Are cholesterol test kits accurate?

Accuracy and reliability vary from test kit to test kit, but there are good at-home testing kits available with reliable and reproducible results. “Home testing kits rely on a variety of technologies to determine cholesterol levels,” says Spencer Kroll, M.D., PhD FNLA , Board Certified Internal Medicine Specialist and Director of the Northeast Lipid Association. “As a result, some are more reliable than others. Traditional commercial laboratory testing of cholesterol requires centrifuging your collected blood and extracting the cholesterol containing proteins from the resulting blood serum. This blood centrifuging can’t be done at home. But alternative methods for measuring whole blood, although less reliable, can provide a good estimate of the blood cholesterol components." He adds that for more accurate results, cholesterol testing requires 12 hour fasting that must also be done for an at-home test.

How often do you need to check your cholesterol?

How often you need to check your cholesterol depends on your risk for heart disease. “The normal recommendation is for low risk people to check their cholesterol for screening purposes every five years,” says Dr. Kroll. “But heart disease is the number one killer of Americans and therefore there are lots of people with increased risk as well as millions of Americans with familial heart disease patterns. In the case of someone with increased risk, testing, which could be done by at-home cholesterol tests should be done every year." Dr. Kroll says that if there are significant weight changes, significant dietary changes or the introduction of new medications, at-home testing could be done every three months. Any significant change in at home cholesterol levels should be confirmed by a commercial laboratory, he adds.

The 4 Best Cholesterol Test Kits of 2023

Healthy cholesterol levels are a key component of cardiovascular wellness. The American Heart Association recommends getting tested every four to six years beginning at age 20—a blood lipid panel includes your total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglyceride levels. The good news is that there is a myriad of cholesterol tests that you can take at home.

Reviewed & Approved

The Curo L5 Digital Meter Blood Total Cholesterol Test Kit is our top choice because it's a quick and easy way to check your cholesterol levels. For a testing kit that offers a wide range of results, we recommend the Curo L7 Professional.

"Patients should use at-home cholesterol test kits in conjunction with a medical evaluation and recommendation," says J.D. Zipkin, MD, Chief Medical Officer at GoHealth Urgent Care.

We researched dozens of cholesterol test kits and evaluated them for reviews, test types, result speeds, types of cholesterol measured, accuracy, and price and have determined these to be the best at-home cholesterol test kits that you can use in-between visits with your doctor.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

KPI Blood Total Cholesterol Test Kit at Amazon

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Most Comprehensive Home Kit:

SDBIO Lipid Blood Cholesterol Test Home Kit at Amazon

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Best Budget Test:

SELFCheck Cholesterol Test Kit at Vivomed.com

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Most Comprehensive Mail-In Kit:

Choose Health Cholesterol & Internal Health Test at Amazon

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In This Article

Our Picks
How We Selected
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Verywell Health

Courtesy of Amazon

Pros

Includes smart test strips that draw into the blood inlet via capillary action
Accessible price

Cons

Only comes with 10 cholesterol testing strips; others must be purchased separately

The Curo L5 has an intuitive design that makes it simple and easy to use. The test strips quickly and effectively draw your sample into the blood inlet via capillary action, making it easier to provide the correct sample size the first time around and receive accurate testing results. With the right test strips, it can measure your total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides. This kit comes with ten total cholesterol testing strips—the others must be purchased separately.

The device shares your test results within two minutes. It’s also compatible with Curo blood glucose testing strips should you want to monitor your blood sugar as well. And it comes with a lifetime warranty, so you can feel good about the initial investment.

Price at time of publish: $99

Test Type: Test strips and Electronic Analyzer | Measures: Total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides; Also compatible with blood glucose strips | Result Speed: Two minutes

Courtesy of Amazon

Pros

Provides a full blood lipid panel on one strip with just one blood sample
Sleek and compact
Ideal for traveling

Cons

Limited 1-year warranty
High cost compared to similar electronic analyzers

Another electronic monitor, the Curo L7 cholesterol test kit, provides the best range of cholesterol test options. It reports six data points with just one blood sample—total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, LDL/HDL, non-HDL, and triglycerides. It uses profile cholesterol test strips that are capable of reporting your entire blood lipid panel instead of requiring a different type of test strip for every type of cholesterol.

The monitor itself is sleek and compact, making it an ideal choice for folks who travel a lot or seem to always be on the move. The kit comes with the meter, 10 profile testing strips, lancets, capillary rods, and a one-year warranty.

Price at time of publish: $260

Test Type: Test strips and Electronic Analyzer | Measures: Total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, LDL/HDL, non-HDL, and Triglycerides | Result Speed: Three minutes

Courtesy of Amazon

Pros

Provides results in under 5 minutes
No meter required

Cons

Can incur user error with manual analysis
Results limited to 5 mmol/L range

In the realm of more basic, manual cholesterol testing kits, SELFCheck is a great option. This single-use test can provide instant results and report your total cholesterol in a matter of three minutes. It’s simple to use, known for its accuracy, and it can provide a helpful data point for people who recently began keeping track of their blood cholesterol.

The packet contains a test card, a lancet, and a plaster. And SELFCheck requires no meter. It’s ideal for adults over the age of 40 seeking a clear indicator of their current cardiovascular health so they can be more proactive with medical interventions that will get them on track and help them stay there. If the test produces a result outside of the 5 mmol/L range, consult with your doctor for a full blood lipid panel and their advice on how to better manage your blood cholesterol.

