peak flow meter makes it much more accurate. It also stores many more ratings than the Piko-1. Another advantage is that it uses easy-to-find batteries rather than having to find a foreign watch battery (or whatever strange size the other one uses).

The package that Amazon sells for the Microlife is excellent! The carry case is well-made, keeping the peak flow meter safe from damage, and the extra mouthpieces allow you to either clean the others while you're using one or have spares. (Incidentally, having the mouthpiece break was what happened to my old Piko-1.) These rubbery mouthpieces are also much more comfortable on the Microlife. I'm taking my peak flows more regularly now than I did with any other peak flow meter (manual or the Piko-1) just because it's easy to use. And you know if you have a breathing condition, this is VERY important!

The Microlife is definitely a peak flow meter for life. :-) I'd recommend it to anyone who's looking for a quality FEV1 meter!

The PF-100 is a great gadget for checking a few values that can indicate general lung health -> Asthma. Its easy to use, inexpensive, light weight. For a stand alone device it works great as a spot check.

Software? Toss it. It looks like it should work great for managing the data recorded. But it locks up on WinXP and is pretty much worthless as you cant get the data from the device. Attempts to resolve this with Microlife were not productive as they stated " we have not heard of this problem". I Find it hard to believe. This is most likely due to support for Win98 as indicated. Who still uses this Win98? Its 2007.

I am a physician, well versed with asthma and peak flow meters and I bought the PF100 for my son in an effort to monitor his asthma.
My son used the device a few times after we purchased it and I compared the readings with the manual units with favorable results. At 9 yrs. old, he found the PF100 easier to use and interpret than manual units. My son improved so much that we stopped using the device for many months.
He had a recurrence of symptoms and when we again tried the PF 100m we had a few issues.
I sent an email to Microlife customer service and the staff was FANTASTIC, originally trying to walk me through attempts to fix the unit, but then sending me a replacement, which again works great.

I highly recommend this unit.

This is my first meter, and I'm really glad I picked it up. It's quite simple to figure out and use. I haven't had my values checked before, but the meter seems accurate in that the results are closely repeatable. I may even pick up the software to track my progress, which is only $25 from the company's web site. It's comforting to make an objective measurement of something that seems so subjective. I look forward to determining whether or not Singulair actually affects me, because it's honestly hard to tell if it's working or not.

I bought this for my son to use to establish a baseline value for determining when he needed a breathing treatment for his asthma. The PF 100 will automatically set traffic light values showing when his peak flow is in the red, yellow, or green range. This is done using the highest value obtained and sets the limits at 80% (green/yellow boundary) and 60% (yellow/red boundary) of the highest value. The first week the PF 100 worked great and then started to randomly record a "Hi" value (>900 l/min) without even being blown into. Since this "Hi" value is used to set the traffic light values, the traffic light became useless for my son's use because there is no way a normal 8 year old can blow over 600 l/min. I had downloaded the analyzer program (free from microlife.com; microlifeusa.com says it needs to be purchased) and was able to manually set the correct traffic light values and by editing the data file (an .xml file) could manually delete the random "Hi" values. It is recommended that the user blow into the meter at least 3 times and the highest value of the 3 would be kept. But the meter also started to keep all 3 values so when the data was downloaded every "blow" was recorded rather than the highest for each set of multiple "blows." I e-mailed microlife and they said they believed the meter was defective and sent me a replacement meter. So far the meter has worked okay with only one "Hi" value being recorded, again happening without even being blown into.

The meter has significant drawbacks which I feel should be addressed by microlife.
1) The USA version of the meter only lets the user delete all values stored by the meter. This means if you get an errant "Hi" reading you cannot delete it and the traffic light values could be erroneously set to values too high for thr user to obtain. The non-USA versions of the meter allow the last data value to be deleted, so an errant "Hi" value could be deleted and not affec the traffic light values.
2) There should be NO issue with a "Hi" reading anyway. This seems to be a glitch in the meter. I watched one day as my son held the {original} meter near his chest and was getting ready to blow into it when the meter beeped and showed "Hi" without the meter even being moved or blown into.
3) The meter will store up to 240 data values before it starts deleting the earliest values. If each blow is recorded rather than just the highest from a set (all the blows between turning the meter on to turning it off) it may not take long before the 240 spots are used up, depending on how often the meter is used to check peak flows.
4) Without the software there is no way of manually setting the traffic light values. My son had one peak flow of 234 L/min which means the traffic light values would be 187 and 140 L/min. I felt these were too high for my son, who has only recorded 4 values over 200 L/min, but without the software would have had to accept what the meter was set for.
5) Even with new batteries the meter does not seem to maintain the time of day efficiently. The software will tell you when the meter is connected if there is a difference between the computer time and the meter. In one week the time on the meter was off by 3 minutes. Without the software and without the user frequently checking and adjusting the time on the meter, it could end up being off by hours before the batteries need replacement.
6) The meter will not accept any traffic light values other than 80% and 60% of the highest peak flow obtained, even if you try to set new values using the software. It will however allow you to input a different high value to adjust the traffic light values up or down. You can set the traffic light percentages with the software, but the meter will not accept anything other than 80%/60%.
7) Whenever you transfer data from the meter to the software it automatically deletes all the data in the meter. I feel this should be an option, not a given.
8) Not a meter issue: the software does not allow the user to manually delete any of the data values. I had to do so by editing the .xml data file, which a lot of people may not be able to do. The software is very basic but should at least allow data values to be deleted in case a user gets one or more errant "Hi" peak flows.

The digital display is nice and the traffic light indicator (given the traffic light values haven't been messed up by a "Hi" reading) is useful in determining if a treatment is needed even if the user feels fine. Both my ex-wife and I have my son take a treatment whenever his peak flows indicate in the yellow or red. Even with the meter's faults I still prefer this electronic digital meter over a mechanical analog meter.

This meter works very well. I bought it for a friend of mine, because of the fact it has the Peak Flow measurement(large airway) and the FEV1 Measurement (small airways). Although this is not as good as the spirometry units pulmonologists have, this unit is portable, and can be used anywhere. You no longer need to go to your pulmonologist every week to see if your medication/lifestyle changes are working for you now.

You can track your readings using the software they sell at the site (this unit does not come with it) and you can take the print out to your doctor after 256 measurements. It really helps to give peace of mind, and to see if you are actually improving or getting worse in certain environments, at certain times, after a cold, flu or bronchitis.

You can use it anytime as much as you want, that is the best thing about it.

I do not know about the actual accuracy of the calibration, but my friend says that the Peak flow of this unit is inline with other meters, and it is pretty close to the FEV1 readings of the Hospital Models.

You can always take it with you to your doctors when you have a spirometry test and then use it there to see how far off it is anyway.

It is great to have all the readings there stored in the unit at your fingertips without having to write down the time and date and readings.

Just make sure you upload it to your computer before you get to the limit or it erases your initial measurements

The unit is great.

I tried a Pico electronic peak flow meter and it never gave consistent measurements.

The Microlife is a big improvement. It uses a fan/propeller to measure flow, via an
optical sensor. The part you blow through can be removed for cleaning without getting the electronics wet.

The Windows software is so-so. If you aren't running as a user with Administrator privileges, the program pops up an error message.