Ellume COVID-19 Home Test 17+

Each single use test must include a battery, a bluetooth transmitter and receiver, and an led… as well as whatever “fluorescent detection” technology they claim to use. Compare that with a normal covid test, which really only requires the chemicals that change color when coming into contact with covid antigens… I wouldn’t mind all of this overengineering if it were somehow multi-use, but this much waste for just one use? Really???? Additionally the user experience for this test is just horrible. While the packaging says that you can get your results in 15 minutes, in practice, it takes around 30 to download their app, answer all of their personal questions (including giving your address, name, and email), watch their unnecessarily long video (which is repeated later anyways when they give the steps in text), and finally do their test. When in other tests, the preparation normally only takes around 2-3 minutes, this test somehow managed to overcomplicate things to more than 10 minutes. It’s not like you can use the test unless you download the app anyways, as they don’t provide you the instructions and the app is required to even receive the test results. The test is also known to a high false positive rate, so I think it’s lovely that they’ve reported many false instances of covid to authorities.

Thank you for reaching out. Your feedback is important, and we’d like to talk to you about your experience. If you would like to discuss this further, please submit your details with our Customer Support team here: www.ellumecovidtest.com/customer-support and one of our team will get back to you soon. Thank you.

I took a test before visiting my in-law who had health issues relating to a brain stroke and was recovering. I wanted to make sure I didn’t have Covid so I bought the test from a Rite aid in Philadelphia. Not only the test took a ridiculous amount to set up, which included providing sensitive personal data (name, age, phone number, home address), but it showed a false positive that prompted the NYS Department of Health to contact me requesting I should isolate. I didn’t have one Covid symptom, my family including my toddler with whom I share a lot of close, cheek-to-cheek interactions, and my husband didn’t have Covid. I took two other rapid tests the same day, each from a different brand, and they showed a negative result. I also had to visit a pharmacist to perform yet another test that also showed a negative result.
The FDA website already has information about the brand recalling its tests because of false positives in 2021. I guess they didn’t recall all of them. The rating on here is a shocking 1 star which people should take seriously. They are completely unreliable, they take a ridiculous amount to perform, and you’ll end up providing sensitive information about yourself. Not to mention you’re “throwing money out the window,” and causing unnecessary load of mess with the State department of Health.

Thank you for using our test. Your privacy is important to us, we only ask you provide the minimum amount of information required by the Health Authorities: age, state, & zip code. All other information is voluntary. Ellume does not view or sell your information. If you would like to discuss this further, please submit your details with our Customer Support team here: www.ellumecovidtest.com/customer-support and one of our team will get back to you soon. Thank you.

If I could give a negative star, I would! This is a typical example of how to execute an easy idea in a very complicated way! I have been using quick test kits for two years and tried different brands. All of them came in different packages and tools but the basic test process was the same. Easy and quick. But not this one! It requires an app which means that if you do not own a cell phone, then you cannot do the test! It also means that now if you want to do the test for the whole family, you have to do it one by one because the test kit needs to be connected to Bluetooth the whole time. How stupid is that!!!! I saw some reviewers say that the app collects tons of personal information. And the developer responded by saying only certain types of information was required but the rest was optional. Well, they designed the app in such a way that they did not explicitly tell you that you do not have to enter every information. Interestingly, they do bother to create a pop up window and ask you if you are sure that you do not want to enter your email address. To me, the goal to collect and sell your data to third party is written all over their faces. I cannot imagine that someone can make a quick test kit so complicated that it is not longer quick any more!!!!

We understand some people do not want an app with their COVID test. Our app provides support in the testing process and age, state & zip code are the only mandatory data. Please submit your details with our Customer Support team here: www.ellumecovidtest.com/customer-support if you wish to discuss this further. Thank you.