Let me begin this review by making something absolutely clear - I’ve never worn watches.

For some people a watch is a must-have fashion accessory. For me, a watch has always been a minor irritation when carrying out everyday tasks.

In a matter of days my outlook on watches has changed and that is the single biggest endorsement I can give to the Fitbit Blaze.

The Fitbit Blaze is a smart fitness watch built to help you make the most of your workouts while also providing a sleek timepiece.

As a big fan of Apple products, I had considered the Apple Watch but was put off by the high price-tag and fiddly interface.

The Fitbit Blaze is not a true smartwatch in the mould of Apple’s popular product, rather a hybrid of a fitness tracker and a smartwatch.

The Fitbit Blaze's clock face options

I’ve used some of Fitbit’s previous offerings and got to grips with their excellent app, which provides a user dashboard and clear statistical analysis of your data.

The Blaze features all of the best functions of these other incarnations while adding a touch of style and tech with its colour screen.

Curated to fit your life and focused on the features that make tracking your health and fitness easier, Fitbit Blaze includes the smart notifications that matter most.

Call, text and calendar alerts are provided so you can stay connected to what’s important and it also boasts a long battery life of up to five days.

Other cool features like Fitbit’s FitStar displays on-screen workouts to get you working up a sweat and heart rate tracking so you can remain in control.

The Fitbt App dashboard

Featuring a slim design, easily interchangeable bands and frames, the Blaze’s clockface can be changed to suit your own style.

“One of the first things we learned in this industry is that fitness is personal – and if something isn’t your style, you won’t wear it,” said James Park, CEO and Co-Founder of Fitbit.

“With Fitbit Blaze, we pushed the boundaries of what’s possible to create a beautiful, versatile device that can be customized to fit your personal style – while packing a powerful fitness punch to help you reach your goals.

“Fitbit Blaze delivers a combination of innovative features that were carefully selected with intention and purpose, designed to motivate and offer a fitness experience that is more effortless and more useful with advanced guidance and coaching.”

Priced at £159.99, the Blaze is significantly cheaper than the likes of the Apple Watch and represents fantastic value given the sheer number of features at your disposal.

But rather than just being functional, the Fitbit is also fun. Exercise isn’t everybody’s idea of fun but the Blaze breaks down barriers.

In terms of value, there is little better out there in the market today and that makes it so easy to recommend the Fitbit Blaze as a great way to enter the world of smartwatches.