OneTouch Delica- My First Product Review

2010 June 11
tags: , , ,
by christopher

One of the advantages of having my endo (besides the fact that he’s a wonderful doctor who I can really talk to about my diabetes and whose interests run well beyond my lab numbers) is that he is very popular with medical/pharmaceutical companies, and, as such, gets samples of lots of products.

Now, I don’t have too many needs in that regard.  I don’t have very many meters (or a desire for very many meters), and I try to limit my consumption of diabetic products to stuff I really use.  One of the things I use a lot is a lancing device.  Don’t we all?  Yes, yes we do, but I don’t think many people give them that much thought.

I use the lancing device I do by pure chance.  When I was first diagniosed, the GP whose office took my fasting BG happened to have a sample box of an Accu-Chek Aviva.  So that’s what I got.  It came with the the Accu-Chek Multiclix lancing device.  So that’s what I used.  Since then, I have had occasion to use other lancers, such as when I switched to a Freestyle Flash (and soon, a Lite) meter.  Wow, what a difference!  I’ve learned that the Multiclix has a very devoted following, and I can see why.  It is world’s better than the “standard” lancing device (I also used one that came w/ a One Touch Ultra Mini and it was much the same as the Abbott Freestyle device.  Not good, in other words).

Anyway, at my last appointment, my doctor mentioned that he’d gotten in a few One Touch Delicas.  I expressed some interest in trying one out- I’d never gotten a lancing device on its own, and, knowing how big a difference there was between the Multiclix and everything else I’d tried, I figured there was room for exploration.  He said he’d leave one at his other office (he has several) and I could pick it up whenever I had a chance.

So I just got it, and gave it a test drive.

First of all, it’s WAY smaller than the Multiclix, in fact, it’s even smaller than the little ones that come with the Freestyle meters (Lite or Flash).  Here are some photos for comparison:

One Touch Delica Lancing Device

Just under 3" long

a bit shorter and much narrower/more ergonomic than the "standard" lancing device, such as this Abbott from the Freestyle kit

WAY smaller than the multiclix

OK, so that covers size.  What about use?

Well, I took a few samples using the Delica, and I could not feel it.  Could. Not. Feel. It.  But, on the other hand, it sometimes took 3-4 tries before I got a sample.  On my beloved Multiclix, I have the depth set at 1.5 (out of 5.5) and on the Delica, I needed to use 3 (out of  7) to reliably get a sample.  On the “standard” lancer, I usually use setting 1, and it still hurts.

I can’t compare the lancet size with the Multiclix, because the Multiclix uses a drum/cartidge that hides the actual lancets, but I did compare it to the Abbott.  As you can see, it is MUCH thinner.

I think the photos speak for themselves.

So, it must be the greatest lancing device ever, right? Small and painless, what else do you want?

Well, yes and no.  I am still somewhat partial to my Multiclix, because I HATE changing my lancets. If it weren’t for the drum of 6 lancets in the Multiclix, I might never change.  But that’s a small complaint.  Overall, this lancet is very impressive, and if I were ever to have to pay for such a device (lowest I could find it online was $16.99 at Hocks.com) this would probably be it.  Would I spring for it to replace what I have now? If all I had was the “standard” style lancing device, I think absolutely.  If you test more than once a day, you will get your money’s worth before the week’s over.  If you currently have a Multiclix, then I think you can afford to wait until you need to replace it.  This is better, but only because of it’s size.

Here’s the pitch from the box:

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from → General, Product Reviews

  • http://twitter.com/Colcalli Lorraine

    Excellent. I have on my list to check this out and now I feel like you've done the work for me. Although I still want to pursue it, maybe I'm not as much in a rush (or maybe even more so). Thanks for the review.

  • Heidi

    how often do they recommend changing the lancets? ( since they're quite a bit thinner, they probably need more frequent changing out) I hate changing lancets-hence the appeal of the Multiclix. Looks like a great product overall, though, thanks for the review.

  • sisiay

    I'm with you, Heidi. I think every lancing device out there recommends that you use a new one each time, I'm sure it's too risky for them to say that you can reuse (and, of course, they make their money on the lancets more so than the device). So I doubt the recommendations are any different than with the Multiclix. That said, even if you change every time, that's still six times for the Delica for every one with the Multiclix. I would also add that fumbling with those tear-off caps that come with the Delica and most other lancets are more of a pain to deal with than the Multiclix drums.

  • http://topsy.com/dontfeardiabetes.com/2010/06/onetouch-delica-my-first-product-review/?utm_source=pingback&utm_campaign=L2 Tweets that mention One Touch Delica Review and Comparison – Don’t Fear Diabetes — Topsy.com

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Lorraine, sisiay- dontfeartheD. sisiay- dontfeartheD said: my first [unsolicited] product review: the one touch delica lancing device: http://bit.ly/bKPRHE #diabetes #newpost with photos! [...]

