About Microlife
Microlife traces back to 1981, when it was founded as Micro Idea Instruments in Taipei, Taiwan. The company built a Swiss headquarters in Widnau in 1996 and opened its first U.S. office the following year, and today describes itself as the world's largest manufacturer of digital medical thermometers alongside a major line of home blood pressure monitors. Its home respiratory-care lineup includes digital peak flow meters that measure both PEF (peak expiratory flow) and FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second) for at-home asthma and COPD monitoring.
The Microlife PF-100 Digital Peak Flow Monitor received FDA 510(k) clearance (K040723, cleared June 2004) as a Class II device for monitoring PEF and FEV1 in pediatric-to-adult patients, built around a micro digital volume transducer that converts a rotating vane's motion into an electronic reading rather than the mechanical spring-and-slider mechanism used in basic meters. Microlife's broader blood pressure monitor line has independently earned an 'AA' validation rating from the British Hypertension Society, and its WatchBP Home A device was recommended by the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2013 for hypertension and atrial fibrillation screening, third-party clinical scrutiny that reflects the same engineering standards behind its respiratory devices.
Brand website: microlifeusa.com
What Microlife makes
Microlife's range runs wider than the products we review. The lines we know best from our own testing are marked with a star:
Digital Peak Flow Meters
PF-100 series measuring both PEF and FEV1, with onboard memory and PC trend software — featured on BestRatedDocs
Blood Pressure Monitors
upper-arm and wrist digital monitors, several British Hypertension Society AA-validated
Digital Thermometers
non-contact forehead and digital basal thermometers
Pulse Oximeters
fingertip SpO2 and pulse-rate monitors for home respiratory monitoring
Blood Glucose Monitors
home glucose testing systems
Why we recognized Microlife
The BestRatedDocs Top Brand recognition isn't paid for and can't be applied for. We award it to the brands whose products consistently stand out in our category reviews. Microlife earned it on the strength of the products below, evaluated the same way every product on this site is: assessed against clinical criteria, verified specifications, and real-world user outcomes, and judged on merit.
Microlife products we rated highly
Microlife PF100 Digital Peak Flow Meter Deluxe Kit
The only device in our peak flow meter review that combines 240-reading automatic timestamped memory with simultaneous PEF and FEV1 measurement in a single forced exhalation, backed by FDA 510(k) clearance (K040723) as a Class II diagnostic device. Its included Mac/PC software generates printable trend charts for pulmonologist follow-up, and the deluxe kit ships with a carrying case and mouthpieces ready for clinic, school, or travel use. It carries a 4.3-star average across nearly 1,500 verified reviews.
Read the 5 Best Peak Flow Meters of 2026 guide →What earned Microlife the recognition
- The Microlife PF100 is our top pick for patients under active specialist care in our peak flow meter coverage, the only reviewed device pairing 240-reading timestamped memory with dual PEF and FEV1 measurement.
- The PF100 holds FDA 510(k) clearance (K040723) as a Class II diagnostic device, cleared specifically for monitoring PEF and FEV1 in pediatric-to-adult patients at home.
- Microlife has manufactured medical diagnostic devices since 1981 and describes itself as the world's largest manufacturer of digital medical thermometers, with a Swiss headquarters established in 1996.
- Microlife's blood pressure monitor line has independently earned an 'AA' validation rating from the British Hypertension Society, and its WatchBP Home A device was recommended by the UK's NICE in 2013 for hypertension and atrial fibrillation screening.
- The PF100 Deluxe Kit includes a carrying case, mouthpieces, and PC trend-charting software, giving patients everything needed to start structured monitoring without additional purchases.