Most of us want to be healthy, if only to avoid having to spend vast sums of money and time fixing what’s broken. And the best way to stay healthy is to make sure you catch problems before they become acute. This doesn’t mean being fanatical, just careful. The good news is there are enough attractively priced gadgets around now to make it much easier to do.

The Kyto Heart Rate Monitor works with both Android and iPhone smartphones and helps keep track of your exercise and resting heart rates. Not only does this keep you safe from over-exertion, but it helps to ensure that you are optimizing your exercise and getting the best out of the time you spend cycling, running or even walking.

The device comes with a 3.5mm plug-in dongle for the phone, and a heart monitor strap which you attach to your body. You’ll need to download a heart rate app from your relevant app store, but there’s a bunch to choose from (e.g. 60Beat Android and iPhone). You can also post your results to online forums and places like Facebook to motivate yourself to do better next time. The whole kit comes in at a price of just $20.78/£12.94.