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UnaliWear

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5.4

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LAST UPDATED: February 9th, 2024

UnaliWear is a medical alert company seeking to help vulnerable populations increase their independence while maintaining dignity. UnaliWear’s main product is the Kanega Watch. The company's founder, Jean Anne Booth, got the idea for the Kanega Watch when trying to get a medical alert system for her aging mother. Her mother would not wear a neck pendant and Jean Anne, as an electrical engineer/entrepreneur, felt she could work with her team of developers and investors to create a best-in-class medical alert alternative. The Kanega Watch is that alternative.

The only medical alert watch with built-in fall detection, designed to be worn everywhere (bed, shower, out shopping, visiting family, etc.), uniquely connects to both WiFi and cellular (for the best coverage) and never needs to be removed to charge – so you can truly be protected 24/7. To get help, simply use your voice or the watch’s alert button or automatically via the watch’s fall detection functionality. 

Any of those will immediately connect you to a 24/7 emergency response operator based in the United States with a TMA 5-Diamond and UL certification. The operator will seek to speak to you through your watch. If you are unresponsive, they can contact your emergency contacts as well as dispatch emergency services to your GPS location. 

Customers are charged a one-time fee upfront along with monthly charges to cover monitoring and cellular service. The cost of the Kanega Watch is more expensive than others on the market; however, the watch’s unique fall detection, voice activation, continuous wearing and multiple connectivity features rationalize the increased expense for many wearers – particularly those turned off by neck pendants that can be more stigmatizing.

The watch comes in three accent colors: rose gold, black, and champagne gold. The watch is resistant to sweat and water making it easy to wear in the shower or while exercising. The design is both sleek and discreet making it a great companion for everyday activities. 

Keep reading the pros and cons of choosing the Unaliwear Kanega Watch. 

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The Good

  • Fall Detection Machine Learning 
  • 3 Ways to Get Help (Including Voice Activation)
  • 30-Day Risk-Free Trial 
  • No Need to Remove to Charge
  • Wide Call Coverage

Fall Detection Machine Learning

Over time, the Kanega Watch learns your daily routines and movements to create a more accurate fall detection feature. You can also customize how sensitive you want the watch to be. The watch can detect when you’ve fallen and contact the operator to send emergency services. This automatic fall detection is a patented technology exclusive to the Kangea Watch. The technology is meant to cut back on the false fall alerts that notify medical alarm call centers even when there is no emergency.

Other companies often charge for an additional pendant whose sole purpose is to detect falls. UnaliWear offers the convenience of having these features along with others all include in one device. 

3 Ways to Get Help (Including Voice Activation)

Pressing little buttons on a small watch interface can result in a frustrating experience. When you’re in an emergency situation, you need to be able to communicate quickly.  That’s why UnaliWear created a watch that uniquely offers three ways to get help – fall detection, button, and voice. You can also press the watch button to connect with the response center based in the United States. The watch wearers can also set up medication reminders in the online portal. 

The watch does not require a landline or cellphone to work. The Kanega Watch has its own Wi-Fi connection and LTE technology. This gives you the freedom to leave the house without a phone while still keeping a communication device on you. 

30-Day Risk-Free Trial 

All purchases include a 30-day risk-free trial. That means if you are not satisfied with the product within the first 30 days of purchase, you can return the watch for a full refund. Risk-free trials show that the company believes in its product quality and value. 

None of the plans include a contract. You can cancel at any time for a pro-rated refund of all the unused months paid upfront; by simply returning the equipment back to UnaliWear in good condition. The initial set-up fee is not refundable after the 30 days have passed. 

No Need to Remove to Charge

One of the most convenient features of the Kanega Watch is its long-lasting charge. Each purchase comes with four rechargeable lithium batteries. You never have to worry about remembering to charge the watch at night and put it back on in the morning. Just swap out the batteries daily to stay protected. 

Watch batteries are easy to replace and require minimal finger strength. There is also a backup battery in the watch that provides GPS location and enough power to make a 15-minute call or remain on standby for up to 8 additional hours. 

Wide Call Coverage 

The Kanega Watch stays connected to Verizon’s cellular network at all times. In addition to the cellular connection, the watch also has Wi-Fi connectivity capabilities to keep your connection strong while you’re at home. Not all homes have reliable cellular service so this Wi-Fi connectivity helps ensure fast and consistent service.

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The Bad

  • No Wearable Neck Pendant Options
  • Higher than Average Monthly Cost 

No Wearable Neck Pendant Options

The majority of providers offer medical alert pendants you can wear around your neck or wrist. UnaliWear only sells a smartwatch, rather than wearable pendants. However, this may not be seen as a disadvantage if you prefer a smartwatch over a wearable pendant. 

Expensive Monthly Cost 

UnaliWear offers a monthly and an annual payment plan. The annual plan includes an upfront cost of $199 for the watch and an ongoing service fee of $59.95 per month, paid upfront for the year (with a prorated refund for canceling during the year).

