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The Bay Alarm Medical In-Home Medical Alert ($19.95 per month) is a moderately priced, no-contract personal emergency response system that’s a breeze to install and use. It delivered quick response times in testing, and its two-way hands-free communication is excellent. We love the base unit’s extra-large help button, and the pendant help button’s solid in-home and outdoor range, though we found the reset button to be inconveniently located. That said, it’s the best medical alert system we’ve tested, and our Editors’ Choice.

John R. Delany - Contributing Editor

Home-based medical alerts are ideal for those who don’t leave the house often. They can’t be used on the go (like at the grocery store), since they have to stay connected to an in-home base unit. They work in the yard or even a few houses down, as long as you find one with good range — like this medical alert from Bay Alarm Medical.

Bay Alarm Medical’s in-home medical alert can be used either with a landline or cellular service. Choose between pendant or wristband help buttons, both waterproof with a reported range of 800 to 1,000 feet from the base station. It also comes with four help buttons to put on the wall.

This is a monitored system, which means the help button has 24/7 access to emergency operators who can dispatch local authorities and/or call loved ones if needed. All monitored systems require a monthly fee, and Bay Alarm’s price is very reasonable compared to other companies, with no additional startup fees. Users report quick response times and high-quality service from Bay Alarm’s operators. You can also add on fall detection — a feature that can automatically detect a fall and send an emergency alert on the wearer’s behalf.

While this medical alert doesn’t come with extra features, like medicine reminders or fitness tracking, its affordability, reliability and ease of use make it our top pick for an in-home alert.

Kim Wong-Shing | Senior Associate Editor, CNET

Bay Alarm Medical’s prices start at $27.95 per month. That’s lower than much of the competition, such as Medical Guardian, which starts at $31.95.

Bay Alarm Medical also offers many top-of-the-line features, even with its low starting price. And, if you need more than one system, the company has bundles that offer extra savings.

Taylor Shuman - Senior Tech Expert & Editor | Linda Schlenker - Occupational Therapist

Bay Alarm Medical’s month-to-month subscription makes it an excellent medical alert service for those who may need it only on a short-term basis. Customers are also happy with the monitoring service’s compassionate professionalism.

The medical alert systems are priced affordably, and it’s easy to add or subtract features and products as your needs change. It has a few minor hiccups when it comes to billing and returns, but most of them can be resolved by studying the fine print and communicating with customer service.

Overall, we think it’s an excellent choice for older adults who want both independence and security.

By Cathy Habas and Alina Bradford

Bay Alarm Medical is the perfect choice for anyone looking to get a simple and easy-to-use medical alert solution for themselves or their loved ones. We had a hard time trying to say anything negative about their in-home alert system.

Written by Jensen Wong

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What we like: Bay Alarm Medical sets itself apart through exceptional customer service. When our testers shopped the brand to get a feel for its sales tactics, we found the salesperson caring, funny, and very detailed in their responses. “I left the call really trusting him and believing he had my best interests in mind,” said a tester.

We also appreciate Bay Alarm Medical’s range of devices, including its SOS Home device, the SOS All-in-One 2 for use at home and on-the-go, the SOS Micro, a simplified wristband-style device, and its SOS Smartwatch.

Samantha Colaianni - NCOA Writer/Editor