Endocrinologist, Director of the Type 1 Track and Professional Medical Education at TCOYD; Associate Professor of Medicine, UCSD School of Medicine, San Diego, California
Dr. Pettus is an endocrinologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at UC San Diego. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 15, he has dedicated his career to advancing care for others with T1D. His research focuses on innovative therapies, from disease-modifying medications and islet cell transplants to artificial pancreas technology. As a physician, researcher, and person living with T1D, he brings unique insight and passion to the TCOYD education team.
Jeremy’s Quick Take
The MiniMed Flex is dramatically smaller than the MiniMed 780G, easy to carry, and paired with an excellent smartphone app. The main miss is the lack of a bolus button and a small display for the time or current glucose. During the day, phone-only control is usually manageable. At night, when all you want is a quick glance and a quick bolus without fully waking up, it is much less convenient.
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I have been wearing the MiniMed 780G automated insulin delivery system for quite some time and have generally been very happy with it. So when I had the chance to switch to the new MiniMed Flex, I was excited to see what living with it would actually be like. Not the marketing version. Not the feature grid. Just the everyday experience of carrying it, using it, and occasionally trying to find everything I need in the middle of the night.
Let’s Start with the Size
The first thing you notice about the MiniMed Flex is the size. Actually, the first thing you notice is that you almost do not notice it at all.
This thing is tiny. Really tiny.
The MiniMed Flex is much, much smaller than the 780G, and the difference is immediately obvious. It slips into a pocket more easily, takes up less space, and is simply less noticeable on the body.
I did not fully appreciate how much I would like the smaller size until I started wearing it and then stopped thinking about it. For an insulin pump, being forgettable is a compliment. Honestly, the 780G requires a tight belt at times to keep my pants on, so the flex brings the freedom of not unexpectedly flashing people. Which is nice.
Smartphone-Only Control
The other major change is that the Flex is controlled through your smartphone. Initially, I was not sure how I would feel about moving essentially every interaction to the phone. We are used to pulling out the pump to check a glucose, give insulin, or make a quick adjustment.
After a short time, however, using the phone felt very natural. Most of us already conduct half our lives through a smartphone, so adding the pump to that list did not require a major philosophical adjustment.
A New, Streamlined App
The new app helps. It is clean, intuitive, and genuinely user-friendly. The information is easy to find, and the overall experience feels modern. There is not much of a learning curve, which is exactly what you want from something you may use multiple times every day.
A Simple Transition from the 780G
The switch from the 780G was also remarkably easy. The MiniMed Flex uses the same infusion sets (including the 7-day extended wear option), 300-unit cartridges, Instinct or Simplera sensors, and familiar supplies, so I did not have to learn a new insertion process or replace a cabinet full of diabetes equipment. It also used the exact same algorithm as the 780G. It felt less like starting over and more like moving into a smaller apartment without having to buy new furniture. I actually just pulled my cartridge out of my 780G and popped it right into the Flex. No loss of insulin or anything.
The New Rechargeable Battery
The rechargeable battery is another welcome change. I will not miss searching drawers, backpacks, and glove compartments for a spare battery. Now you plug it in, recharge it, and move on with your life. One less small diabetes chore is still one less diabetes chore. The charge lasts about a week and takes around 30 minutes. So once a week during a shower takes care of it.
The Biggest Adjustment
So far, so good. But no device is perfect, and the biggest adjustment became clear pretty quickly: you can do almost nothing from the pump itself.
Want to see your glucose? You need your phone. Want to check the time? You need your phone. Want to give insulin? You guessed it. You need your phone.
During the day, this is usually manageable because my phone is almost always nearby. In fact, there is a reasonable chance it is already in my hand. But nighttime is a different story.
With the 780G, I could wake up, reach under the covers, pull out the pump, glance at my glucose, give a bolus if needed, and go back to sleep. With the Flex, I have to find my phone, unlock it, and open the app. Then the screen lights up with the intensity of a minor solar event. By that point, I am not just checking my glucose. I am awake, reviewing emails, wondering why I am looking at the weather, and questioning several life choices.
That nighttime experience made me realize that smartphone control is excellent until the smartphone is not the most convenient thing to use. The pump itself is not really a backup interface. It is more like a very important Bluetooth accessory.
PROS
- Much, much smaller – The reduced size is immediately noticeable and makes the pump easier to carry and easier to forget you are wearing.
- Smartphone control – Routine pump interactions happen through the phone, which feels natural during the day.
- User-friendly app – The new app is clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate.
- Easy switch from the 780G – It uses the same infusion sets, cartridges, and familiar supplies, so the transition is remarkably simple.
- Rechargeable battery – No disposable battery hunt. Plug it in and recharge.
CONS
- No on-pump control – The pump itself is not an alternate way to operate the system.
- Phone required – You need the phone to see your glucose, check the time, and give insulin.
- Nighttime inconvenience – Instead of pulling the pump from under the covers, you have to find, unlock, and look at your phone.
- No overall glucose control data – The app shows the last 24 hours, but you have to go online to see more than that.
- No Pump display – Would love to see your glucose and even the time of day on the pump.
My Suggestions for the Next Gen
If MiniMed asked what I would change, my wish list would be short. Keep the small size. Keep the app. Keep the easy transition and the rechargeable battery. I would add 2 things:
Add a Quick Bolus Button:
This was a real miss in my opinion. The funny thing is that there actually ARE buttons on the pump, but they do kinda useless things in my opinion. They help to initially pair the pump, and there’s a pump status indicator button.
Aside from the initial startup, I have never used either of these. So, making buttons wasn’t the problem; it was making them useful. You can see my fun little figure below of what the buttons do.
Add a Small Pump Display:
I do not need every setting or menu on the pump. I do not need to play Wordle on it. I just want enough information and control to handle the most common tasks when pulling out a phone is inconvenient, particularly at night.
MiniMed Flex Review: Key Takeaways
Overall, I really like the MiniMed Flex. The dramatically smaller size is a legitimate improvement, the app is easy to use, and current 780G users should find the transition unusually simple because the infusion sets, cartridges, and other supplies remain familiar. The rechargeable battery is another practical upgrade.
Living with type 1 diabetes has taught me that the best technology is not always the device with the longest feature list. It is the technology that fits quietly into your life and makes diabetes take up a little less mental and physical space. For me, the MiniMed Flex automated insulin delivery system comes very close. It is smaller, easier to carry, and pleasant to use. I just hope the next version lets me stay under the covers and keep my phone asleep, too.
Jeremy’s bottom line: The MiniMed Flex is dramatically smaller than the 780G, easy to carry, and paired with an excellent smartphone app. The main miss is the lack of a bolus button and a small display for the time or current glucose. During the day, phone-only control is usually manageable. At night, when all you want is a quick glance and a quick bolus without fully waking up, it is much less convenient.
This article was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from MiniMed.
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