Aneroid or mercury Sphygmomanometer

Hey all,

I was wondering—do you guys prefer aneroid or mercury sphygmomanometers? I've heard mercury ones are much more accurate.

Mercury is more accurate, they use mercury to calibrate aneroid models. The problem is that mercury is highly toxic so it's rarely used anymore.

You don't have to worry about a toxic spill with aneroid models.

For me, aneroids are the favourites. But some vintage mercury ones can turn me on too.

This is why I can't find them anywhere, apart from eBay. My old doctor, who retired two years ago, still used a mercury one.

Mercury are quite cool but for daily use I find aneroid more practical and accurate.

Have numerous BP cuffs. By far, my favorite is my mercury Baumanometer. Everything about it, down to the actual cuff itself screams quality. A different, more squishy sound on inflation. Watching the mercury tick with each heart beat is incredibly sexy. Love it.

I think that mercury ones are fine but I prefer aneroids for daily use.

Would love to try a mercury one, but have to make do for now.

I am lucky to have both, prefer the look of the Mercury one being used.

The toxicity of mercury is highly overrated, but you are right, the mercury ones are a toxic waste clean up by today's standards if they break in a public place. I have heard of them closing off rooms in public institutions for things as small as broken mercury thermometers.

One of the big things in the public space is that when you produce over a certain amount of toxic waste, everyday items that you used to be able to just put in the normal waste stream become regulated. Like dead single use batteries and even empty bottles of white out.

Anyway, I would probably go with a wall mounted mercury unit if I were to buy one. I have an aneroid now. A lot depends on the look though. Given I am not a real doctor I am a bit more concerned at how it would blend in with the other stuff in my exam room than it's absolute accuracy.

I use both types. My favorite is my Baum aneroid with Baum V-Lok cuff. The sound of the Baum cuff is unique. I also like my ADC palm aneroid for taking my own pressure.

I have and use Tycos and Baumanometer aneroid sphygmomanometers. Also have a Baumanometer mercury unit which is much easier to read.

Would love to try a mercury sphygmomanometer 😃

For me it's the look and feel of the Mercury model I prefer in a play scene, for personal use I strictly prefer an aneroid type Sphygmomanometer.

I have both types, my wife has used the aneroid type but so wish she would use the mercury column one, for me seeing it stood up on the side of the desk invites excitement.

I have had both, and I have had both used on me. Both turn me on like mad. I cannot pick one over the other.

I have a large collection of both Aneroid and Mercury and I use both. I love the comfort of nylon cuffs but don't mind some of the bladderless one piece cuffs. The Welch Allyn and Medline one piece cuffs are comfortable since they aren't as still as other brands. I have a decent collection of antique units. I believe the oldest ones I have are from the 40's and 50's. Some might be older. As far as collectables I think I have a really interesting collection. I have electronic units including vital signs monitors to play with. I have fun using all of them but prefer using my manual equipment. When monitoring my own pressure I mostly do it manually unless I am short of time to do so. As long as you maintain your equipment they can all be accurate. I have fun maintaining and fixing units.