The monthly plan is a little more expensive with a one-time fee of $299 and a $69.95 service fee per month. 

Other medical alert smartwatches have comparable up-front prices with a range between $49.99 to $199.00. Some medical alert companies offer the equipment for free on lease and only charge you a monthly service cost. Based on our research, UnaliWear has one of the most expensive monthly service charges for its smartwatch. This is something to consider if you are trying to find an affordable medical alert option. 

Note: The company offers discounts for individuals buying two Kanega watches in the same location. You can also get a free month of service if you are an AARP member or a family member of active duty military or veteran. 

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The Bottom Line

UnaliWear has taken medical alert smartwatches to the next level by including several exclusive features such as voice-activation, smart fall detection, and Wi-Fi compatibility. The long-lasting battery makes it easy to wear the watch day and night. Individuals won’t have to worry about forgetting to put it on every day. 

The Kanega Watch is priced above other traditional medical alert products. This watch may not be the right fit for you if you have a tight budget and need a very simple medical alert pendant. 

The company does not offer other medical alert devices. However, the Kanega Watch is a versatile product that works in the home or when you are outside. UnaliWear’s watch is a good fit for individuals seeking a simplified device that provides safety and independence; particularly for those looking for a fall detection device that does not require wearing a neck pendant.

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4.5

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197 Reviews

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9%

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Pat Cathedral City, CA

I feel that it was an unfortunate waste of $700. Although the concept of the UnaliWear watch was EXACTLY what we were looking for as a gift to our father, when put to use, the watch (even after having sensitivity settings changed) fall alert went off whenever my dad did yardwork or projects on the house. Because of this, he stopped wearing it at times he was at most risk of falling. The batteries fell out a couple of times so I paid for new batteries. It turned out to be a frustrating mechanism for my father. We ended up returning the watch.

1 year ago

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Reply from UnaliWear

We are really sorry for your experience. Since we only have your first name, we can't identify your account to follow up directly with you. That said, we want to provide as helpful a response as we can here. Please contact us at 888-343-1513 for any further clarifications:
1. We don't understand your reference to $700 wasted. If you returned the watch and charger to us in good condition within 30 days, you get a 100% refund; and after that the refund is prorated. You would have had to keep the watch for almost an entire year before returning it to not get any refund - but your review indicates your father returned it rather quickly. This does not make sense.
2. It's possible that significant swings of the arms, like with extensive yardwork, could trigger the fall detection. Over time, the watch learns the wearer's movements to very much limit these. In addition, as you indicated in your review, the fall sensitivity can be adjusted remotely by our Customer Success Team. That is a feature that only exists with The Kanega Watch. We recommend reducing the sensitivity in stages, to see where the best level is for each wearer. It's possible we could have reduced it further for your father. We are sorry we did not have the opportunity to do so.
3. A very small percentage of our wearers' lose any of the four custom rechargeable batteries that come with the watch. Two batteries snap into the watch and it makes a clear clicking sound (the other two batteries stay in the charger until needing to be swapped out).
We really wish your father had a better experience with his Kanega Watch. Most importantly, we hope you find a system that he will wear regularly and provide him and your family with the peace of mind you all deserve.

Oct. 1st, 2022

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Sandy Sears

Shipping issues. I asked for no signature required for delivery. The watch was sent signature required therefore it was not delivered. I called and tried to talk to customer service. The agent hung up on me then would not answer. The following day I called repeatedly. They finally sent a 2nd watch. We received continuous fall alerts. Cancelled service after being told it takes 6 months for monitoring to learn habits and realize there was no emergency. After canceling I re eived a partial refund even though I was within 30 days. Had to call and get it straightened out.

1 year ago

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Reply from UnaliWear

As we told you previously, we were really sorry for the shipping issues. All our watches are sent with signature required, for liability protection purposes. You did request to receive it with no signature and that was not handled properly by our team. And then FedEx kept bouncing the package back and forth between depots near you. As you recall, we ended up paying for 2-day FedEx to send you an entirely new watch (and working with FedEx to get the original watch back to us). We discussed with you both that the watch's voice and fall alert systems can be reduced in sensitivity to alleviate too many false alert. We also told you that as the wearer continues to wear the watch, it learns the wearers movements thereby reducing false alerts even more (this takes place over a month, not 6 months). This was a complicated return with multiple watches and we are glad you received the full refund you deserved. Thank you for trying the Kanega Watch and we hope you find a system that meets your needs and provides you with the peace of mind you deserve. All the best and stay well and safe.

Jul. 19th, 2022

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Helen Rush Martinez, CA

Because batteries are poorly designed for elders. I've already had one replaced at no charge but told there would be a charge for any future orders. Now I have a second battery where prongs failed so only operating at half power. I think the idea great but battery design flawed.

1 year ago

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Reply from UnaliWear

We are very sorry for your experience. As to your comment, we should note that our oldest wearer is 103 and she has never had an issue with our battery system over the two years she has had her Kanega Watch. Just to clarify, batteries that are lost you have to pay for (we replace the first one for free); batteries that lose their rechargeability we replace for free. Our Customer Success Team will reach out to you in the hopes of ensuring you are changing the batteries properly. If so, in our experience, the process if quite easy for people of all ages. All the best and stay well and safe.