  • http://badpancreas.wordpress.com/ Jacquie Wojcik

    Thanks for the review. It's funny, because I never even think about having options when it comes to stabbing my finger — I just use whatever comes with the meter. I might ask for this for my birthday.

  • Jolt

    Got the Delica.. It felt cheap, it had no grip to the handle, and it was only marginally better than my multiclix and changing the lancet even daily vs a multiclix… Wish i could have returned it, but it will be a nice “supplimental” lancet device…

    Also not approved for alternate site testing..

  • Jolt

    *Sticking to his Multiclix untill someone prys it out of his cold, dark hands…*

  • Jolt

    Got the Delica.. It felt cheap, it had no grip to the handle, and it was only marginally better than my multiclix and changing the lancet even daily vs a multiclix… Wish i could have returned it, but it will be a nice “supplimental” lancet device…

    Also not approved for alternate site testing..

  • Jolt

    *Sticking to his Multiclix untill someone prys it out of his cold, dark hands…*

  • Karb

    One touch sent me one for free. I was using onetouch ultrasoft before and even now. Delica is flimsy when compared to ultrasoft or even to the small one that comes with onetouch ultra mini. The bad thing is that I'm feeling more pain with delica when compared to the other ones.

  • http://www.dontfeardiabetes.com/2010/10/apologies-to-mulitclix-but-its-your-fault/ Apologies to Mulitclix, but it’s your fault » Don't Fear Diabetes

    [...] I know I gave a very positive review of the Delica lancet not terribly long ago, the workhorse of my kit, and my daily driver, is still the lancet [...]

  • Carolinatree

    yes, absolutely more pain and more obvious “stick marks” on my fingers.

  • Wadawabbit

    I use OneTouch UltraSofts at home and have been very happy with them for years. My only wish was that they were just a little smaller so they would fit in the case I use to carry my meter and strips; so I was excited to find the Delica, which I thought was a “mini me” version of the UltraSoft. What was I thinking? Why didn’t it click that the much finer needle may not puncture my skin, which is pretty tough after about 20 years of fingersticks? Thankfully I got mine, 2 for $5.00 from a seller on eBay so I can’t complain about the cost, but when I tried it, it barely made a dent. Actually I think I did get a TINY drop of blood, but not enough I’m sure for even the smallest sample strip (which OneTouch is not). This one might work fine for kids, adults new to testing, and perhaps for alternate site tests; but if you’ve been testing for a long time, leave this one on the shelf.

  • Makarov417

    I agree with this review in most every detail but one. My Delica Lancet device also has me making as many as 8-10 attempts before actually getting a sample. The Delica is VERY fickle in this regard and it must be a design flaw. I say this because I called the company and complained about the problem and they offered to send me a new one…free. Well it arrived and I was looking forward to finally having a lancet device that would predictable get a sample every time but…the replacement device was just as unpredictable as the first. Yes it has a much smaller lancing needle but they need to work on the spring/adjustment mechanisms to make it more reliable.

  • Saftyrma

    I have the same trouble as everybody else with getting a productive puncture but removing the top of the lancet is very easy. Once it is inserted into the lancet device, just rotate the cap and it comes right off.

  • mg/dL

    I’m new to regular testing.  The only thing my primary told me was “OneTouch is good”, so I got the UltraMini kit that included the Delica lancet.  I also find that it can be difficult to get a sufficient sample for the OneTouch strip, even with much squeezing/massaging of the lanced area.  Other times, I can feel the lancet, but can’t draw blood.  The depth dial appears to be for appearances only, I can’t tell the difference between the recommended “3″ setting and “7″.

      It works well enough on my less-pudgy fingers, but the thing that drives me absolutely crazy is the SHINY CAP, which must be removed and re-attached for every lancet.

      I have had this cap shoot from my fingers like a watermelon seed!  The body of the Delica has a matte finish, so is pretty easy to grip reliably, but the cap only has matte finish on the narrow sides.  The wide sides where you would naturally grip it between thumb and forefinger are slick as glass, and lack an indent to give some grip.  It tapers toward the front, which increases the tendency to spring from my fingers.

     Clearly this is a case of aesthetics over ergonomics, and the industrial designer should be pricked with this thing repeatedly.

  • Anonymous

    A really good point re: the top. Maybe a little sand paper would help that
    out?

  • Anon

    Because I have glycemic unawareness and strive for an A1C of < 6,  I test 10-12x day.  (More when I'm ill and/or stressed. Fighting for a CGM with BC/BS.)  I only change my lancet once a day. To help remember, I always change it w/ my mid-day meal.

  • Anonymous

    An update- I’m currently almost halfway through 2011, and have not yet changed lancets on my Multiclix.  I don’t mean haven’t changed the cartridge (though also true).  I have been using the same lancet 5-8 times/day for over 170 days.  No noticeable issues.

  • Bowles8401

    How you get the used lancet out of the glide?

  • Michael

    It doesn’t work for alternate testing sites.  It’s strictly for fingertip testing.

  • Karen

     The Delica says right on the box and instructions that it can be used for alternite sites testing.

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