"Pedometers are nifty little gadgets that count steps according to your body movement. Just clipping one on seems to make people want to walk more, and that can have a number of benefits," said Jenny Cook, executive editor of Good Housekeeping. "It can help you lose weight, one pound every 10 weeks, which is about five pounds a year. It can help you maintain healthy blood pressure, and it can also increase your activity level --according to one research review, 27 percent."

So The Good Housekeeping Institute asked 17 volunteers to test 10 of the newest pedometers to check their reliability. "We had our panelists walk on the treadmill at speeds of 2.5 and 3.5 miles-per-hour for about 10 minutes," said Charmaine Gillespie, test coordinator, Good Housekeeping Institute. "I counted their steps with a counter and then we compared their actual pedometer readings to the counter readings."

If you want a pedometer with a lot of features, Good Housekeeping recommends the Accusplit Eagle Multi-Function Pedometer for $35. "This pedometer has a goal-tracking feature that allows its users to monitor their progress. It measures calories burnt, it measures distance walked and also has a time feature on it," said Gillespie.

The Omron Pocket Pedometer for $50 is Good Housekeeping’s pick for the “tech savvy.” Its software system connects to your computer so you can track the steps you’ve taken, the calories you’ve burned, and the distance you’ve covered.

Another less expensive option? "The Yamax CW-300 Digi-Walker, which costs $30, is good for those users who just want a simple pedometer that measures steps accurately," said Gillespie.

A recent Stanford University study found that people who wear a pedometer take more than 2,000 extra steps a day. That’s well over a mile. So pedometers can really be an incentive to get you walking. To learn more, check out the June issue of Good Housekeeping or visit www.goodhousekeeping.com.