Nov. 25th, 2022

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Virginia Mareks Laguna Hills, CA

Button toodifficult to activate . Uncumfortable to wear, too sensitive to body movement, have to change batteries too often.

1 year ago

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Reply from UnaliWear

We are sorry for your negative experience, but we are a bit confused by your review, due to the following:
1. The watch is fall detection, button and voice activated. It is rare that wearers tell us they have issues holding down the crown button of the watch to get help, but you can always just use your voice to get help. No other system on the market offers this feature.
2. The batteries last 24-36 hours on a single charge. In order to ensure wearers never have to take their watch off to charge, we use this patented battery system. The available size of the batteries to fit in the watch band dictates how long they can go before needing to be recharged. It's about a 5 second procedure to swap out the batteries (we usually tell people just to do it when they are brushing their teeth, to create an easy habit - though the watch will tell you when the batteries need to be changed, as well).
3. You are able to adjust the sensitivity of the fall detection if you are getting too many false alerts. Just contact our Customer Success Team at 888-343-1513 and press option 1 for prompt service (as we can adjust this on your watch remotely). In addition, over time the watch learns your movements, naturally reducing false alerts. Again, no other system on the market offers this feature.

All the best and stay well and safe.

Aug. 26th, 2022

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bob anderson Youngsville, NC

past coustomer service: current set up on watch: Watch calling for at night while wearing it in bed: unable to hear the watch due to low volume

1 year ago

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Reply from UnaliWear

Thank you for being a consistent Kanega Watch wearer for nearly 2 years. The volume can be adjusted on your watch. If you have questions on how to do that, please contact our Customer Success Team at 888-343-1513 and press option #1. Note because the watch has voice activation having the TV on loud (such as in bed at night) can trigger a voice activation. All the best and stay well and safe.

Jul. 16th, 2022

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Rich Power Bedford, TX

I fell 3 times in the past few months watch didn't register. It did register a fall while eating breakfast

1 year ago

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Reply from UnaliWear

Really sorry for your experiences. Our Customer Success Team will be reaching out to you regarding potential adjustments to your watch's Fall Detection sensitivity. In addition, we want to record the date and time of the falls the watch did not catch. We can actually look into your watch logs to see what the watch detected when you fell. We also use that fall data to improve the accuracy of our fall detection for all wearers, which no other provider does. All the best and stay well and safe.

Jun. 20th, 2022

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Teri King for James King Palm Springs, CA

The watch broke twice, and my father barely got to use it. It is very cheaply made. Misrepresented.

1 year ago

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Reply from UnaliWear

Sorry for your experience. The watch is definitely not cheaply made, and we have many wearers who have not broken their watch in 3+ years. Even still, we have a generous replacement policy when issues arise. We do have a very small percentage of users who have broken their watch multiple times. For some of those, we may not be the best option and they might be better served by a traditional neck pendant that does not require changing of batteries or wearing 24/7, like the Kanega Watch. That said, we wish you and your family all the best in finding a provider that best meets your needs.

Jun. 20th, 2022

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Alan Bianco Massapequa, NY

to heavy and way to big. and the changing of batt every day is way to often.

1 year ago

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Reply from UnaliWear

We are sorry for your experience. The watch is about the same weight as an Apple Watch. Its size is dictated by the batteries in the watch band, so you never have to remove the watch to charge (or for any other reason). These batteries do need to be changed every 24-36 hours (swapping out one set of rechargeable batteries that come with the watch with the other set that comes with the watch). This process, as you know, takes about 5 seconds. We are glad you are actively wearing your watch everyday and hope you continue to stay safe and protected with your Kanega Watch.

Aug. 26th, 2022

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William Shadel Easton, PA

Many false alarms when I hadn't fallen and no alarm when I did have a bad fall

1 year ago

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Reply from UnaliWear

Sorry for your experience. Our Customer Success Team is reaching out to you regarding potential adjustments to your watch's Fall Detection sensitivity. In addition, we want to record the date and time of the fall the watch did not catch. We can actually look into your watch logs to see what the watch detected when you fell. We also use that fall data to improve the accuracy of our fall detection for all wearers, which no other provider does. All the best and stay well and safe.

Jun. 20th, 2022

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Elizabeth Alecci Arvada, CO

My watch goes off at any given time. It also quits showing the time frequently.

1 year ago

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Reply from UnaliWear

We will have our Customer Success Team reach out to you today to remotely adjust the Voice Activation and Fall Detection sensitivity of your watch. Regarding the time, the watch only lights up when you make a voice command, push the crown button or turn the watch up and to your face (the watch will assume you want to see the time). This saves battery power as well as ensures that the watch does not unnecessarily light up at night while you are sleeping. All the best and stay well and safe.

Dec. 23rd, 2022