Price at time of publish: $20

Test Type: Manual | Measures: Total Cholesterol | Result Speed: 3 minutes

Courtesy of Amazon

Pros

Results available on the Choose Health app
Provides additional stats for cardio and general health
No meter required

Cons

Results are more delayed than other options with mail-in style test
Higher cost per test

If you want access to important details about your blood cholesterol and other important components of cardiovascular health all in one test, this mail-in kit is your best bet. A single blood sample returns a cholesterol analysis, including HDL, LDL, and triglycerides. It also provides your average blood sugar reading, tests for insulin resistance (an important marker for diabetes), measures your visceral fat, and analyzes your body’s current levels of inflammation and oxidative stress. And it requires no meter.

Basically, this test helps you learn how your lifestyle is impacting your long-term health, which can help you determine whether you need to make any significant lifestyle changes. After you submit your finger-prick blood sample via the pre-paid envelope, your results will be available for review on the Choose Health app within seven days.

Price at time of publish: $60

Test Type: Mail-in kit | Measures: HDL, LDL, Triglycerides, Blood sugar, Insulin resistance, Visceral fat, Inflammation levels, Oxidative stress | Result Speed: Within seven days

How We Selected the Best Cholesterol Test Kit

To determine which cholesterol test kits to feature, we consulted with experts J.D. Zipkin, MD, Chief Medical Officer at GoHealth Urgent Care, and Spencer Kroll, M.D., Ph.D. FNLA, Board Certified Internal Medicine Specialist and Director of the Northeast Lipid Association, about the most important factors to consider when choosing cholesterol test kits. Then, we researched dozens of the top recommended cholesterol test kits and evaluated them for reviews, FDA approval, test types, result speeds, types of cholesterol measured, accuracy, and price.

What to Look for in a Cholesterol Test Kit

FDA Approval

Only a handful of over-the-counter home cholesterol test kits have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration. These tests are considered almost as accurate as the tests conducted at a doctor’s office and sent to a laboratory for evaluation when users follow the instructions correctly. Our experts recommend looking for the “FDA-approved” label to ensure that your home results are truly informative and worth the expense.

Test Type

There are three types of at-home cholesterol test kits.

You can use an electronic monitor similar to a glucometer to analyze your blood sample.
You can use test strips to read visually by comparing them with a color change chart.
You can send your blood sample to a lab and wait to receive your results via mail or email.

As Spencer Kroll, M.D., PhD, FNLA explains, “Home cholesterol testing kits can be an important addition and for some, a replacement to regular cholesterol testing done at a laboratory or in the clinicians' office. At-home cholesterol testing kits are readily available and come in many varieties. At-home testing typically consists of a method for a person to collect a drop of your own blood and various forms of technology for testing the cholesterol levels in that blood on your own. In some cases, there are home testing kits that allow a person to collect their own blood and send it in the mail for the laboratory to do the testing.”

Decide which type of test best suits your needs to narrow down your options easily and effectively.

Type of Cholesterol Measured

All at-home cholesterol test kits measure total cholesterol, and the more advanced options provide HDL and triglycerides readings as well. Only one of the FDA-approved cholesterol test kits also measures LDL. Pay close attention to what each test measures if you’re in need of a more comprehensive analysis, and expect higher price tags on the tests that provide more measurements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are cholesterol test kits accurate?

Accuracy and reliability vary from test kit to test kit, but there are good at-home testing kits available with reliable and reproducible results. “Home testing kits rely on a variety of technologies to determine cholesterol levels,” says Spencer Kroll, M.D., PhD FNLA, Board Certified Internal Medicine Specialist and Director of the Northeast Lipid Association. “As a result, some are more reliable than others. Traditional commercial laboratory testing of cholesterol requires centrifuging your collected blood and extracting the cholesterol containing proteins from the resulting blood serum. This blood centrifuging can’t be done at home. But alternative methods for measuring whole blood, although less reliable, can provide a good estimate of the blood cholesterol components."

He adds that for more accurate results, cholesterol testing requires 12 hour fasting that must also be done for an at-home test.
How often do you need to check your cholesterol?

How often you need to check your cholesterol depends on your risk for heart disease. “The normal recommendation is for low risk people to check their cholesterol for screening purposes every five years,” says Dr. Kroll. “But heart disease is the number one killer of Americans and therefore there are lots of people with increased risk as well as millions of Americans with familial heart disease patterns. In the case of someone with increased risk, testing, which could be done by at-home cholesterol tests should be done every year."

Dr. Kroll says that if there are significant weight changes, significant dietary changes or the introduction of new medications, at-home testing could be done every three months. Any significant change in at home cholesterol levels should be confirmed by a commercial laboratory, he adds.

Why Trust Verywell Health

As a seasoned health writer, Alena Hall understands how important it is to know exactly what you’re getting in a product intended for medical use. Over the years, she has reviewed dozens of products, from athletic recovery aids to condition-specific products to homeopathic essential oils, to help readers like you discover products that can help you live your best life.

Additional reporting to this story by Jennifer Nied

As a seasoned health writer, Jennifer Nied understands how vital quality product recommendations are for treating symptoms safely and effectively at home. For over 10 years, she has reviewed products, interviewed experts, scrutinized ingredients, and pored over research studies and claims, to help readers like you understand what works for your specific conditions. Every product in this piece was selected taking into account recommendations from doctors, published research, and real customer reviews.

At Verywell Health, we know you need to feel confident in the choices you make about your health and the information that helps you make them. We encourage all our readers to learn more about our testing process.

Best Overall

KPI Blood Total Cholesterol Test Kit Curo L5 Digital Meter

Most Comprehensive Home Kit

SDBIO CURO L7 Professional Grade Lipid Blood Cholesterol Test Home Kit

Best Budget Test

SELFCheck Cholesterol Test Kit

Most Comprehensive Mail-In Kit

Choose Health 6-in-1 Health Test Cholesterol & Lipids Test Kit