Omron HJ-109-E Active Steps Advanced Pedometer

As part of a long-term commitment to shed weight and become fitter, I have undertaken a diet based on 'Weight watchers' and with exercise of walking with the dog for company.

When I opened the packet, the device is small, the size of inkjet printer cartridge. The instruction sheet looked like the requirement for the 'tower of Babel'. The explanatory sheet in comparison is huge with too many languages. I just treated it like a 'clock' type device and it was easy to set up. You set it for your stride, weight, time and it gives results of 'strides walked' and distances and kcalories. It has a memory to record the efforts and to allow settings to be set. The battery will last for around 12 months. And oddly, the device cannot be turned off.

To my surprise, I am walking further than I thought, and as I attempt to walk 6 days a week. It indicates at least 9128 strides per walk. Not exactly the 10,000 recommended by the Department of Health, but its reassuring I am going in the approved direction.


A simple aid to help lose weight   September 20, 2007
John G (UK)
28 out of 29 found this review helpful

I have used these pedometers for over 5 years and as a GP recommend them to patients. They have also been used in national health promotion schemes. They are easy to set up, discrete and fairly durable (they don't like water!). The battery lasts well and the display is good. I like the seven day memory which encourages you to try to get a sequence of 7 days of >10000 steps. Sometimes easier said than done. They have come down in price and are now a good value buy at about 8.60. Get one - they're good value and do get most people walking more!


Seems ok so far!   March 24, 2008
Doctor Nelmes (Coventry, England.)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

I Bought one for my wife after reading the mainly positive reviews. Generally easy to use, but I agree with the other comments made about setting it up from the instructions. We have had two previous pedometers, by different manufactures, both of which were far from straightforward to use. On that basis the Omron scores well.

The perceived quality is cheapish - hard, thin plastic. The display is nice and clear and basic function displays are stepped through with ease. I always think that a well designed product should be intuitive to use and this comes close (once it's been set up for the first time).

Accuracy is an issue with one reviewer, however, we have compared it to a measured route off an OS Map and it came out to within about 1/10 mile over roughly 6 miles. I rate that as very impressive given the latitude for initial set-up error. Based on these observations I would recommend one.


Wildly Inaccurate   February 18, 2008
D. Baptist (UK)
3 out of 8 found this review helpful

I spent an hour trying to calibrate this, and never got it within 30-40 steps of being accurate over 100 steps. Utterly worthless to me.


Easy Peasy   April 9, 2008
S. Taylor
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

Very simple to set up, very accurate and small enough to be very discreet when worn, happy walking!