Health Gadgets Ranked from Best to Worst

Last on the list (and for good reason) are abdominal stimulators. We left this as a general category rather than picking on a specific brand because abdominal stimulators as a whole are not beneficial for improving fitness and health. These toning belts claim to force your ab muscles to contract using electrical pulses, requiring little to no effort from the user. While they may stimulate the muscles, the belts have little impact on your size or shape. You may notice a mild increase in strength, but you definitely won’t see a six-pack or a reduction in body fat.

The effects of these abdominal stimulators seem to be more psychological than physical: a few studies that looked at the validity of toning belts noted the participants felt toner and firmer, but “felt” is not the same as actually achieving such ends. Given the lack of scientific support for their results, along with their $90+ price tags, you’d have far more success going for a 20-minute walk a few times a week than picking up one of these expensive gimmicks.